NTA announces new dates for June cycle UGC-NET, other exams

New Delhi, June 29 2024-

The National Testing Agency (NTA) on Friday announced fresh dates for the recently cancelled NCET, Joint CSIR-UGC NET, and UGC-NET June 2024 cycle examinations.

Earlier, citing unavoidable circumstances, the examinations were cancelled/postponed, leaving scores of tense aspirants waiting for new dates.

The June cycle UGC-NET exam was earlier held on June 18 but was cancelled the very next day.

In a notification issued on Friday night, the NTA announced that the NCET 2024 will be held on July 10; Joint CSIR-UGC NET on July 25-27; while the UGC-NET June 2024 cycle exam will be held between August 21 and September 4.

The NTA notification suggested the candidates visit its official website www.nta.ac.in for further information.

It also said that the All India Ayush Post Graduate Entrance Test 2024 will be held as per its actual schedule on July 6. (Agency)

Five soldiers killed during tank exercises in Ladakh

Srinagar, June 29 2024-

Five Army soldiers were killed during a tank warfare exercise in the Ladakh region when the stream through which the tanks were passing suddenly got flooded.

Official sources told IANS from Leh town of Ladakh region that an exercise of tank warfare was going on in the Daulat Beg Ode area near the line of actual control (LAC) on Friday.

A stream which was being crossed by the tanks during this exercise suddenly got flooded due to cloudburst in the higher reaches.

“A tank was caught in the flashflood wherein five soldiers got killed,” sources said.

The sources ruled out any sabotage in this accident. Those killed in this mishap include a Junior Commissioned Officer. (Agency)

Not in a rush to bring Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore home: NASA

Washington, June 29 2024-

Denying that NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are stranded on the International Space Station (ISS), the US space agency and Boeing officials have said they are currently “not in any rush to come home.”

Amid multiple reports claiming that the two astronauts, sent to the orbiting laboratory onboard Boeing Starliner spacecraft earlier this month, are stranded after suspected helium leaks, NASA and Boeing officials said they are using “the luxury of time” to learn more before the astronauts return to Earth.

“I want to make it real clear that we’re not in any rush to come home,” Steve Stich, NASA’s commercial crew programme manager, was quoted as saying during a press conference late on Friday (US time).

“The station is a nice, safe place to stop and take our time to work through the vehicle and make sure we’re ready to come home,’ he added.

NASA and Boeing continue to evaluate Starliner’s propulsion system performance before returning to Earth from the orbiting lab.

The US space agency said they are now targeting the end of July for the next spacewalk outside the space station.

This change allows teams on the ground to continue to troubleshoot and understand the water leak in the service and cooling umbilical unit that forced an early end to a spacewalk on June 24.

Originally slated to spend eight days on the orbiting space laboratory, the astronauts reached the ISS on June 6.

According to NASA, the spacecraft requires seven hours of time to perform a normal end-of-mission and it “currently has enough helium left in its tanks to support 70 hours of free flight activity following undocking.” (Agency)

T20 World Cup: Rohit Sharma & Co. seeking to end 11-year drought

Bridgetown (Barbados), June 29 2024-

Team India, in its third ICC final in the last 12 months, are seeking to end their 11-year drought of a big title and aim to win the Men’s T20 World Cup they last won in the inaugural edition in 2007, where current skipper Rohit Sharma played under MS Dhoni’s leadership.

On the other hand, South Africa are into a men’s ICC World Cup final for the first time – after seven previous efforts ended in defeats.

Both India and South Africa have made it to the title clash as the unbeaten teams in very contrasting styles – the Rohit Sharma-led side came out on top in tough New York pitches and adapted very well to triumph in its matches in the Caribbean so far, latest of it being a comprehensive 68-run win over defending champions England.

India’s campaign has been very much like their awe-inspiring and dominating run in the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup, and would be keen to cross the last hurdle which they failed to go past against Australia in Ahmedabad when they play in their third T20 World Cup final. A title win for India will also serve as a fitting farewell to Rahul Dravid’s time as the head coach.

The Proteas, led by Aiden Markram & Co, have got luck on their way to be victorious in tight matches amidst challenging conditions in New York, as well as in the Caribbean, and then blew away a spirited Afghanistan in Trinidad. For South Africa, who won the 1998 ICC Knock-Out title (then called as Champions Trophy), Saturday is the perfect time for them to give their country the joy of winning the silverware.

For India, captain Rohit Sharma has been literally leading the charge from the front. After the ten-wicket annihilation at the hands of England in the 2022 T20 World Cup semi-final at Adelaide, Rohit has led a transformation for India – changing his batting approach to a more attacking version and being selfless for the team’s cause, with no care given to milestones.

When it mattered the most, Rohit launched a sensational takedown of Australia in the Super Eights game at St Lucia, with the standout being taking 29 runs off Mitchell Starc. Against England on a tacky pitch in Guyana, Rohit mixed his aggressive play with cautiousness to make an important 57 and be one half of a crucial 73-run stand with Suryakumar Yadav.

Despite Virat Kohli and Shivam Dube having middling returns, Suryakumar, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, along with useful runs from Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel have given solid support to Rohit in India making above-par totals and chasing whenever pushed into it. In terms of bowling, India have clicked as pacers and spinners are doing their jobs with perfection.

Meanwhile, South Africa have been helped by various individuals clicking at the right time to find themselves in the title clash. Reeza Hendricks has struggled for form at the top, but his unbeaten knock in the semi-final and hitting winning runs against Afghanistan should boost his confidence.

Wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock will be aiming to come good in the final, and use his extensive CPL experience at Barbados, a venue where South Africa will be playing a game in this T20 World Cup for the first time.

Their dynamic middle order of Markram, Tristan Stubbs and Heinrich Klaasen can play pace and spin very, followed by the hugely experienced David Miller present to apply finishing touches to the batting innings. Their match-up against Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja will make for a riveting watch in the final.

Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen and Anrich Nortje have put in fiery performances for South Africa on the fast-bowling front, using their tall heights and high release points to outclass batters. Spinners Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi can be more than handful if consistent bounce is found in abundance in Barbados.

For all the new-found weather geeks, there is considerable rain threat for the final match day, as well as on the reserve day. No team has ever won a Men’s T20 World Cup as an unbeaten side, which means India and South Africa have a golden chance to rewrite history. Who will achieve their eventual date with destiny of winning the title, it will be made crystal clear by the end of this weekend.

Match starts at 8pm IST on Star Sports (TV) and Disney+ Hotstar (Mobile)

Squads:

India: Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj.

South Africa: Aiden Markram (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Tristan Stubbs, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Ottniel Baartman, Bjorn Fortuin, Ryan Rickelton and Gerald Coetzee. (Agency)

Nikhil Gupta, accused in ‘murder-for-hire’ plot, appears before US trial judge in preliminary procedure

New York, June 29 2024-

Nikhil Gupta, the Indian national accused in an alleged murder-for-hire plot, has appeared for the first time before the trial judge as lawyers laid out the preliminary steps.

Federal Senior Judge Victor Marrero set the next court date for September 13 during the brief hearing on Friday at which he ordered the prosecution to share the evidence it had with the defence.

At the September court date by which the defence would have had an opportunity to go through the government evidence to prepare its case, further trial proceedings will be determined.

Wearing khaki shirt and pants, Gupta was escorted in by US Marshals and sat at the defence table where he conferred with his lawyer Jeffrey Chabrowe before the proceedings began.

He had been arrested in the Czech Republic last June at the request of the US and was extradited and brought to New York on June 14.

He was produced on June 17 before Magistrate Judge James Cott, who ordered him held without bail.

One of the prosecutors in the case, Assistant District Attorney Camille Latoya Fletcher, outlined on Friday the trial judge the government’s case against Gupta.

She reiterated the allegations that he participated in a plot with an Indian government employee against a US citizen of Indian origin, both of whom she did not identify.

The alleged intended victim is reported to be Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a lawyer with US and Canadian citizenships, who lives in New York and leads the ‘Sikhs for Justice’ group which is the hub for the campaigns for Khalistan.

The Indian government has designated Pannun a terrorist.

Fletcher said that Gupta negotiated with a person he thought was a “hitman”, $100,000 as the price for the alleged assassination plot and arranged to give him an advance of $15,000 and the details to identify the alleged intended victim.

But the person he thought was a “hitman” was, in fact, a secret undercover agent, she said.

She added that the government evidence included the phone seized from Gupta, which had his interactions with the Indian government employee.

There were also electronic communications that had been seized as well as material from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Agency, she said.

In addition, there were videos and audios of Gupta’s interactions with the “hitman”, she added.

Chabrowe requested an order of protection for Gupta, but did not ask for bail.

Marrero said that there would be an exclusion to the legal provisions for a speedy trial in order to allow the defence adequate time to prepare for the case.

That is routine as also his reiteration of the duties of the prosecution under US law to share all evidence and information it has with the defence, including those that can help the defence, and the penalties for not doing so.

The courtroom was packed with Sikhs, most of them white-bearded older men, while across the street from the courthouse, a group of Khalistanis held a protest holding their yellow flags.

Marrero, 82, holds the senior judge position that allows older judges to continue with a lower case load. (There is no mandatory retirement age for federal judges who can continue as long as they want in a regular role or in a senior status.)

He was nominated to the bench by former US President Bill Clinton in 1999 to fill the vacancy in the Southern District Court of New York when Sonia Sotomayor, now a Supreme Court Justice, was elevated that year to a federal appeals court.

In 2010, Marrero assumed the senior judge status.

Marrero has a broad international perspective as he did stints as a diplomat before becoming a judge working as the US Ambassador to the Organisation of American States and as one of the envoys to the United Nations.

A major verdict Marrero delivered concerned the Patriot Act, the post-9/11 anti-terrorism legislation.

His 2015 ruling limited the level of secrecy in the FBI’s surveillance operation.

More recently in 2019 and 2020, Marrero ruled against former US President Donald Trump’s appeals to block a demand by former local New York prosecutor Cyrus Vance to his accountants for his tax records.

The Supreme Court upheld the ruling when Trump made a further appeal. (Agency)

Second batch of 4,029 pilgrims leave Jammu as Amarnath Yatra beginning today

Jammu, June 29 2024-

The Second batch of pilgrims left for the Valley early on Saturday morning in escorted convoys for the Amarnath Yatra which has begun.

Officials said that the second batch of 4,029 Yatris left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu for Kashmir valley in two escorted convoys of 200 vehicles.

“Of these, 1,850 Yatris left for Baltal base camp at 4 a.m. in 104 vehicles, and 2,179 left in 96 vehicles for Nunwan (Pahalgam) base camp at 4.30 a.m.

“Both convoys are escorted by the security forces,” officials said.

The 52-day-long Amarnath Yatra begins today and will end on August 19, coinciding with the festival of Raksha Bandhan and Shravan Purnima.

Yatris take either the 48 km-long traditional Pahalgam route or the shorter 14 km-long Baltal route to perform the Yatra.

Those taking the Pahalgam route take four days to reach the shrine, while those taking the Baltal route return the same day after Darshan.

The shrine is situated 3,888 metres above sea level and houses an ice stalagmite that wanes and waxes with the phases of the moon.

Devotees believe that the structure symbolises the mythical powers of Lord Shiva.

Extensive arrangements for security have been made this year all along the twin Yatra routes at the two base camps and the cave shrine to ensure a smooth and incident-free Yatra.

Over 124 Langars (community kitchens) have been set up along both the routes as well as at the transit camps and the cave shrine.

Over 7,000 Sevadars (volunteers) are serving the pilgrims during this year’s Yatra.

To manage the rush of the Yatris, railways have decided to add additional trains from July 3.

Helicopter services are also available for the pilgrims on both routes. (Agency)

T20 World Cup: Rain threat looms large in Barbados

Barbados, June 29 2024-

India and South Africa are set to face each other in the final of the T20 World Cup, here on Saturday. However, bad news coming in for the cricket fans as there are 49% chances that rain could play a spoilsport during the match, as per the local weather department.

So, what happens if rain washes out? The match is expected to begin at 10:30 AM local time, but the game is expected to be heavily curtailed by rain.

As per the ICC guidelines, the added time is set to remain the same as the semi-final of the tournament. Meaning that a full game can happen even after a 4-hour 10-minute delay from the start time.

The final has a reserve day? If the rain does not allow play to happen at all, then the match will be shifted to Sunday, June 30.

India and South Africa have met six times in the T20 World Cup in the history of the tournament with India having an upper hand in the head-to-head matchup.

India v South Africa head-to-head in T20 World Cups- 6

India: 4

South Africa: 2

India v South Africa overall T20Is head-to-head- 26

India: 14

South Africa: 11

When: Saturday, June 29 at 8 PM IST

Where: Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados

ICC T20 World Cup 2024 final live broadcast on television in India: Star Sports network will broadcast the tournament in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada.

ICC T20 World Cup 2024 final live stream in India: The live streaming will be available on Disney + Hotstar.

Squads:

India: Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.

South Africa: Aiden Markram (c), Ottniel Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs. (Agency)

Now girder of under-construction bridge collapses in Bihar

Patna, June 28 2024-

The girder of an under-construction bridge collapsed in Bihar’s Madhubani district on Friday, making it the fifth such incident in the past 10 days after Araria, Siwan, East Champaran, and Kishanganj.

The construction of the bridge was underway on the Bhutahi Balan River under the Madhepur block. The girder, whose concretisation work was completed two days ago, collapsed on Friday due to strong flows of rainwater in the river.

Local villagers said the work has been going on for the past five years during which four pillars were constructed. The girder that collapsed was installed between two of these pillars. The villagers claimed that bad alignment work led to its collapse.

To recall, a bridge worth Rs 12 crore on the Bakra River in Araria district collapsed on June 18. On June 22, a bridge built on the canal connecting Daraunda and Maharajganj blocks in Siwan collapsed. The third incident was reported from Ghodasahan block in East Champaran on June 23, while on June 27, a bridge connecting the Kankai and Mahananda in Kishanganj gave way. (Agency)

Hockey India announces 33-member group for national women’s coaching camp

Bengaluru, June 29 2024-

Hockey India, on Saturday, announced the 33-member Indian women’s hockey team that will return to train in the national women’s coaching camp from July 1 to August 31, in SAI Bengaluru. The Indian women’s team went on a short break after concluding their FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24 season in London and Antwerp.

The team, led by captain Salima Tete and vice-captain Navneet Kaur fought in close matches against Argentina, Belgium, Germany, and Great Britain in the FIH Pro League, under the guidance of chief coach Harendra Singh, and showed glimpses of brilliance occasionally.

The shortlisted squad includes goalkeepers Savita, Bichu Devi Kharibam, Bansari Solanki, and Madhuri Kindo. The defenders picked for the core group are Nikki Pradhan, Udita, Ishika Chaudhary, Monika, Ropni Kumari, Mahima Choudhary, Jyoti Chhatri, and Preeti.

The midfielders selected are Salima Tete, Marina Lalramnghaki, Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke, Neha, Jyoti, Edula Jyoti, Baljeet Kaur, Manisha Chauhan, Akshata Abaso Dhekale, Ajmina Kujur.

Meanwhile, the forwards featured in the group are Sunelita Toppo, Mumtaz Khan, Lalremsiami, Sangita Kumari, Deepika, Sharmila Devi, Navneet Kaur, Deepika Soreng, Preeti Dubey, Vandana Katariya and Rutuja Dadaso Pisal.

Chief coach Harendra Singh commented on the progress of the team saying, “We recently travelled to Antwerp and London for the Europe leg of the Pro League, and while the results were not in our favour, we learned a lot as a team. On several occasions, we were leading, and we proactively searched and threatened to score while looking for an equalizer. These are good signs to have in the initial stages of a rebuild, and I am sure the Indian women’s hockey team will be a force to be reckoned with in the future.” (Agency)

GIFT Nifty hits record monthly turnover of $95.5 billion for June

New Delhi, June 29 2024-

GIFT Nifty, which are traded on the National Stock Exchange (NSE), recorded a new milestone of achieving an all-time high monthly turnover of $95.55 billion (about Rs 7,97,714 crore) as on June 27.

This surpassed its previous record of $91.73 billion set in May. The benchmark achieved its highest-ever monthly turnover of 21,23,014 contracts in June.

“This milestone reflects the growing global interest and trust in the GIFT Nifty as a benchmark for India’s growth story,” NSE said.

“We are glad to witness the success of GIFT Nifty and express our sincere gratitude to all the participants for their overwhelming support and for making GIFT Nifty a successful contract,” it added.

Trading turnover on NSE IX has been growing exponentially since commencement of the full-scale operation of GIFT Nifty on July 3, 2023.

Since the first day of full-scale operations, GIFT Nifty has witnessed a total cumulative volume of over 21.06 million contracts with a total cumulative turnover of $881.26 billion till June 27, 2024. (Agency)