Arun Jaitley cremated with full state honours in Delhi
Former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who passed away on Saturday aged 66 at Delhi’s AIIMS after prolonged illness, was cremated with full state honours at Nigam Bodh Ghat on Sunday. His mortal remains were kept at the BJP headquarters at 11 am for people to pay their final respects. The funeral was attended by Home Minister Amit Shah among others.
I’ll continue playing Spider-Man: Tom Holland on Spider-Man leaving MCU
Hollywood actor Tom Holland, while speaking about the Spider-Man movies exiting the Marvel Cinematic Universe, said, “All I know is that I’m going to continue playing Spider-Man and having the time of my life.” “It’s going to be so fun, however we choose to do it,” he added. Holland further said that the “future for Spider-Man will be different”.
No shortage of medicines in Jammu & Kashmir: Governor Satya Pal Malik
Governor Satya Pal Malik has dismissed reports of shortage of medicines in Jammu and Kashmir. “There’s no shortage of essential commodities and medicines in Kashmir, in fact, we delivered meat, vegetables, and eggs to people’s houses on Eid,” said Malik. “J&K hasn’t witnessed a single killing in 10 days. If communication blockade helps save lives, what’s the harm?” he added.
Team to visit Kashmir to identify development areas: Mukhtar Naqvi
Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that a Minority Affairs Ministry team will visit the Kashmir Valley on August 27 and 28 to identify the areas to implement centrally-sponsored development projects. He added that the team will also visit Jammu and Ladakh at a later date. “The team will explore development possibilities, where schools, colleges can be opened,” Naqvi said.
Kashmiri Pandits hold rally in US to support revocation of Article 370
The Kashmiri Pandit community joined by other members of the Indian-American community held a rally last week in the US’ Atlanta supporting the revocation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. In the rally, Kashmiri Pandits told personal stories of their exodus and desire to go back to their homeland which they left in 1990 due to militancy.
Lt Gen Anil Puri 1st serving general to complete France’s 1,200-km circuit
Lieutenant General Anil Puri has become the first serving Indian Army general to complete France’s oldest cycling event, the Indian Army said in a tweet. The 56-year-old completed the 1,200-kilometre Paris-Brest-Paris circuit on August 23. In the tweet, the Indian Army wrote that Puri cycled “non-stop for 90 hours, without sleep”.
Apple contractors listened to 1,000 Siri recordings per shift: Report
A contract employee who worked with Apple claimed the company hired contract workers worldwide to listen and ‘grade’ Siri recordings. The former employee added that Apple expected them to listen to over 1,000 recordings from Siri every shift. Apple said that it has suspended the program after The Guardian reported last month that contract workers also heard people’s private conversations.
PM Narendra Modi becomes 1st Indian Prime Minister to visit Bahrain
PM Narendra Modi has become the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Bahrain. “I realise that it took quite a long time for an Indian Prime Minister to visit Bahrain. However, I’ve been fortunate enough,” PM Modi said while addressing the Indian diaspora in Bahrain. “This visit is historical and will improve ties between our nations,” PM Modi had tweeted.
J&K govt to hold BDC polls by the end of September
Jammu and Kashmir Rural Development Secretary Sheetal Nanda on Saturday announced that elections will be held by the end of September in 316 block development councils (BDC) across the state. This includes 147 councils in Jammu, 136 in Kashmir and 31 in Ladakh. The first step is to complete the reservations across the Valley and the Jammu division, Nanda added.
Woman, son electrocuted by table fan in UP
A 46-year-old woman and her 26-year-old son were electrocuted by a table fan on Saturday in Uttar Pradesh, police said. The man was trying to position the fan towards him when he received a shock, following which his mother rushed to save him and also got a shock. The woman’s husband also received a shock while trying to save them.
Diversity, colours are India’s strength: PM Modi in Bahrain
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday addressed an Indian diaspora in Bahrain saying that India’s diversity and colours are its strength which attract and astonish the world. PM Modi added that his visit to Bahrain was as the Prime Minister of India, but its main purpose was to meet the Indian diaspora and communicate with them and thousands of friends.
Minor girl suffering from TB raped in hospital in UP
A minor girl who was receiving treatment for tuberculosis (TB) in a government hospital was allegedly raped by a staff member on Friday in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras. The victim was taken to the office of an official on the pretext of being given an injection but was administered a sedative and raped. A case has been registered by the police.
5,000 kids quit studies in J’khand, Bihar mica mining districts: Survey
A government survey revealed that over 5,000 children in the age group of six to 14 years have abandoned education in the mica mining districts of Jharkhand and Bihar. Some of the children have started working as child labourers selling mica scraps to supplement their family incomes. The survey was conducted by National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).
Landline services restored in most areas in J&K: Officials
Officials on Sunday said that landline services have been restored in most areas across Kashmir in view of the improving situation. No untoward incident was reported from the Valley on Saturday, officials added. Officials further said that the process of fully restoring the landline connectivity, barring in a few pockets, is underway and more telephone lines would be restored soon.
Dollar’s position as world’s reserve currency must end: BoE Governor
Bank of England Governor Mark Carney has said the US dollar’s position as the world’s reserve currency must end, arguing it could be replaced by a global digital currency. He said dollar’s movements affect economies even if they have a few direct trade links with the US. Governments are currently forced to hoard dollars as an insurance policy, Carney added.
Israel hits Iranian force in Syria to stop ‘killer drones’: Military
Israeli aircraft on Saturday struck Iranian Quds Force operatives and Shiite militias near Damascus that had been planning to launch “killer drones” at targets in Israel, the Israeli military said. The Quds Force is the overseas arm of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. “Iran has no immunity anywhere. Our forces operate in every sector against Iranian aggression,” Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu said.
S Korean naval drills around disputed island must end: Japan
Japan’s Foreign Ministry on Sunday said that South Korean navy drills around Takeshima island, which is called Dokdo in Korean, were unacceptable. The Ministry issued a protest demanding an end to the activities. The island is “obviously an inherent part of the territory of Japan”, Kenji Kanasugi, the Director-General at the Ministry’s Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau said.
ATM in Mumbai dispensed ₹96,000 without PIN, claims woman
An ATM in Andheri East, Mumbai dispensed ₹96,000 cash in 500 rupee denominations even before a woman could enter her PIN, she claimed. However, she added no money was debited from her account. Recounting her experience, Rafiqua Mahadiwala, a chartered accountant, said she had inserted the debit card when the machine started generating a strange noise and “notes spilled out”.
Kashmiri man cheats people by posing as WHO director; arrested
A Kashmiri man has been arrested in Mangaluru for cheating people by posing as the World Health Organisation (WHO) director. He took huge sums of money from people by promising jobs at WHO. The man’s driver has also been arrested. “We’ve alerted central investigative agencies about the arrests and are investigating if they are linked to any outfits,” police said.
Jaitley was a man that many in Britain treasured: British envoy
The British High Commissioner to India Dominic Asquith while paying his last respects to former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said, “He was a man that many people in Britain treasured.” Asquith further said, “He will be much missed,” adding that people valued Jaitley for his wisdom, gentleness and humour. Jaitley passed away at the age of 66 on Saturday.
PM launches ₹30 cr temple redevelopment project in Bahrain
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched the $4.2 million (₹30 crore) redevelopment project of the 200-year-old Lord Krishna temple in Bahrain, saying it manifests the strong ties between India and Bahrain. PM Modi offered prayers and prasad which was purchased using the RuPay card he launched in UAE on Saturday. PM Modi then unveiled the plaque at the temple.
Solutions to all problems found in Lord Krishna’s life: PM
Addressing his monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the solutions to all present-day problems can be found in Lord Krishna’s life. He added that Lord Krishna is still relevant today in providing solutions as well as inspiration. The festival of Janmashtami comes along with renewed novelty and fresh spirit, PM Modi said.
PM calls for mass movement against plastic waste from Oct 2
PM Narendra Modi on Sunday addressed ‘Mann Ki Baat’ calling for a mass movement against plastic waste starting October 2. “When we celebrate Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary this year, we will not only dedicate him an open-defecation free India but also…[make] India plastic-free,” he said. In his Independence Day speech, PM Modi had urged people to shun single-use plastic.
Deutsche Bank, UBS explored European banking alliance: WSJ
Germany’s Deutsche Bank and Switzerland-based UBS Group explored ways to combine their businesses to form an alliance of investment banking operations in mid-June this year, The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday. The deal talks in June never coalesced, it added. The report comes amid European banks struggling to compete globally due to negative interest rates and slowing economic growth.
Hong Kong protestors destroy ‘facial recognition towers’ Protestors in Hong Kong destroyed smart lampposts amid concerns they could contain high-tech cameras and facial recognition software used for surveillance by Chinese authorities. The government said smart towers only collect data on traffic, weather and air quality. A video showed protestors bringing down a tower using an electric saw and pulling it to ground using ropes tied around it.
