Asia
Mann Ki Baat: Nation stands in solidarity with flood-hit Kerala, says Narendra Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday expressed solidarity with Kerala and said that people from all walks of life across the country have come in support of those whose lives were devastated in the massive floods. “In today’s pressing, hard times, the entire nation is with Kerala. Our sympathies are with those families who lost their loved ones. Loss of lives cannot be compensated, but I assure the grief-stricken families that in this moment of suffering and misery, 125 crore Indians stand by them,” Mr. Modi said in his monthly “Mann Ki Baat” programme. “I earnestly pray for those injured in this natural disaster to get well soon. I firmly believe that the sheer grit and courage of the people of the State will see Kerala rise again,” he added. The Prime Minister said that while the monsoon, on one hand, brings a new ray of hope to the toiling farmers and provides much needed succour to the scorched trees and shrubs and to parched water bodies, on the other hand excessive rainfall causes devastating floods. “Disasters, unfortunately leave behind a trail of destruction. But one gets to witness facets of humanity, humaneness during disasters,” Mr. Modi said. “From Kutch to Kamrup, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, everyone is endeavouring to contribute in some way or the other so that wherever a disaster strikes, be it Kerala or any other part of India, human life returns to normalcy. Irrespective of age group or area of work, people are contributing,” he said. Mr. Modi commended the armed forces involved in the rescue and relief operations in the State for “leaving no stone unturned as saviours of those trapped in the floods”. “I would like to specially mention the arduous endeavours of the National Disaster Response Force daredevils. At this moment of hardship and agony, their service stands out as a shining example,” he said.
'Fictional series cannot change facts; my father lived and died for India'-Rahul
Days after Netflix's first India original Sacred Games released to acclaim, the showrunners found themselves in a controversy over seemingly defamatory statements made about former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in one of the episodes. A gangster character called Ganesh Gaitonde (played by Nawazuddin Siddiqui) refers to the late Rajiv Gandhi's alleged involvement in the Bofors scandal to justify his own illegal activities. Congress president Rahul Gandhi addressed the row surrounding Sacred Games in a tweet posted to his official account on the evening of 14 July. Gandhi wrote: "The BJP/RSS believe the freedom of expression must be policed and controlled. I believe this freedom is a fundamental democratic right. My father lived and died in the service of India. The views of a character on a fictional web series can never change that." A Congress party member Rajeev Kumar Sinha first filed a complaint against Sacred Games in West Bengal on 10 July. In a letter to the Kolkata Police, Sinha accused Nawaz and Netflix of "abusing Rajiv Gandhi and misrepresenting facts during his regime".
US-China trade war could flood India with steel
Indian companies are bracing for a possible flood of steel imports should the US and China follow through on their threats about a trade war.
Supreme Court allows quota in SC/ST employees' promotion until Constitution bench adjudicates on issue
The Supreme Court (SC) today permitted the Centre to provide reservation in promotion for SC/ST employee as per law until the issue is adjudicated by its Constitution bench. At the same time, the SC didn't clarify which law to follow. The Centre told the bench that it was bound to give promotion to its employees, and that promotion has virtually come to a standstill after orders passed by various high courts. "I'm govt and I have to give promotion to my employee," said Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh to the SC.
With khukris and assault rifles, Singapore's Gurkhas to guard Trump-Kim summit
When US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meet for their historic summit in Singapore later this month, they will be protected by men from one of the fiercest warrior tribes in the world - the Gurkhas of Nepal. While both leaders will bring their own personal security teams, elite Singaporean police, including its Gurkha Contingent, will be securing the summit venue, roads and hotels, according to diplomats familiar with VIP security in the island state.
Govt acting against rape, but make sons more responsible: Modi
MANDLA (MADHYA PRADESH): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the promulgation of an ordinance on rape demonstrated his government's determination to act on the issue, but stressed that people had to respect their daughters and make their sons more responsible for an atmosphere of safety. Modi also pitched for a social movement to ensure the safety of women and girls while addressing a rally here. "Shivraj ji (Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan) just referred to the capital punishment provided in the ordinance for rape against minors and I could see that it (the remark) received cheers from everyone present here," he said. "There is a government in Delhi which listens to your voice and takes decisions. So, the Centre has made a provision for capital punishment to the monstrous intent," he said while referring to the recent ordinance. The Union Cabinet on April 21 approved the ordinance under which the death penalty could be awarded to those convicted of raping girls below 12 years of age, amid a nationwide outrage over cases of sexual assault and murder of minors in Kathua + and Surat + and the rape of a teenager in Unnao.
Geographic information system technology to aid in Ganga clean-up
NEW DELHI: In 15 months time, Survey of India, the country’s principal mapping agency, will map the entire stretch of the Ganga using geographic information system (GIS) technology and provide high-resolution maps to the government. It will help river cleaning authorities in getting minute details of sewage and effluent discharge outlets and identify pollution hot-spots up to 10 km on both sides of the river. “The high resolution map will help us in keeping tabs on sources of pollution and taking quick corrective measures. Such scientific map is necessary for effective execution and monitoring of the river cleaning works,” said Rajeev Ranjan Mishra, director general of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).
China fails to get Indian support for Belt and Road ahead of Modi-Xi summit
BEIJING: China failed to get India's support for its ambitious Belt and Road infrastructure project at the end of a foreign ministers' meeting of a major security bloc on Tuesday, ahead of an ice-breaking trip to China this week by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Belt and Road is Chinese President Xi Jinping's landmark scheme to build infrastructure to connect China to the rest of Asia and beyond, a giant reworking of its old Silk Road. India has not signed up to the initiative as parts of one key project, the $57 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, run through Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. Whether or not China will be able to win India round to the Belt and Road will likely be a key measure of the success of PM Modi's trip to China to meet Xi for an informal meeting on Friday and Saturday.
Why MNCs are moving core operations to India
The centre of gravity of Fortune 500 companies is shifting to India. The future strategies of these companies are being invented here,” says Lalit Ahuja, a retired Navy man who runs Ansr, a venture in Bengaluru that helps multinational companies establish engineering and research and development centres — known as global inhouse centres or GICs — in India. Among the companies it’s worked with are Target, JCPenney, AB (Anheuser-Busch) Inbev, Saks Fifth Avenue and Grant Thornton.
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