Supreme Court finds no reason to urgently intervene in a plea against Manipur internet ‘ban’
A Vacation Bench of the Supreme Court on June 9 found no reason to step in and urgently entertain a petition challenging the continued internet “ban” in Manipur despite the government’s claim that there has been a “de-escalation” in violence and clashes across the State. Mentioning the petition before the Vacation Bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Rajesh Bindal, advocate Shadan Farasat, appearing for the petitioners, said the ban has been continuing for over 35 days. Meanwhile, the CBI has formed a special investigation team under a DIG-rank officer to probe six Manipur violence cases referred to it by the state government.
One woman among three killed in fresh Manipur violence
Three people, including a woman, were killed while two others were injured in a fresh case of violence, after a few days of relative calm in Manipur on Friday. According to a tribal organisation, some gunmen in Army fatigues opened fire on the residents of Khoken village on the boundary between the Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi and the Meitei-majority Imphal East districts at around 4 a.m. The villagers thought the gunmen were soldiers as they had arrived in a vehicle used by the security forces. They scattered as soon as the gunmen opened fire.
After Kolhapur, Maharashtra’s Beed tense now after social media post on Aurangzeb
A teenage boy’s alleged act of putting social media status message glorifying Mughal emperor Aurangzeb has triggered tension in Ashti town of Maharashtra’s Beed district, with some Hindutva organisations giving a “bandh” call, police said on June 9. The latest incidents comes against the backdrop of some youths displaying photos of 17th century Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in a procession in Ahmednagar and tension in Kolhapur city on June 7 over the alleged use of 18th century Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan’s image along with an objectionable audio message as social media “status” by some locals. Commercial establishments in the market area of Ashti, located around 80 km from Beed district headquarters, are shut in response to the ‘bandh’ call, they said.
International referee Jagbir Singh on June 8 claimed that he has been a witness to Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s inappropriate behaviour towards female grapplers on several occasions since 2013. Mr. Brij Bhushan is currently under scrutiny after top Indian wrestlers, including Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik, demanded his arrest for alleged sexual harassment of women grapplers. “I am an UWW referee since 2007 and I have been a referee before the birth of the the protesting wrestlers. I also know Mr. Brij Bhushan for a long time,” Mr. Jagbir said.
Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar has received a “death threat” on social media, the NCP claimed on June 9 and appealed to party workers to maintain “peace at all costs”. Taking cognisance of the matter, Mumbai Police are in the process of registering a First Information Report (FIR), a senior police official said. A delegation of NCP workers led by Mr. Pawar’s daughter and Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule met Mumbai Police chief Vivek Phansalkar demanding action.
Congress dismisses reports of Sachin Pilot floating own party as ‘rumours’
The Congress on June 9 dismissed as rumours reports that its leader Sachin Pilot may announce a separate party on his father Rajesh Pilot’s death anniversary on June 11. Congress general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal said the party is united and will contest the upcoming assembly elections in Rajasthan together, a day ahead of a programme planned to pay homage to Rajesh Pilot on his death anniversary. “I don’t believe in rumours. The reality is that the Congress president and Rahul Gandhi discussed with Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot and after that we said that we will go together. That is the position of the Congress party,” he said.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on June 9 directed all district in-charge ministers and MLA’s to launch Shakti — the scheme allowing women to travel for free in State–run road transport corporations (RTCs) in their jurisdiction on June 11. Mr. Siddaramaiah said the scheme would benefit 50% of the population. “This is first of the five guarantee schemes announced in the Congress manifesto, to be launched for the people of Karnataka. The Shakti scheme has brought relief to the women of the State who are in distress due to price hike and inflation. The State government is implementing all guarantee schemes within a month of coming to power, despite the fact that it requires huge fund mobilisation,” he said.
Sengol issue | BJP’s ‘fake factory’ stands exposed, says Jairam Ramesh
The BJP’s claim that the ‘Sengol’ was a symbol of transfer of power from the British to former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru has been exposed, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said on June 9 citing an interview quoting a Tamil Nadu-based religious body’s chief. Citing an interview in The Hindu, that quoted the head pontiff of the Thiruvavaduthurai Adheenam, he said neither Lord Mountbatten nor C. Rajagopalachari were present at the handing over of the ‘Sengol’ to Nehru.
No offence of hate speech made out against wrestlers: Delhi Police files ATR in court
The Delhi Police on June 9 filed an action taken report (ATR) before a court on a plea seeking an FIR against wrestlers for allegedly making “false allegations” against WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and indulging in hate speech. In the video provided by the complainant, the wrestlers are not seen raising slogans and no offence of hate speech is made out, the police said, while urging the court to dismiss the application.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump charged in classified documents probe
Former United States President Donald Trump has said that he has been indicted on charges of mishandling classified documents at his Florida estate, igniting a federal prosecution that is arguably the most perilous of multiple legal threats against the former president as he seeks to reclaim the White House. The Justice Department did not immediately publicly confirm the indictment but two people familiar with the situation who were not authorised to discuss it publicly said that the indictment included seven criminal counts. One of those people said Mr. Trump’s lawyers were contacted by prosecutors shortly before he announced on his Truth Social platform that he had been indicted.
Erdogan appoints former U.S. bank executive as Turkish Central Bank chief, in sign of policy change
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on June 9 appointed a former U.S.-based bank executive to head Turkey’s Central Bank, in another sign that his administration might pursue more conventional economic policies. Mr. Erdogan named Hafize Gaye Erkan, a former co-Chief Executive Officer of the First Republic Bank, as Governor, according to an announcement in the Official Gazette. The Princeton-educated Ms. Erkan, 41, becomes the Turkish Central Bank’s first woman governor.
Sudan’s government declares UN envoy, a mediator in the conflict, no longer welcome
The United Nations envoy to Sudan, a key mediator in the country’s brutal conflict, is no longer welcome in the African country, Sudanese authorities say. A terse statement issued by Sudan’s Foreign Ministry late on June 8 comes just weeks after the head of the country’s military, Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan, demanded in a letter to envoy Volker Perthes that he should be removed from his post.
Deepthi’s journey from small-town Khammam to glory on the world stage
The hard-working 20-year-old, an inmate of SAI STC in Hyderabad, won a third International medal — the 400m silver in Virtus Global Games (intellectual impairment category) in Vichy (France) a couple of days ago. Deepthi also won a silver in the 200m event on Friday in the same meet in France. She had previously won the 400m gold in the Morocco Para Athletic Meet and another 400m gold in the Oceania-Pacific Games in Australia.
