THE HEADLINES:
• Special court orders FIR against former SEBI Chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch and other officials, in alleged stock market fraud and regulatory violations.
• Rescue operations in Uttarkhand ‘s avalanche completed; Eight workers declared dead while 46 rescued alive.
• European leaders and Ukraine President Zelensky hold talks in London over Ukraine crisis and transatlantic security ties.
• Israel halts entry of all humanitarian aid into Gaza until Hamas agrees to US proposal on ceasefire.
• And in Cricket, India set target of 250 runs against New Zealand in ICC Men’s Champions Trophy at Dubai.
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A special Anti-Corruption court in Mumbai has ordered the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against senior officials of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), including former SEBI Chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch, in a case related to alleged stock market fraud and regulatory violations.
The order in the SEBI market fraud case was issued by Special Judge SE Bangar following a petition filed by Thane-based journalist Sapan Shrivastava. The Court further stated that it would monitor the probe and also directed the concerned authorities to submit a status report on the case. SEBI officials have been accused of facilitating market manipulation and enabling corporate fraud by allowing the listing of a company that did not meet the prescribed norms. On the other hand, SEBI issued a clarification, stating that the officials against whom the FIR was ordered, including former Chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch, three current Whole-Time Members of SEBI, and two BSE officials, were not holding their respective positions at the relevant time. ANKITA APTE,AKASHVANI NEWS, MUMBAI
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On the third day after the avalanche near Mana village in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, the rescue team recovered the bodies of the four missing workers. With this, the rescue operation going on for three days came to an end. A total of 8 people lost their lives in the incident. 46 workers who were caught in the avalanche were rescued safely and are being treated. In total, 54 workers were affected by the incident. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that this challenging operation was completed.
It is worth noting that 54 workers working on road construction near Mana village on Friday morning were caught in the avalanche.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi today participated in various programmes in Jamnagar, Somnath today on the second day of his Gujarat visit. Earlier in the day, Mr Modi visited Vantara, an animal rescue, conservation and rehabilitation centre in Jamnagar district.
Mr Modi offered prayers at Somnath Temple. In the evening, Mr. Modi reached Sasan Gir, where he is chairing the meeting of Shri Somnath Temple Trust. He is the president of the trust.
Tomorrow morning, the Prime Minister will take a jungle safari ride in the Gir National Park, the last abode of Asiatic lions. Mr Modi will also chair the 7th meeting of the National Board for Wildlife at Sasan to discuss national-level issues related to wildlife. This board functions for the promotion of conservation and development of wildlife and forests. The Prime Minister is the chairman of the board.
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Union Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu today said the centre is proactive in developing airports wherever required keeping in view the public need. Addressing Media, along with Union Coal Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy, in Hyderabad, Mr Naidu said that through the revolutionary Udan scheme, the government has taken airports to tier-two cities and tier-three cities in the country.
The Minister said the Centre is ready to develop another airport in Bhadradri Kothagudem District of Telangana state, as the state has only one operating airport and the Centre has given approvals recently for development of Mamnoor airport near Warangal.
He also said feasibility study has once again been taken up at the site shown by the State Government for the airport near Bhadradri.
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Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar today laid emphasis on the role of innovation and research for development of the country and wanted the country to become a global leader in the fields of science and technology. The Vice-President highlighted the need for corporate investment in research, development, and innovation. He urged the enterprises to compete with global leaders, stressing that advancements in technology and innovation are crucial for shaping India’s future.
Interacting with the students and Faculty at the Indian Institute of Technology-Hyderabad (IIT-Hyderabad), the Vice President said Artificial intelligence (AI) is bringing about a paradigm shift every moment and introducing an era, a new kind of industrial revolution with greater potential, challenges and opportunities.
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Union Minister for Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh today emphasised that the government is committed to integrate India’s exclusive traditional knowledge with cutting-edge technology. Addressing the Silver Jubilee celebration of the National Innovation Foundation (NIF) virtually in New Delhi, Dr Singh said the government is promoting and acknowledging grassroots innovators for the first time in India. He also highlighted the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to ‘Virasat Bhi aur Vikas Bhi’. He also called upon all innovators to contribute towards making India a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047. During the event, Dr Singh. also released a postal stamp, followed by a Magazine titled ‘Innovation frontline’ and a coffee table book.
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Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah will inaugurate the workshop on sustainability and circularity in dairy sector in New Delhi tomorrow. The workshop will focus on policies and initiatives of Ministry of Cooperation and the Ministry of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and fisheries aimed at promoting sustainable dairy farming while ensuring economic growth with environmental responsibility.
The workshop will witness signing of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) for the establishment of biogas plants across multiple states. It will have technical sessions on sustainable manure management models which convert dairy waste into biogas, compressed biogas (CBG), and organic fertilizers.
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Home Minister Amit Shah today vowed to intensify crackdown on drug traffickers to build a drug-free India. In a social media post, Mr Shah said, 29 drug traffickers have been convicted by the court in 12 different cases across India as a result of foolproof investigation with a bottom-to-top and top-to-bottom strategy. The Minister said the Narendra Modi government is unsparing in punishing drug traffickers who drag youth into addiction for money. He pledged to continue combating the drug menace with meticulous investigations to build a drug-free Bharat.
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On the second day of the weeklong celebrations of Jan Aushadhi Diwas titled Jan Aushadhi – Virasat Ke Saath, heritage walks were conducted today at 25 places across the country. It was organised to spread the message of health and wealth with Jan Aushadhi. In Delhi, it was held at Hauz Khas. As part of the Diwas, health camps were also organised at Jan Aushadhi Kendras at 500 different locations in the country. A wide range of medical tests were conducted at these Health Camps.
Yesterday, Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers Jagat Prakash Nadda inaugurated the week long celebrations of Jan Aushadhi Diwas, 2025 by flagging off vehicles carrying the information about Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana-PMBJP in New Delhi.
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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is hosting European leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in London, trying to secure U.S. support for Ukraine. As per the media reports, the European leaders are also to discuss the worsening transatlantic security ties after a heated Oval Office exchange between the US President Trump and Ukrainian President Zelensky.
The meeting in London brings together leaders from around Europe, including France and Germany, as well as Turkiye, NATO and the European Union to secure a just and enduring peace.
Earlier, Starmer said that the UK, France and Ukraine will draft a ceasefire plan to present to the US.
In a related development Yesterday, Starmer and Zelenskyy signed off on a 2.8 billion dollar loan deal to bolster Ukraine’s defences against Russian attacks.
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Israel today said, it has stopped the entry of all humanitarian aid into Gaza until Hamas agrees to a US-backed extension of the ceasefire deal, after phase one of the deal expired yesterday. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said he backed a US proposal to temporarily extend the current ceasefire during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan and the Jewish holiday Passover. The proposal envisions half the hostages held in Gaza being released on the day the deal begins. Netanyahu’s office warned of “additional consequences” if Hamas rejects the US proposal.
On the other hand, Hamas accused Israel of trying to derail the existing ceasefire agreement. Hamas alleged that Israel’s decision to cut off aid is “cheap extortion, a war crime and a blatant attack” on the truce which took hold in January after more than a year of negotiations. Both sides stopped short of saying the ceasefire had ended.
Meanwhile, Egypt, which has served as a key mediator between Israel and Hamas, condemned the closure and accused Israel of using “starvation as a weapon.” Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty called for the immediate implementation of Phase 2 of the existing ceasefire agreement.
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Amid emerging differences between the US and its European allies on the Ukraine conflict, President Donald Trump’s close adviser and Department of Government Efficiency chief Elon Musk has today publicly supported the withdrawal of the US from both NATO and the UN.
In response to a post on X by ‘Make America Great Again’ (MAGA) activist Gunther Eagleman, Musk posted that he agreed that for US, it’s time to leave NATO and the UN. He also questioned the rationale behind American taxpayers covering a significant portion of Europe’s defence costs. He highlighted that the US pays for nearly 67 per cent of NATO’s military expenses, despite spending only 3.5 per cent of its GDP on defence.
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US firm Firefly Aerospace achieved its first successful moon landing with the Blue Ghost spacecraft today, touching down near Mare Crisium. The uncrewed lander, carrying 10 scientific payloads, marks Firefly as the second private company to land on the moon, following Intuitive Machines’ partial success last year. The spacecraft traveled 2.8 million miles over three loops around Earth before landing, beginning a 14-day research mission powered by solar panels. The mission precedes the U.S. plans to send astronauts to the moon by 2027. Five nations have made successful soft landings in the past – the then-Soviet Union, the U.S., China, India and, last year, Japan.
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Pakistan’s Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH) has confirmed the sixth polio case in the country from District Thatta, Sindh. According to local media reports, this was the fourth polio case from Sindh. Last month, a polio case was detected in Punjab province of Pakistan. Pakistan is grappling with the resurgence of the polio virus, with new cases reported in recent weeks. Despite diplomatic differences, India had offered Pakistan full cooperation, several times, for eradicating polio in their country saying it is a cause for concern.
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In the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy, India set a target of 250 runs against New Zealand in the final Group A ODI encounter in Dubai. Chasing the target, Kiwis were at 162 for 6 in 39 overs.
Earlier, as winning the toss, New Zealand opted to bowl, Men in Blue scored 249 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in the stipulated 50 overs. Shreyas Iyerc, with 79 runs, was highest scorer while Hardik Pandya hit 45 runs.
For Kiwis, Matt Henry clinched five wickets.
Both teams have already secured a spot in the semifinals from Group A. However, the match is crucial as it will determine the group leader. The winner of the match will face Australia in the semifinals, while the losing team will take on South Africa. For India, star batter Virat Kohli is playing his 300th ODI today.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN.
• Special court orders FIR against former SEBI Chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch and other officials, in alleged stock market fraud and regulatory violations.
• Rescue operations in Uttarkhand ‘s avalanche completed; Eight workers declared dead while 46 rescued alive.
• European leaders and Ukraine President Zelensky hold talks in London over Ukraine crisis and transatlantic security ties.
• Israel halts entry of all humanitarian aid into Gaza until Hamas agrees to US proposal on ceasefire.
• And in Cricket, India set target of 250 runs against New Zealand in ICC Men’s Champions Trophy at Dubai.
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