Morning News -

THE HEADLINES:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, big fish are facing the law because of government’s zero-tolerance policy towards corruption.
Political parties intensify campaigning for seventh and last phase of Lok Sabha elections.
Leading global financial firm Goldman Sachs raises India’s GDP growth forecast to 6.7 percent for calendar year 2024.
IMD says, Northwestern and Central India to get respite from heatwave in three days.
And in tennis, Rohan Bopanna and Yuki Bhambri to start their campaign in Men’s Doubles at French Open in Paris today.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, big fish is facing the law today because of government’s zero-tolerance policy towards corruption. In an interview to a news agency, Mr. Modi said that when the big fish is being caught, questions are being raised by vested interests. Highlighting on the investigations by state machineries, he said that aim of the government is based on ‘zero tolerance’ and ensure evidence based action and not on perception.

Prime Minister said that under the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision, the aim is to promote indigenous talent and increase employability. Mr. Modi said, over 38 lakh crore rupees have been transferred to people through the Direct Benefit Transfer. The Prime Minister emphasized that ‘nation first’ is at the centre of government’s every decision.

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Political parties have intensified campaigning for seventh and last phase of Lok Sabha elections.

Prime Minister and Senior BJP leader Narendra Modi will address an election meeting today at the Dumka Airport Ground in Jharkhand. The meeting is a part of the Vijay Sankalp Yatra. Mr. Modi will address a public rally in favour of BJP candidate Sita Soren from Dumka parliamentary seat. She is the daughter-in-law of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief Shibu Soren. Sita Soren is pitted against Nalin Soren of JMM.

BJP President JP Nadda will address three election meetings tomorrow in Deoghar, while Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will address election rallies on May 30.

Polling will be held in three constituencies Godda, Dumka and Sahibganj of Santhal region of Jharkhand during the final phase of elections on June 1. The JMM had won their lone Sahibganj seat in 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Prime Minister will address two rallies in Barasat and Jadavpur Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal today. Mr. Modi will also hold a road show in Kolkata this evening. The road show will start from ShyamBazar Five Point Crossing and end at the ancestral house of Swami Vivekananda.

In Bihar, Leaders of NDA and Grand Alliance and other parties are leaving no stone unturned to ensure victory of their candidates.

Senior BJP leader and Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath will address back-to-back three rallies in Fatuha in Patna Sahib and Digha in Pataliputra Lok Sabha constituencies. He is also scheduled to hold a rally at Barhara under Arrah Lok Sabha constituency.

JD (U) President and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will conduct a road show from Sarmera to Nagarnausa in Nalanda Parliamentary constituency today. He will also hold a public meeting in Asthawan in Nalanda Parliamentary constituency.

Besides this, RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav will address multiple public meetings in Buxar, Sasaram, Jehanabad and Pataliputra constituencies. Mukesh Sahni, chief of Vikas Sheel Insaan party will also hold rallies in support of Grand alliance candidates.

In Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Yogi Adityanath will campaign in Gorakhpur and Mirzapur today. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi party chief Akhilesh Yadav will jointly address a political rally in Mohan Sarai area of Varanasi. They will also jointly address a Parivartan Sankalp Sabha in Bansgaon Loksabha constituency.

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In our series of constituency profile for Lok Sabha polls, today we bring you a report on Hamirpur parliamentary seat in Himachal Pradesh.

“The Hamirpur parliamentary constituency in Himachal Pradesh includes a total of 17 assembly constituencies from five districts of Himachal Pradesh. The total number of voters in this parliamentary constituency is 1,432,636. The number of female voters here is higher than the number of male voters. There has always been a direct contest between the BJP and Congress here. Anurag Singh Thakur, a prominent leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Union Minister for Information, Broadcasting, Youth Affairs, and Sports, has won the Hamirpur parliamentary seat four times in a row with a significant majority and is once again the BJP candidate from this area for the fifth time. The Congress Party has fielded different candidates against Anurag Thakur each time, and this time too, the Congress has introduced a new face, Satpal Raizada, as their candidate.

Anurag Singh Thakur is reaching out to the people with the achievements of the central government over the past 10 years and his numerous personal initiatives in the parliamentary constituency. On the other hand, the Congress candidate is engaging with the public based on the achievements of the state government over the past one and a half years and their future roadmap. Ritesh Kapoor, Akashvani News, Shimla.”

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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the last decade has witnessed a substantial improvement in the sanctity and credibility of the Union Budget, leaving past constraints and archaic practices behind. In a social media post, the Finance Minister said, our budgets are characterized by fiscal prudence, transparency, and inclusiveness, ensuring investments in social development and infrastructure. She said, now the entire budgetary exercise, including the legislative process, is completed well before the start of the financial year which has improved administrative efficiency.

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Department of Telecommunications and Ministry of Home Affairs has taken action to protect citizens from potential SMS fraud through the Sanchar Saathi initiative. The Ministry of Communications said, it was noted that more than ten thousand fraudulent messages were sent using eight SMS Headers for sending fraudulent communications in the past three months. It said, the Principal Entities which were owner of these eight SMS Headers were blacklisted. ⁠All the 73 SMS Headers and one thousand 522 SMS content templates owned by these Principal Entities have been blacklisted.

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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that Northwestern and Central India to get respite from heatwave in three days owing to a fresh western disturbance. IMD DG Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said that this weather system is likely to trigger thunderstorm activity in northwest India and bring rain to the western Himalayan region.

IMD has said that conditions are favourable for onset of monsoon over Kerala and North-Eastern states in next five days. Monsoon has already advanced over South, East, West Central and North East Bay of Bengal along with some parts of Arabian Sea. The Weather department has forecast above normal rainfall over the country as a whole during the monsoon season this year.

Meanwhile, Deep Depression, remnant of Cyclonic Storm Remal over Bangladesh moved east-northeastwards with a speed of 15 kilometer per hour and lay centered over Bangladesh during last night. The system is likely to move east-northeastwards, and gradually weaken into a Depression today. Owing to the conditions, heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely over eastern districts of Sub-Himalayan West Bengal today.

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Global investment bank Goldman Sachs has raised India’s GDP growth forecast to 6.7 percent for calendar year 2024. The latest data released by the bank said, they expect a sustained growth momentum with additional fiscal space on account of a bumper dividend transfer from the RBI. The financial company said that in India, growth momentum remains strong and core inflation is expected to bottom out in April-June. The report also came on a day when the IMD confirmed its forecast of above-average monsoon rains this year which are expected to spur production in the agricultural sector that was hit by erratic weather last year.

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The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested five individuals in a major operation against an organized human trafficking and cyber fraud syndicate. The joint operation with state police forces spanned six states and Union Territories, leading to searches at 15 locations yesterday. The arrested individuals, from Vadodara, Gopalganj, southwest Delhi, Gurugram, and Chandigarh, were part of a network that lured Indian youth abroad with false job promises. Once overseas, the victims were forced into illegal activities in fake call centers in places like Laos and Cambodia.

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Today is Menstrual Hygiene Day, a global movement for shattering stigmas and advocating for accessible menstrual hygiene management for all. This year’s theme, “Period Friendly World” emphasizes the collective effort required to ensure everyone who menstruates has the resources and knowledge to manage their periods with dignity. The day was initiated by German-based NGO-WASH United in 2013 to address the staggering reality that millions around the world lack access to safe and affordable menstrual products, sanitation facilities, and proper hygiene education.

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Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra has said that the India’s core values and ethos of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” aligns with the World Health Assembly’s (WHA) theme of “All for Health, Health for All”. Addressing the Committee A of World Health Assembly at Geneva in Switzerland, Mr Chandra said that India embodied the spirit of “One World, One family” as it helped the world during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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In French Open Tennis, ace Indian players, Rohan Bopanna and Yuki Bhambri, will start their campaign in the men’s doubles first round, in Paris, France today. The second seeded duo of Bopanna and his Australian companion Matthew Ebden will take on Emil Ruusuvuori of Finland and Márton Fucsovics of Hungary. While, the unseeded pair of Bhambri and Albano Olivetti of France will face Roman Safiullin of Russia and John Peers of Australia today.

Meanwhile, in men’s singles first round, India’s Sumit Nagal faced a defeat against Karen Khachanov of Russia in straight sets, 2-6, 0-6, 6-7, yesterday.

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The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has announced a 23-member Indian senior women’s team squad for the two upcoming international friendly matches against Uzbekistan. The squad includes, three goalkeepers, eight defenders, eight midfielders and four forwards. Former national player Langam Chaoba Devi will be the Head coach.

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Financial Express carries a photograph of people wading through a waterlogged road in Kolkata on its front page. The caption above the photograph reads “Remal wreaks havoc in Bengal.”
The Asian Age quotes Union Home Minister Amit Shah as saying “After June 4th, Congress will blame defeat on EVMs. Kharge to lose job; Congress won’t blame Rahul.”
“Future of youth at stake: Congress slams BJP on Agnipath in Himachal Pradesh” reports The Tribune.
“Israel’s late-night strike on Rafah tent camp kills 45” states The Hindu. While in another story the paper writes “U.S officials visit Taiwan after new leader assumes office, condemn Chinese drills”.
Referring to Rafael Nadal’s loss to Zverev at the French Open, The Indian Express writes “Nadal exits… but leaves door ajar.”
And finally, Hindustan Times quotes IMD as saying “Monsoon ‘above normal ‘but hot, humid June ahead.

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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN

Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, big fish are facing the law because of government’s zero-tolerance policy towards corruption.
Political parties intensify campaigning for seventh and last phase of Lok Sabha elections.
Leading global financial firm Goldman Sachs raises India’s GDP growth forecast to 6.7 percent for calendar year 2024.
IMD says, Northwestern and Central India to get respite from heatwave in three days.
And in tennis, Rohan Bopanna and Yuki Bhambri to start their campaign in Men’s Doubles at French Open in Paris today.