Irans top negotiator threatens U.S. targets over Lebanon escalation
The comments from Irans Parliament speaker, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, follow Israeli attacks on the southern suburbs of Lebanons capital, a stronghold of Irans ally Hezbollah.
U.K., France, Germany back direct Ukraine-Russia talks
The leaders supported the proposal for a direct dialogue between Ukraine and Russia - with active U.S. and European participation - to bring about a ceasefire and support further negotiations, they said in a joint statement with Mr. Zelenskyy.
Mass cleanliness drive along Yamuna riverfront on June 14: CMO
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta is expected to take part in the campaign, which will focus on cleaning the riverfront and encouraging public participation.
Israel says Iran launches missiles at it in first such bombardment since ceasefire in April
The Israeli army must stop its attacks on southern Lebanon and the suburbs, and if it expands its attacks to that region or responds to Irans action, it will face more devastating and regrettable blows, said General Ali Abollahi, the head of the Khatam al-Anbiya command.
Ashish Sood blames AAP for 25% staff crunchin fire department
Probe into June 3 blaze will be impartial, Gupta assures Uttarakhand CM
Considerable emphasis put on developing Swadeshi jurisprudence: CJI Surya Kant
The Chief Justice of India describes Swadeshi jurisprudence as one that remains attentive to Indias constitutional values, institutional realities, linguistic diversity, and social conditions. Serious efforts are underway to explore establishing an indigenous AI ecosystem for the judiciary, he says.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Countdown: The big boys against the teams with a point to prove
A targeting in the name of demography
The Demographic Change Committee may become a platform to institutionalise the targeting of minorities
Interview | Its not just about Magnus, so you have to do well against everyone: Praggnanandhaa
Grandmaster Praggnanandhaa says every tournament is unique in its own way; the 20-year-old admits that he will have to prioritise taking breaks to ensure he isnt burnt out; the Indian, who had a tough time at the Candidates, feels he is someone who quickly recovers from disappointments
From borderland to Indias strategic resource frontier
Critical mineral ambitions must account for the people, land and history of northeast India
How ICMR is rewiring the health ecosystem
The roadmap to 2047 will be shaped by advances in digital health, bio-manufacturing, and sustainable development, with a strong emphasis on capacity building and global collaboration
KWAissues notice to firm over water supply disruptions in Kochi
Over 5,000 households in the West Kochi region had been affected following a major leak in a pipeline near Perumanoor on May 18; delay in Aluva water treatment plant maintenance also hit supply
Government hospitals share in organ donation rises in Tamil Nadu
A number of factors has contributed to this, including systematic reorientation for government doctors, standardisation of operational protocols, and multi-level periodic reviews
There is no DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance in Tamil Nadu now: P. Shanmugam
He criticises former Chief Ministers M.K. Stalin and Edappadi K. Palaniswami for claiming the TVK-led government would not last even one or two months, and terms such remarks irresponsible
J&Ks 8.19 lakh MSMEs can anchor inclusive growth, if nurtured beyond paperwork The latest figures on Jammu and Kashmirs Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) paint an impressive picture. As many as 8.19 lakh Udyam registrations, including informal micro units onboarded through the Udyam Assist Platform, signal a remarkable surge in entrepreneurial activity across the Union Territory. With 8,15,822 micro enterprises, 3,220 small and just 215 medium enterprises registered as of January 31, 2026, J&K clearly remains a micro-enterprise economy. This dominance of micro units, over 99 per cent of all registered enterprises, has two sides. On one hand, it reflects an encouraging spread of small-scale entrepreneurship, often driven by self-employment, family labour and local demand. On the other hand, it underlines the structural weakness of our industrial base. The transition from survival micro units to robust small and medium enterprises is still painfully slow. The expansion of the Udyam framework and the Udyam Assist Platform has undoubtedly accelerated formalisation. Registration opens doors to institutional credit, government procurement, and a host of welfare schemes. For thousands of tiny businesses operating in back lanes of our towns and in remote villages, this recognition is not a mere document; it is often the first step towards legitimacy in the eyes of the state and the financial system. Yet, formalisation by itself is not transformation. The revised MSME classification, raising investment and turnover limits for micro, small and medium units, makes it easier for enterprises to grow without instantly losing benefits. But growth will not come from definitions alone. It requires dependable power, transport connectivity, digital infrastructure, a skilled workforce, and above all, a predictable policy environment. J&K must now look beyond headline numbers and focus on the quality and sustainability of this MSME boom. How many of these 8.19 lakh units are active, viable and expanding? How many are women-led or youth-led? What share is from rural and far-flung areas? Without disaggregated answers, there is a risk that quantity may mask fragility. The government must therefore pair registration drives with targeted handholding: easier and cheaper credit, market linkages outside the UT, support for branding and value addition, and extension services that help micro units upgrade technology and skills. Local institutions, such as universities, polytechnics, and incubation centres, should be integrated into this ecosystem to nurture innovation rather than mere replication of low-margin trades. J&K stands at a delicate moment. The MSME surge can either become a foundation for inclusive, employment-intensive growth or remain a statistical triumph with limited impact on livelihoods. The choice will depend on whether the policy stays content with counting registrations or commits to converting these micro beginnings into durable, competitive enterprises.
The SMHS Video Has Exposed Uncomfortable Truths
Squalid toilets, muck and fire hazards at Kashmirs Premier Health Institution underline a deeper crisis of oversight and accountability The recent viral video from Srinagars SMHS Hospital has ripped away the thin veil of official claims about cleanliness in our premier public institutions. The grim visuals of filthy toilets, muck-filled corridors, soiled bins and dangling electric wires are not an aberration to be dismissed as one pantry run by an outsourced agency. They are a stark reminder of how low basic standards of hygiene and safety have fallen in a hospital that receives thousands of patients and attendants every single day. The administrations response has been narrowly defensive. The Medical Superintendent has clarified that the facility shown in the video was an outside pantry, maintained by an outside agency and now vacated. Even if that is so, the question remains: how did a facility so close to the heart of SMHS deteriorate to this level without anyone in authority taking note? Whether toilets, pantry or corridor, whether in-house or outsourced, anything within the functional orbit of a hospital ultimately falls under the responsibility of its management and the Health and Medical Education Department. The images of unacceptably dirty common toilets and littered approach areas speak directly to the risk of infection in a system already struggling with high patient loads. This is not merely about unpleasant sights and smells; it is about patients with open wounds, compromised immunity and serious illnesses being forced into spaces that can worsen their condition. When the states largest general speciality hospital cannot guarantee clean, usable toilets, it reflects a more disturbing neglect of public health priorities. Equally worrying is the casual approach to fire and electrical safety. Bundles of exposed wires hanging overhead in cramped, crowded spaces are a tragedy waiting to happen. Kashmir has seen enough incidents rooted in infrastructural apathy. After every such warning, we promise audits and reforms; very little changes on the ground. Officials themselves admit that toilet maintenance, kitchen and utility areas remain perennial problems at SMHS, citing inadequate sanitation staff, poor upkeep of pipes and fittings and chronic fund shortages. These may help explain the rot, but they do not excuse it. When emergency areas go unrepaired for a long time, it is not a mere administrative lapse; it is a policy choice to look away. The SMHS episode must not be treated as a PR crisis to be managed until the outrage dies down. It should become the starting point for a time-bound, transparent audit of sanitation and safety standards across all government hospitals in J&K. Outsourcing contracts must carry strict performance conditions, third-party inspections and real penalties. Hospital administrators must be given the staff and budgets they need, but also measured against clear, public benchmarks. Patients entering a government hospital are not seeking charity; they are exercising a right. Clean toilets, covered waste bins, safe wiring and hygienic pantries are the most basic markers of a system that respects that right. The viral video has shown us what we have been willing to accept. The real test now is whether we refuse to accept it any longer. The SMHS controversy should trigger an honest audit of hygiene standards across J&K hospitals.
Digital Boom and the Need for Digital Literacy
Smartphones in every hand, but knowledge in whose mind? HAFEEZ MUGHAL The story of Kashmirs digital age is being told through statistics. Officials proudly cite the number of mobile connections, data subscribers, and smartphone users. Telecom companies celebrate their market penetration from Lal Chowk to Lolab. On paper, the Valley looks wired, buzzing, and future-ready. But step away from the rhetoric and another, uncomfortable truth stares us in the face: Kashmir has become a valley of screens without becoming a society of digitally literate citizens. We have confused ownership of a device with ownership of knowledge. A smartphone in a Kashmiri hand today can access the worlds best universities, libraries, markets, and institutions. Yet, in far too many homes, it is reduced to a toy for endless scrolling, unverified forwards, and fleeting entertainment. In a conflict-ridden, politically sensitive, and emotionally charged place like Kashmir, this gap between technology and understanding is not a minor policy flawit is a dangerous fault line. Digital literacy is not the ability to install an app, open YouTube, or forward a clip. It is the discipline to question the source before believing a post, the courage to distinguish fact from propaganda, the awareness to protect ones privacy, and the skill to actually use technology for education, employment, and empowerment. Can our youth confidently fill out an online scholarship form without help? Can our parents check the authenticity of a medical claim circulating on WhatsApp? Can our traders market their products beyond the local bazaar using digital tools? By these fundamental measures, our progress is shallow. Kashmirs digital journey has been repeatedly broken by shutdowns, slow speeds, and sudden bans. A generation of students has grown up preparing for competitive exams on throttled networks, depending on PDFs that take all night to download, attending online classes where the screen freezes more than it moves. Entrepreneurs in IT, e-commerce, or even basic online services have learnt to live with the fear that a single order can erase their visibility overnight. When access itself is treated as a privilege, where is the space to build confidence, curiosity, and competence? The education system has failed to rise to this challenge. Computer labs, where they exist, often serve as showpieces for inspection rather than serious centres of learning. Many schools still treat computer education as an optional extra, not a core life skill. Our syllabus remains locked in the past; our teaching methods rarely engage with the realities of an algorithm-driven world. We produce children who can navigate the latest social media interface within hours, but who struggle to write a formal email, create a simple presentation, or verify a piece of trending news through credible sources. There is also a social cost to our digital unpreparedness. In conservative and rural belts, the smartphone is both a status symbol and a source of fear. Parents are alarmed by addiction, late-night chats, and exposure to a chaotic online universe they themselves do not understand. Their response often swings between total surveillance and total neglect. Meanwhile, the online Kashmiri space is being flooded with half-truths, rumours, and cleverly packaged manipulation. A doctored video here, a provocative voice note there, an unverified breaking news alert in some nameless group and within minutes, tempers rise, panic spreads, and public trust erodes. In such an ecosystem, digital illiteracy is not an individual weakness; it becomes a collective hazard. A society that cannot read the digital world critically is a society that can be misled, provoked, and polarised at will. And yet, despite all this, Kashmir is not without hope. Across the Valley, young men and women are using the internet to do what older institutions have refused or failed to do: tell their own stories, showcase their talents, and reach beyond the siege of geography. Artists sell their work through Instagram, artisans find buyers outside the Valley, students join global classrooms, and local journalists and commentators use digital platforms to question power and amplify ground realities. These are the glimpses of what a truly digitally literate Kashmir could become confident, critical, and connected on its own terms. The question is whether the State, society, and institutions are willing to match this energy with vision. Digital India slogans mean little if Kashmirs schools continue to treat digital skills as optional. We need a serious, region-specific digital literacy mission: in schools and colleges, in mohalla centres and masjids, in panchayat ghars and marketplaces. Training in Urdu and Kashmiri must reach students, teachers, parents, shopkeepers, and even senior citizens who are being pushed online for banking, health, and government services without any real hand-holding. Big telecom and tech companies that profit from every recharge and every handset sold in the Valley cannot pretend neutrality. They, too, have an obligation to invest in awareness, safety tools, and helplines tailored to our context. Universities must integrate digital skills across disciplines, not confine them to computer departments. And Kashmiri media, including this newspaper, must treat digital literacy as a public-interest priorityfact-checking rigorously and educating readers about online risks and opportunities. Kashmir today stands at a crossroads: young in age, restless in spirit, and surrounded by a digital universe that can either deepen its wounds or help it heal and grow. Counting smartphones and data users as signs of progress is a convenient illusion. The real test is harder and more urgent: Can we build a Kashmir where every new connection is matched by a new understanding? If we fail, we will raise a generation that is forever online but rarely informed, constantly connected but easily controlled. If we succeed, we will turn the same devices into tools of dignity, livelihood, and voice. The choice is ours, and the time to act is running out. (The author is lecturer in HED and a debater)
T.N. government yet to decide on smart meter, says Energy Minister Nirmalkumar
He clarifies that a final decision will be taken later with the approval of the Chief Minister
Data residency tells you where information is stored. Operational control tells you who can disable, audit, patch, or throttle the system that processes it FUTURECRAFT | TECHNOLOGY & MARKETS ARSSH KUMAR On 15 May 2026, at a ceremony witnessed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Indias Foreign Secretary and the CEO of Abu Dhabis G42 formalised the commercial terms for Condor Galaxy India. The system will deliver eight exaflops of AI compute, making it one of the most powerful AI clusters on Indian soil. The government described it as a milestone in sovereign AI. That word deserves some examination. Indias sovereign AI agenda has real substance behind it. The IndiaAI Mission has allocated over Rs 10,372 crore to build domestic compute capacity. Sarvam AI and BharatGen have launched foundation models trained on Indian data. The Bhashini platform migrated to indigenous infrastructure in February 2026. These are not trivial achievements. But the infrastructure being celebrated as sovereign at the Abu Dhabi signing ceremony is installed, operated, and maintained by a firm chaired by the UAEs national security adviser and backed by Abu Dhabis state sovereign wealth fund, Mubadala. The data will sit within Indian borders. The company running the hardware will not. What sovereignty actually requires The governments standard claim is that data residency equals sovereignty. As long as data does not cross the border, the argument goes, the infrastructure qualifies as national. This framing collapses an important distinction. Data residency tells you where information is stored. Operational control tells you who can disable, audit, patch, or throttle the system that processes it. G42 is not an independent commercial firm. Its chairman, Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, is the UAEs national security adviser and a brother of the president. Mubadala, Abu Dhabis sovereign wealth fund, holds a stake in the company. Under the framework formalised on 15 May, a G42 unit will handle installation, operations, and maintenance of the supercomputer. This means the operational control layer of Indias most powerful AI cluster reports, ultimately, to a foreign state apparatus. A legal concept worth noting here is what scholars of AI governance call remote disablement: a foreign vendor, under compulsion from its home government or pursuant to contractual terms, can restrict or disable hardware deployed on Indian territory. A system whose inferential capacity runs on infrastructure subject to foreign jurisdiction is not sovereign in any meaningful operational sense. It is leased. The hardware layer underneath The G42 issue is the most visible part of a deeper structural problem. Indias broader AI infrastructure is built almost entirely on foreign silicon. The IndiaAI Mission has onboarded 38,000 Nvidia GPUs, available at Rs 65 per GPU-hour. Yottas Shakti Cloud, billed as sovereign AI cloud infrastructure, is adding 20,736 Nvidia Blackwell Ultra GPUs at its Greater Noida campus. Reliances one-gigawatt AI data centre in Gujarat is being built on Blackwell architecture. L&T is constructing gigawatt-scale AI factory infrastructure in Chennai and Mumbai, also on Nvidia systems. Every one of these chips is subject to US export licensing. Under the Biden administrations AI Diffusion framework, India was placed in Tier 2 with a cumulative cap equivalent to roughly 50,000 H100-class GPUs through 2027. For context: a single American hyperscaler deploys more than that for a single project. Indias entire two-year allocation is a rounding error in the US domestic AI buildout. The Trump administration rolled back the formal diffusion rules in 2025, but the underlying architecture of export control authority remains intact. Washington can reinstate access restrictions. The hardware layer is a foreign chokepoint dressed in Indian branding. The G42 trust problem G42s recent history complicates the picture further. In January 2024, the US House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party wrote to the Commerce Secretary calling for an investigation into G42s ties to Huawei, BGI Genomics, and entities linked to the PRCs military-civil fusion programme. The committee noted that G42s CEO, Peng Xiao, was affiliated with an expansive network of UAE and China-based companies developing dual-use technologies. G42 subsequently divested its Chinese holdings and accepted US-imposed constraints as a condition of Microsofts $1.5 billion investment. India is now deploying the same firm as the operator of its national AI supercomputer. That G42 cleaned up its China entanglements to access American capital is not the same as saying those entanglements are irrelevant to Indias strategic calculus. The company that holds the maintenance contract on Condor Galaxy India is the same company that, two years ago, was under active US Congressional pressure over its ties to Chinese military-linked entities. Indias security establishment is presumably aware of this. Whether it has been adequately weighed against the compute access on offer is another question. The steelman: why India may have no choice The counter-argument is serious and should not be dismissed. Indias domestic chip manufacturing capacity does not exist yet. Tatas Dholera fab, the countrys first semiconductor fabrication facility, received its Special Economic Zone notification in April 2026 and is targeting trial production at 28 nanometre nodes by late 2026. The frontier AI chips that matter for model training operate at three to four nanometres. The gap between where Indian silicon manufacturing starts and where it needs to be for AI sovereignty is not a few years; it is a decade or more of sustained investment and industrial development. CFR has argued that for countries like India, the more urgent risk is not dependency per se but being locked out of AIs benefits entirely while the technology compounds elsewhere. On that framing, the G42 deal and the Nvidia infrastructure buildout are the pragmatic path: take the compute now, build domestic capability in parallel, and accept the dependency as a transitional cost. That argument holds for civilian AI applications. It is harder to sustain when the infrastructure in question is being positioned as the foundation of Indias national AI security posture, with the government using sovereignty language at the signing ceremony. The word sovereignty implies a degree of control that
Missed call: On India and the southwest monsoon
India must brace itself for a deficient southwest monsoon
Committee on Demographic Changes: Salient features & the effective agenda
The national committee on demographic changes has an onerous task in hand to take people on board at a national level and listen to the grievances, complaints and suggestions of the people FRAGRANCE OF IDEAS ASHWANI KUMAR CHRUNGOO Finally, the government of India recently decided to appoint a high-level national committee on demographic changes in the country. It is a well-timed decision that has historic dimensions and value and will determine the civilizational path, in future, for India to take. The decision is aimed at scientifically assessing and addressing unnatural demographic shifts caused by illegal immigration and other abnormal factors. The Committee will be headed by Justice Prakash Prabhakar Naolekar (Retired Supreme Court Judge) as its chairman. The full composition of the national committee membership is as follows:The Census Commissioner of India, Durga Shanker Mishra (IAS Retd.), Balaji Srivastava (IPS Retd.), & Dr. Shamika Ravi (Member of the PMs Economic Advisory Council). The Joint Secretary (Foreigners-I) of the Ministry of Home Affairs will be the Member Secretary of the national committee.The five-member national committee will be tasked with submitting its comprehensive report within one year, with an optional six-month extension if required by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The high-level committee plans to analyse abnormal population changes across religious and social communities, particularly in border states, and recommend actionable policy, legislative, and administrative measures.It is a decision that will take care of many demographic challenges towards which the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, NSA Ajit Dobal and the General Secretary (Org.) of the BJP, B.L. Santosh, referred to various times during the last year, particularly during the election time. India has been severely affected by demographic changes post the 1971 war and the liberation of Bangladesh. The illegal infiltration from Bangladesh and of Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar both have created havoc throughout the country. This illegal population has social, cultural, economic and security dimensions for the nation, and an early resolution of the issue is on the agenda of the present government, which is quite reassuring. The main challenge for the governmentwas initially to convert this to a functional & working agenda, which it has done. There are a number of Pakistani infiltrators also living in various parts of the country who are always a standing security threat to the nation. These infiltrators have different denominations, and these go on changingthem perpetually. In Jammu and Kashmir, wives and children of the so-called surrendered terrorists, besides some others who were born in Pakistan, are also living illegally in various parts of the state. Moreover, these illegal infiltrators were/are being provided shelter, safety and other facilities by the political leaders, and even the state governments ruled by opposition parties, considering them their vote-bank. The Supreme Courts recent judgement upholding the SIR done by the ECI, paving the way for deletion of these infiltrators from the electoral rolls, has opened gates for their detection, deletion and deportation. The Home Minister of India has repeatedlysaid that the infiltrators will ultimately be deported to their respective nations. Generally speaking, the common citizens throughout the country and also the nationalist populace in Jammu and Kashmir feel very happy and satisfied with the formation of the national committee. It is expected that the representatives of the people will make their presentations before the committee when it starts working in the near future. It will be incumbent uponthe politicalparties, social organisations and the other NGOs to present their point of view in this regard before the committee. The challenges are seen as thecivilizational challenges by the nationalist populace of the country. Recent elections in WestBengal have given a soulful push to the debate of infiltration in the country. The challenges in this regard can be seen and observed besides West Bengal in Assam, UP, Kerala, Maharashtra and even in the states like Uttarakhand, Delhi, Haryana and HP. The alarming bells in relation to the illegal infiltration by Bangladeshis and Rohingyas of Myanmar have added dangerous dimensions to the already existing grave scenario. In case the issue remains unaddressed, there are all possibilities of a civil-strife in an eventual unseen future. The past history of six decades from 1947 onwards saw most of the political parties and players, so-called human rights activists and intellectuals, and also writers cum activists openly supporting the demographic imbalance for their political and vested interests. In particular, their support for the illegal infiltrations were motivated by their appeasement policies and vote-bank politics, and they even didnt miss to involve the courts also in this imbroglio. A battery of senior lawyers keep on fighting the cases of these illegal infiltrators as they are paid heavily by certain agencies to fight these cases. There is another dimension to the issue of demographic imbalance. Besides the uneven growth of population in various religious and caste denominations over the last seven decades, the Hindu population in the country has seen a worrisome negative downward trend. While the current birth-rate among Hindus per couple is 1.90, the Muslims have the birth rate of 2.50. The Sikh community, along with the communities like Christians, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and non-religious denominations, have assumed a highly negative growth in their numbers, ranging from 1.10 to 1.80. While the national growth rate in this context at present is approximately 2.00, the Muslim community growth rate stands at 0.50 more than the national growth rate. Several southern states have raised this issue a number of times. Their strict adherence and follow-up of the national family planning policy has brought their numbers down as compared to the northern states. This demographic challenge has its different dimensions in different ways in different states. The common thing is that these challenges are poised to create social, cultural and economic disparity and tensions leading to an unhealthy political situation in the country. Consequent upon the genocide and ethnic cleansing of Hindus in Kashmir, four decades ago and afterwards, the forced mass exodus of the community opened the gates for demographic invasion at the local
Wife, her friend held for murder of man whose torso was stuffed in suitcase
Cusat Joint Registrar electrocuted
Kargil seminary wants new liquor policy shelved, warns of protests
Leaders say liquor has no place in Ladakhi society and that opening liquor outlets under the new policy would have negative consequences for the younger generation and society at large
Zverev fights off Cobolli for maiden Grand Slam title at French Open
After falling three times at the final hurdle, including in Paris two years ago, Zverev capped a relentless run by becoming the first German man to win a major title since Boris Becker's Australian Open triumph three decades ago.
The great despair: why are students dying
In an economy marked by insecurity, inequality, and limited pathways to stable employment, academic credentials have come to bear the burden of aspirations, putting students under pressure
Iran has conceded that they will not possess nukes: Trump
Washington DC [US], June 7 : US President Donald Trump said that Iran has conceded the fact that they will not have nuclear weapons. Trump, during an interview with local media, said that the US and Iran are very close to a deal. When asked about the deal with Iran, Trump replied, Were very close. We have a couple of points; they dont even seem like big points. Theyve conceded the fact that they will not have nuclear weapons. I dont like these endless wars. This is not an endless war. Weve been doing this for three months; much of it has been under a pretty good form of ceasefire, he added. Trump said in the interview that he stopped Iran from using nuclear weapons. I had to stop a country, a very powerful, very dangerous country, from having a nuclear weapon because theyd use it. Theyre nuts. Theyre crazy people, he said. When Trump was asked if he would unfreeze any Iranian assets or lift any sanctions up front as a part of any deal, he simply said, No. Trump said that if a deal were made, the US would take out the nuclear dust and destroy it. If we make a deal, well go together, itll be our equipment, well take it out and destroy it. If we dont make a deal, then were going to take them out militarily very harshly, and well wait until we do that before we go, he said. Talking about the Iranian regime, Trump said, Its a very hard thing for them. There are things they never thought theyd be doing that theyre going to have to do. Theyve got no choice. And it takes a little while, youre talking about 47 years of getting away with whatever they wanted. Trump reiterated that Irans Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, was injured. He said, I dont want to say whether or not I know where he is, but theres a good probability that I do. Hes very seriously injured. We have a blockade. Its been extremely effective and the reason we have it is that they tried to blockade, and now we blockaded them. Theyre losing $4-500 million a day We have the ultimate blockade. Trumps comments come as Irans Parliament Speaker MB Ghalibaf, said that the US is neither committed to a ceasefire nor does it believe in dialogue. They are neither committed to a ceasefire nor believe in dialogue, and by demonstrating through the naval blockade and violation of agreements regarding Lebanon that they only understand the language of power. The naval blockade against the Iranian nation and Americas green light today to the Zionist regime turn American and regime bases and assets in the region into legitimate targets. The hand of our armed forces is open, as always, he said in a post on X. The comments come as CENTCOM said that as of June 7, it redirected 132 commercial vessels and disabled 6 to ensure compliance of the blockade. (ANI)
Tilak emerges costliest buy at inaugural TG20 auction
Milind becomes the most expensive uncapped player
Alleged assault on women in Kochi: two more held
Talib Hussain Choudhary was arrested on June 1 from Bandhi-Ragura village, where 32 structures belonging to tribals were demolished in an anti-encroachment drive. PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti demands his immediate release.
There was no revolt against party high command in September 2022, says Congress veteran Ashok Gehlot
The former Rajasthan Chief Minister claims a wrong perception was spread, and there was a conspiracy to defame him
World Bicycle Day 2026: Cycle rally held in Mangaluru
Israel strikes Beirut's southern suburbs days after ceasefire agreement
There was no immediate word of casualties
Online darshan system aims at curbing corruption, managing crowd: HR and CE Minister
Neutralise miscreants if found roaming with weapons in civilian areas of Manipur: CRPF DG
Says it is expected that there will be a turnaround in the situation in the northeastern State within 1-1.5 years
Yogandhra-2026 launches in Andhra Pradesh with 25,000 registrations
The initiative, aims at involving one crore people in yoga activities ahead of International Yoga Day on June 21, will continue until June 20 with awareness and promotional programmes across all 28 districts
Residents raise a stink over release of sewage into stormwater drain
The unbearable stench coupled with toxic fumes originates from a large stormwater drain that runs directly behind the houses
Third Mumbai will be built over our dead bodies, says former judge and activist B.G. Kolse Patil
Farmers are agitated over the compensation provisions made by the MMRDA, the authority managing the Third Mumbai or Karnala-Sai-Chirner (KSC) New Town project
Derogatory remarks against Home Minister in social media, Karkala resident held
India Post to conduct Dak Adalat in Coimbatore on June 16
One dead, one sick at Mumbai concert
The cause of death remains unclear, forensic reports are awaited, the police say
Traffic diversions announced around Jubilee Hills for H-CITI flyover, underpass works
Commuters have been urged to avoid peak traffic hours between 8.30 a.m. and 11 a.m. and between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m.
Ganderbal , June 7 : In preparation for the forthcoming Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra (SANJY) 2026 and the Annual Mela Kheer Bhawani, Ganderbal Police conducted a series of comprehensive mock drills in the last week at various strategic locations across the district to assess operational readiness, emergency response capabilities, and inter-agency coordination. The exercises were carried out at Mata Kheer Bhawani Temple, Wussan Pandit Colony, Manigam Pandit Colony, Wandhama Pandit Colony, and Sonamarg, involving the joint participation of Ganderbal District Police, SOG, Army, CRPF, BSF, SSB, SDRF, Health Department, Fire & Emergency Services, and other security agencies. A dedicated mock drill was also conducted at Mata Kheer Bhawani Temple in connection with the upcoming Annual Mela Kheer Bhawani, aimed at assessing security preparedness, emergency response mechanisms, crowd management, evacuation procedures, and inter-agency coordination for the smooth and safe conduct of the religious event. The mock drills simulated various emergency scenarios to evaluate the preparedness of security forces, response mechanisms, evacuation procedures, and coordination among stakeholders. The exercises were conducted smoothly and successfully, demonstrating a high level of alertness, professionalism, and synergy among the participating agencies. Meanwhile, the advance registration for the annual Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra commenced on April 15 across Jammu and various parts of the country. Earlier on April 12, J-K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who also serves as the Chairman of the Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board (SASB), officially announced that the annual pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine of Amarnath will commence on July 3 and conclude on August 28 on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan, spanning a total of 57 days. Addressing reporters here, LG Sinha said, The pilgrimage will begin on July 3rd and conclude on Rakshabandhan on August 28th. Overall, this years pilgrimage will be slightly longer. It will span 57 days. The Pratham Puja will be held on Jyeshtha Purnima, 29 June 2026. Registration will begin on April 15th. He added that advance registration facilities will be available both online and offline. Advance registration is available at 554 bank branches. Jammu and Kashmir Bank, Punjab National Bank, State Bank of India, and Yes Bank have various branches across the country where this registration will be conducted. Online registration can also be done through the official website of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, LG Sinha said. (ANI)
Couple arrested in the murder of Delhi University professor over property dispute
Following a final warning issued by the victim to vacate her property in West Bengals Burdwan, the accused allegedly conspired to eliminate her, travelling to Delhi for it
Retro Route: Santhome schools cricket lore never runs out of fizz
The spotlight today (June 7) belonged to the 1976 batch of Santhome Higher Secondary School, their Golden Jubilee Reunion having just drawn to a close. Never mind that none of the alumni from this batch made it to either the state or national team; the occasion still warrants a toast to the schools cricketing culture. Lakshmy Harikrishnan tracks the high points of the institutions cricketing history
Nitin Nabin instructs BJP cadre in Jharkhand to gear up for 2029 Assembly election
Mr. Nabin asserted that Jharkhand will remain a BJP stronghold. He also directed that regular monthly meetings be ensured at all levels from the state down to the Mandal level, to maintain continuous communication with grassroots workers.
New Delhi, 7 June 2026: Leader of Opposition in the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly Sunil Sharma today met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi and held an extensive discussion on various issues concerning the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir. During the meeting, detailed deliberations were held on the prevailing security scenario, law and order situation, developmental initiatives, and the overall political landscape of Jammu & Kashmir. Sunil Sharma apprised the Union Home Minister of various issues and concerns emerging from the ground and highlighted the aspirations of the people regarding peace, progress, and effective governance. The meeting also reviewed the ongoing efforts of the Government of India to strengthen security, promote inclusive development, and deepen democratic institutions at the grassroots level. Both leaders emphasized the need to further consolidate the gains achieved in recent years and ensure that the benefits of development reach every section of society. Union Home Minister Amit Shah gave a patient hearing to the issues raised by Sunil Sharma and assured him that the Government of India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, remains fully committed to ensuring lasting peace, strengthening security, accelerating development, and safeguarding the interests of the people of Jammu & Kashmir. He reiterated that all necessary support would continue to be extended for the overall progress and prosperity of the Union Territory. Sunil Sharma reiterated the Bharatiya Janata Partys unwavering commitment to safeguarding the interests of the people of Jammu & Kashmir and working tirelessly for lasting peace, prosperity, and progress in the Union Territory. He said that under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the guidance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Jammu & Kashmir has witnessed a new era of development, transparency, and empowerment. The meeting reflects the continued focus of the BJP leadership on ensuring peace, security, and holistic development in Jammu & Kashmir while addressing the concerns and expectations of its citizens.
MEIL-led Zojila tunnel set for final breakthrough on June 9
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Switzerland favourite to make it to the knockouts for the fourth straight edition; burden of expectation on Morocco after its semifinal run in Qatar 2022: Scotland desperate to end group-stage jinx
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Watch: INDIA janbandhan united, 23 parties have confirmed participation: Congress
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Cancer Congress highlights advances in Oncology
Kochi-Theni greenfield highway project put on hold
The 151-km-long project was envisioned about a decade ago to decongest the 121-km-long NH 85 corridor between Kochi and Munnar
Leadership training camp held for government, government-aided school students
Coimbatore District Museum seeks additional space at Semmozhi Poonga to display more artefacts
Telangana constitutes committee to examine international medical tourism in govt. hospitals
Motorists flag dangerous aquaplaning hotspots on NH 66
Police tighten grip on alcohol consumption in public places, drunk driving in Coimbatore
Higher education guidance centre inaugurated in Kanniyakumari Collectorate
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Govt steps in to prevent salary disruption in cultural institutions
Temporary charge assigned as vacancies stall routine functioning across key bodies
Retired Archbishop Mallavarapu Prakash passes away
Water level in Mullaperiyar dam stands at 111.75 feet
Thirunavukkarasu assumes office as Tirunelveli Range DIG
Volunteers clean Service Bus Stand area in Mangaluru
Over 300 Osmania Law students turn fail to pass after revaluation
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APSDMA forecasts rain, lightning and thunderstorms in several districts on Monday and Tuesday; residents advised to take precautions against extreme heat and adverse weather
Yogandhra programmes organised in Tirupati
CPI slams alleged attack on leaders at Jantar Mantar, seeks action
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Parents take on the role of traffic assistants on busy road in Chennai
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Heavy rainfall warning in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi on June 8
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Tiger movement in ASR district restricted
Rayalaseema leaders question lack of Rajya Sabha representation from the region
History-sheeter hacked to death near Tiruverumbur
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CPI(M) opposes move to shut Visakhapatnam airport
Waste treatment plants will soon turn wealth generating units, says MA&UD Minister Narayana
Solid waste treatment will get a boost with the Chief Minister giving the go-ahead for establishment of 107 processing units across the State by the end of July, he says
