1 dead in protests over India’s military recruitment policy

At least one person was killed Friday as angry young people in parts of India burned train coaches, blocked highways and attacked police with rocks in a second day of violent demonstrations against a new short-term government recruitment policy for the military, police said.

The death occurred in Secundrabad in southern India, where vastly outnumbered police used batons and fired shots at about 500 protesters who rampaged at a railroad station for more than an hour, police said. Fifteen people were reportedly injured. The protesters attacked police with rocks, an officer said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to reporters.

Television images showed people setting empty train coaches on fire and vandalizing railroad property. They burned tires and blocked train tracks, disrupting train service in the region for several hours.

India internet law adds to fears over online speech, privacy

It began in February with a tweet by pop star Rihanna that sparked widespread condemnation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s handling of massive farmer protests near the capital, souring an already troubled relationship between the government and Twitter.

Moving to contain the backlash, officials hit Twitter with multiple injunctions to block hundreds of tweets critical of the government. Twitter complied with some and resisted others.

Relations between Twitter and Modi’s government have gone downhill ever since. At the heart of the standoff is a sweeping internet law that puts digital platforms like Twitter and Facebook under direct government oversight. Officials say the rules are needed to quell misinformation and hate speech and to give users more power to flag objectionable content.

Indian, Chinese foreign ministers discuss border standoff

The foreign ministers of India and China met in Tajikistan on Wednesday with New Delhi stressing that a military standoff along a mountainous border area was profoundly disturbing their ties, and warning that any unilateral change in the status quo by Beijing was unacceptable.

“Full restoration and maintenance of peace and tranquility in border areas is essential for the development of bilateral ties,” Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said in a tweet.

Jaishankar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization foreign ministers’ meeting in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. China’s Foreign Ministry quoted Wang as saying the standoff benefited neither side and that China wanted to resolve the situation through dialogue.

Lightning strikes in India kill 38 people in 24 hours

Lightning has killed at least 38 people across two Indian states over the past 24 hours, officials said Monday.

A majority of the deaths occurred in the western state of Rajasthan, where 11 people died after being struck by lightning near a watchtower at the 12th century Amber Fort, police said.

Senior police officer Anand Srivastava said some of the victims were taking selfies near the watchtower when lightning struck late Sunday. Srivastava said at least nine more people were killed and nearly 20 others were injured in separate lightning strikes when the state was lashed with thunderstorms and monsoon rains.

In Uttar Pradesh, 18 people were killed by lightning on Sunday, said Manoj Dixit, a government official. Most of those killed were farm laborers working in fields.

India’s Modi drops 12 Cabinet ministers in massive reshuffle

In a massive Cabinet revamp, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi dropped 12 senior Cabinet ministers on Wednesday and inducted a younger team aimed at refurbishing his government’s image after widespread criticism of its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan, whose response to the epidemic came under close examination, Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, Law and Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar were among those who resigned hours ahead of the reshuffle. Prasad was involved in a bitter row with Twitter over India’s new internet regulations, which digital activists say could curtail online speech and privacy.

Fifteen Cabinet ministers and 28 junior ministers were sworn in by President Kovind at a ceremony in the presidential palace on Wednesday. Eight junior ministers were elevated to Cabinet rank.

Dilip Kumar, Bollywood’s great ‘Tragedy King,’ dies at 98

Bollywood icon Dilip Kumar, hailed as the “Tragedy King” and one of Hindi cinema’s greatest actors, died Wednesday in a Mumbai hospital after a prolonged illness. He was 98.

The “Tragedy King” title came from Kumar’s numerous serious roles. In several, his character died as a frustrated lover and a drunkard. He also was known as Bollywood’s only Method actor for his expressive performances identifying a character’s emotions.

Kumar was hospitalized twice last month after he complained of breathlessness, and his family tweeted “with a heavy heart and profound grief” the announcement of his passing. “Dilip Kumar will be remembered as a cinematic legend. He was blessed with unparalleled brilliance, due to which audiences across generations were enthralled. His passing away is a loss to our cultural world,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a tweet. “An institution has gone,” Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan tweeted. “Whenever the history of Indian Cinema will be written, it shall always be ‘before Dilip Kumar, and after Dilip Kumar’ ..”

Indian military: 2 drones intercepted over base in Kashmir

India’s military said it thwarted a major threat when it intercepted two drones flying over an army base in Indian-controlled Kashmir early Monday, a day after suspected explosives-laden drones were used to attack an air base in the disputed region.

The military said troops around midnight spotted two drones separately flying over Kaluchak military base on the outskirts of Jammu city.

“Immediately, high alert was sounded and Quick Reaction Teams engaged them with firing,” the military said in a statement. “Both the drones flew away.” Troops launched search operations in the area, the statement said, adding that troops remained on high alert.

On Sunday, Indian officials said two drones carrying explosives were used to attack an air base in Jammu city and called it the first such incident of its kind in India. Officials said two soldiers were lightly wounded in the two explosions, which also caused minor damage to a building on the base. No military equipment was damaged.

Indian police say bomb-laden drones hit air base in Kashmir

Indian officials said Sunday they suspect explosives-laden drones were used to attack an air base in the disputed region of Kashmir, calling it the first such incident of its kind in India.

Dilbagh Singh, the region’s police director-general, told the private news channel New Delhi Television that “drones with payload were used in both the blasts.” Singh called the attack an act of terrorism.

Two soldiers were lightly wounded in the explosions, according to a military officer who spoke on condition of anonymity in keeping with military regulations. India’s air force tweeted that the attack caused minor damage to a building on the base, located in the southern city of Jammu in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir, while the second blast hit an open area. It said no military equipment was damaged.

Milkha Singh, India’s ‘Flying Sikh’ ace runner, dies at 91

Milkha Singh, one of India’s first sport superstars and ace sprinter who overcame a childhood tragedy to become the country’s most celebrated athlete, has died. He was 91.

Singh’s family said he died late Friday of complications from COVID-19 in a hospital in the northern city of Chandigarh.

Singh had first tested positive for the coronavirus on May 20. His wife Nirmal Kaur, a former volleyball captain, had died of the virus just days earlier. She was 85.

मौत से भी मोहब्बत निभायेंगे हम

..जिंदगी से बहुत प्यार हमने किया

मौत से भी मोहब्बत निभायेगें हम

रोते रोते जमाने में आये मगर

हंसते हंसते जमाने से जायेगे हम.

जिंदगी के अनजाने सफर से बेहद प्यार करने वाले हिन्दी सिने जगत के मशहूर संगीतकार कल्याण जी का जीवन से प्यार उनकी संगीतबद्ध इन पंक्तियों मे समाया हुआ है।

गुजरात में कच्छ के कुंडरोडी मे 30 जून 1928 को जन्में कल्याणजी वीर जी शाह बचपन से ही संगीतकार बनने का सपना देखा करते थे हालांकि उन्होने किसी उस्ताद से संगीत की शिक्षा नही ली थी। अपने इसी सपने को पूरा करने के लिये वह मुंबई आ गये और संगीतकार हेमंत कुमार के सहायक के तौर पर काम करने लगे।

Army chief dismisses UN report on alleged rights violations in Kashmir

Indian Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat on Wednesday slammed the UN report on alleged human rights violations in Kashmir, dubbing it as "motivated".

The human rights record of the Indian Army, he said, was well known to the people of Kashmir and to the international community

"I don't need to speak about the human rights record of the Indian Army. It is well known to all of you, it is well known to the people of Kashmir, and to the international community. I don't think we should get too concerned about the report, some of these reports are motivated," Rawat told reporters on the sidelines of an event here.

पंचम दो को नहीं भूल पायेंगे संगीत प्रेमी

बॉलीवुड में अपनी मधुर संगीत लहरियों से मंत्रमुग्ध करने वाले महान संगीतकार आर.डी.बर्मन का संगीत प्रेमियों के दिल में खास जहग है और वे उन्हें कभी भी नहीं भूल पायेंगे।

आर.डी बर्मन का जन्म 27 जून 1939 को कलकत्ता में हुआ था। उनके पिता एस.डी.बर्मन के जाने माने फिल्मी संगीतकार थे। घर में फिल्मी माहौल के कारण उनका भी रूझान संगीत की ओर हो गया और वह अपने पिता से संगीत की शिक्षा लेने लगे। उन्होंने उस्ताद अली अकबर खान से सरोद वादन की भी शिक्षा ली। फिल्म जगत में..पंचम.. के नाम से मशहूर आर.डी.बर्मन को यह नाम तब मिला जब उन्होंने अभिनेता अशोक कुमार को संगीत के पांच सुर सा.रे.गा.मा.पा गाकर सुनाया। नौ वर्ष की छोटी सी उम्र में पंचम दा ने अपनी पहली धुन ..ए मेरी टोपी पलट के आ.. बनायी और बाद में उनके पिता सचिन देव बर्मन ने उसका इस्तेमाल वर्ष 1956 में प्रदर्शित फिल्म ..फंटूश ..में किया। इसके अलावा उनकी बनायी धुन ..सर जो तेरा चकराये.. भी गुरूदत्त की फिल्म ..प्यासा.. के लिये इस्तेमाल की गयी।

From India to Russia: A cyclist's dream of meeting Argentina's Lionel Messi

After a shock 3-0 loss to Croatia and only one game left to redeem itself, could Argentina be out of the World Cup? Clifin Francis certainly hopes not.

After all, the 28-year-old mathematics teacher from southern India has cycled more than 2,900 miles to Russia to get his bike signed by Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi.

While Francis initially planned to ride his bike all the way from his home town in Alappuzha, difficulties in getting a Pakistani visa forced him to start his journey in Iran.

In India, rats have a $19,000 meal

It was a cash machine heist with a difference: The attackers were hungry rodents.

At least one rat slipped through a hole in the back of an ATM in northeastern India and started eating. By the time it was finished, police say more than $19,000 in bills were shredded.

When technicians arrived June 11 to fix a broken State Bank of India cash machine in the town of Tinsukia they found a dead rat inside it and Indian currency notes worth nearly 1.3 million rupees, or a little over $19,000, chewed to shreds. The rat had entered the ATM through a small hole for cables, police superintendent Mugdha Jyoti Mahanta said Friday. The notes were in 500-rupee and 2,000-rupee denominations.

खलनायकी को नयी पहचान दी अमरीश पुरी ने

बॉलीवुड में अमरीश पुरी को एक ऐसे अभिनेता के तौर पर याद किया जाता है जिन्होंने अपनी कड़क आवाज .रौबदार भाव भंगिमाओं और दमदार अभिनय के बल पर खलनायकी को एक नयी पहचान दी ।

रंगमंच से फिल्मों के रूपहले पर्दे तक पहुंचे अमरीश पुरी ने करीब तीन दशक में लगभग 250 फिल्मों में अभिनय का जौहर दिखाया।

आज के दौर में कई कलाकार किसी अभिनय प्रशिक्षण संस्थान से प्रशिक्षण लेकर अभिनय जीवन की शुआत करते हैं जबकि अमरीश पुरी खुद अपने आप में चलते फिरते अभिनय प्रशिक्षण संस्था थे ।

Yoga the 'biggest mass movement' that has shown world path from illness to wellness: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday led the celebrations for fourth International Yoga day across the country, describing Yoga as the 'biggest mass movement' that has shown the world the path from illness to wellness.

Addressing close to 50,000 people at the Forest Research Institute (FRI) in Dehradun, the PM said, 'Yoga has become the biggest mass movement and it has shown the world the path from illness to wellness. Instead of increasing suffering, Yoga heals.'

India takes direct control in Kashmir after alliance ends

India’s federal government took direct control of Kashmir state Wednesday after the ruling Hindu nationalist party ended its long-troubled alliance there with a Kashmiri political party.

The shift to direct rule in the disputed region was approved after the Bharatiya Janata Party withdrew its support Tuesday for the People’s Democratic Party, following years of feuding and a deteriorating security situation. The BJP also heads the central government, and officials say Prime Minister Narendra Modi was involved in the decision to withdraw from the coalition.

J-K govt collapses after BJP pulls out of alliance with PDP

The three-year Jammu and Kashmir government, wracked by bitter political feuds and worsening security challenges, collapsed today with the BJP pulling out of its alliance with the PDP setting the stage for yet another round of governor's rule.

BJP general secretary Ram Madhav made the surprise announcement after the party high command summoned its Jammu and Kashmir ministers for emergency consultations in New Delhi. A few hours later, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti submitted her resignation to Governor N N Vohra amid a swirl of political activity in Srinagar and New Delhi.

Voter bribes claimed as key Indian state holds election

Claims of dirty tricks made by India's two main parties cast a cloud over voting in a key Indian state Saturday after nearly 10,000 voting cards were seized by election authorities.

The opposition Congress party, which has dominated Indian politics in the seven decades since independence, is fighting to retain its last major state, Karnataka, amid a fierce battle with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Hindu nationalist party.

Voting was postponed in one constituency after the discovery of the voting cards, which authorities suspect were obtained through bribes. Police have launched an investigation.

Sridevi, Bollywood leading lady of ’80s and ’90s, dies at 54

Sridevi, Bollywood’s leading lady of the 1980s and ’90s who redefined stardom for actresses in India, has died at age 54.

The actress was described as the first female superstar in India’s male-dominated film industry. She used one name onscreen, like many leading ladies of her generation, and was known for her comic timing and her dancing skills, a great asset in the song-and-dance melodramas that are a staple of mainstream Indian cinema.