‘India, Russia can take their dead economies down together’, remarks Trump
US President Donald Trump, on his social media platform ‘Truth Social’, criticised India’s trade relations with Russia. This comes a day after he announced a 25% tariff on Indian imports and a penalty after India made large purchases of oil and military equipment from Russia.
“I don’t care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care. We have done very little business with India, their Tariffs are too high, among the highest in the world,” he wrote. Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi responded saying he is glad and agrees with Trump’s remarks.
Pragya Thakur, 7 others accused acquitted in Malegaon blast case
A special NIA court in Mumbai acquitted all seven accused in the September 2008 Malegaon blast case in which six persons were killed and more than 100 others injured. On 29 September, 2008, an explosive device strapped to a motorcycle went off near a mosque in the Malegaon town, located about 200 km from Mumbai. Former BJP MP Pragya Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Purohit were among the accused.
Special Judge A K Lahoti, assigned to hear cases of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), flagged several loopholes in the prosecution’s case and the investigation carried out, and said the accused persons deserved the ‘benefit of doubt’.
4 among 5 militants arrested in Manipur, 26 firearms recovered
From several districts of Manipur, security forces arrested five people, including four militants belonging to three banned outfits, for their involvement in extortion activities. These arrests were made on Wednesday. These militants were accused of demanding money from contractors, businessmen, and general public in the district of Imphal and Bishnupur, a police officer said.
Security forces also recovered 26 firearms, nine explosives and several other ammunition during separate operations in Churachandpur and Thoubal districts on Wednesday, another police officer said.
LS Speaker Om Birla nominates Premachandran to preside over proceedings
Birla announced that N K Premachandran, leader of the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) has been nominated as an empaneled member to preside over the proceedings of the House. Premachandran represents Kerala’s Kollam constituency.
The announcement was made under Section 9 in the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha.
LS adjourned till 4 pm, RS adjourned till 4:30 pm
When both Houses reassembled at 2 pm, they could only function a few minutes. Lok Sabha was adjourned till 4 pm amid protests from opposition MPs demanding a discussion on the SIR of Bihar voter list. Proceedings of the Rajya Sabha were adjourned till 4:30 pm today after Opposition MPs created uproar over the issue of SIR in Bihar. Both Houses were adjourned twice during the pre-lunch session over the SIR issue.
President Murmu arrives in Jharkhand to attend AIIMS, IIT convocations
Droupadi Murmu arrived in Jharkhand on a two-day visit and is set to attend the convocation programmes of AIIMS Deoghar and IIT Dhanbad during the trip. The President was accorded a warm welcome after she arrived at the Deoghar airport, the officials said.
She will participate in the maiden convocation ceremony of AIIMS Deoghar today and will attend the 45th convocation programme of IIT (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad, on 1 August.
ED’s first-ever raids in Andaman & Nicobar Islands
The Enforcement Directorate conducted its first-ever searches in the Islands as part of a money laundering case probe linked to an alleged cooperative bank loan ‘fraud’ involving Andaman Nicobar State Cooperative Bank (ANSCB) and a former Congress MP Kuldeep Rai Sharma from the Union Territory. This is the first time that the central agency has undertaken searches under the anti-money laundering law in the Union Territory located in the Bay of Bengal, they said.
Nine places in and around Port Blair and two in Kolkata were raided by the officials of the central probe agency under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Amarnath Yatra suspended from Jammu due to rains
The Amarnath Yatra that had resumed from the Baltal axis in the Kashmir valley Thursday morning, was suspended from Jammu due to uncertain weather conditions. No fresh batch of pilgrims was allowed to proceed from Jammu to the cave shrine in the South Kashmir Himalayas, officials said.
In view of maintenance works on the Pahalgam axis of the Amarnath Yatra route following the rains, the yatra will continue only through the Baltal axis.
‘To overcome overseas challenges is always a special thing’, says Dhruv Jurel
Wicketkeeper and batter Dhruv Jurel underlined that performing in overseas conditions will push the stocks of a player up, and is excited to turn out for India in the fifth Test against England in place of injured vice-captain Rishabh Pant.
The 24-year-old Jurel has kept wickets for India in the last two Tests at the Lord’s and Manchester while Pant dealt with multiple injuries, and now he will have to do that job full-time in the final game of the series as the visitors try to level the series 2-2.
Kasturi Walimbe is an alum of ThePrint School of Journalism, currently interning with ThePrint
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