PV Sindhu Gears Up for Olympic Hat-trick at Paris Games 2
Indian badminton ace PV Sindhu has left no stone unturned in her preparation for the upcoming Paris Games, where she aims to clinch a third consecutive Olympic medal. From spending time in a hypoxic chamber to sparring with varied partners to adapt to different styles, Sindhu’s training regimen has been exhaustive.
Despite a patchy form of late, Sindhu is confident about her chances, thanks to the guidance and confidence instilled in her by her mentor, Prakash Padukone, over the last eight months. ‘I am aiming for a medal, definitely. Whether it’s one, two, or three, it doesn’t matter,’ Sindhu stated during a training session at Porte de la Chapelle Arena.
Prior to her stint in Paris, Sindhu trained at Sportcampus Saar in Saarbrucken, Germany. There, she acclimatized to conditions similar to Paris by creating a hypoxic chamber in her room. This innovative method helped prepare her body for the high-altitude demands of the competition. Sindhu has also enhanced her consistency and improved her strokes, feeling better prepared for long rallies and varied styles of play.
Bangladesh Banks, Garment Factories Reopen After Authorities Ease Curfew 4
Garment factories and banks reopened in Bangladesh on Wednesday after authorities eased a curfew imposed to contain deadly clashes sparked by student protests over civil service employment quotas.
Last week’s violence killed at least 186 people, according to an AFP count of victims reported by police and hospitals, during some of the worst unrest of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s tenure.
Thousands of troops are patrolling cities around the South Asian country to keep order, and most Bangladeshis remain without internet nearly a week after a nationwide shutdown was imposed.
But with calm returning to the streets after several days of unbridled mayhem, the country’s economically vital textile factories resumed operations after government clearance.
“We were worried about the future of our company,” 40-year-old factory worker Khatun, who gave only one name, told AFP.
Despite the disruption, Khatun said she supported the demands of student protesters to reform government hiring rules and was shocked by last week’s violence.
“The government should implement all their demands,” she said. “A lot of them were killed. They sacrificed for future generations.”
The garment industry generates $50 billion in yearly export revenue for Bangladesh, employing millions of young women to sew clothes for H&M, Zara, Gap and other leading international brands.
A spokesperson for the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association told AFP that garment factories had resumed business “across the country”.
Hasina’s home minister Asaduzzaman Khan agreed to exempt textile workers from an ongoing curfew to allow them to return to work, the peak body’s spokesman said.
The curfew was eased Wednesday to allow some commerce to resume but remains in effect for most Bangladeshis for 19 hours each day.
Banks, the stock exchange in the capital Dhaka, and some government offices also opened between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm to match the daily break in the stay-home order, government spokesman Shibli Sadiq told AFP.
‘So much blood’
The student group which led this month’s protests has suspended demonstrations until at least Friday, with one leader saying they had not wanted reform “at the expense of so much blood”.
Police have arrested at least 2,500 people since the violence began last week.
Hasina’s government says the stay-home order will be relaxed further as the situation improves.
Broadband internet was being gradually restored on Tuesday evening but mobile internet — a key communication method for protest organisers — remained inoperative.
Internet connectivity across Bangladesh was still around 20 percent of normal levels, according to data published by US-based monitor Netblocks.
With around 18 million young people in Bangladesh out of work, according to government figures, the June reintroduction of the quota scheme — halted since 2018 — deeply upset graduates facing an acute jobs crisis.
Critics say the quota is used to stack public jobs with loyalists to Hasina’s Awami League.
The Supreme Court on Sunday cut the number of reserved jobs but fell short of protesters’ demands to scrap the quotas entirely.
Hasina, 76, has ruled the country since 2009 and won her fourth consecutive election in January after a vote without genuine opposition.
Her government is also accused by rights groups of misusing state institutions to entrench its hold on power and stamp out dissent, including by the extrajudicial killing of opposition activists.
Supreme Court Orders Status Quo at Shambhu Border, Proposes Independent Committee 6
The Supreme Court has ordered that the status quo be maintained at the Shambhu border near Ambala, where farmers have been camping since February 13, following the ongoing protests over agricultural issues. The bench, comprising Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta, and Ujjal Bhuyan, plans to set up an independent committee consisting of eminent individuals to engage with farmers and other stakeholders to formulate a fair and just solution.
The Court has directed the Punjab and Haryana governments to propose names for the committee members, or the Court will appoint suitable individuals. This directive is to be complied with within a week. The Court emphasized that maintaining the status quo is essential to prevent escalation at the Shambhu border.
Additionally, the Supreme Court has instructed both states to remove the barricades at the Shambhu border in phases to minimize public inconvenience. The hearing stems from an appeal against a Punjab and Haryana High Court order directing the removal of barricades within seven days. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Haryana government, expressed concerns about potential law and order issues if the border is opened.
The bench stressed the need for the state to build trust with farmers and consider the appointment of a neutral arbitrator. The bench observed that the conflict has persisted for over a year and that blocking the national highway is unsustainable. The issue began when the Haryana government set up barricades on the Ambala-New Delhi highway, following farmers’ announcements to march to Delhi to demand, among other things, a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) for crops.
Activist Demands Urgent Removal of Hazardous Billboards from Mumbai Footpaths 8
RTI activist Anil Galgali has called on the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to remove billboards from footpaths, citing potential safety hazards. This demand follows an incident in Ghatkopar East, where a misplaced billboard caused significant issues. Galgali fears similar accidents could occur elsewhere in the city.
In a letter addressed to Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, Additional Commissioner Dr. Ashwini Joshi, MMRDA Metropolitan Commissioner Dr. Sanjay Mukherjee, and Deputy Commissioner Kiran Dighavkar, Galgali highlighted that over 50 billboards are prominently displayed on footpaths. These installations have been permitted by the BMC and MMRDA.
Galgali’s letter emphasized the increasing wind speeds and changing atmospheric conditions in Mumbai, raising concerns about the durability of these billboards. “Footpaths are meant for pedestrians,” he stated, “but the large billboards installed on them pose a risk of collapsing at any time.”
Galgali urged that the pavement advertisement boards authorized by the BMC and MMRDA be removed as a priority. He also called for the cancellation of provisions allowing billboard placements on footpaths in the new advertisement policy.
Opposition Protests 'Discriminatory' Union Budget 2024–25 in Parliament 10
Members of the opposition alliance, INDIA bloc, staged a protest within the Parliament complex on Wednesday, expressing their discontent with the Union Budget announced on Tuesday by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Slogans such as ‘Opposition virodhi kursi bachao Budget murda baad’ echoed as MPs held placards calling the budget ‘discriminatory.’
Notable political leaders including Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, and SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav joined the demonstration. ‘This is a deceitful Budget and it is injustice…’ Kharge remarked to reporters.
Kharge, when asked about participating in the General Discussion of the Budget, responded, ‘We will protest and then we will see.’ Earlier on Tuesday, the INDIA bloc’s Floor Leaders convened at Kharge’s residence for a strategic meeting.
Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal criticized the Budget, stating, ‘The concept of the budget has already been destroyed by this year’s Union Budget. They have completely discriminated against most of the states.’ Congress MP Pramod Tiwari declared that the Budget is perceived as favoring BJP, prompting them to protest both inside and outside Parliament.
Rahul Gandhi critiqued the Union Budget 2024-25 on social media platform ‘X,’ accusing the Finance Minister of making hollow promises targeting specific states and crony allies. Mallikarjun Kharge echoed these sentiments, lambasting the Modi government for presenting a budget aimed more at political survival than national progress.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh slammed the government for failing to conduct the Census and omitting funds for it in the Budget. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also condemned the Budget, labeling it politically motivated and lacking in vision.
Nirmala Sitharaman Unveils Union Budget 2024-25: Taxation Simplification and Digitalization 12
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled the Union Budget 2024–25, emphasizing its commitment to Viksit Bharat and focusing on nine key priorities. Highlighting the government’s ongoing efforts to streamline taxation, the Finance Minister discussed various measures aimed at simplifying the tax structure, enhancing taxpayer services, and reducing litigation.
Sitharaman announced a comprehensive review of the Income-tax Act, 1961, within six months to make it more concise and clear. She proposed that reassessments can now be reopened beyond three years only if the escaped income exceeds Rs 50 lakh, with a maximum period of five years. In search cases, the reassessment period is reduced to six years from the previous ten-year limit. Further, two tax exemption regimes for charities will be unified, and certain TDS rates will be adjusted.
The Finance Minister emphasized the digitalization of GST, Customs, and Income Tax services, aiming to make them paperless within two years. Additionally, the ‘Vivad se Vishwas Scheme 2024’ will address pending income tax disputes.
Sitharaman also proposed increasing monetary limits for tax-related appeals in various courts. To broaden the tax base, the Securities Transaction Tax on futures and options will be increased, and income from share buybacks will be taxed. These measures are expected to balance Rs 30,000 crore in new revenue against roughly Rs 37,000 crore forgone.
Top Democratic Leaders Schumer, Jeffries Endorse Kamala Harris for President 14
In a significant political development, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries have publicly endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic presidential nomination.
This announcement comes just days after President Joe Biden withdrew his bid for reelection on Sunday, citing concerns over his physical and mental stamina to endure the rigors of a challenging race against Republican contender Donald Trump.
Expressing her determination, Harris conveyed to Schumer her desire to earn the nomination independently. With a clear show of unanimity, the majority of Democratic Party delegates have committed to backing Harris in the upcoming roll call vote in August.
Court Issues Non-Bailable Warrant Against Maratha Activist Manoj Jarange Over 2013 Cheating Case 16
A court in Jalna district issued a non-bailable warrant against Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Tuesday, following his failure to appear in court for a 2013 cheating case, his lawyer reported.
Jarange, now on an indefinite hunger strike advocating for Maratha reservation since July 20, previously attended a hearing on May 31. On that occasion, the court had canceled a previous NBW but imposed a Rs 500 penalty on him.
Advocate Harshad Nimbalkar explained, “A hearing was scheduled today, but Jarange’s hunger strike prevented his appearance.” He assured that Jarange will present himself before the court to get the NBW canceled. The case involves a financial dispute over theatrical performances arranged in 2012, leading to a cheating and breach of trust charge under the IPC against Jarange and two others.
Borivali Magathane Assembly: Thackeray Faction (UBT) Faces Setback as Four Former Corporators Join Shinde Faction 18
In a significant political shift, four former corporators from the Thackeray faction (UBT) in the Borivali Magathane Assembly are set to join the Shinde faction (Shiv Sena).
The members making the switch are Sanjay Singhan, Geeta Singhan, Bhaskar Khursange, and Riddhi Bhaskar Khursange. This move marks a notable setback for the Thackeray faction in the region.
This move is seen as a strategic alignment ahead of the upcoming assembly elections, potentially strengthening the Shinde faction’s position in the region.
The Bombay High Court on Monday came down heavily on the police and civic authorities for their inability to find a solution for the illegal hawking menace and asked if vendors would be allowed to put up stalls outside the Mantralaya or the governor’s house.
A division bench of Justices M S Sonka and Kamal Khata said if the issue of illegal hawkers and vendors was a recurring problem, a permanent solution is required, and the authorities cannot claim to be helpless.
The court said there must be a stop, and it cannot keep recurring blatantly.
It also lamented the fact that the civic bodies and police authorities do not take any action on citizens’ complaints against illegal and unauthorised hawkers and vendors.
“You (authorities) want citizens to come and sit in court every day? This is sheer harassment of people. This is complete lawlessness. The corporation does not look into citizens’ complaints, and the police do not. What should a common man do?” the court said.
“Those who want to abide by the law suffer. The entire state machinery has collapsed. Brazenly, these unauthorised hawkers come. Let this happen in front of the Mantralaya or the governor’s house, then see how all this stops. You have all the security there,” the bench said.
Last year, the high court had taken suo motu (on its own) cognisance of the issue of illegal and unauthorised hawkers and vendors in the city.
Last month, the court directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the police to file a detailed affidavit about their action against illegal hawkers and steps to prevent the problem.
On Monday, BMC counsel Anil Singh and government pleader Purnima Kantharia, appearing for the police, sought more time to file their affidavits.
Irked by this, the bench said this was a serious matter, and if the authorities cannot follow court orders, then the court should just close.
“Burn the midnight oil and file an affidavit within a week,” the court said, posting the matter for further hearing on July 30.
The bench sarcastically also asked if the Army should be called in, as the police and civic authorities were unable to keep illegal hawkers and vendors at bay.
In its order last month, the court had noted that hawkers and street vendors have virtually taken over streets and bylanes, leaving no place for people to walk on footpaths.
It said in addition to haphazard parking, pedestrians were forced to navigate between unauthorised hawkers and haphazardly parked vehicles.
