Hanoi, July 9 (IANS) India’s Ambassador to Vietnam, Tshering W Sherpa on Thursday, called on Phan Chi Hieu, Chairman of the Vietnam–India Parliamentary Friendship Group (VIPFG) and briefed him on the ongoing initiatives under the India-Vietnam partnership.”Today, the Ambassador called on Mr. Phan Chi Hieu, Chairman of the Viet Nam–India Parliamentary Friendship Group (VIPFG) and Chairman of the Committee for Law and Justice of the National Assembly. Ambassador congratulated Chairman Hieu o…

Paris/Islamabad, July 9 (IANS) A leading international human rights organisation has highlighted widespread and systemic corruption at all levels of the Pakistani justice system, warning that it carries grave consequences for human rights.France-based International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and one of its member organisations, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), released a 32-page report, titled ‘Under the Bench: Mapping corruption risks in Pakistan’s justice system’. Th…

Bengaluru, July 9 (IANS) The Karnataka government has stepped up preparations to safeguard the state’s power supply against the possible impact of the El Nino weather phenomenon, with Additional Chief Secretary, Energy, Gaurav Gupta, directing officials to formulate a comprehensive strategy to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply.Chairing a review meeting on the state’s power situation at BESCOM’s corporate office, Belaku Bhavan, on Thursday, Gupta said deficient rainfall could adversely affe…

New Delhi, July 9 (IANS) India is preparing for the impact of El Nino this year, with scientists warning that the current event could strengthen into a very strong or “super” episode, likely to peak between late 2026 and early 2027. Its immediate impact on India is expected to be a higher risk of below-normal monsoon rainfall during July-September, increased stress in central and western rain-fed regions, and pressure on hydropower generation and electricity grids.Experts define El Nino as a cli…

Bhubaneswar, July 9 (IANS) The opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Thursday raised serious concerns over the alleged non-payment of financial assistance to more than 50,000 children orphaned during the COVID-19 pandemic since March this year. In a press statement, the regional party condemned the state government over the alleged non-payment of financial assistance to children orphaned due to the COVID-19 pandemic.The party alleged that the state government is not only failing to provide pension…

Guna, July 9 (IANS) The Guna police have arrested four persons and recovered Rs 16.77 lakh within 18 hours of a robbery in which Rs 17 lakh was looted from an employee of a coriander trader in Madhya Pradesh, police said on Thursday. The arrested include two alleged robbers, a person accused of helping them escape and another accused of providing information about the movement of the cash.According to the police, the robbery took place on the morning of July 8 near Nichla Bazar Rapta in Guna cit…

Hyderabad, July 9 (IANS) Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy said on Thursday that his government has initiated a slew of measures to ensure pollution-free development in Hyderabad.As part of these measures, a 2,100-square-km area (CURE) within the Outer Ring Road (ORR) has been designed exclusively for the service sector, and all industries located within ORR will be shifted outside it, the CM said at the inauguration of India’s next-gen solar module manufacturing facility in Rangareddy d…

Shimla, July 9 (IANS) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu on Thursday released “Water Laws of Himachal Pradesh”, a first-ever compendium prepared by the Jal Shakti Vibhag that brings together all major Acts, rules, policy notifications, technical manuals, and administrative circulars governing the functioning of the state in a single volume. The Chief Minister said the publication would serve as an authoritative reference document for officers, engineers, contractors and residents w…

Kalpetta (Kerala), July 9 (IANS) Kerala’s Leader of the Opposition, Pinarayi Vijayan, on Thursday mounted a sharp attack on Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan over his remarks on the environmental clearance granted to the Wayanad tunnel road project, accusing the government of attempting to create a controversy to divert attention from administrative lapses that may have contributed to the devastating mudslide at Kalladi.The tunnel project was cleared by Vijayan when he was the Chief Minister and he …

New Delhi, July 9 (IANS) Opposition leaders on Thursday attacked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath after the latter accused Samajwadi Party (SP) and Congress of “favouring graveyards” and opposing the developmental works of Hindu temples.Addressing a public gathering in the state’s Banda district, CM Adityanath said: “They (Congress and SP) have made criticising Hindu traditions and Sanatana Dharma the sole purpose of their lives. They do not want to see a glorious and developed India…