TOP NEWS

India has not shied away and taken a “clear stand” on some of the crucial geopolitical developments be it the Russia-Ukraine War or China’s military actions at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and Beijing’s promotion of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), according to External Affairs Minister.

“We have taken a clear stand with the Ukraine issue … We have also taken a clear position when it came to our northern neighbours, vis-à-vis, China and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI),” Jaishankar said a press conference on nine years of the Narendra Modi government.

After broadening the age for induction into the elite anti-Naxal unit Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA), the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is now considering a change in the training pattern. The idea was brought up in a meeting when all top officers were discussing a rise in the number of trainees returning to the unit without completing their training or tenure in the current batch. Also, the non-reporting of officers and personnel for CoBRA Commando Pre-Induction Training (CCPIT) is a major concern for the force.

The CoBRA is an elite force to effectively deal with specific challenges like Maoist violence and is one of the main reasons for the shrinking of Naxalism in India.

Wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik on Wednesday met Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur following a fresh proposal by him for a discussion on the issues raised by them during their month-long protest. The grapplers met Thakur at his residence in the national capital, hours after the minister's late-night invite. Some of India's top wrestlers have been protesting against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is also a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP, and demanding his arrest for the alleged sexual harassment.

In a tweet posted shortly after midnight on Wednesday, Anurag Thakur said that the government is willing to have a discussion with the wrestlers on their issues.

​Cyclone Biparjoy has formed over the east-central and southeast Arabian Sea and is expected to intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm. Biparjoy is the first cyclone to form in June in the Arabian Sea since 2020.​

Unlike previous cyclones in the Arabian Sea, such as Nisarga and Tauktae, Biparjoy is unlikely to cause widespread damage to the Indian coast.

​However, the cyclone could delay the onset of the monsoon over Kerala by driving away moisture from India.

Metro connectivity in Haryana’s Gurugram is set to get a major boost with the announcement of a new line connecting HUDA City Centre to Cyber City. The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sanctioned Rs 5,452 crores for the project. The proposed metro line from the HUDA City Centre to Cyber City in Gurugram will also have a Spur to Dwarka Expressway, Gurugram covering a distance of 28.50 km having 27 stations on the route.

The entire metro line will be constructed as a standard gauge line measuring 1435 mm (5 ft 8.5 inches). The project will be elevated throughout its entire length. The metro connectivity will begin from the existing HUDA City Centre on the Delhi Metro’s Yellow Line and the new stations will include Sector 45, Cyber Park, Sector 47, Subhash Chowk, Sector 48, Sector 72A, Hero Honda Chowk, Udyog Vihar Phase 6, Sector 10, Sector 37, Basai Village, Sector 9, Sector 7, Sector 4, Sector 5, Ashok Vihar, Sector 3, Bajghera Road, Palam Vihar Extension, Palam Vihar, Sector 23A, Sector 22, Udyog Vihar Phase 4, Udyog Vihar Phase 5 and Cyber City.