Junior Digest

California,June 11,2024: Apple has revealed a slew of new artificial intelligence-powered features backed by a partnership with OpenAI, as the iPhone maker battles perceptions that it is falling behind in the race to capitalise on the technology.

Apple executives including CEO Tim Cook unveiled “Apple Intelligence” on Monday during a nearly two-hour-long presentation at the company’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference in Cupertino, California.

“All of this goes beyond artificial intelligence, it’s personal intelligence, and it is the next big step for Apple,” CEO Tim Cook said.

The upgrades include an overhaul of the virtual assistant Siri, which will be capable of hundreds of more tasks with the help of ChatGPT.

Apple users will also be able to create their own emojis based on language prompts and generate summaries of emails in the mailbox via the tech giant’s in-house technology.

Apple signalled that the company would differentiate itself from rivals Microsoft and Google by putting privacy “at the core” of AI, which is known for hoovering vast amounts of data.

Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering, Craig Federighi, said that “Apple Intelligence” puts AI models “right at the core of your iPhone, iPad and Mac” and “protects your privacy at every step”.

The upgrades will be available for free in Apple’s iOS 18 operating system, due for release later this year, although the full suite of features will only work on more recent models of the iPhone, iPad and Macbook.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in a social media post that he was “very happy” to be partnering with Apple to integrate ChatGPT into its products.

But billionaire Elon Musk, the founder of OpenAI rival xAI, blasted the partnership, claiming Apple could not account for user data once it was shared with OpenAI and was “selling you down the river”.
“That is an unacceptable security violation,” Musk, who leads the electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla and rocket company SpaceX, said in a post on X.

“And visitors will have to check their Apple devices at the door, where they will be stored in a Faraday cage.”

Apple, which has long avoided the term “artificial intelligence”, has been under mounting pressure to show that it is keeping pace with rivals Microsoft and Google in the competition to roll out AI.

Investors, however, appeared to be unimpressed with Monday’s announcements, with shares of Apple down by nearly 2 percent.

New Delhi, June 4,2024: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that the BJP-led NDA will form its third successive government and that it is the victory of resolve of Viksit Bharat, of ‘Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas’ and of strong faith of people in India’s Constitution.
Addressing party workers and leaders at the BJP central office here after the results of Lok Sabha polls, PM Modi said people have reposed faith in the BJP and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
He said it is the first time after 1962 that a government that completed two full tenures has got a third successive term in office. He said “new history” has been created after six decades.
The Prime Minister made a special mention of BJP’s performance in Odisha where the party is poised to form government for the first time. BJP has also performed very well in the Lok Sabha polls in the state.
“On this sacred day, it is confirmed that NDA is forming the government for the third time. We are grateful to the people, they reposed full faith on the BJP, NDA. This is the victory of the world’s largest democracy, it is a victory of strong faith on India’s Constitution, it is the victory of the resolve of Viksit Bharat. It is the victory of ‘Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas’,” he said.
The Prime Minister also lauded the Election Commission for successfully conducting the world’s largest democratic exercise.
“They carried out such a huge election with so much efficiency in this scorching heat. Our security forces have also effectively carried out their work. Every Indian is proud of the credibility of India’s election process and system,” he said.
The Prime Minister was welcomed by BJP workers as he arrived at the party headquarters. Some workers also raised chants of “Jai Jagannath”.
According to the latest trends from the Election Commission, NDA is leading or has won 291 seats and the INDIA bloc has won or is leading on 234 seats.
The BJP is poised to win 240 seats on its own.

New Delhi, June 1,2024: Amid great enthusiasm, lakhs of Indians lined up before polling booths, as voting began at 7 a.m. for 57 Lok Sabha constituencies spread over seven states and a Union Territory in the seventh and final phase of Lok Sabha elections on Saturday.
The seats which have gone to the hustings include Varanasi, from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is hoping to complete a hat-trick of wins.
Among other star candidates whose electoral fate would be sealed in EVM machines are Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut (Mandi), Union Minister Anurag Thakur (Hamirpur), actor Ravi Kishan (Gorakhpur), SAD’s Harsimrat Kaur Badal (Bathinda), RJD’s Misa Bharti (Pataliputra) and TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee (Diamond Harbour) .
Around 10.06 crore electorate – approximately 5.24 crore male, 4.82 crore female and 3,574 third gender – are eligible to choose their parliamentary representatives from a pool of 908 candidates across 1.09 lakh polling stations.
The constituencies where polling is being held today include all the 13 LS seats of Punjab, four in Himachal Pradesh, and the lone constituency in the Union Territory of Chandigarh.
Voting is also being conducted in Uttar Pradesh (13 seats), West Bengal (9), Bihar (8), Odisha (6), and Jharkhand (3). The first three states have voted in all phases, where as 42 Assembly Constituencies of Odisha is also voting simultaneously.
The average number of contesting candidates in a parliamentary constituency for the seventh phase is 16.
“Today’s voting marks a grand finish to world’s largest polling marathon that began on 19th of last month and already covered 6 phases and 486 Lok Sabha seats. Polling for 28 States/UTs and 486 PCs has been completed in a smooth and peaceful manner,” the Election Commission of India said.
The votes for all the phases would be counted on June 4.
However, on Sunday, the vote count will take place for the Assembly polls in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.

Cairo, June 11,2024: About 660,000 refugees are registered in Egypt, most of them Sudanese, a spokesperson for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Christine Beshay, said.

A significant increase in the number of refugees occurred due to the crisis in Sudan, Beshay told reporters in Cairo on Monday, adding that 378,000 refugees of the total number are Sudanese nationals.

On April 15, 2023, clashes broke out between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. The parties to the conflict have since introduced a number of temporary nationwide ceasefires, but none has helped settle the conflict. In late October, the parties resumed negotiations, mediated by Saudi Arabia in Jeddah, but the hostilities in the country continue.

New Delhi, June 3,2024: A spiritually rejuvenated prime minister on board his flight from Kanyakumari to Delhi addressed the citizen of Bharat and implored them not to limit their aspiration and dreams, rather resolve to weave new ones and go ahead and fulfill them with purpose.

“We must move forward in every aspect of life,” wrote Prime Minister Narendra Modi after concluding his 45-hour meditation at the Vivekananda Rock Memorial. Modi in his letter to the citizens said: “We need to dream new dreams, convert them into reality and begin living those dreams”.

Modi wrote down his thoughts between 4.15 and 7 pm on June 1 onboard his flight to Delhi.

PM Modi said, “Now, without wasting a single moment, we must step forward towards greater duties and larger goals. We need to dream new dreams, convert them into reality and begin living those dreams”.

“The development trajectory of Bharat fills us with pride and glory, but at the same time, it also reminds the 140 crore citizens of their responsibilities,” wrote PM Modi.

The letter titled “Kanyakumari ke Sadhna se Naye Sankalp” talked about how “from Kashmir to Kanyakumari… there is a common identity that is deeply ingrained in the heart of every citizen of the country”.

Recounting his 10 years achievement the Prime Minister said, “Today, Bharat’s governance model has become an example for many countries around the world. Empowering 25 crore people to rise above poverty in just 10 years is unprecedented.”

“Our efforts, from empowering the poor to last-mile delivery, have inspired the world by prioritising individuals standing at the last rung of society”.

Talking about the ‘Viksit Bharat’ (developed India) by 2047, the Prime Minister mentioned that the world of the 21st century is looking towards Bharat with many hopes and we will need to make several changes to move forward in the global scenario.

“We also need to change our traditional thinking regarding reform. Bharat cannot limit reform to just economic reforms. We must move forward in every aspect of life towards the direction of reform,” he wrote.

PM Modi said to make our country a ‘Viksit Bharat’, “We need to work quickly in all four directions: Speed, Scale, Scope, and Standards”.

Alongside manufacturing, we must also focus on quality and adhere to the mantra of zero defect-zero effect.”

Invoking the words of Swami Vivekananda, who once said, “Every nation has a message to deliver, a mission to fulfil, a destiny to reach,” Modi reminded all citizen what the future expects them.

“For thousands of years, Bharat has been moving forward with this sense of meaningful purpose. Bharat has been a cradle of ideas for thousands of years. We have never considered what we have acquired as our personal wealth or measured it purely by economic or material parameters. Therefore, Idam-na-mama (this is not mine) has become an inherent and natural part of the character of Bharat.”

Inspiring the way forward, Modi said: “We must redefine our heritage in a modern way while embracing ancient values in a modern context.”

Gangtok, June 2,2024: Marking a landslide victory, the P S Tamang-led Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) retained power in Sikkim, grabbing 31 of the state’s 32 assembly seats in the vote count on Sunday.

The main opposition Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), which ruled the tiny Himalayan state for 25 years under the chief ministership of Pawan Kumar Chamling till it was dethroned by the SKM in 2019, had to be content with only one seat won by a deserter from SKM.

Both the BJP and the Congress, as also the new regional outfit Citizen Action Party-Sikkim (CAP-S) drew a blank.

State Chief Minister and SKM supremo Prem Singh Tamang led from the front winning with 7,000 plus margins from both the seats he contested. In Rhenock, he defeated his SDF rival Som Nath Poudyal, while in Soreng-Chakung, his nearest SDF opponent was A D Subba.

In another big win for the SKM, Tamang’s wife Krishna Kumari wrested the Namchi-Singhithang seat from the SDF, whose chief Pawan Kumar Chamling is the current MLA from the constituency.

However, Chamling did not file nomination from the seat this time, and the SDF candidate

Bimal Rai lost by over 5,000 votes in a four-corner contest.

State Assembly Speaker Arun Kumar Upreti retained the Arithang seat, defeating his nearest rival Ashish Rai of the Sikkim Democratic Front by over 2700 votes.

On the other hand, the SDF got a big jolt as its chief Pawan Kumar Chamling lost from both Poklok-Kamrang and Namcheybung, the two seats he had contested.

Chamling, who still holds the record for the longest chief ministerial tenure in independent India, went down to his SKM rivals in the two constituencies. The giant killers were Bhoj Raj Rai (Poklok-Kamrang) and Raju Basnet (Namcheybung). Chamling had won from Poklok-Kamrang

too in the 2019 elections, but vacated the seat later, opting to retain Namchi-Singhithang.

Another SDF star candidate Bhaichung Bhutia also bit the dust from Barfung (BL-Reserved) seat, which was son by SKM nominee Rikshal Dorjee Bhutia by over 4,300 votes. Bhutia, a former Indian soccer skipper, had merged his Humro Sikkim Party with Chamling’s SDF last November.

Amidst a sharp decline in popular support, SDF’s sole success came from Shyari, where its candidate Tenzing Norbu Lamtha got the better of SKM’s KN Lepcha by over 1,300 votes. Lamtha switched to the SDF from SKM recently.

Elated after the results, CM Tamang thanked the people and his party workers. “We worked for the people with all our heart. That’s why we have won,” said the 56-year-old former school teacher, who took over as chief minister in 2019.

Altogether 147 candidates were in the fray, with the SKM and SDF fighting all the seats.

According to the Election Commission of India, the SKM secured an impressive vote share of 58.38 percent. The SDF got 28.37 percent, less than half of the votes won by the SKM. The BJP, which had gone it alone in the hustings after snapping ties with the SKM, could win only 5.18 percent of the votes.

The Congress, which contested a dozen seats, polled 0.32 percent -even less than NOTA.

In 2019, the SKM had come to power winning 17 seats against 15 bagged by SDF.

The Sikkim Assembly polls were held on April 19.

June10,2024:Far-right parties have made major gains in the European Union parliamentary elections, delivering humiliating defeats to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer.

While mainstream parties kept control of the 705-member European Parliament on Sunday, the 27-member bloc swung palpably to the right in a sign of the durability of anti-establishment sentiment on the continent.
In France, Marine Le Pen’s National Rally delivered such a crushing defeat to Macron’s centrist Renaissance that the French leader called snap legislative elections, a risky manoeuvre which could inflict further losses on his party and hobble the remaining three years of his presidential term.
National Rally was projected to win about 33 percent of the vote and 31 seats in the incoming European Parliament – more than double the tally of the Macron ticket’s 15 percent.

“We’re ready to turn the country around, ready to defend the interests of the French, ready to put an end to mass immigration,” Le Pen said.

Macron acknowledged the scale of the defeat.

“I’ve heard your message, your concerns, and I won’t leave them unanswered… France needs a clear majority to act in serenity and harmony,” Macron said, adding that calling a snap election demonstrated his commitment to democratic ideals.
In Germany, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) took second place, underscoring the party’s strength ahead of next year’s federal election.

The Eurosceptic party was projected to secure more than 16 percent of the vote, its best-ever showing and a higher share of the tally than all three parties in Scholz’s coalition.

The conservative alliance of the Christian Democratic Union and the Christian Social Union, who are in opposition at the federal level, topped the poll with about 30 percent of the vote.

Germany’s Greens were the biggest losers on Sunday, falling by 8.5 percentage points to 12 percent, punished by voters for the cost of policies to reduce CO2 emissions – in line with expectations for environmental parties across Europe.

Scholz’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the third coalition partner, the pro-business Free Democratic Party (FDP), were projected to win about 14 percent and 5 percent of the vote respectively, down from 15.8 percent and 5.4 percent in the previous election.

The AfD’s strong showing comes as Germany’s party landscape undergoes its biggest upheaval in decades, with new populist parties competing to fill the vacuum left by the decline of mainstream parties that dominated the post-reunification era.

The shift looks set to make it much harder for established parties to form viable coalitions and has been blamed for a coarsening of the political climate, including instances of violence against politicians and activists.

The AfD’s gains come despite a series of scandals and controversies, including their lead candidate declaring that the SS, the Nazis’ main paramilitary force, were “not all criminals”.

In Austria, the far-right Freedom Party gained nearly 26 percent of the vote, topping a nationwide ballot for the first time.

The governing conservative People’s Party (OeVP) picked up over 24 percent of the vote, followed by the Social Democrats with about 23 percent and the Greens at nearly 11.

Chancellor Nehammer pledged to address voters’ concerns ahead of national elections due to be held in Autumn, including cracking down on undocumented migration.

Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni saw her position bolstered after her right-wing populist Brothers of Italy more than doubled its seats in parliament.

The far-right also performed well in the Netherlands, with Geert Wilders’s anti-immigration Party for Freedom projected to win six seats, just two seats shy of the total picked up by centre-left and green parties.

Left-wing and green parties had a better showing in the Scandinavian countries, with far-right and populist parties in Sweden, Denmark and Finland seeing their vote shares decline.
n Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s nationalist Fidesz won the most votes but lost significant ground compared with the 2019 elections.

Fidesz had 44 percent of the vote with nearly 90 percent of votes counted, down from 52 percent.

Still, Orbán claimed victory in a speech to supporters at a party event on Sunday night.

Orbán’s main challenger, Peter Magyar’s Tisza party, picked up about 30 percent of the vote.

Overall, mainstream and pro-European groups remained the dominant forces, with centre-right and centre-left parties on track to secure a slimmed-down majority in the 705-member parliament.

The European People’s Party (EPP) was on track to be the biggest grouping with a projected 189 deputies, bolstered by centre-right victories in Spain and Poland, following by the centre-left Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats with 135 seats.

The European Conservatives and Reformists group, which includes the Brothers of Italy, were projected to win 72 seats, followed by the far-right Identity and Democracy with 58.

Green and liberal, pro-European parties suffered the heaviest losses, with Greens–European Free Alliance and Renew Europe losing more than 40 seats between them.
Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, said that the results showed that the “centre is holding”.

“We won the European elections. This election has given us two messages,” von der Leyen said.

“First, there remains a majority in the centre for a strong Europe, and that is crucial for stability. In other words, the centre is holding. But it is also true that the extremes on the left and on the right have gained support, and this is why the result comes with great responsibility for the parties in the centre.”

New Delhi, June1, 2024: Adani International Ports Holdings Pte Ltd. (AIPH), a wholly owned subsidiary of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ), on Friday said that it has signed a 30-year concession agreement with the Tanzania Ports Authority to operate and manage Container Terminal 2 at the Dar es Salaam port.

Dar es Salaam port is a gateway port with a well-connected network of roadways and railways.

The Container Terminal 2, with four berths, has an annual cargo handling capacity of 1 million TEUs and managed 0.82 million TEUs of containers in 2023, estimated to be 83% of Tanzania’s total container volumes.

“East Africa Gateway Limited (EAGL) has been incorporated as a joint venture of AIPH, AD Ports Group and East Harbour Terminals Limited (EHTL). APSEZ will be the controlling shareholder and will consolidate EAGL on its books,” Adani group said in a media release.

EAGL has signed a Share Purchase Agreement for the acquisition of 95% stake in Tanzania International Container Terminal Services Limited (TICTS) from Hutchison Port Holdings Limited (and its affiliate Hutchison Port Investments Limited) and Harbours Investment Limited for a purchase consideration of US$ 39.5 million. TICTS currently owns all the port handling equipment and employs the manpower. Adani will operate Container Terminal 2 through TICTS.

“The signing of the concession for Container Terminal 2 at Dar es Salaam Port is in line with APSEZ’s ambition of becoming one of the largest port operators globally by 2030. We are confident that with our expertise and network in ports and logistics, we will be able to enhance trade volumes and economic cooperation between our ports and East Africa. We will strive to transform Dar es Salaam Port into a world class port,” said Karan Adani, Managing Director,

New Delhi, May 31,2024: United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres was all praise for Indian peacekeeper Major Radhika Sen, who was honoured with the UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year award. He described her as “a true leader and role model”.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the honour for Major Sen is a proud moment for India, and that Indian peacekeepers continue to contribute to global peace and security through their steadfast commitment and courage.

“Indian women leading on all fronts – proud moment for India!

UNSG @antonioguterres honoured Indian peacekeeper, Major Radhika Sen with the ‘UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year’ Award.

“Our peacekeepers continue to contribute to global peace & security through their steadfast commitment & courage,” he posted on X.

UN chief Guterres in a post on X said:

“Congratulations to Major Radhika Sen of India, our @UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year.

Major Sen is a true leader and role model.

Her achievements #ServingForPeace with @MONUSCO underscore the essential role women play for peace & security.”

On Thursday, the UN honoured Indian peacekeeper Naik Dhananjay Kumar Singh posthumously with the Dag Hammarskjold medal.

The UN Secretary General also presented the 2023 Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award to Major Radhika Sen, a military officer from India, during the event on May 30, observed as the International Day of UN Peacekeepers.

India is the second largest contributor of uniformed personnel to UN Peacekeeping. It currently deploys more than 6,000 military and police personnel to the UN operations in Abyei, the Central African Republic, Cyprus, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lebanon, the Middle East, Somalia, South Sudan, and Western Sahara.

Naik Dhananjay Kumar Singh served with the UN Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO).

Major Radhika Sen also served with MONUSCO.

Midrand (South Africa),June 3,2024: South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on the country’s political parties to work together for the good of the country as final results from last week’s election confirmed his African National Congress (ANC) lost its majority for the first time.

The result, announced on Sunday, is the worst election showing for the ANC – Africa’s oldest liberation movement, once led by Nelson Mandela – since it came to power 30 years ago, ending white minority rule.

Voters, angry at joblessness, inequality and rolling blackouts, slashed support for the ANC to 40.2 percent, down from 57.5 percent in the 2019 parliamentary vote.

The main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), had 21.6 percent and uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK), a new party led by former president and ANC leader Jacob Zuma, managed to grab 14.7 percent – pulling away votes from the ANC.

Official results showed the ANC winning 159 seats in the 400-seat National Assembly, down from 230 previously.

“It has to find a partner in order to be able to govern. Otherwise, it could try to form a minority government, which could make it very difficult to pass any form of legislation or advance ANC policy,” he said.
Plotting a path forward

ANC officials earlier said the party was humbled by the result and had “nothing to celebrate” but stood by Ramaphosa, once Mandela’s lead negotiator to end apartheid, and said they would not bend to pressure for him to step down.

The poor showing has fuelled speculation that Ramaphosa’s days might be numbered, either because of the demands of a prospective coalition partner, or as a result of an internal leadership challenge.

Political parties now have two weeks to work out a deal before the new parliament sits to choose a president, who would likely still hail from the ANC, since it remains the biggest force.

Local media reported the DA could be open to entering a cooperation pact with the ANC, supporting it in key decisions in exchange for top jobs in parliament. The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) would also be part of such a deal.
The ANC’s leadership will meet on Tuesday to plot the path forward.

Singapore, June 3,2024: Extending invitations to the countries to attend the Ukraine Peace Summit and work for ending the ongoing conflict between Moscow and Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy affirmed the importance of ‘diplomacy’ for ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
He stressed that “time is running” out to bring back Ukrainian children “abducted by Russia” who he alleged are being taught to hate their homeland.
President Zelenskyy was addressing the plenary session of the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. The event was titled ‘Re-Imagining Solutions for Global Peace and Regional Stability.’
“It’s often said that brutal force should not dominate the world. Similarly, attempts by various power centres to impose something on other nations against their will in politics, economy, or security should not dominate either. Diplomacy should be those caring and strong hands that prevent international disputes from turning into fights, restraining the most aggressive parties,” Zelenskyy said in his address on Sunday.
Stressing the need for open and inclusive dialogue, he said the world wants to be united and be capable of acting in “complete harmony.”
He further called on the nations to help in the implementation of the Peace Formula and ensure that Russia is not able to “push us off the path to ending the war.”
“Our experience of restoring effective diplomacy has led us to the format of the Global Peace Summit. We are convinced that our world wants to be united and be capable of acting in complete harmony. We’ve realized that nations equally reject the idea of someone secretly making decisions and imposing them – what is needed is open and inclusive dialogue,” Zelenskyy said.
“We have confirmed that the principles and purposes of the UN Charter and international conventions are entirely relevant. All this has become the basis of our Peace Formula and has grown into the Global Peace Summit – so every leader and country can show their commitment to peace. The global majority can ensure with their involvement – that what is agreed upon, is truly implemented, and so that Russia, who started this cruel war, cannot push us off the path to ending the war,” he further said.
The Ukrainian President said that over 100 countries and international organizations have confirmed their participation in the Summit. He laid emphasis on nuclear security, food security, the release of prisoners of war and the Ukrainian children “abducted by Russia.”

Mumbai, June 7,2024: Taking note of rising frauds in the digital payment system, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Friday proposed setting up a “Digital Payments Intelligence Platform” for network level intelligence and real-time data sharing across the ecosystem.
The Reserve Bank has taken a number of measures over the years to deepen digital payments while ensuring their safety and security. These measures have boosted consumer confidence. Growing instances of digital payment frauds, however, highlight the need for a system-wide approach to prevent and mitigate such frauds, the RBI Governor Shaktakanta Das said while announcing the second bi-monthly monetary policy of the current fiscal 2024-25.

It is, therefore, proposed to establish a Digital Payments Intelligence Platform for network level intelligence and real-time data sharing across the digital payments’ ecosystem. To take this initiative forward, the Reserve Bank has constituted a committee to examine various aspects of setting up the Platform, he stated.

Looking at the way and speed at which the adoption of e-mandates for recurring payment transactions has been increasing, Das said that the RBI is also proposing inclusion of Recurring Payments with Auto-Replenishment Facility under the e-mandate Framework.

“It is now proposed to include payments, such as replenishment of balances in Fastag, National Common Mobility Card (NCMC), etc. which are recurring in nature but without any fixed periodicity, in the e-mandate framework. This will enable customers to automatically replenish the balances in Fastag, NCMC, etc. if the balance goes below the threshold limit set by them. This will enhance convenience in making travel / mobility related payments,” he added.

Singapore, May 31,2024: The United States and China will resume military-to-military communications “in the coming months,” US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin said after meeting with his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun in Singapore on Friday.
Austin and Dong met here on the margins of the Shangri-La Dialogue to discuss US- China defence relations, as well as regional and global security issues, according to a readout on the meeting issued by the Pentagon.
The meeting marked the first face-to-face meeting between the US and Chinese Defence chiefs in 18 months and was held amidst a fraught regional backdrop.
China only days ago had conducted a large-scale, two-day military drill encircling Taiwan and Beijing’s efforts to aggressively assert disputed territorial claims in the East and South China Seas, while decrying Washington’s efforts to strengthen security ties with key allies like Japan, South Korea and the Philippines, CNN reported.
During his meeting with his Chinese counterpart today, Austin emphasized the importance of maintaining open lines of military-to-military communication between the United States and China, the Department of Defence Press Secretary Pat Ryder said in a staement.
Austin emphasized the importance of maintaining open lines of military-to-military communication between the United States and China, the Department of Defence Press Secretary Pat Ryder said in a statement after the meeting.
Austin reaffirmed the announcement by US President Joe Biden with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in November 2023 that both sides will resume telephone conversations between theatre commanders in the coming months.
The US Defence Secretary welcomed plans to convene a crisis-communications working group by the end of the year, the US Department of Defence said.
Austin also expressed concern about the recent proactive Chinese military activity around the Taiwan Strait, and he reiterated that China should not use Taiwan’s political transition — part of a normal, routine democratic process– as a pretext for coercive measures. Taiwan held presidential election and the inauguration of President Lai Ching-te this month.
The US Defence official underscored that the United States remains committed to its longstanding one China policy, which is guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the Three US-China Joint Communiques, and the Six Assurances. He also reaffirmed the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
Ausitn also made clear that the United States will continue to fly, sail, and operate — safely and responsibly — wherever international law allows. He underscored the importance of respect for high seas freedom of navigation guaranteed under international law, especially in the South China Sea.
The top US defence official also discussed Russia’s unprovoked war against Ukraine and China’s role in supporting Russia’s defence industrial base. “The Secretary also expressed concerns about recent provocations from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), including its direct contributions to Russia’s ongoing assault on Ukraine,” the statement read.
Today’s meeting follows Austin’s April 16 video teleconference call with his Chinese counterpart.
Following the meeting Pentagon said the US officials will continue active discussions with their Chinese counterparts about future engagements between defence and military officials at multiple levels.
Defence chiefs and officials from around the world are attending the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual forum that began here today and will culminate on Sunday.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos is scheduled to deliver the Shangri-La Dialogue’s keynote speech later today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had delivered the key note speech at the forum in 2018. Previous keynote speakers have included Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

New Delhi, June 07,2024: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday termed NDA as the most successful alliance in India’s history, saying, “Our aim will be to reach unanimity in all our decisions.”
Addressing the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) parliamentary meeting at Centre Hall in old Parliament building, PM Modi said,
“Today, the NDA shines as an organic alliance in the political system of Bharat and it becomes synonymous with good governance.”
During the meeting, the NDA Parliamentary Party members have unanimously elected Narendra Modi as its leader.
Senior BJP Leader and Union Minister Rajnath Singh moved a proposal to elect Modi as NDA leader and it was supported by the leaders of all NDA constituents.
The Prime Minister was also elected as the leader of BJP in Lok Sabha, and BJP parliamentary party.
Talking about the alliance, the Prime Minister said the NDA was not a grouping of parties that have come together for power, but an organic alliance committed to the principle of ‘nation first’.
He further added, “Today, the NDA shines as an organic alliance in the political system of Bharat…adding The NDA government has given good governance to the country and in a way, just saying NDA becomes synonymous with good governance. Poor welfare and good governance have been paramount in the focus of all of us.”
Thanking the newly elected members for choosing him as NDA leader, PM Modi said, ” It is my good fortune that all of you have unanimously chosen me as the leader of the NDA and given me a new responsibility.”
He also took a swipe at the opposition INDIA alliance, saying those questioning EVMs and the Election Commission during the elections were silenced on June 4.
He claimed that the Opposition’s attempts to paint the 2024 Lok Sabha results as a loss for the BJP-led NDA were thwarted by the people, who “know we never lost”. In a snide dig at the Congress, he said the grand old party couldn’t touch the 100-mark in the Lok Sabha polls even after a decade.
“I strongly feel people of INDI alliance belong to the previous century when they question tech advancements like EVMs, Aadhaar,” said Narendra Modi, bringing up speculations of rigging of EVMs ahead of results.”

While Proposing the name of Narendra Modi as NDA leaders, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, ” He is the most suitable person for this post and this alliance is not a compulsion but it is our commitment.”
Supporting the proposal, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, “This is not only the wish of leaders sitting in the NDA Parliamentary Party meeting but of 140 crore people of this country.”
TDP Chief Chandrababu Naidu, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and other NDA allies supported the proposal of naming Narendra Modi as the leader of Lok Sabha, leader of the BJP and NDA Parliamentary Party.
Bihar CM Nitish Kumar said, “All the pending works of Bihar will be done. It is a very good thing that all of us have come together and we will all work together with you (PM Modi). You will be swearing in as the Prime Minister on Sunday, but I wanted you to do it today itself.”
Making initial remarks, TDP Chief Chandrababu Naidu said, “NDA government under the visionary leadership of Narendra Modi has taken significant initiatives in the last ten years.”
He said the country has witnessed remarkable progress and transformation.
“We are congratulating all of us as we have won a wonderful majority. I have seen during the election campaign, for 3 months PM Modi never took any rest. Day and night he has campaigned. He started and ended with the same spirit.”
He added, “Balancing regional aspirations, national interest must run parallel to ensure holistic development for all strata of society.”
Union Ministers Piyush Goyal, Anurag Singh Thakur, LJP (R) Chief Chirag Paswan, NCP leader Ajit Pawar, RLD Chief Jayant Chaudhary, Jan Sena Chief Pawan Kalyan, Apna Dal (S) leader Anupriya Patel, JD (S) leader H D Kumaraswamy were among others present in the meeting.
Following the meeting, the NDA will stake a claim to form the government. All NDA constituents are expected to present letters of support to President Droupadi Murmu, endorsing Modi as the new Prime Minister.
Narendra Modi will take oath as the Prime Minister of India for the third consecutive time on June 9 at 6 pm.

Itanagar, June 2,2024: The Bharatiya Janata Party retained power in Arunachal Pradesh for the third consecutive term by securing a landslide victory in the Assembly elections as the BJP secured 46 seats including 10 uncontested and even bettering its last count.
As per the ECI data, the BJP improved its previous performance of 2019 when it bagged 41 seats.

Opposition Congress, which had bagged four seats in the previous election, managed to get only one seat this time. The counting of votes took place on Sunday in 24 counter centers across the state.

The Conrad Sangma-led National People’s Party (NPP) emerged second largest party by equaling its previous record of five, while Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA) bagged three and two seats respectively. Three Independent nominees also won the battle of ballots.

Prominent winners from amongst the BJP candidates include party’s State president Biyuram Wahge (Pakke-Kessang), Deputy Speaker Tesam Pongte (Changlang North), sitting Ministers Alo Libang (Tuting-Yingkiong), Mama Natung (Seppa West), Wangki Lowang (Namsang), Honchun Ngandam (Pongchau-Wakka), and Nakap Nalo (Nacho), Ninong Ering (Pasighat West), and Wanglin Lowangdong (Borduria-Bogapani), Gabriel Denwang Wangsu (Kanubari), Rode Bui (Dumporijo), Balo Raja (Palin), Chakat Aboh (Khonsa West), Tsering Lhamu (Lumla), Dr Mohesh Chai (Tezu), Pani Taram (Koloriang), Kardo Nyigyor (Likabali), and Hayeng Mangfi (Chayangtajo).

The Congress nominee who had the last laugh is former Home Minister Kumar Waii, re-capturing his Bameng seat defeating BJP’s Doba Lamnio with a margin of 635 votes.

The prominent among the losers are Education Minister Taba Tedir from Yachuli constituency, former CM Gegong Apang (Nari-Koyu) from newly floated Arunachal Democratic Party, former Ministers Lombo Tayeng (Mebo), Tanga Byaling (Nacho) and Tapang Taloh (Pangin), and sitting legislators Kaling Moyong (Pasighat East) and Nyamar Karbak (Liromoba).

There are also so many new faces among the winners. They are BJP’s Hamjong Tangha from Changlang South, Puinnyo Apum (Dambuk), Rotom Tebin (Raga), Topin Ete from Aalo (West), Ealing Tallang from Seppa (East), and Tai Nikio (Nyapin), NCP’s Toko Tatung (Yachuli), and NPP’s Namgey Tsering (Tawang), Tapi Darang (Pasighat East) and Independent Tenzin Nyima Glow (Thrizino-Buragaon).

The NPP’s winning candidates include Pesi Jilen, who secured Liromoba defeating BJP’s Nyamar Karbak by 1698 votes, Namgey Tsering got Tawang seat trouncing BJP’s Tsering Dorjee with a margin of 996 votes, and Oni Panyang captured Mariyang-Geku defeating Olom Panyang of BJP by 673 votes.

PPA’s Nabam Vivek got Doimukh, unseating BJP’s Tana Hali Tara with a margin of 2,530 votes, and Oken Tayeng secured Mebo, routing BJP’s Lombo Tayeng by 1,017 votes.

NCP’s Toko Tatung emerged as a giant killer defeating his nearest rival, sitting BJP Minister Taba Tedir in the Yachuli seat with a margin of 228 votes.

Independents Wanglam Sawin and Laisam Simai, who were denied BJP tickets, emerged victors retaining their respective seats – Khonsa (East) and Nampong.

Sawin defeated his nearest rival Kamrang Tesia of BJP with a margin of 2,216 votes, while Simai beat Izmir Tikhak of the Saffron party by a slender margin of 68 votes.

Another independent nominee Tenzin Nyima Glow, a new face, stunned BJP’s Kumsi Sidisow to secure the Thrizino-Buragaon seat by a margin of 400 votes.

With 10 seats already bagged by the BJP, Arunachal Pradesh voted to elect 50 MLAs of the 60-member Assembly, registering an 83 per cent voter turnout.

In the 2019 Assembly polls, the Saffron party secured an absolute majority winning 41 seats, and formed the first elected BJP government under the Chief Ministership of Pema Khandu.

The Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United), which did not field any candidate this time around, emerged second largest party by bagging seven seats, followed by NPP in five, and Congress in four seats. The state’s regional outfit PPA managed to win one seat. Two Independent candidates had also emerged victorious.

Senior BJP leader and Chief Minister Pema Khandu, who won his traditional Mukto seat without any contest, has earlier suggested political parties accept the impending verdict with humility.

“Our commitment to democracy is non-negotiable, and it is essential for everyone to accept the verdict with humility,” Khandu posted on X.

“The people of our state are eager to see the pace of all-round development continue,” he said.

Balod (Chhattisgarh), June 3,2024: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Monday highlighted the administration’s achievements and outlined future plans once the election code of conduct is lifted.
Despite the constraints of the recent election period, Sai emphasized his commitment to development and promised to fulfill the demands of the public once the restrictions due to the model code of conduct are over.
Addressing a public meeting in Balod, Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai stated, “The past two months were occupied with elections. However, during the 100 days of governance I had, I made significant efforts. We took our oath on December 13, and by December 14, 18 lakh PM Awad Yojana houses were approved. Once the model code of conduct is lifted and we receive funds from the Centre, we will begin constructing houses for these 18 lakh people. Additionally, our government has provided a two-year bonus, and has given 3716 crore rupees to more than 12 lakh farmers”
Notably, two months after BJP took over in Chhattisgarh after gaining majority in the Assembly elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February 2024, inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth Rs 34,400 crores in Chhattisgarh under ‘Viksit Bharat, Viksit Chhattisgarh’.
The projects cater to several important sectors including Roads, Railways, Coal, Power, and Solar Energy among others.
Addressing the programme virtually, the Prime Minister hailed the development undertaken in Chhattisgarh saying that the dream of building a Viksit Chhattisgarh will be realised through the empowerment of farmers, youth and Nari Shakti.
“Today, we are moving ahead with the resolve of ‘Viksit Chhattisgarh’! The BJP has made it, and only BJP will improvise it! Chhattisgarh has hardworking farmers, talented youth and a wealth of nature. Whatever is needed to develop, Chhattisgarh had it earlier and is there even today. But those who ruled the country for a long time after independence did not have a big vision,” the Prime Minister said.

Guwahati (Assam), June 3,2024: A total of 14 people have died in floods that inundated parts of Assam, according to official estimates.
Three more deaths were reported on Sunday which took the tally of deaths to 14 since May 28 according to a bulletin by the State Disaster Management Authority.
On June 1, the death toll stood at eight in the aftermath of incessant rainfall in the State following the landfall of Cyclone Remal.
According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), two people were reported missing on June 2.
Kopili, Barak and Kushiyara rivers are flowing above the danger level.
13 districts reported to be affected in the floods- Hailakandi, Karimganj, Hojai, Dhemaji, Kamrup, Dibrugarh, Nagaon, Morigaon, Cachar, South Salmara, Karbi Anglong West, Golaghat and Dima-Hasao.
Nagaon is the most affected district with more than 3 lakh people impacted, followed by Cachar where the number of affected persons is more than one lakh.
The water level of the Brahmaputra River has been rising following incessant rainfall in many parts of Assam and other neighbouring states in the past couple of days.
The flood waters have submerged 4931 hectares of crop area in the flood-hit districts.
The administration has set up 275 relief camps and distribution centres where 39,269 people are taking shelter.
Flood waters damaged 103 roads across several districts of the state.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund to the kin of each deceased due to the natural disasters in the aftermath of Cyclone Remal in Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura and West Bengal.
The Prime Minister has also announced that those injured in the aftermath of Cyclone Remal would be given Rs 50,000 each.
“An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased due to the natural disasters in the aftermath of Cyclone Remal in Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura and West Bengal. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000 each: PM,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a post on ‘X’.