Stampede at prayer meet in UP kills 113
At least 116 people died in a stampede at a prayer meeting in Hathras . Of the deceased 7 are children , 1 man and the rest were women .
Authorities said that More than 1.2 lakh people had gathered at the site of Fulari village in Hathras , UP . The permission granted was for half of that .
The event was organized by Godman Narayan Sarkar Hari .
Stampede occurred when the crowd rushed to touch the feet of Narayan Sarkar Hari at the end of Satsang .
UP CM Yogi Adityanath has formed a committee to investigate the cause of the event .
Jaishankar to represent India in place of Modi at SCO summit in Kazakhstan
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar reached Astana to participate in place of Modi .
The SCO summit will be held on July 3-4 . Belarus is the new member to be included this time .
Leaders of other countries has reached Astana .
This includes Chinese president Xi Jinping , Russian President Vladmir Putin and Pakistan PM Shahbaz Sharif .
Non participation of PM Modi is thiught to be because he had to share dias with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Pakistan PM .
India and Pakistan has confronted many issues including terrorism at the SCO summit .
On Tuesday EAM S Jaishankar met Kazakh foreign minister Murat Netlue . EAM on X posted “ discussed our expanding strategic partnership and increasing engagement with central Asian countries “ .
The topics to be discussed during the summit is environmental issues , connectivity , fighting terrorism and regional development . Situation is Afghanistan is also expected to be discussed .On Thursday , SCO will adopt the Astana declaration .
Fact check unit needed to protect people from fake news : Center to Bombay High court
Tie breaker judge on Tuesday listened to arguments by the Government in the Fact Checking Unit ( FCU ) case .
Solicitor General Tushal Mehta said that FCU will prevent people from false information .
Right to know and right not to misled is equally important as right to freedom of speech under Article 19 (1) (a)
He sighted examples from social media . In one example he said that fake news tha ₹350 will be deducted from those accounts who do not vote was spread . Such fake news is very bad for people . He said that many state governments such as Kerala and Uttarakhand has its own FCUs. He also cited case if US elections where fake news was a very big concern .
Under the Information technology act under ( digital, media and ethics code ) there is provision of FCU . Center earlier had enrolled PIB as FCU . But the Supreme Court ( SC ) has upheld this till Bombay High court pronounced its verdict .
In April Petitioners Kunal Kamara and others had cited that the government want to bring censorship to ban on anything that it does not want people to know , discuss and debate .
The next hearing of the case will be on July 25 , 26 .
AMCA prototype to be ready by 2028 – 29
First prototype of India’s fifth generation Fighter Aircraft ( FGFA ) , Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft ( AMCA ) is expected to be released in 2028 -29 .
Production is expected to be from 2032 -33 . Induction is expected from 2034 , Official sources said .
In March cabinet committee of Security ( CCS ) had cleared AMCA .
Indigenous under AMCA will be a major boost to the Indian defense industry . India wont have to procure fighter jets such as the Rafale .
AMCA
Hindenburg refutes SEBI’s allegations on its Short selling .
Hindenburg research refuted allegation by SEBI . SEBI has alleged on Monday that Hindenburg used a US asset manager to use non-public information to set up its short between against Adani group last year .
SEBI says 6 entities including Hindenburg , Kingdom capital and a Mauritius based fund set by Kotak Mahindra Bank violated rules .
Hindenburg made 4.1 mn dollar gross revenue in ‘ gains related to Adani shorts ‘ via a investor relationship .
SEBI has released a show cause notice against Hindenburg .
Hidenburg on Tuesday termed the show cause notice as ‘ nonsense ‘ and an attempt to silence and intimidate .
Bihar govt moves SC against HC orders quashing 65 % of quota
The Bihar government moved to the Supreme Court on Tuesday against Patna High Court ( HC ) order to ‘ set aside ‘ the increase in reservation quota .
World
Nepal’s largest parties strike a deal to oust Prime Minister
Nepal’s two largest political parties have reached a deal to oust Prime Minister Prachanda .
The two latest political parties in the Nepalese parliament are : Nepali Congress ( NC ) of Sher Bahadur Deuba and Communist Party of Nepal – Unified Marxist Leninist ( CPN UML ) whose President is KP Sharna Oli . CPN UML is currently a coalition partner with PM Prahchanda .
NC and CPN UML have struck a deal to share power , and hold the PM Post alternatively.
In 275 member National Assembly , the seats of NC , CPN UML and Maoist Party ( Prachanda ) are 89 , 78 and 32 respectively. The majority required in 138 . NC and CPN UML combinedly have 167 seats which is well above the majority mark .
PM prachanda said that he would not quit and rather face the vote of confidence .
Prachanda has faced a vote of confidence four times in a brief period of one and half years of prime minister starship .
Beijing Manila hold talks after maritime standoff
A crucial meeting was held in Manila to ease the standoff in the South China Sea .
In a meeting between Philippines Foreign under secretary Theresa Lezaro and Chinese Vice President Che Xiadong “ affirmed their commitment to de-escalate from the South China sea .
The Philippines will be relentless in protecting their interest in the South China sea , Philippines said during the talk .
The two sides signed an agreement to improve communication during an emergency at sea .
China and Philippines are facing each other repeatedly at Second Thomas Shoal and Scarborough Shoal mainly in the South China sea .
Norway arrests man over attempted spying over China
The person is a Norwegian citizen , who had just returned from China ,when he was arrested .
Israel bound Gaza following evacuation order which will affect 2.5 lakh residences
Israel’s army has released an evacuation order . Under this Gaza citizens east of Khan Younus near the Egyptian border had to be evacuated . UNRWA has said that this can affect 2.5 lakh persons
Science
Two vaccines that brought us to the end of eradication of Polio
Eradication of Polio was a major programme by WHO .In 2020 , WHO declared Africa to be free of Polio .
There has been worldwide eradication of polio.except in rural pockets of Pakistan and Afghanistan .
Recent report in science magazine. said that cases of Polio were increasing in cities of Pakistan . This reemergence of polio is due to vaccine hesitancy due to misinformation , conflict in those areas .
WHO is expected to miss the Global Polio eradication Initiative whose deadline was at the end of 2024 .
Under the effort to make the polio vaccine Salk made the first successful vaccine in 1955. The vaccine was given to the nerve through a syringe . It was known as inactivated Polio vaccine ( IPV ) . Later Albert Sabin developed the OPV ( Oral Polio Virus ) in 1961 that was to be given in mouth .
Both vaccines were not penteted and played a huge role in eradication of Polio thus far .
Editorial
Mixed Signals
India needs to strengthen momentum in the key industrial sector
Eight core sectors showed decline under the heatwave condition in May .
The core sectors of Indian industry are electricity , steel , refinery products , crude oil , coal , cement , natural gas and fertilizers .
During heat wave conditions , electricity demand exceeded the highest level , and coal demand increased . Other core industry sectors saw decline .
The editorial says that India needs to develop strategies so that output does not slow down even during critical conditions such as heatwaves .
Open court
For the first time in two decades the big four are not among favorites
The editorial is about Wimbledon , which started on July 1 . For the first time in two decades the big four , Roger Federer , Rafael Nadal , Djokovic and Andy Murray will not be in fray . Federer has retired . Nadal has health issue and is not participating . Djokovic is recovering with knee surgery . Andy Murray will participate in doubles only .
In men’s Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are expected to be among top contenders .
In women there will be no Williams sisters this time . Iga Swiatek , Coco Gaugh , Aryana Sabaleka are expected to be among contenders for the trophy .
Wimbledon is played on Grass court .
This is the third grand slam to be played each year after the Australian Open And French Open .
Center Court is the main ground where matches are played .
