A jawan being taken to Billawar Health Center as he was injured after terrorists attacked an army convoy in Billawar, in Kathua on July 8, 2024.
| Photo Credit: ANI

Five soldiers killed, five injured as militants attack Army convoy in J&K’s Kathua

Five Army soldiers were killed and five were injured in an ambush by militants in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday. Following the attack, the Army engaged the attackers in a firefight, which is still continuing.

Preliminary reports suggested that an Army patrol, comprising light and heavy vehicles, came under fire from two directions when the convoy reached Jenda Nallah in Badnota village, which is 124 km away from Kathua town. The incident took place around 3.30 p.m. The patrolling vehicles were from the Army’s 9 Corps (Rising Star Corps).

Ahead of talks with Putin, Modi says will ‘support’ peace in region

The solution to the Russia-Ukraine war will not be “found on the battlefield” is the message Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to deliver, even as he and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet on July 9 for structured talks and the 22nd Annual bilateral Summit. The two leaders met on Monday night for a personal dinner hosted by Mr. Putin at his Dacha in the Moscow suburb of Novo-Ogaryovo to set the tone for the visit, embracing each other, and discussing Mr. Modi’s return to office for a third term. In formal talks on Tuesday, economic issues and the issue of discharge of Indians “misled” into joining the Russian military on the Ukraine warfront will be at the top of India’s wish list.

Campaigning ends for Assembly byelections in 13 seats

Campaigning ended on July 8 for the Assembly byelections to be held on July 10 in 13 constituencies across seven States — Bihar, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.

The bypolls will be keenly watched, specially in Himachal Pradesh, where polling will be held in the three seats of Dehra, Hamirpur, and Nalagarh, vacated by Independent MLAs who joined the BJP. Though the Congress has crossed the majority mark of 35 seats in the Assembly by winning four of the six seats in the bypolls held simultaneously with the recent Lok Sabha election, the BJP is hoping for a windfall in these three.

ED moves Supreme Court against bail to Hemant Soren

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) appealed to the Supreme Court on Monday (July 8) against the grant of bail to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren by the State High Court in a money laundering case linked to a land scam.

Mahua Moitra flags BJP Minister’s ‘beef passes’ for ‘smugglers’; permits a routine affair, says BSF

After Trinamool Congress member of parliament Mahua Moitra alleged that Union Minister Shantanu Thakur issued passes to “smugglers” along the Bangladesh border to transport “beef”, Border Security Force (BSF) officials said that public representatives were authorised to endorse such passes for local residents and consumption of beef was not illegal in West Bengal.

As Mumbai faces deluge, Maharashtra CM assures high priority help to citizens

On behalf of the India Meteorological Department (Mumbai), a red alert has been issued for Mumbai Metropolis. Considering the safety of the students, Municipal Commissioner and Administrator Bhushan Gagrani has announced a holiday for all primary, secondary and higher secondary schools and colleges of Mumbai Metropolis on July 9.

A major Russian missile attack on Ukraine kills at least 20 people and hits a children’s hospital

A major Russian missile attack across Ukraine killed at least 20 people and injured more than 50 on Monday, officials said, with one missile striking a large children’s hospital in the capital, Kyiv, where emergency crews searched rubble for casualties.

High anti-incumbency against BJP, Congress will form govt. with a thumping majority in Haryana: Deepender Hooda

The Haryana Assembly polls are three months away. The Congress is going into this election riding high on the Lok Sabha poll results, where, after a gap of 10 years, the party won five out of the 10 seats. Lok Sabha member and senior party leader in Haryana Deepender Hooda speaks to The Hindu on lessons from the Lok Sabha polls and the expectations ahead of the Assembly elections.

Centre set to tweak criteria for according classical language status

Amid a clamour for classical status for many languages, the Central government has decided to tweak the criteria for giving this special tag. The Linguistics Expert Committee of the Union Culture Ministry submitted a report on October 10 last year, suggesting some tweaks and changes in the criteria for according classical status to any language, sources in the Ministry told The Hindu.

Chopra flogging survivor files complaint against CPI(M), BJP leaders for sharing video

The survivor of the Chopra flogging incident in West Bengal has filed a police complaint against CPI(M) State secretary Mohammed Salim and BJP leader Amit Malviya for sharing videos of the incident on social media. The video of the flogging incident went viral on June 30 and was shared by many, including Mr. Salim and Mr. Malviya.

Mentor Yuvraj was very happy when I got out for duck, he must be proud now: Abhishek Sharma

India opener Abhishek Sharma has revealed that his mentor Yuvraj Singh was delighted when he got out for a duck on his T20I debut against Zimbabwe here as the swashbuckling former all-rounder, for reasons best known to him, felt it was a “good start”.

Mumbai:

As heavy overnight rain left Mumbai struggling, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday appealed to people not to leave home unless necessary. He said he has also asked the Police Commissioner not to allow anyone near the beaches.

Some areas in Mumbai received 300 mm of rainfall between 1-7 am this morning, leaving the streets waterlogged and impacting trains and flights. It’s still raining after a break.

Speaking to reporters about how Mumbai is trying to cope with the challenging situation, Mr Shinde detailed the steps taken by the civic and rescue teams.

Railway tracks were submerged at several places and the Railways, NDRF, and civic officials pumped out a lot of water, he said. The trains are running now.

“461 motor pumps of the municipal corporation and 200 pumps of the Railways are running. I have been in touch with all the departments since morning. Central and Harbour rail line services have started. I took stock of the entire state. There is an orange alert in coastal areas. Army, Navy, and Air Force have been asked to stay on alert,” said the Chief Minister.

Besides, seven pumping stations are also being built in the city, he said.

The Chief Minister said civic officials have been deployed in the waterlogged areas while schools have been given holidays and all agencies put on alert to avoid any untoward incident.

Mumbai is the only city with micro-tunneling, which is helping in draining the water, he said.

The city witnessed heavy downpour in the last 24 hours with the Met department issuing an orange alert for Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, and the Konkan Belt. Orange alert signifies the need to stay prepared amid heavy rain forecast.

Videos showed locals wading through waist-deep waters across the city while passengers at Dombivli waited for trains on submerged tracks. Over 50 flights have been cancelled and airlines warned fliers to leave for the airport only after checking their flight status.

People walk in flooded water near King Circle in Mumbai on July 8, 2024. 
| Photo Credit: Emmanual Yogini

Mumbai has recorded over 300 mm rainfall at various places in a six-hour period from 1 am to 7 am on July 7. Heavy rains in some low-lying areas led to waterlogging and disruption of suburban train services.

A BMC official said, “Heavy rain is also expected today. In order to avoid inconvenience to students, a holiday for the first session is declared for all BMC, Government and Private schools and colleges in the Mumbai (BMC area).”

The decision for the next session will be announced after reviewing the situation, a BMC official said.