The India State of Forest Report 2023 highlights severe degradation of dense evergreen forests in four of Karnataka's 10 Western Ghats districts, including Shivamogga and Belagavi. The report attributes the significant loss of forest cover to rampant encroachment, settlements, and various state government projects.
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Social activist Anna Hazare criticized Arvind Kejriwal for focusing on liquor issues and being influenced by power and money. Hazare highlighted that a candidate's conduct should be pure and selfless. This criticism comes as Kejriwal appears to be losing the Delhi elections.
Mohammed Shami's five-wicket haul against Bangladesh in India's Champions Trophy opener highlighted his continued wicket-taking prowess, especially in ICC tournaments. Shami, who overcame a year-long recovery following an injury, became India's highest wicket-taker in 50-over ICC events, surpassing Zaheer Khan's record.
A groom's brother was shot dead during a wedding in Lakhimpur Kheri following a dispute over a DJ song. The bride's cousin and another person were arrested after the incident, which occurred around 1am during the garlanding ceremony. The suspect was allegedly intoxicated at the time.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has expressed concerns over the arrangements at the Maha Kumbh event and accused the BJP government of not doing enough to find nearly 1,000 missing Hindus. He also criticized the handling of the gathering by the Uttar Pradesh officials and questioned the allocation of funds for the event.
Indian Railways is looking to collaborate with online pharmacy platforms to enable home delivery of medicines from its hospitals. RailTel is set to invite bids for this service in January 2025, focusing on discounts on retail prices.
In response to prolonged political setbacks, Congress is considering decentralizing decision-making powers to district units. Leaders such as Kharge and Gandhi have suggested empowering District Congress Committees (DCCs) to play a pivotal role in candidate selection and campaign strategy, learning from past organizational mistakes.
Former Bollywood actress Mamta Kulkarni, now a Sadhvi, was recently spotted in saffron robes, adorned with a Rudraksh garland, alongside her sanyasi friends. Kulkarni officially embraced sainthood on Friday during the Maha Kumbh, where she took 'sanyas' and performed the 'Pind Daan' ritual at the Sangam in the presence of Kinnar Akhara members.
Nasiruddin Ahmed, a senior legislator from Kaliganj, Nadia, and a Trinamool Congress member, died of cardiac arrest on Sunday. He experienced health issues late Saturday night and was taken to Palasi Hospital, where he passed away. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her condolences, highlighting Ahmed's contributions as a trusted politician and lawyer.
A four-month-old baby girl was abducted from a Ghaziabad railway station on Tuesday. The girl's father, Deepak, befriended two men while waiting for a train to Agra. One of the men, identified as Vikash, offered Deepak money for his daughter. While Deepak was intoxicated and his wife was using the restroom, Vikash abducted the child. Police are investigating the kidnapping.
Despite strained trade relations with Bangladesh, India asserts its commitment to regional trade, clarifying that the trans-shipment facility withdrawal aimed to ease port congestion without impacting Bangladesh's exports to Nepal and Bhutan. India has expressed concerns over Bangladesh's restrictive trade measures, including port closures and yarn import blocks, alongside its renewed ties with Pakistan, raising security concerns for India.