"Her Journey Inspires People": PM Modi Greets President Murmu On Her Birthday
Himanta greets President Murmu on birthday, praises her journey Awaz The Voice
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Himanta greets President Murmu on birthday, praises her journey Awaz The Voice

24 minutes agoDamian ZaneGetty ImagesDonald Trump confronted South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa at the White House last year over claims that Afrikaners were being persecutedThe US government says it will stop funding programmes in South Africa intended to tackle the spread of HIV and Aids.More than eight million South Africans are living with HIV – the highest number of any country in the world.The US State Department appeared to link the decision to the South Africa's alleged failure to protect the white-minority Afrikaner community - an allegation the South African government has repeatedly rejected. South Africa's health ministry responded by saying that though it had not been informed of this decision, it had "long been working on a self-reliance plan".Until 2025, the US was supporting South Africa's efforts to deal with the virus with an estimated $400m (£300m) a year through the President's Emergency Fund for Aids Relief (Pepfar).But since the inauguration of President Donald Trump, relations between the two countries have increasingly soured.Shortly after he came into office, Trump issued an executive order alleging that "countless" South African policies dismantled equal opportunities and fuelled violence "against racially disfavored landowners". This is disputed by the South African government, which says its Black Economic Empowerment policy is needed to correct economic inequality dating from the apartheid era.The White House said that given these "unjust and immoral practices", further aid to South Africa would not be provided.Trump has also falsely alleged that there is a "white genocide" taking place in South Africa, which has led to the administration setting up a refugee programme for Afrikaners - descendants of western Europeans who settled in southern Africa in the 17th Century. They are now just about the only refugees being allowed into the US.The genocide claim has been widely discredited. Pepfar funding, which had been providing about a fifth of South Africa's total spending on HIV programmes, got a reprieve last October with what was called a "bridge plan".But a US State Department official has confirmed that a "phased drawdown" of Pepfar funding would now start.This was because of "South Africa's failure to make demonstrable progress on policy requests by the administration", the official said.The intention of the US government was to "foster self-reliance" and reduce dependency on American funding, they added, pointing out that "South Africa is a middle-income country and is more than capable of supporting its own health programs".South Africa's health ministry has said that while Pepfar contributed to the country's HIV programme, the provision of life-saving antiretroviral drugs was funded entirely separately, with most coming from the government.Additional reporting by Pumza Fihlani in JohannesburgGetty Images/BBCBBC Africa podcasts

US Vice President JD Vance slams Israeli critics on Thursday as he defends the US-Iran peace deal. Calling out Israeli critics, Vance, during a White House briefing, said, 'Tel Aviv can't just kill its way out of a national security problem.'US Vice President JD Vance speaks during a press briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on June 18, 2026.(AFP)US Vice President JD Vance on Thursday (local time) slammed those who criticised the US-Iran peace deal in Israel, saying that Tel Aviv couldn't just "kill your way out” of every national security problem.Vance's remarks came hours after US President Donald Trump signed the Iran Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Versailles, France, while attending the Group of Seven (G7) leaders' dinner hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron.Vance defends US-Iran peace dealAccording to a Reuters report, Vance lashed out at the Israeli critics as he defended the deal reached this week to end the war. Critics have claimed that both the US and Israel failed to restrict Tehran's missile programme and provided no clear path to dismantle the country's nuclear facilities, while constraining Israel in its war with Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.Quick answers to key questions•5 QUESTIONSJD Vance defended the US-Iran peace deal, stating that Israel should not attack its only ally in the world, the United States, and expressed confidence in the negotiation outcomes to stabilize regional security.Israeli critics argue that the deal fails to impose strict limitations on Iran's missile program and does not provide a clear path for dismantling its nuclear facilities, raising concerns about Israel's national security.Vance stated that the agreement includes expectations for Iran to restrain Hezbollah, promoting reduced violence in Lebanon and asserting that Israeli forces should not operate recklessly in the region.Critics within Israel believe that the deal compromises their security by allowing Iran to maintain its military capabilities and influence, thereby necessitating vigilance and a robust defense strategy.The next steps involve negotiating a comprehensive settlement over a 60-day period, focusing on Iran’s nuclear program, verification mechanisms, and addressing regional security issues.Defending the US-Iran peace deal, Vance called Trump Israel's only ally. During a White House briefing, he issued a dual message to Israel and said, "No. 1: Donald J. Trump is the only head of state in the entire world who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this moment in time. If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world."In the second message, he said, “Some of these cabinet members in Israel who are attacking the President of the United States, I would say, is that over the last three months, two-thirds of the defensive weapons that have protected your homeland have been built by American hands... Anybody in Israel who thinks their biggest problem is the President of the United States needs to wake up and smell the reality of the situation.”Vance slams Israeli criticsHe also criticised Israel's National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich for opposing the US-Iran peace deal. In an interview with The New York Times, Vance questioned, "What is your exact proposal? You’re a country of 9 million people. You can’t just kill your way out of solving every single national security problem that you have."He added, "I find this whole freakout in Israel a little bit odd because I think that it comes from a place of mistrust, and I think that America has earned the trust of that region of the world."Following Vance's remarks, Trump, in a Truth Social post, wrote that he encouraged everyone in West Asia to maintain their commitment to allowing negotiations to proceed. He also reiterated that Washington expects a complete ceasefire on all fronts, inc
At G7, PM Modi, UAE President Discuss Middle East Situation, Stress Dialogue NDTV

NewsFeedSomaliland’s President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi is on a ‘historic’ tour of Israel, where he’s opened an embassy and visited the Knesset. The landmark trip comes months after Israel became the first country to recognise Somaliland as an independent nation.Published On 16 Jun 2026

SpaceX has captured the attention of media, investors, and the public for years now — interest propelled by the company’s reusable rocket launches, the rise of its Starlink satellite network, and of course, for its founder and CEO Elon Musk. But in its 24-year history, nothing quite compares to this initial public offering. Everyone seems to be interested, and perhaps it’s because of the sheer size of this IPO. The company priced its 555.6 million shares at $135 each to raise $75 billion, making it the largest IPO in history. At this price, the deal also looks set to make Musk the world’s first trillionaire. TechCrunch has followed SpaceX’s start, struggles, and successes from the early days. And we’re here for what happens next too. This article will be continually updated with all of the latest SpaceX IPO news. The latest on the SpaceX IPO SpaceX shares opened at $150 on the Nasdaq public exchange, an 11% pop for the most anticipated debut in history. And it has continued to rise. The shares keep rising too (which we will update here). In midday trading, SpaceX shares soared 30%. SpaceX shares closed at $160.95, up 19%. There has been heavy trading volume, as expected. Robinhood said it has seen “record-breaking traffic on its trading platform in the hours after SpaceX’s historic public markets debut. SpaceX COO Gwynne Shotwell was interviewed by CNBC on Friday and among the many interesting comments she made, here is one that might get the attention of Tesla shareholders. At one point in the interview, Shotwell said a “merger between SpaceX and Tesla might make Elon’s life a little easier.” Among the winners are the banks, which have brought in about $500 million in total fees. The big winners are Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, per the WSJ. Musk took to X, the social media company he owns, to share his appreciation of SpaceX employees as the stock rose. “I love the incredible people of SpaceX beyond words,” he wrote Friday afternoon. He also reposted a number of SpaceX IPO related posts, including a photo of insiders all wearing green shoes in what appears to be a nod to “the green shoe option.” This is a provision in an IPO underwriting agreement that lets underwriters to sell up to 15% more shares than originally planned if demand is strong. To get a deeper look into what happened today, and all the far-ranging implications of SpaceX now being a publicly traded company, Senior Reporter Sean O’Kane and AI Editor Russell Brandom sat down for a special episode of our Equity podcast, which you can listen to right here or via your podcast player of choice, or queue it up on YouTube here. How to track the SpaceX IPO With an offering this large, there is a lot of financial machinery operating behind the scenes — so the first question is just when the stock makes it to the market to start trading. SpaceX is debuting on Nasdaq and you can see the official Nasdaq listing here, which will have the price of record as soon as there is one. Nasdaq also has video of the SpaceX crew ringing the bell, if that’s your thing. But the price is just part of the picture. For the most up-to-the-minute information, your best bet is still financial press outlets like Bloomberg and CNBC, both of which have liveblogs running and will have close coverage of any hiccups that happen in getting the stock to market. The SpaceX IPO, by the numbers Here we look at some of the bigger numbers, the consequential figures, and the eyewatering amounts that make up the company’s S-1 form. For instance, SpaceX lost $4.9 billion on revenues of over $18 billion in 2025. That’s only a fraction of the more than $37 billion lost since SpaceX’s inception. As CEO, Elon Musk holds about 85.1% of the company’s voting power. You can read more about that in the next section “Who wins and who doesn’t” — and we’ll continue to drop interesting numbers in here. Here is another figure that caught our attention… 4,400. That’s the number of SpaceX employees who

President Droupadi Murmu will present the coveted Padma awards to noted personalities, including actors and R. Madhavan, as well as Satish Shah, whose kin will receive it posthumously, during the second round of the civil investiture ceremony on June 23, officials said on Monday (June 8, 2026).The President has approved the conferment of 131 Padma awards this year – five Padma Vibhushans, 13 Padma Bhushans and 113 Padma Shri. At the ceremony on May 25, she had conferred two Padma Vibhushans, six Padma Bhushans and 58 Padma Shris.The remaining awards will be conferred during the second round of the ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhavan on June 23.Legendary Malayalam actor Mammootty, who aced a wide range of roles in 400 films across various languages during his 50-year career and earned respect for his philanthropic work, will be awarded the Padma Bhushan during the ceremony.Madhavan, known as Maddy, who acted in 1200 TV episodes and 75 films across Tamil, Hindi, and other languages, will be awarded the Padma Shri.Posthumous honourSatish Shah, the ubiquitous face of the country’s first sitcom, ‘Ye Jo Hai Zindagi’, and of countless films and theatre, will be posthumously honoured with the Padma Shri. The award will be received by his next of kin.Telugu actor Gadde Babu Rajendra Prasad, known for his prolific work in 286 films across six languages over a career spanning more than four decades, will also receive the Padma Shri from the President during the ceremony. Published - June 09, 2026 04:44 am IST

The appointment of an interim Vice-Chancellor at Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, and the nomination of members to its Senate have triggered a political controversy, with allegations that several nominees have close links with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).Governor Rajendra Arlekar, who is also the Chancellor of universities in the State, last week appointed Mavoothu Duraipandi as interim Vice-Chancellor and nominated 30 members to the Senate.Of the 30 nominees, 15 are drawn from various sectors, while the rest are heads of university departments, and deans. Allegations have since surfaced that all general-category nominees, along with some departmental representatives, are affiliated to the Sangh Parivar.Among the general-category members are BJP national executive member J. Prameela Devi and leaders associated with various feeder organisations, including the Bharatheeya Abhibhashaka Parishad, higher education teachers’ sangh, school teachers’ sangh and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).While the Left Democratic Front (LDF) has raised objections, sections within the United Democratic Front (UDF) have also expressed disquiet, though they have refrained from publicly criticising the decision to avoid a confrontation with the Governor.‘Violation of rules’“The greatness and excellence of universities in Kerala, which serve as beacons of the State’s knowledge advancement, lie in their autonomy. The Senate, Academic Council and Syndicate are democratic forums that safeguard this sanctity. However, university authorities in Kerala are now competing in disregarding this framework, refusing even to convene these bodies and are operating in violation of established rules,” said S. Naseeb, general secretary of the Federation of University Teachers’ Associations, in a statement.Official sources said that although an informal list of eligible candidates from MG University for the Vice-Chancellor’s post was sent to the Chief Minister’s Office, it was decided not to forward it to the Governor. The decision was reportedly taken to avoid a confrontation over the appointment of an interim Vice-Chancellor, as it was felt that such a dispute could affect the selection of a permanent Vice-Chancellor later.There are also concerns that the nomination of BJP-affiliated members to the Senate could influence the election of a representative to the three-member panel responsible for selecting the permanent Vice-Chancellor. It has also been pointed out that delays in constituting a new Syndicate could impact the balance of power in the Senate, as Syndicate members serve as ex-officio members of the body. Published - June 06, 2026 08:03 pm IST

NewsWorldUS sanctions Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel in latest pressure on its leadership The Cuban government did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the sanctions. 1 min readJun 5, 2026 05:53 AM IST First published on: Jun 5, 2026 at 05:52 AM IST Cuba's President Miguel Diaz-Canel, second left, and Raul Castro's grandson Raul Guillermo Rodriguez Castro, center back, take part in a rally in support of former President Raul Castro in front of the US Embassy in Havana, Cuba. (Photo: AP) The US on Thursday imposed sanctions on Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel and some affiliated people and entities, the US Treasury Department’s website showed. The sanctions also targeted four other people and five entities, including Diaz-Canel’s wife, Lis Cuesta Peraza, two members of the Castro family, and the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces.The Cuban government did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the sanctions. Diaz-Canel, 66, has served as president of the Caribbean country since taking over from Raul Castro, the brother of Cuba’s former leader Fidel Castro, in 2018. Refresh for the latest updates. The Express Global Desk at indianexpress.com which delivers authoritative, verified, and context-driven coverage of key international developments shaping global politics, policy, and migration trends. The desk focuses on stories with direct relevance for Indian and global audiences, combining breaking news with in-depth explainers and analysis. A major focus area of the desk is US immigration and visa policy, including developments related to student visas, work permits, permanent residency pathways, executive actions, and court rulings. The Global Desk also closely tracks Canada’s immigration, visa, and study policies, covering changes to study permits, post-study work options, permanent residence programmes, and regulatory updates affecting migrants and international students. All reporting from the Global Desk adheres to The Indian Express’ editorial standards, relying on official data, government notifications, court documents, and on-record sources. The desk prioritises clarity, accuracy, and accountability, ensuring readers can navigate complex global systems with confidence. Core Team The Express Global Desk is led by a team of experienced journalists and editors with deep expertise in international affairs and migration policy: Aniruddha Dhar – Senior Assistant Editor with extensive experience in global affairs, international politics, and editorial leadership. Nischai Vats – Deputy Copy Editor specialising in US politics, US visa and immigration policy, and policy-driven international coverage. Mashkoora Khan – Sub-editor focusing on global developments, with a strong emphasis on Canada visa, immigration, and study-related policy coverage. ... Read More © IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd # Cuba Loading Recommendations... 0102030405Live Blog

Patiala house court on Wednesday framed formal charges against Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez, Sukesh Chandrasekhar, and Leena Maria Paul in the money laundering case. They have been put on trial by the court.The charges are also formally framed in MCOCA linked with Extortion Allegations against Sukesh Chandrasekhar, Leena Maria Paul and others.Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Prashant Sharma formally framed charges against the respective accused persons in the Money laundering case and MCOCA case linked with the alleged extortion of Rs. 200 crores from Aditi Singh.Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez appeared before the court and denied the charges. She claimed a trial in a money laundering case. She is Accused in money laundering case only.However, Sukesh signed the charges in the money laundering case; he refused to sign the charges in the MCOCA case.His wife, Leena Maria, signed the charges in protest in the MCOCA case.All others signed the charges and claimed a trial. There are 17 accsued in the MCOCA case and 21 accused in the money laundering case.The money laundering case is listed for hearing on July 16, and the MCOCA Case is listed for hearing on July 14.The court will record the prosecution's evidence in both cases as per the list of witnesses provided by the prosecution.On May 30, the court had directed framing of charges against Sukesh Chandrasekhar, Leena Maria Paul, Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandes and others in an alleged money laundering case linked with Rs. 200 crores alleged extortion from Aditi Singh.The charges have also been directed to be framed against Sukesh Chandrasekhar, Leena Maria Paul and others in the MCOCA case linked with the Rs. 200 crores alleged extortion. Jacqueline is not an accused in the extortion case.What did the judge say?Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Prashant Sharma directed to frame charges against the accused persons in both cases." I conclude that prima facie, there is sufficient material on record based upon which strong suspicion is raised against all accused persons namely Sukesh Chandrasekhar, Leena Maria Paul alias Leena Paulose, Deepak Ramnani, Pradeep Ramdanee, B. Mohanraj, Arun Muthu, D. Kamlesh Kothari, Pinky Irani, Jacqueline Fernandez, Pooja Singh, Dharam Singh Meena, Mahender Prasad Sundriyal, Sunder Bora, Komal Poddar, Jitender Narula, Avinash Kumar, Jai Prakash Singhal, for which said accused persons have to be charged with offence under section 3 of PMLA, punishable under section 4 of PMLA," ASJ Prashant Sharma while framing charges in money laundering case.Delhi Police had filed a case on the Complaint of Aditi Singh. Thereafter, a case of Money laundering was lodged by the Enforcement Directorate.The Delhi High Court had rejected the plea of Jacqueline Fernandes seeking the quashing of the supplementary charge sheet against her. She was named in a supplementary charge sheet filed by the ED.After taking cognisance of ED's charge sheet, an issued summons to Jacqueline Fernandes. She was granted bail after she appeared before the court.Sukesh Chandrasekhar is in custody. However, his wife was granted bail by the High Court in a money laundering case. Her plea for bail in MCOCA was rejected by the Delhi High Court. The bail pleas of other accused are subjudice before the Delhi High Court.On June 1, the Delhi High Court refused to stay the formal framing of charges. Sukesh Chandrasekhar has approached the High Court.Recently, the Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandes withdrew her application to turn approver in a money laundering case. (ANI)Stay updated with the latest Trending, India , World and US news. HomeNewsIndia ₹200 crore extortion case: Court frames charges; Jacqueline Fernandez, Sukesh Chandrasekhar, Leena Maria Paul, othersMore
Venezuela’s Acting President Delcy Rodríguez to visit India for high-level talks today DD News

Just nowPaul AdamsDiplomatic correspondentReutersUS President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he was "not satisfied" yet with the terms of a deal being negotiated with Iran.A ceasefire "hanging by a thread". A diplomatic process "making progress". A president "not satisfied". And explosions echoing around the Gulf.What to make of the current, confusing state of relations between the US and Iran - are we close to peace or sliding back to war?The latest word from the White House is that negotiators from both sides have agreed a framework for a 60-day extension of the ceasefire, to allow room for further talks - but that this still needs US President Donald Trump's approval. This has not been confirmed by Iran.It comes towards the end of a week that has tested the ceasefire, which came into effect on 8 April and has now lasted considerably longer than the active phase of fighting which preceded it.Iran responded to the latest US strikes - which included what US Central Command (Centcom) described as a "ground control site" in the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas - with a warning that "aggression will not go unanswered".Its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) then said it had attacked an American air base. It did not say which, but Centcom later said a ballistic missile had been intercepted over Kuwait, where the US has several bases.Echoing Tehran's language, Centcom called the attack "an egregious ceasefire violation".It all sounds ominous, but this is still a far cry from the furious exchanges that characterised the first five-and-a-half weeks of this conflict. In that time, the US and Israel launched thousands of sorties against targets all across Iran, and Tehran responded with volleys of drones and ballistic missiles against US bases, Gulf countries and Israel.The US said on Thursday it had shot down five Iranian drones which "posed a threat around the Strait of Hormuz", suggesting shipping - commercial or military - was once again the focus of concern.But neither side seems to regard the sort of tit for tat exchanges we have seen this week as marking a return to all-out war.All the while, a tortured diplomatic process, involving multiple actors, is playing out in the background.We get glimpses of that process from time to time, but they are partial and fleeting.On Wednesday, Iranian state media reported elements of what they described as an unofficial draft of a 14-point memorandum of understanding.The report included everything Tehran would like to see: the lifting of Washington's naval blockade of Iranian ports, the withdrawal of US forces from the "vicinity of Iran", and the restoration of non-military traffic through the Strait of Hormuz with Iran and Oman in control of the management and routing of vessels.Notably absent from the report was any talk of Iranian concessions, especially on the all-important nuclear issue.The White House issued a terse statement, calling the purported draft a "complete fabrication". Later, during the latest televised cabinet meeting at the White House, Trump said he was not yet satisfied with proposals for a deal.Trump said Iran was "starting to give us the things that they have to give us". He did not elaborate and repeated his warning that Tehran's failure to comply would trigger a return to war."If they won't, then the man on my left is going to finish them off," he said, turning to US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.There were characteristic signs of impatience too. Asked about reports that Iran and Oman might seek to control the movement of ships through the strait, Trump issued a stark warning to a traditional US ally."Oman will behave just like everybody else, or we'll have to blow them up," he said.Meanwhile, the US Treasury on Wednesday sanctioned Iran's newly formed "Persian Gulf Strait Authority", set up by Tehran to oversee traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.The Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) called the scheme "a new attempt by Iran's Islamic
