SPECIAL

Kolkata, June 28 (IANS) The United Forum of State Government Employees, the umbrella body of the West Bengal government employees, spearheading the movement against non-payment of dearness allowance at par with that of the Central government employees and the arrears accrued on it, will organise a protest rally coinciding with Trinamool Congress's annual Martyrs' Day rally on July 21.The decision had been taken amid the deadline for crediting the 25 per cent dearness allowance arrears to the accounts of the current and retired employees as directed by the Supreme Court last month expired on Friday midnight and the arrears were not credited.Instead, the state government, during the last moment, filed a petition before the apex court seeking six months of additional time for paying the 25 ...

New Delhi, June 28 (IANS) On a day destined to be etched in golden letters in India’s space saga, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the second Indian to journey beyond the confines of Earth, spoke from the International Space Station to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.Orbiting 400 kilometres above Earth, Captain Shukla made history as the first Indian aboard the ISS (International Space Station) - a moment cherished across the nation.During a live conversation with the Prime Minister, he shared an observation that resonated deeply back home: “Jab maine Bharat ko space se dekha, toh laga ki woh nakshon mein jitna dikhta hai, usse kaafi bada hai.” (When I saw India from space, it looked much bigger than how it appears on the map). The sentiment was more than geographical—it was emotional. It ...

Kolkata, June 28 (IANS) After being censured on Saturday by the Trinamool Congress-led West Bengal government for his comments on the alleged rape of a law student within the college premises at Kasba in Kolkata earlier this week, party legislator Madan Mitra has said that his comments were quoted out of context.Mitra, infamous for his frequent loose comments, made a controversial statement claiming that the rape incident had sent a message to all girls that they should not go the college when it is closed as someone was calling her there then to offer a position.Following Mitra's controversial comment, the Trinamool Congress issued a statement claiming that the remarks made by the former in the matter were made in his individual capacity and hence the party had unequivocally disassociat...

Jaipur, June 28 (IANS) A thought-provoking discussion on the ‘Role of Society Against Terrorism’ was held on Saturday at the Constitution Club in Jaipur, under the banner of the Global Dialogue Forum 'Vishwam' on Saturday.The session saw prominent voices, including Major General Sudhakar, former diplomat Gauri Shankar Gupta, and thinker Ashutosh Pant, expressing grave concerns over radicalisation and the growing threat of digital terrorism.Major General Sudhakar warned that social media has become a new tool for terrorism, facilitating cognitive warfare, a psychological battle aimed at misleading and manipulating young minds.He emphasised the urgent need for a national strategy to counter digital brainwashing, cautioning that if extremist narratives are not challenged, they will alter the ...