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Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) is running a brisk business of trapping Indian defence officials through spies who pose as beautiful girls to lure Indian defence officials. A large number of such cases have come to light in the past few years. Former BrahMos scientist Nishant Agrawal, who was sentenced to life by a sessions court in Nagpur on June 3 for leaking military secrets to Pakistan, is another prominent case of ISI honeytrap. Pankaj Awasthi, Uttar Pradesh ATS investigation officer, said in his deposition during Agrawal's trial that one 'Sejal' had set up a Facebook account from Pakistan. Using this, she chatted with Pakistani operatives and her Indian targets, including Agrawal, TOI has reported.

Surat' will be the next major combatant to join the Indian Navy's arsenal. The Navy in a post on X on Monday also shared some pictures of this new vessel. "#Surat will be the next major combatant to join the #IndianNavy's arsenal. The ship commenced her maiden sea trials prior induction. Named after the vibrant city of #Gujarat, #Surat epitomizes its rich maritime heritage and pivotal role in India's nautical legacy. Constructed using cutting-edge technology by @MazagonDockLtd, #Surat stands as a glorious testament of #AatmanirbharBharat. @IN_WNC," it posted on X.

Kiccha Sudeep has finally opened up on the arrest of his colleague Darshan. Darshan is currently in police custody along with his rumoured girlfriend Pavithra Gowda and 10 other men, for murdering Renuka Swamy, a 33-year old-youth. In an interview with India Today, the ‘Eega’ star said that justice has to be done for the victim’s wife and unborn child. «We are only aware of what the media is showing to us because we are not going to the police station to get the information. It looks like the media and the police are working hard to uncover the truth. There’s no doubt about that… that family deserves justice. That girl deserves justice. Renukaswamy, who died on the streets, deserves justice. The unborn child deserves justice. Above all, everyone should have faith in justice, and justice should prevail in this case,» he told India Today. While he refused to take Darshan’s name directly, the ‘Huccha’ actor said that the incident has tainted the whole Sandalwood industry and it badly needs an image makeover. «Everyone’s heart goes out to that family. The atmosphere doesn’t feel right. The film industry should get justice. All the blame seems to be placed on the film industry. The industry needs a clean chit. There are many artists involved. Cinema is not just one or two people. The film industry will be relieved if the culprit is punished,» he said.

—Name withheld on request The Finance Act 2020 brought about some changes in tax laws for Indian citizens residing abroad. Two important changes that refer to the threshold of ₹15 lakh relate to (a) Indian citizens visiting India; and (b) Indian citizens not paying taxes anywhere across the world, respectively.

ALSO READ: Captain Babar Azam on Pakistan's T20 World Cup 2024 exit, 'cannot play in every player's place, there are 11 players...Lamicchane made his return in the Nepal cricket team against South Africa last week. He was not playing international cricket for over a year, reason being he was facing an eight-year prison sentence before his rape conviction, reported NDTV Sports.Report says that he had been training regularly at Kathmandu's TU Ground after he was cleared of charges.Despite Nepal's cricket board and multiple agencies made efforts, Lamicchane's arrival in the USA was delayed by two months, as he ailed to obtain a US visa twice in May.ALSO READ: Babar Azam is given enough chances to improve as Pakistan captain, but…: Shahid AfridiFollowing this, Nepal requested the ICC to allow Lamichhane as a late addition to their World Cup squad, which was later approved."We, along with Nepal government, had tried hard to secure a US visa for Lamichhane but that didn't work out.

With the dawn of Modi 3.0, all eyes are eagerly set on the upcoming Union Budget of 2024, slated for presentation in July. Anticipation runs high among industries, farmers, taxpayers, and the middle class alike, as they await potential boosts and tax reliefs from Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. 

India is likely to ask for a three-year exemption for its micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from a proposed mandatory tariff on carbon-intensive imports in talks on a free trade deal with European Union negotiators starting next week, two people aware of the matter said. India, which opposed the tax at the World Trade Organization's last ministerial meeting in February-March in Abu Dhabi, will make its stand clear again on the during upcoming talks on a free trade agreement (FTA) with the EU. The eighth round of FTA talks is slated to be held in Brussels on 24-28 June.

nuclear-armed nations including the US, Russia, France, China, India and Pakistan, continued to modernise their nuclear arsenals and several of them deployed new nuclear-capable weapon systems in 2023, a Swedish think-tank said on Monday. In its analysis, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said China's nuclear arsenal increased from 410 warheads in January 2023 to 500 in January 2024, and it is expected to keep growing. The report said some 2,100 of the deployed warheads were kept in a state of high operational alert on ballistic missiles, and nearly all of them belonged to Russia or the US. However, for the first time China is believed to have some warheads on high operational alert, it said.

Hyundai Motor India Ltd plans to launch four electric vehicle models in future, including Creta EV, in the last quarter of the current fiscal, according to the company's preliminary IPO papers filed with Sebi. The company is looking to maximise the price competitiveness of its electric vehicle (EV) models and intends to focus on securing local production capabilities for key parts, such as cells, battery packs, power electronics, and drivetrain and building a localised EV supply chain. In the draft red herring prospectus (DRHP), Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) said it seeks to calibrate its EV strategy and plan EV timelines in line with market demands in India by launching the appropriate EV models within each price segment. «We are following a transition strategy, having started with the launch of high-end premium EVs and plan to transition towards the mass markets as the EV market and ecosystem scales up in India. In line with the same, we aim to launch four EV models in future, including Creta EV in the last quarter of fiscal 2025,» the company said.

Hindustan Aeronautics on Monday announced that the Defence Ministry has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for 156 Light Combat Helicopters. «We would like to inform that, Request for Proposal (RFP) has been issued by the Ministry of Defence for procurement of 156 Light Combat Helicopter,» the official statement of the company said. Of the 156 LCH requested by the Defence Ministry, 90 are being procured for the Indian Army (IA) while the remaining 66 are for the Indian Air Force (IAF), said HAL's official statement.

EVMs, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday asked the Election Commission to ensure complete transparency of the machines and processes or abolish them. The demand came a day after the Congress leader had alleged that the electronic voting machine is a «black box» and nobody is allowed to scrutinise them while further alleging that serious concerns are being raised about transparency in our electoral process. «When democratic institutions are captured, the only safeguard lies in electoral processes that are transparent to the public,» Gandhi said in a post on X. «EVM is currently a black box. EC must either ensure complete transparency of the machines and processes or abolish them,» the former Congress president also said.

Kolkata Knight Riders Gautam Gambhir paid a courtesy visit to Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday. Gambhir, who was a ruling party MP from East Delhi, has taken a break from active politics to concentrate on his cricket coaching career. «Met with Hon'ble HM Shri @AmitShah Ji to congratulate him on recent electoral success. His leadership as the Home Minister will further strengthen the security and stability of our nation!,» Gambhir wrote on X and also posted a photograph from the meeting. Gambhir is a strong candidate to replace Rahul Dravid as India head coach after the T20 World Cup. Dravid has confirmed that he will step down from the post after the ongoing event.

Shares have opened mixed in Europe as markets recovered from shocks of recent elections across the region

foreign direct investment (FDI), enhancing Research & Development (R&D), and boosting manufacturing capabilities could help India reach its USD 5 billion defence export goal by 2024-25. As reported by PTI, the study, conducted by Nexgen Exhibitions, organizers of the International Police Expo, highlights the importance of these factors in propelling India towards its ambitious target. «Increase in procurement categories and emphasis on quality and innovation have positioned India as a reliable defence equipment supplier on the global stage. The government's supportive policies, coupled with strategic partnerships and collaborations, are driving the growth of India's defence exports, bringing the country closer to its USD 5 billion target by 2024-25,» said Aadhar Bansal, Director, Nexgen Exhibitions, as reported by PTI.

Aaditya Thackeray on Monday claimed the BJP would have won only 40 seats in the recently-concluded Lok Sabha polls if they were held in a free and fair manner. Addressing a press conference here, Thackeray also termed as «fraud» the result of the Mumbai North West Lok Sabha seat where Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Amol Kirtikar lost by 48 votes to rival Ravindra Waikar of the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. «Our victory was snatched away by misusing the official machinery,» the MLA claimed. Thackeray said his party will move court with a petition challenging the Mumbai North West seat poll result.

India's monsoon has delivered 20 per cent less rain than normal this season, according to the weather department. This shortfall raises concerns for the country's critical agricultural sector, which relies heavily on monsoon rains. News agency Reuters reported that as per the Indian Meteorological Department, India has received 20 per cent less rainfall than normal since June 1. Almost all regions except for a few southern states have seen shortfalls and some northwestern states experiencing heat waves, the report said. «The monsoon's progress is stalled. It has weakened. But when it revives and becomes active, it can erase the rain deficit in a short burst,» an IMD official told Reuters.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a series of alerts, indicating the severity of the situation. Here's a comprehensive look at the factors contributing to Delhi's scorching heat and its impact on residents. Heatwave Alerts and Conditions The IMD has issued an orange alert for Monday and yellow alerts for Tuesday and Wednesday. The city has already endured eight consecutive days of heatwave conditions, including three particularly warm nights. A heatwave is officially declared when the maximum temperature exceeds 40 degrees Celsius and is at least 4.5 degrees above normal. A severe heatwave occurs if the maximum temperature exceeds 45 degrees Celsius or is 6.5 degrees or more above normal.

water crisis as its groundwater levels continue to plummet. Another NCR town in UP, Noida is also not far behind in this trend. According to the National Compilation on Dynamic Ground Water Resources of India, 2023, commissioned by the Central Ground Water Board, Ghaziabad extracted an alarming 123% of its total groundwater last year. This extraction rate surpasses that of 75 districts in the state, where the average was significantly lower at 70.8%, a TOI report stated.

Congress in Kerala on Monday tendered an apology to the Christian community a day after one of its social media posts taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his recent meeting with Pope Francis triggered a political row in the state. The party also withdrew the post from its official X handle. In a fresh post on its X handle, the state unit of the grand old party said it tendered an unconditional apology to the Christian faithful if its earlier post had caused any «emotional or psychological distress» to them. In the explanatory post, the party further said the people in the state clearly know that it is not the tradition of the Indian National Congress to insult and disparage any religion, religious priests or idols.

Bhitarkanika National Park and Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary in Odisha's Kendrapara district and its nearby areas. Bhitarkanika is known as the second largest mangrove forest in India after Sundarbans and Gahirmatha is known as the world's largest rookery of sea turtles. The Eco-sensitive Zone shall be 497.67 square kilometre with an extent of 0.10 kilometre to 8.7 kilometre around the boundary of Bhitarkanika National Park, Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary and Gahirmatha (Marine) Wildlife Sanctuary, said assistant conservator of forest (ACF) of the national park, Manas Das. Eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) is a buffer area covering 205 villages of Aul, Pattamundai, Rajnagar, Rajkanika and Mahakalapada blocks in Kendrapara district and Chandabali block in Bhadrak district around the core protected forest areas to minimize human-wildlife conflict, promote in-situ conservation of wildlife and reduce the impact on fragile ecosystems, he said.

terrorist was killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district on Monday, officials said. The gunfight broke out after security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the Aragam area of the district on Sunday night following information about the presence of terrorists there, they said. The army's Srinagar-based Chinar Corps said one terrorist has been killed. The operation was in progress till last reports, it said. «Based on specific intelligence input regarding presence of terrorists, a joint operation was launched by the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police on the intervening night of June 16-17 in the general area of Gurihajin, Aragam Bandipora; one terrorist eliminated, operation in progress,» the Chinar Corps posted on X.