New Delhi: Trinamool Congress National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee After being summoned by the West Bengal CID in connection with the cases registered against him, he on Saturday announced that he will not be intimidated by the investigating agencies.Responding to the summons and the FIR filed against her, Banerjee said in a challenging tone, “Even if you slit my throat, you will have to take seven births to scare me.”West Bengal CID issued a notice directing Banerjee to appear before investigators at 12 noon on June 1 at Bhabani Bhawan, the agency’s headquarters in Kolkata.Banerjee accused the authorities of deploying multiple agencies to target her and said no amount of pressure would force her to back down.“Let them do whatever they want. They can do whatever they want. Understand it this way, earlier it was just ED, CBI and now there is Bengal Police and Kolkata Police along with KMC (Kolkata Municipal Corporation),” Banerjee said.He said, “Earlier there were 2-3 investigating agencies and now there are 5. They think they will send 5-6 agencies after me and blackmail me to scare me. I am not such a person. Even if you slit my throat or do whatever you want, you will have to think 10 times and take 7 births to scare me. I am not a traitor.”The summons comes amid several legal challenges TMC Leader in recent weeks.Earlier on Monday, a team of Kolkata Police personnel visited Banerjee’s official residence ‘Santiniketan’ located on Harish Mukherjee Road in south Kolkata. Several officers in uniform and plain clothes were seen on the premises.Neither the Kolkata Police nor the Trinamool Congress officially disclosed the purpose of the visit. However, a senior police officer described it as “routine official practice”. “There is no law and order issue or any special operation. It was part of a routine official exercise,” the officer said.Also read: From Z-Plus security to snatched surveillance: Why did police reach Abhishek Banerjee’s residence?

AAfter a wait of three years, DK Shivakumar is finally set to become the Chief Minister of Karnataka, the pinnacle of his political career which, unsurprisingly, started with defeat. In 1985, at the age of only 23, DKS lost his first assembly election in Sathanur to former Prime Minister, Janata Dal strongman HD Deve Gowda. Since then he has not lost any assembly election. After four decades and eight consecutive MLA terms, the long climb to the top post ended.

The Center on Friday launched a high-priority operation to safely escort 13 Indian-flagged commercial ships out of the Strait of Hormuz, as tensions continue to rise in West Asia and the Gulf region.The move is part of a broader government effort involving multiple ministries to protect Indian citizens, seafarers and commercial interests amid growing instability in the region. Also, the Ministry of External Affairs urged Indian citizens to avoid traveling to Iran and advised those already in the country to seek assistance from the Indian mission.Opesh Kumar Sharma, director of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, said authorities have made a coordinated plan to assist Indian ships currently operating in the strategically important waterway.He said, “A coordinated priority has been drawn up through which we try to get our ships out. Currently, there are around 13 Indian flagged ships: one LPG tanker, five crude oil tankers, one chemical or product tanker, three container ships, two bulk carriers and one dredger. Our priority is to get out our ships which are currently inside.”Officials said the vessels included crude oil tankers, container ships, bulk carriers and a dredger. The government is keeping a close watch on their activities amid concerns over maritime security in the Gulf.Sharma also pointed to the successful transit of Marshall Islands-flagged crude oil tanker Nisos Keros carrying approximately 2,70,000 metric tonnes of crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz during the night of May 25 and 26.“The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways continues to coordinate with the Ministry of External Affairs, Indian Missions and maritime stakeholders to ensure seafarer welfare and uninterrupted maritime operations. As part of the ship movement, a merchant ship, Nisos Keros, a Marshall Islands-flagged crude oil tanker, safely transited the Strait of Hormuz on the night of the 25th and 26th. It will reach Visakhapatnam on June 3, 2026. This merchant ship is carrying approximately 2,70,000 metric tons of crude oil. It has all foreign crew members. All Indian seafarers in the area are safe, and there have been no incidents involving Indian seafarers onboard Indian-flagged or foreign-flagged merchant vessels,” he said.According to the ministry, all Indian seafarers aboard domestic and foreign flagged ships in the area are safe, with no hostile incidents reported so far.The Emergency Control Room of the Directorate General of Shipping continues to handle a large number of distress calls and queries from seafarers and their families. Since its activation, it has processed over 10,800 calls and over 24,000 emails.“The control room set up in the Directorate General of Shipping has handled over 10,800 calls and over 24,098 emails since its activation. In the last 96 hours, a total of 500 calls and 1,332 emails have been received from seafarers, their families and maritime stakeholders. The Ministry has facilitated the safe return of over 3,422 Indian seafarers so far through the Directorate General of Shipping, including the last 47 from various Bay Area locations in 96 hours. Port operations across India are normal and no congestion has been reported,” Sharma said.The government has so far facilitated the return of more than 3,400 Indian seafarers from the Gulf region, including dozens who were evacuated in the last four days.Providing an update on the evacuation efforts, Additional Secretary (Gulf) Asim R Mahajan said the Indian mission remains in close touch with community organisations, businesses and local authorities to assist citizens affected by the regional crisis.“Advisories are being issued, which include information related to local government guidelines, flight and travel status, consular services and various welfare measures being taken for the community. Our missions are actively engaged with the resident Indian community, regularly interacting with Indian community associations, organisations, professional groups and Indian companies to address their concerns. The welfare of Indian seafarers in the region is a high priority for us. Our missions are providing all assistance to them, including coordination with local authorities and agencies, providing consular assistance and assisting with requests to return to India.”Mahajan said despite regional uncertainty, flight connectivity between India and most parts of the Gulf is operational. Airspace over the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait remains open, while services from Qatar and Iraq continue to operate with varying restrictions.“An update on flight status: The overall flight situation continues to improve with additional flights operating from the region to various destinations in India. UAE airspace is open; Indian and UAE carriers are operating flights from UAE to various destinations in India. Flights are operating from various airports in Saudi Arabia and Oman to various destinations in India. Qatar’s airspace is partially open. Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo and Qatar Airways are operating flights from Qatar to various destinations in India. Kuwait airspace is open. Jazeera Airways and Kuwait Airways are operating flights to various destinations in India. Indian carriers are also expected to resume operations between Kuwait and India soon. Bahrain airspace is open. Air India Express, IndiGo and Gulf Air are operating flights from Bahrain to various destinations in India. Iraq’s airspace remains open with limited flight operations to destinations in the region, which can be used for onward travel to India. Iran’s airspace is partially open,” Mahajan said.He reiterated the government’s advice against travel to Iran and said the Indian Embassy in Tehran has already facilitated the exit of thousands of Indian citizens from the neighboring land border crossing.“We have advised Indian citizens to avoid traveling to Iran and urged all those traveling there to leave with the cooperation of our embassy. So far, our Embassy in Tehran has facilitated the movement of 2,557 Indian nationals to and from Iran through land border routes. Israel’s airspace is open, and limited flight operations to destinations in the region have resumed, which can be used for onward travel to India,” he said.Mahajan said the government is focusing on the welfare and safety of Indians in the Gulf and West Asia, with embassies and consulates running round-the-clock helplines and coordinating with state governments and local authorities.“The Ministry of External Affairs is closely monitoring developments in the Gulf and West Asia region. Our efforts are focused on ensuring the safety and well-being of the Indian community in the region. We are in constant touch with State Governments and Union Territories to share information and coordinate our efforts. Our Embassies and Consulates in the region are operating round-the-clock helplines to provide timely assistance to Indian citizens. They are actively assisting our citizens and are also in close contact with local governments.”The development comes amid concerns that any disruption in the Gulf could affect India’s energy supplies, given the region’s importance in the country’s crude oil imports.Addressing those concerns, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi is working to secure its energy needs by broadening its sourcing strategy.“On the question of shipments, energy security is very important to us, and we are trying to diversify our sources from around the world,” Jaiswal said. “We welcome support from various markets.”

New Delhi: India continues to make progress in reducing child undernutrition and improving maternal and child health, but rising obesity and diabetes are emerging as a major new public health challenge, according to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) 2023-24 released on Friday.The survey found that the proportion of women aged 15-49 who were overweight or obese increased from 24% in NFHS-5 (2019-21) to 30.7% in NFHS-6, while for men the figure increased from 22.9% to 27.3%. The share of women with high blood sugar levels or taking medication to control diabetes increased from 13.5% to 17.8%, while among men it increased from 15.6% to 20.9%.This trend was visible in many states. Obesity is highest in Andhra Pradesh, where 47.9% of women aged 15-49 are classified as overweight or obese and 21.8% have high blood sugar levels or are taking medication for diabetes. Surprisingly high levels were also reported in Goa, where 45.1% of women and 43.6% of men were overweight or obese, while more than a quarter of women (27.5%) and almost a third of men (32.1%) had elevated blood sugar levels or were taking medication to control diabetes. In Delhi, 42.7% women were overweight or obese and 19% had elevated blood sugar levels.The findings show that India is increasingly facing a double burden of disease. While undernutrition remains a challenge in some parts of the country, obesity, diabetes and other non-communicable diseases associated with changing diets, sedentary lifestyles and aging are increasing rapidly.Also, the survey recorded significant improvements in child nutrition. The proportion of stunted children under five years of age, a key indicator of chronic undernutrition, declined from 35.5% in NFHS-5 to 29.3% in NFHS-6. Severe wasting, which reflects acute malnutrition, fell sharply from 7.7% to 5.2%, while the prevalence of underweight declined marginally from 32.1% to 31.8%.Maternal and child health indicators also improved. The number of mothers receiving at least four prenatal care visits increased from 58.5% to 65.2%, while consumption of iron-folic acid supplements for at least 180 days during pregnancy increased from 26% to 37.8%. Institutional deliveries increased from 88.6% to 90.6%.Childhood vaccination coverage continued to improve. Full vaccination among children aged 12-23 months increased from 76.6% to 82.6%, while coverage of the second dose of measles vaccine increased from 58.6% to 71.8%. Rotavirus vaccine coverage more than doubled from 36.4% to 85.4%.The survey also noted widespread social benefits. The number of women who had ever used the Internet nearly doubled from 33.3% to 64.3%, while the proportion of women with 10 or more years of schooling increased from 41% to 46.4%. Child marriage decreased from 23.3% to 20.1%.Operational in approximately 6.79 lakh households, NFHS-6 is expected to guide future health and social sector policies and programs across the country.

RSS publicity chief Sunil Ambekar has dismissed concerns over the “cockroach Janata Party” (CJP), saying open debate and differing views are normal in a democratic society.Speaking to reporters, Ambekar said India is a conscious society that functions through democratic processes with transparent elections, free media and active public debate. He said that there is open discussion every day and different views should be seen as a natural feature of a democratic system.“We are a conscious society and we follow the democratic process. Within that democratic process, we have transparent elections, an open media and now social media too. Open houses happen every day. Therefore I believe that in a democracy any kind of discussion and expression of different opinions by people should not be taken as a shock. “They should be considered part of the normal process,” Ambekar said on Friday.Asked whether the RSS should react to such discussions, Ambekar said the country’s institutions, media and political parties are capable of handling such issues on their own.“These are all negotiations, and the people involved will deal with those issues themselves. I believe the media is independent enough to handle these. Political parties are capable, and none of our institutions are weak. They are capable of handling matters, and our system is also capable. So, I don’t think the organization (RSS) needs to rush into matters immediately,” he said.Ambekar also praised the youth of the country and said that they are optimistic about the future of India and are contributing to the country’s progress through constitutional means.He said, “Our young generation, sometimes called Gen Z, is very optimistic. They have tremendous faith in India. Whatever they do is under the constitutional process. Their contribution is to take India forward. The youth of our country have put all their energy into it and that is why the country is progressing in every field.”Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), a satirical online movement that has gained popularity among young users since its launch this month, has sparked widespread discussion.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi

New Delhi: AIMIM chairman Asaduddin Owaisi Friday said if praying on the streets is considered wrong, the ban should apply equally to religious activities of all religions, citing Article 25 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion and the right to freely practice and profess one’s faith.Addressing the Eid Milap event, Owaisi argued that the public’s objection to namaz amounted to double standards and questioned why similar concerns were not raised over religious processions and celebrations organized by other communities.“Remember Article 25. If it is wrong to offer Namaz on the road, then it is wrong to come on the road during the festival of every religion. If you say that meat shops should be closed during someone’s festival, then close liquor shops for 30 days of Ramzan.” Close liquor shops for 30 days,’ Owaisi said.Alleging double standards, Owaisi said that people have no objection to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speeches, but have objection to Azaan and Namaz. He also questioned the restrictions imposed on the sale of eggs, meat and chicken during Hindu festivals and asked, ‘What kind of law is this?’He said, “Your hatred is purely for Muslims. And your hatred clearly shows that you want to suppress the followers of this religion and marginalize them. You want to make them second class citizens.”The AIMIM president alleged that whenever major Muslim festivals like Ramzan or Bakrid come, issues related to azaan and namaz are deliberately raised.“Problem with Azaan, problem with Namaz. What has happened to you guys?” he asked.The comments come amid the ongoing political debate over prayers in public places and recent directions from authorities in several states aimed at ensuring that religious gatherings do not disrupt traffic or public movement.Recently, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that namaz should be performed in a regulated manner and, if necessary, can be organized in multiple shifts to avoid inconvenience to the public. He said officials will seek compliance through persuasion before taking further steps to enforce public order norms.The Suvendu Adhikari-led West Bengal government decided not to allow the traditional Eid congregation on Kolkata’s Red Road and shifted the gathering to the Brigade Parade Ground to prevent spillover of prayers onto public roads.Continuing his criticism, Owaisi compared it with religious processions and processions, saying that during such events the streets are often occupied and similar objections are not raised.On prayers being offered on the streets, he said that this happens only for Friday or Eid prayers and not every day. He said, “In India, festivals of every religion happen on the street, right? You don’t see them; you become blind to them.”(With inputs from ANI)

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has rejected a plea seeking a fresh probe into the international acquisition and transfer of animals at Vantara (Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre) in Gujarat’s Jamnagar, saying the apex court-appointed SIT headed by retired SC judge J Chelameswar has already given a clean chit and found no violation of law.A bench of Justices PK Mishra and NV Anjaria said the terms of reference of the SIT were of wide dimension, covering every aspect of Vantara’s cases right from the beginning and nothing wrong was found.Dismissing the petition, the bench said, “On consideration, we are of the clear opinion that none of the directions prayed for can be granted.”The Court found no substance in allegations that inquiries, investigations or prosecutions in Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, Uganda, Peru, Malaysia and Venezuela had uncovered material that could have a bearing on the international acquisition and transfer of animals. The Supreme Court said that now all the issues raised have already been addressed by the SIT and there is no need for a fresh investigation.“The process adopted by the SIT was thorough. It held several meetings, conducted site inspections, gave opportunity to all concerned to submit information and documents, examined foreign donor zoos and institutions,” the court said.The Supreme Court said the SIT “inter alia called for and considered the responses of the CITES management authorities of UAE, Venezuela, Democratic Republic of Congo etc. and obtained information from all concerned, namely, CBI, ED, DRI, Customs Commissioner at Jamnagar, WCCB and the District Police.” “Notices were issued to the complainants, journalists and environmentalists who had published or made allegations, including those on whose reports the applicant/petitioner now relies and each person who appeared before the SIT was heard,” it said.In view of the SIT report, accepted by this Court by an order dated 15th September, 2025 and confirmed by an order dated 9th March, 2026, the respondent “cannot be investigated, interrogated, much less prosecuted in respect of the transfers investigated therein, no direction can be issued to any domestic authority in respect of the samples so transferred, and the matter cannot be referred to any body, global or otherwise.” But cannot be reopened,” it said.