Month: June 2025

In a blow to naxalism in Chhattisgarh, the death of a top naxal leader and Central Committee Member (CCM), Sudhakar (alias Gautam), in Bijapur district marks the second such successful high profile anti-naxal operation by security forces in just over 3 weeks, Bastar’s Inspector General P Sundarraj said.

Gautam, the leader of the banned CPI(Maoist) organisation, was neutralised by security forces on June 5 during an operation in Bijapur’s national forest area. Just 3 weeks ago, on May 21, security forces had recovered the body of a Central Committee Politburo member and CPI (Maoist) General Secretary Basava Raju in a massive operation in Abujmarh area in Narayanpur district, in which 26 other naxals were neutralised. Raju was known as the ‘backbone of the Naxal movement,’ a top leader in the organisation.

“On May 21, after the recovery of the body of CPI (Maoist) leader, Central Committee Politburo member and CPI (Maoist) General Secretary Basava Raju in Abujhmarh forest, today on 5th June, security forces received a huge success in anti-naxal operation,” Sundarraj told ANI here.

The Bastar IG said an AK-47 rifle, along with arms, ammunition and various explosive materials, were recovered after the encounter.

“In the Bijapur national park area, inputs regarding the presence of CPI (Maoist) senior Maoist cadres and PLG cadres were received. Based on that, the STF, DRG, and CoBRA joint teams were sent for operation. During the operation, exchange of fire between security forces and Naxals took place multiple times. After the exchange of fire, during the search, the body of a Maoist and an AK-47 weapon and a large amount of explosive materials and other arms and ammunition were recovered,” the IG said.

The encounter involved a joint operation by the Special Task Force (STF), District Reserve Guard (DRG), and Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA).

According to officials, Gautam was a senior Maoist leader responsible for various violent incidents that resulted in the deaths of numerous innocent tribal civilians and of security personnel.

The death of Gautam marks a major success for the security forces and is a significant blow to the Maoist leadership, particularly in the Dandakaranya region. His neutralisation is expected to cause a considerable setback to the already weakening strength of the banned and outlawed Maoist organisation.

186 Maoist cadres have been killed in counter-insurgency operations across the Bastar Range in 2025 so far. During the period 2024-2025, more than 403 Maoist cadres have been neutralised and their bodies recovered in the Bastar Range following multiple encounters between Maoists and security forces, according to officials. (ANI)

Aamir Khan starrer ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’ title track has been released by the makers on Thursday.

‘Sitaare Zameen Par’, a sequel to the blockbuster movie ‘Taare Zameen Par’, is expected to be a heartwarming family entertainer that features the challenges faced by intellectually disabled people as they step up to prove themselves in a basketball competition.

The film’s new title track explores Aamir Khan’s joyful struggles as he coaches the basketball team of intellectually disabled people.

In a few scenes, the basketball team was seen dominating different teams as they scored numerous baskets one after another.

The song was composed by the iconic trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and sung by Siddharth Mahadevan, Shankar Mahadevan and Divya Kumar.

Amitabh Bhattacharya wrote the lyrics of the song. The title track also featured a friendly yet romantic bond between actress Genelia Deshmukh and Aamir Khan.

Take a look at the song,

As per the trailer released by the makers last month, Aamir Khan plays the role of a Basketball coach who has been punished by the court to coach the basketball team of intellectually disabled people for what appears to be a drink and drive case.

In the three-minute and twenty-nine-second trailer, Aamir Khan is seen teaching basketball to people with intellectual disabilities to compete in a national tournament.

In one of the funny scenes, Aamir is seen arguing with one of the intellectually disabled men as he explains to them about the significance of a jersey in a basketball match.

The trailer was filled with love, laughter and happiness as Aamir tackles the problems of his life while coaching the basketball team.

Genelia Deshmukh seems to be playing the role of Aamir’s love interest in the film, as per the trailer.

The film is directed by Prasanna. Aamir Khan Productions, the official production banner of the film, shared the trailer of the movie on their Instagram handle.

The movie is slated to release in theatres on June 20, 2025. (ANI)

The public breakdown between US President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk grew exponentially more bitter on Thursday, transforming what was once a powerful political alliance into a vicious war of words that has wiped billions from Tesla’s market value and threatens to derail the president’s flagship budget legislation.

The feud reached its peak when Musk made explosive allegations about Trump’s connection to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, marking a dramatic escalation in their increasingly personal conflict. The fued between the two men got nastier, less than a week after Musk officially left his position spearheading the quasi-official Department of Government Efficiency.

The latest round of hostilities erupted during an Oval Office meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, when Trump was asked about Musk’s criticism of his signature budget legislation.

“Elon and I had a great relationship. I don’t know if we will any more,” Trump told reporters, his disappointment evident. The president expressed his frustration more directly, saying: “I’m very disappointed in Elon. He knew every aspect of this bill. He knew it better than almost anybody, and he never had a problem until right after he left.” Trump continued his criticism, adding: “He said the most beautiful things about me, and he hasn’t said bad about me personally, but I’m sure that’ll be next, but I’m very disappointed in Elon. I’ve helped Elon a lot.”

Musk’s response on X was swift and defiant, flatly contradicting the president’s account. “False, this bill was never shown to me even once and was passed in the dead of night so fast that almost no one in Congress could even read it!” he wrote, before escalating the personal attack by claiming that without him Trump would have “lost the election” and bemoaning what he called “such ingratitude”.

But Thursday brought a far more acrimonious and personal tone to the exchanges when Musk launched his most damaging attack yet. In a jaw-dropping social media post, Musk alleged that Trump’s name “is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public.”

The tech billionaire amplified his attack by reminding his 220 million followers of Trump’s quote about Epstein from a New York magazine profile more than two decades ago: “He’s a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.” Musk concluded his post with a gleeful taunt: “Have a nice day, DJT!” and suggested marking the post “for the future. The truth will come out.”

The exchange rapidly devolved into a series of increasingly serious threats. Trump responded by threatening to terminate Musk’s lucrative government subsidies and contracts, prompting the SpaceX boss to counter with his own nuclear option: potentially decommissioning the Dragon spacecraft that had recently rescued astronauts stranded on the International Space Station for months. The threat could throw US space programmes into chaos, highlighting how deeply intertwined Musk’s business empire has become with critical government operations.

As the feud intensified, Musk crossed into unprecedented territory by suggesting Trump should be impeached and that JD Vance should replace him as president. Right-wing influencer Ian Miles Cheong, who has 1.2 million followers on X, posted that “my money’s on Elon” in the battle between Musk and Trump, asserting that “Trump should be impeached and JD Vance should replace him.” Less than 30 minutes later, Musk reposted Cheong’s message, adding simply: “Yes.”

Musk also warned that Trump’s global tariffs would “cause a recession in the second half of this year” and launched an online poll asking whether a new political party should be formed, moves that are certain to enrage the president.

Tesla shares plummeted more than 14 per cent on Thursday alone, erasing approximately USD 152 billion from the company’s value and reducing it to roughly USD 900 billion. The decline knocked USD 8.73 billion off Musk’s personal net worth according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, demonstrating how quickly political feuds can translate into economic consequences.

Trump also took to his social media platform Truth Social to fire fresh salvo against Musk. In a post on Truth Social, he stated, “I don’t mind Elon turning against me, but he should have done so months ago. This is one of the Greatest Bills ever presented to Congress. It’s a Record Cut in Expenses, USD 1.6 Trillion Dollars, and the Biggest Tax Cut ever given. If this Bill doesn’t pass, there will be a 68 per cent Tax Increase, and things far worse than that. I didn’t create this mess, I’m just here to FIX IT. This puts our Country on a Path of Greatness. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.” https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/114632555927229642/embed

Trump stated that he told Musk to leave and took away his Electric Vehicle (EV) Mandate that forced everyone to purchase electric cars.

“Elon was “wearing thin,” I asked him to leave, I took away his EV Mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted (that he knew for months I was going to do!), and he just went CRAZY,” he posted on Truth Social.

In response to Trump post, Elon Musk on X wrote, “Such an obvious lie. So sad.” He made this statement in response to a post shared by a user named Autism Capital on X. The user had shares screenshot of Trump’s post and mentioned, “Trump fires back at Elon. The online battle begins.”

Trump even threatened to terminate Elon Musk’s governmental subsidies and contracts. “The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts. I was always surprised that Biden didn’t do it,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

Elon Musk also reposted the post shared by a social media user Kaizen D Asiedu on X. In response to Trump’s statement on the “big beautiful bill”, Aseidu stated, “What a waste of time by our President. Rather than making this about Elon, he should simply make clear: 1. The conditions under which this bill will reduce the deficit. 2. How he will create those conditions. He was elected to lead, not fight with citizens.”

Trump, in his earlier remarks, had blamed Musk’s public displeasure on legislative proposals that would strip away tax incentives to buy electric vehicles. Musk vehemently denies this is the reason for his break with Trump, but the president’s propensity to seek vengeance on those who cross him makes it very plausible that Musk’s companies will have a target on their backs.

The conflict threatens to derail Trump’s centerpiece legislation, which he calls the “big, beautiful bill”. Musk has trained his fire not just on Trump but also on Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, resurfacing past comments where they lamented the dangers of letting government spending spiral out of control.

In characteristically fiery style, Musk contended in one Thursday afternoon post that “Congress is spending America into bankruptcy!” The budget bill in its current form is projected to add USD 2.4 trillion to the deficit over 10 years, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. (ANI)

A day after the tragic stampede during the IPL victory celebration event of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Bengaluru that left 11 dead and dozens injured, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday said that a one-member commission has been formed to probe the incident.

CM Siddaramaiah also announced that the state government has decided to suspend top police department officials, including the Commissioner of Bengaluru City Police.

Speaking to the media, the Karnataka CM stated, “Under the chairmanship of Justice Michael D’Cunha, a retired judge of the High Court, we have appointed a one-man commission to investigate the incident.”

He emphasised the government’s commitment to ensuring accountability.

The Chief Minister said that action will be taken against those responsible for the mismanagement of the event. “On RCB, the event manager DNA Entertainment, and KSCA, who represented them, we have decided to arrest them,” Siddaramaiah said.

Taking strong action, the government has suspended several senior police officials immediately.

Detailing about the same, the CM said, “Cubbon Park Police Station Police Inspector, Station House Master, Station House Officer, ACP, Central Division DCP, Cricket Stadium in-charge, Additional Commissioner of Police, Commisioner of Police have been suspended with immediate effect.”

Referring to the deep sorrow caused by the incident, he said, “When I was speaking about the tragedy yesterday, 11 died and 47 were injured — all were in pain, and we still are. It was important to express our condolences and console the families.”

The CM added that the state cabinet discussed the matter seriously during its scheduled meeting and made firm decisions to prevent such tragedies in the future.

Earlier in the day, the Karnataka Police filed an FIR against the Karnataka Cricket Board Administrative Committee, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), among others, in the Bengaluru stampede incident that claimed the lives of 11 people.

According to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Central Bengaluru, Shekar H Tekkannanavar, an FIR has been filed against RCB, DNA (event manager), Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) Administrative Committee and others at Cubbon Park Police Station.

The FIR stated criminal negligence in the stampede incident. Sections 105, 125 (1)(2), 132, 121/1, 190 R/w 3 (5) have been invoked in the FIR.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka High Court notified the state government over the stampede incident.

The HC took suo motu cognisance of the incident and asked for a further status report.

Eleven people died and more than 30 were injured in a stampede outside Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy stadium as a huge crowd of nearly 3 lakh people had gathered to witness the victory celebration of Royal Challengers Bengaluru for winning the Indian Premier League (IPL). (ANI)

The all-party delegation led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor met the Vice President of the US, JD Vance, on Thursday.

Shashi Tharoor shared the meeting details in a post on X. He noted that deliberations took place on various important issues, including counter-terrorism and enhancing technological cooperation between the two countries.

He wrote on X, “Excellent meeting with Vice President @JDVance today in Washington D.C. with our delegation. We had comprehensive discussions covering a wide array of critical issues, from counter-terrorism efforts to enhancing technological cooperation. A truly constructive & productive exchange for strengthening India-US strategic partnership, with a great meeting of minds. #IndiaUS #Diplomacy #StrategicPartnership”

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor is leading the all-party delegation which includes Shambhavi Chaudhary (Lok Janshakti Party), Sarfaraz Ahmed (Jharkhand Mukti Morcha), G M Harish Balayogi (Telugu Desam Party), Shashank Mani Tripathi, Tejaswi Surya, and Bhubaneswar Kalita (all from the BJP), Mallikarjun Devda (Shiv Sena), former Indian Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu, and Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora.

The all-party delegation reached the US after completing their visit to Brazil. Their purpose is to brief key US stakeholders on Operation Sindoor, India’s diplomatic effort launched to combat terrorism and disinformation following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.

According to a statement by the Indian Embassy, on June 4, the all-party delegation met the leadership of the House Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans in the 119th Congress, including the co-chairs Rep. Ro Khanna and Rep. Rich McCormick and the vice co-chairs Rep. Andy Barr and Rep. Marc Veasey.

The delegation also met the leadership of the House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) in a special high-power meeting hosted by Committee Chairman Rep. Brian Mast and Ranking Member Rep. Gregory Meeks.

Also, in attendance were HFAC’s South and Central Asia Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Bill Huizenga, Ranking Member Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, and HFAC’s East Asia & Pacific Subcommittee Chairperson Rep. Young Kim and Ranking Member Rep. Ami Bera.

As per the Embassy, in a separate interaction, members of the delegation also met with Rep. Lisa McClain, Chairwoman of the House Republican Conference for the 119th Congress- the highest-ranking woman in Congress and the delegation had also interacted with the members of the Indian diaspora.

The Indian diaspora members shared their message of solidarity with the victims of terrorism and support for India’s fight against terrorism. (ANI)

The Amarnath Yatra, a 38-day pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine in Jammu and Kashmir, has been secured with a massive deployment of 581 Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) companies, jammers, and drones.

This extensive security arrangement aims to ensure the safe passage of devotees during the sacred journey. It comes in the backdrop of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 tourists were killed.

Besides, top official sources mentioned that all roads leading to the Yatra routes and National Highways will be temporarily blocked to ensure maximum security during the convoy’s passage.

In addition to these measures, a comprehensive deployment will include Road Opening Parties (ROPs) to secure and clear the routes, Quick Action Teams (QATs) for immediate response to threats,

Bomb Disposal Squads (BDS) will detect and neutralise explosives, and K9 units (specially trained sniffer dogs) and drones will be used for aerial surveillance.

These arrangements will be in place on both the Pahalgam and Baltal routes to the Amarnath Cave Shrine in Jammu and Kashmir.

For the first time, the officials said, jammers will be installed to protect the Shri Amarnathji Yatra convoy during its movement, which will be escorted by Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs).

The Annual Hindu pilgrimage, scheduled to take place from July 3 to August 9, will be conducted over a reduced duration of 38 days for the first time this year. This year’s Yatra is comparatively shorter than last year’s 52-day pilgrimage.

Officials said that “preparations are in full swing to ensure a secure, seamless, and well-coordinated Yatra.”

“Regular high-level coordination meetings are being held with the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, Divisional Administration, J-K Police, and other CAPFs to review and streamline security, logistics, and overall administration arrangements.”

In a recent review visit, Director General of Central Reserve Police Force Gyanendra Pratap Singh personally inspected key sites, including Pahalgam, Jammu, base camps, and Yatri Niwas, to oversee on-ground preparedness and ensure that comprehensive measures are in place for the safety and convenience of the pilgrims.

The Shri Amarnathji Yatra is an annual Hindu pilgrimage to the sacred Amarnath Cave Shrine, dedicated to Lord Shiva, located at an altitude of about 3,888 meters in the Himalayas of Jammu and Kashmir (J-K). The cave houses a naturally formed ice Shivling, believed to represent Lord Shiva, and draws lakhs of devotees every year.

The Yatra is typically held during the Shravan month (July to August) as per the Hindu calendar, under the supervision of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) and with coordinated support from security and civil administration. (ANI)

The excitement was palpable at the Rohini Theatre on Thursday as Kamal Haasan’s highly anticipated film, ‘Thug Life’, was released.

Fans flooded the venue, waving banners and cheering for their beloved actor, creating an electrifying atmosphere at the premises of the cinema halls.

The buzz was unmistakable, with several fans even breaking into spontaneous dances to celebrate the much-awaited release of the film.

At the centre of the buzz, Haasan expressed his gratitude and excitement for the project, particularly his collaboration with the acclaimed director Mani Ratnam.

During a press interaction on Wednesday, Haasan spoke fondly of his experience working on ‘Thug Life’ and what the film means to him.

“It is true that working with him (Mani Ratnam) was a pleasure for me. I would like to thank Tamil Nadu and its people for their unwavering support,” Haasan said, reflecting on the warmth he has received throughout his career.

Haasan went on to elaborate about his contribution to the film, describing the collaborative process with Ratnam.

“Every film is a challenge, especially when you add another director like Mani Ratnam and a story that is so interesting. Fortunately, he included me in the story’s preparation. I gave him an idea, and most of the time, I was getting vegetables and helping him make it more tasty. That’s what I did. And that I call a true collaboration… We both are children of cinema, and that is how we see each other,” he said.

When asked what made ‘Thug Life’ stand out, Haasan pointed to the film’s stellar cast and crew.

“Good actors, good makeup artists, costume designers, fantastic director, and great music. I don’t have to explain to you why I say it’s great. Of course, I love to join the crowd and cheer a great music director like A R Rahman. He has done an excellent job,” Haasan shared.

The actor also took a moment to reflect on his journey in the world of cinema. He admitted that his rise to stardom, despite being surrounded by numerous talented and intelligent peers in his early theatre days, has been a stroke of luck.

“I was a happy child. I was a parrot, not a cage, but they taught me, and I repeated. It’s only after 7 when I joined the theatre and all that, I realised that so many intelligent children, and I’ve been lucky to have become a star. That’s when I actually started learning outside of school,” Haasan recalled.

In ‘Thug Life’, Haasan leads an ensemble cast that includes Silambarasan TR, Trisha Krishnan, Ashok Selvan, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Joju George, Ali Fazal, Sanya Malhotra, and Rohit Saraf, among others.

The film is directed by Mani Ratnam, marking a highly anticipated reunion between the legendary director and Haasan after 38 years. (ANI)

Aspiring candidates for government jobs can now apply for Staff Selection Commission (SSC) recruitment exams using an enhanced mobile application developed by the Commission.

In partnership with Cubastion Consulting Pvt. Ltd., SSC has launched a significantly upgraded version of its official app — My SSC — to streamline and secure the application and registration process for candidates nationwide. The new version, available since 2 June 2025, incorporates advanced features such as Aadhaar-linked OTP authentication, one-time registration, and face recognition using the Aadhaar Face RD app.

The goal of the updated system is to ensure foolproof and impersonation-free registration for Group B and Group C posts under SSC. Applicants register once using their Aadhaar number, verify via OTP sent to their Aadhaar-linked phone number, and complete KYC and facial authentication during application submission. A UID token is generated post-verification to ensure that only genuine applicants can proceed.

“This is a national milestone. We are launching Face RD integration in SSC for the first time at this scale. This will substantially cut impersonation and enhance trust in our recruitment systems,” said S Gopalakrishnan, Chairman, SSC.

So far, 40,000 applications have been successfully completed through this system, with over 2 lakh more in progress. Officials estimate around 30 lakh total applications.

The verification process at exam centres uses the UID token and registration ID, positioning it as the most secure recruitment procedure currently in place in India.

The My SSC app is available for download on the Google Play Store, enabling millions of job seekers to apply confidently and independently. (ANI)

The Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAK LI) Regiment Centre in Srinagar held the Passing Out Parade (POP) of its fifth batch of Agniveers on Thursday, marking the induction of 326 recruits into the Indian Army.

The newly inducted Agniveers completed 31 weeks of physical, mental, and tactical training before marching in unison during the attestation ceremony. Senior Army officers, instructors, and recruits’ family members attended the event.

The Reviewing Officer, a senior Army official, congratulated the newly inducted soldiers and encouraged them to uphold the rich legacy of the JAK LI Regiment with unwavering commitment and courage.

One Agniveer said, “I am feeling very good. It was hard work for 31 weeks. It was great to see my parents after a period of 7 months.”

Another Agniveer added, “It feels good to pass out, as I worked very hard for the recruitment. I’m going home after seven months. More youth should join the army.”

“I feel proud of myself for passing out, especially since the training was very hard. We will protect the country, and I am ready to be posted anywhere in the country,” said another Agniveer.

A parent present at the ceremony said, “I am very pleased today. The recruits who were selected for the army completed their training, and today was their passing parade. It’s a moment of happiness. Besides this, I want to tell the youth of today that they should not sit at home after completing their studies because it’s a competitive era. As Eid is coming up, we will have two celebrations.”

Another parent from Kupwara expressed his happiness over the POP,

He says, “We are very happy if my boy is passing out in this POP parade. So that’s why we’re here to watch the parade. We are very happy to be here in the parade. There is unemployment.” (ANI)