Month: July 2025

Dalai Lama’s recent visit to Ladakh underscored India’s unique and vital role as the global center for authentic Buddhist learning and practice, a status that far surpasses China’s constrained and politicised approach, according to The Dalai Lama Office.

After a warm, jubilant welcome from Ladakhis, Tibetans, and other local communities, Dalai Lama emphasised the profound importance of India in preserving and nurturing Buddhist traditions, especially in light of the destruction inflicted on Tibetan Buddhist institutions by Chinese authorities.

“The precious traditions that we can learn and implement in daily life have declined in Tibet. Those who fled to India have had the responsibility of preserving these traditions,” said Dalai Lama. He recalled the chaos of 1959 that forced him to flee Tibet, and how the Government of India has extended “immense support” and “tremendous assistance” to Tibetan refugees, allowing the revival of monastic universities and rigorous scholarly debate on Buddhist philosophy.

“Unlike China, where religious freedom is severely restricted and political control undermines genuine spiritual teaching, India offers a free and flourishing environment for the study of Buddhism’s deepest philosophical texts, including the Middle Way (Madhyamaka) and logic (Pramana) from the ancient Nalanda tradition. “In China, the political situation is not stable, I feel it would be difficult to teach about Buddhism in a country where there is no freedom,” said Dalai Lama.

He highlighted how Tibetan Buddhism’s rich heritage of dialectical debate and scholarly rigour thrives in India’s monastic centers, where students actively engage in philosophical discussions that cultivate insight and compassion. This open intellectual environment contrasts sharply with China’s politicised, superficial promotion of Buddhism, often stripped of its transformative spiritual depth.

Furthermore, Dalai Lama praised the Himalayan region’s shared language, culture, and Buddhist lineage with Tibetans, stressing the critical role of Indian institutions in upholding and spreading the authentic Dharma for the benefit of all sentient beings.

With India’s democratic freedoms, centuries-old Buddhist educational traditions, and ongoing support for Tibetan refugees and monastics, it is clear why India remains the unrivalled sanctuary and beacon for Buddhism’s future. (ANI)

India’s seasoned badminton player and Olympic medallist Saina Nehwal announced that she has parted ways with her husband, Parupalli Kashyap, who is also a shuttler.

Saina took to Instagram to release a brief statement announcing her divorce from Kashyap, which came nearly seven years after their 2018 marriage.

“Life takes us in different directions sometimes. After much thought and consideration, Kashyap Parupalli and I have decided to part ways. We’re choosing peace, growth, and healing – for ourselves and each other. I’m grateful for the memories and wish nothing but the best moving forward. Thank you for understanding and respecting our privacy during this time,” Saina wrote on Instagram.

Hailing from Haryana, Saina caught everyone’s attention after winning the BWF World Junior Championships in 2008, early in her career. In the same year, she went on to make her first Olympic appearance but had to wait for another four years to bag a medal in the Summer Games.

In 2008, she became the first Indian woman to reach the Olympic quarter-finals. She defeated, then-world number five Wang Chen of Hong Kong but lost to Indonesia’s Maria Kristin Yulianti.In 2009, Saina became the first Indian to win a BWF Super Series event.

Her remarkable efforts were recognised as she was conferred with the Arjuna Award in 2009 and the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 2010. The shuttler has had a phenomenal career for India, transforming the sport in the country. Saina represented India in several premier badminton competitions, winning various trophies and medals.

She is also the only female Indian player to hold the world No.1 ranking in the sport. Saina has played a significant role in inspiring thousands of athletes and youth in the country to strive for success.

Kashyap is a 2014 Commonwealth Games gold medallist. This was the first instance in 32 years of an Indian badminton player winning a Commonwealth Games gold medal. He trained under both former All-England champions Prakash Padukone and Pullela Gopichand.

He is also the first Indian male badminton player to reach the quarter-finals of the Olympics, a feat he achieved during the Summer Games in 2012. Kashyap stormed to his career-best world ranking of six in 2013, but struggled to maintain it due to constant injuries. (ANI)

Poliovirus has been detected in 20 sewage sample testing across Pakistan, as reported by ARY News on Sunday citing National Reference Laboratory.

As per Ary News, referring to details, the National Reference Laboratory has completed nationwide sewage sample testing, with the Poliovirus detected in a total of 28 sewage samples from 20 districts, including Islamabad, have tested positive for the virus.

Citing sources, Ary News observed that the environmental samples collected from sewer lines tested positive for Wild Poliovirus Type 1 (WPV1). These environmental samples were taken between May 8 and June 17.

In Sindh, 14 sewage samples from 10 districts tested positive for polio. Three samples in Lahore also came back positive. In Balochistan, samples from three districts–Mastung, Khuzdar, and Sibi–confirmed the presence of poliovirus.

Five samples from four districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also tested positive. Two samples from two locations in Islamabad were also confirmed positive. In PoJK, one sample from district Mirpur tested positive for the poliovirus.

Earlier this year, Pakistan had recorded over 60,000 cases of polio vaccine refusal during its nationwide anti-polio campaign conducted between April 21 and 27 this year, according to a report by ARY News citing official sources.

The ARY News report stated that a total of 60,906 polio vaccine refusals were documented during the country’s second national polio eradication drive of 2025. Sindh reported the highest number of refusals, with 39,073 cases, out of which more than 37,000 were from Karachi alone, the report said.

Balochistan followed with over 3,500 refusal cases, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recorded a vaccine refusal rate of 0.4 per cent, according to the data.

Instances of parental refusal were also reported from Punjab and Islamabad, as per the ARY News report.

The reluctance to vaccinate remains a significant hurdle in Pakistan’s battle against polio. The latest data comes amid confirmation of another new polio case in the country, bringing the total number of cases in 2025 to 13.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), polio is a highly infectious disease caused by a virus. The virus is transmitted person-to-person, mainly through the faecal-oral route or, less frequently, by a common vehicle (for example, contaminated water or food), and multiplies in the intestine.

The disease can cause paralysis and even death, with no cure available. However, vaccination remains the most effective way to protect children from this crippling disease. Multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and completing the routine vaccination schedule for children under five are crucial to providing high immunity against polio.

Children under 5 years of age are mainly affected by polio, according to the WHO. However, anyone of any age who is unvaccinated can contract the disease. There is no cure for polio, it can only be prevented. The polio vaccine, given multiple times, can protect a child for life.

Pakistan is one of the two polio-endemic nations in the world, alongside Afghanistan. The number of polio cases reduced significantly every year in Pakistan until the recent rise in cases.

Despite national campaigns being conducted in Pakistan to eradicate polio, southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remains a challenge due to access issues and barriers to house-to-house vaccination, leaving many children unvaccinated and vulnerable. (ANI)

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla delivered a stirring farewell speech from the International Space Station (ISS) as the Axiom-4 crew prepares for its journey back to Earth.

With a modern twist, he quoted the iconic words of Cosmonaut Rakesh Sharma: “Aaj ka Bharat abhi bhi saare jahaan se acha dikhta hai” (Today’s India is still more splendid than the entire world).

He made the remarks as the crew members delivered their farewell speeches in both English and their native languages.

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla said, “Aaj ka bharat space se mahatvakaanshi dikhta hai, aaj ka bharat space se nidar dikhta hai, aaj ka Bharat confident dikhta hai, aaj ka Bharat garv se poorn dikhta hai aur inhi sab kaarano ki vajah se aaj mai fir se keh sakta hoon ki aaj ka bharat abhi bhi saare jahaan se acha dikhta hai” (Today’s India looks ambitious from space. Today’s India looks fearless, confident, and full of pride).

Group Captain Shubhanshu expressed his gratitude to the people, ISRO, NASA, international partners, Axiom Space, and SpaceX for making this journey possible. He highlighted the incredible experience of working with professionals from around the world and the mission’s far-reaching impact.

“It was an incredible joy to be here and working alongside a bunch of professionals like you. For the past two and a half weeks and so, we have done a lot of science on the station, we have done outreach activities “

In a light-hearted moment, he added, “(We) also looked back at the earth in whatever time we found. We were always looking out of the window”.

“It almost seems magical to me and I would like to take this opportunity to thank my country and all its citizens for supporting this mission and me with all of their hearts. I would like to thank ISRO for making this happen, all the colleagues at ISRO who have worked tirelessly in developing all of the protocols, science and the outreach activities… the researchers back in India, the students who developed the outreach items that I carried”, he said.

Group Captain Shukla also extended thanks to NASA, international partners, Axiom Space, SpaceX, “for ensuring that we (astronauts) were trained very well and providing all the support round the clock– people who were on ground, supporting this mission, making it extremely successful”.

He agreed with his Hungarian colleague Tibor Kapu and underscored that the mission had far and wide-ranging impacts as apart from science.

“Going back from here I carry a lot of memories, and the learnings out of this mission that I would spread back, But the one thing that really sticks to me is what humanity is capable of when all of us come together from different parts of the world and work for a common goal. It is truly incredible”.

Ending his optimistic and stirring speech, Group Captain Shukla said, “We will meet soon on earth”.

Towards the end of the speeches, the crew members shared an emotional moment where they hugged each other.

The farwell ceremony was also shared on the official X handle of Axiom Space.

IAF Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian astronaut to visit the International Space Station (ISS), is set to return to Earth tomorrow, July 15, along with his crew from Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4).The crew is scheduled to undock from the ISS on July 14 at around 4:35 PM IST, with splashdown expected in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California at approximately 3 PM IST on Tuesday, July 15.The return journey aboard the Dragon spacecraft will take around 22 hours, concluding their nearly 18-day mission aboard the ISS.

The Ax-4 crew includes Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), European Space Agency (ESA) project astronaut Slawosz “Suave” Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland, and HUNOR (Hungarian to Orbit) astronaut Tibor Kapu.

During their stay, the team conducted multiple scientific experiments and outreach activities aboard the orbiting laboratory.

The Dragon spacecraft will return with more than 580 pounds of cargo, including NASA hardware and data from over 60 experiments conducted during the mission.

Axiom Mission 4 was launched on June 25 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. The Dragon spacecraft successfully docked with the ISS on June 26 at 4:05 pm IST, ahead of schedule, connecting to the space-facing port of the station’s Harmony module. (ANI)

Veteran actor Jackie Shroff has joined actors Kartik Aaryan and Ananya Panday in the upcoming film ‘Tu Meri Main Tera, Main Tera Tu Meri.’

The exciting news was shared by Kartik, who took to his Instagram account to confirm Shroff’s entry as he shared a fun behind-the-scenes video. In the video, Kartik and Jackie can be seen enjoying a retro song together. Jackie, dressed in his usual style with sunglasses and a bandana, stood out with his cool look.

Kartik captioned the post, “Lights, Camera and The OG ‘Hero’ #TuMeriMainTeraMainTeraTuMeri.”

Take a look

Earlier, the makers had shared the first look of Kartik and Ananya from the movie’s set in Europe. The image showed the two actors holding passports and sharing a kiss near the sea, giving fans a glimpse of the film’s romantic vibe.

‘Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri’ will be released in theatres on February 13, 2026, coinciding with Valentine’s Day.

The movie, directed by Sameer Vidwans, marks Kartik Aaryan’s second collaboration with the director, following their work on ‘Satyaprem Ki Katha’. It is produced under the banner of Dharma Productions. The plot details are still under wraps.

In the coming months, Kartik will also be seen in ‘Nagzilla’ directed by ‘Fukrey’ fame director Mrighdeep Singh Lamba. ‘Nagzilla’ will be released in theatres on August 14, 2026.

Jackie, on the other hand, will be next seen in Anupam Kher’s directorial ‘Tanvi The Great’. The film releases in cinemas worldwide on July 18. (ANI)

Deepika Padukone was spotted at the airport on Sunday morning, making a rare solo appearance without her husband Ranveer Singh and their daughter Dua Padukone Singh.

The actress, who recently embraced motherhood, seemed to be in a rush; however, she took a moment to smile and pose for the paparazzi.

The ‘Pathaan’ actress kept her airport look simple yet stylish. She wore an oversized blue and white striped shirt with puffed sleeves and paired it with classic blue jeans.

Her yellow sneakers added a bright pop of color to the outfit. Completing her look with black sunglasses and a tan handbag, she once again proved that airport fashion can be both comfortable and elegant.

The actress recently made headlines after reports surfaced that she stepped out of Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s upcoming film ‘Spirit,’ which stars Prabhas in the lead. Though no official statement has been made, the rumoured exit has led to conversations around balancing work and motherhood in the film industry, especially regarding an eight-hour workday for new moms.

Both Deepika and the film’s team have remained silent on the matter.

On the work front, Deepika was last seen as DCP Shakti Shetty in ‘Singham Again.'(ANI)

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha announced on Sunday that the ongoing Amarnath Yatra has surpassed the 2-lakh mark, with devotees continuing to throng the holy cave shrine.

With Baba Amarnath Ji's blessings, the holy pilgrimage has crossed 2 lakh mark today. This is a sacred journey of lifetime and I welcome all the devotees to discover and experience the divinity. Har Har Mahadev!

— Office of LG J&K (@OfficeOfLGJandK) July 13, 2025

In a post on X, LG Sinha expressed his joy, stating, “With Baba Amarnath Ji’s blessings, the holy pilgrimage has crossed the 2 lakh mark today. This is a sacred journey of a lifetime, and I welcome all the devotees to discover and experience the divinity. Har Har Mahadev!”

The 38-day annual Amarnath pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre-high holy cave shrine in south Kashmir began on July 3 and will conclude on August 9.

The pilgrimage is taking place simultaneously via both the Pahalgam route (Anantnag district) and the Baltal route (Ganderbal district).

Amarnath Yatra is an annual pilgrimage to the Amarnath cave, where devotees pay homage to an ice stalagmite believed to be the lingam of Lord Shiva.

The ice stalagmite forms every year during the summer months and reaches its maximum size in July and August, when thousands of Hindu devotees make an annual pilgrimage to the cave.

The Indian Army has launched ‘Operation SHIVA 2025’ in close coordination with the Civil Administration and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) to ensure the smooth and secure conduct of the Amarnath Yatra.

This annual high-tempo operation aims to provide a robust security architecture along both the Northern and Southern Yatra routes, particularly in light of the heightened threat from Pakistan-backed proxies in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor.

As part of this year’s enhanced security framework, over 8,500 troops have been deployed, supported by a wide array of technological and operational resources. A dynamic counter-terrorism grid, prophylactic security deployment, and corridor protection measures have been instituted. Comprehensive assistance to civil authorities is also being provided, particularly in disaster management and emergency response.

The Indian Army’s efforts include the installation of a Counter-UAS grid with more than 50 C-UAS and EW systems each to neutralise drone threats.

“Regular UAV missions and live monitoring of Yatra routes and the Holy Cave. Engineer task forces for bridge construction, track widening, and disaster mitigation,” an official release read.

The Indian Army has arranged more than 150 doctors and medical personnel, with two Advanced Dressing Stations, nine Medical Aid Posts, a 100-bed hospital, and 26 oxygen booths supported by 2,00,000 litres of oxygen. (ANI)

Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor raised concerns over the claims that the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists for Bihar elections revealed names of people from Bangladesh, Nepal, and Myanmar.

Prashant Kishor asked ECI whether the Lok Sabha elections were held according to the voter list, which included the names of “Bangladeshis or illegal people.”

“The Election Commission has started the revision process. If they are saying that there are Nepalis and Bangladeshis here, then this is a matter of great concern. Is the Election Commission admitting that the voter list used for the Lok Sabha elections included a large number of Bangladeshis or illegal people?”, Prashant Kishor told reporters.

The Jan Suraaj Party founder further slammed the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government over the issue and also questioned the role of police and administration in the matter.

Kishor called for answers from Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and asked how “such people” were allowed to live in Bihar and avail themselves of the state facilities.

“The second major issue is that if these people are coming and living in Bihar, then there is a BJP-Nitish government in Bihar, how are these people living here? What is the police administration doing? The Nitish government should answer how, under their rule, such people have been allowed to come and live in Bihar, avail the facilities here, and get the right to vote?” he asked.

Earlier on Sunday, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav rubbished claims that the Election Commission’s SIR of voter lists for Bihar elections revealed names of people from Bangladesh, Nepal, and Myanmar.

He questioned the credibility of sources making such claims, likening them to rumours about Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore being captured.

“Who are these sources? These are the same sources that said that Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore have been captured. ‘Ye sootra ko hum mootra samajhte hai’ (We consider these sources to be nonsense),” Yadav said.

ECI sources said that a large number of individuals from Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar have been found by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) with Aadhaar cards, domicile certificates and ration cards during house-to-house visits carried out as part of the SIR.

ECI sources added that after a proper enquiry is conducted from August 1 to 30, if found true, such names shall not be included in the final list to be published on September 30, 2025.

The state will go to Assembly polls later in the year.

Notably, the BLOs have already digitised and uploaded 4.66 crore Enumeration Forms in ECINet, as on Sunday evening. ECINet is the newly developed integrated software that has subsumed all the different 40 ECI apps that had existed earlier. (ANI)

The monsoon has left a trail of devastation across Himachal Pradesh, claiming 98 lives and causing property damage worth Rs 770.96 crore, according to the latest data released by the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA).

Between June 20 and July 13, a total of 57 people died in rain-related incidents such as landslides (8), flash floods (15), cloudbursts (9), drowning (10), electrocution (4), and other rain-triggered accidents, including people falling from rocks or trees (10).

Road conditions have deteriorated severely, leading to 41 additional fatalities in traffic accidents, highlighting the dangers of travelling on hilly terrain during heavy rains.

The report revealed that Mandi district remains the worst affected, recording 21 deaths, followed by Kangra (14), Kullu (10), Chamba (9), Hamirpur (8) and others.

The death toll was further compounded by large-scale losses to livestock and property. The SDMA report states that 22,454 poultry birds and 954 domestic animals have died due to rain-triggered incidents.

In addition, more than 375 houses have sustained damage, of which 91 were completely destroyed and 279 partially damaged. Cow sheds, shops, schools, and agricultural lands were also swept away or severely impacted by the rains.

The total economic loss is estimated at a staggering Rs 770.96 crore across sectors, including PWD, water supply, power, education, health, fisheries, and urban development.

Rescue and restoration efforts are ongoing, with multiple relief camps established across affected areas. The State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) has advised people to avoid travel in vulnerable zones and remain alert as more rainfall is forecast in the region.

Meanwhile, heavy monsoon rains continued to lash Himachal Pradesh, severely disrupting public utilities and infrastructure across several districts.

According to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) report issued at 6:00 PM on Saturday, 196 roads including 1 National Highway have been blocked due to landslides and flooding, while 73 power distribution transformers (DTRs) and 787 water supply schemes have been reported disrupted.

The SEOC also confirmed that the majority of road blockages were reported from Mandi district, which alone accounts for 153 blocked roads, including the affected stretch of NH from Mandi to Kullu near 4 Miles and Bindravani. Other affected districts include Kullu (17 roads blocked), Kangra (12), Sirmaur (11), and Una (3).

While no fresh human casualties were mentioned in the public utility report itself, earlier updates from the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), reported a total of 98 deaths across Himachal Pradesh from June 20 to July 12.

Of these, 59 deaths were attributed to rain-related incidents including landslides, flash floods, and house collapses, while 41 people died in road accidents during the same period.

Restoration efforts are ongoing. According to SEOC officials, several water and sewerage systems affected particularly in Kullu and Mandi have been temporarily repaired to ensure continuity of services. However, access to many remote areas remains cut off.

Officials have advised residents and tourists to avoid unnecessary travel in hilly and vulnerable zones, as more rainfall is forecasted in the coming days. (ANI)