Author: LokMarg

The Test and ODI captain of the Indian women’s national cricket team, Mithali Raj, on Wednesday announced her retirement from all formats of international cricket.

Mithali is retiring as the leading run-scorer in the women’s ODIs. She represented India in 232 matches, scoring 7805 runs at an average of 50.68. In Tests, Mithali has smashed 699 runs in 12 matches with a brilliant average of 43.68. She also has 2364 runs in 89 T20Is.

Mithali, who made her debut in 2002, is regarded as the greatest Indian women’s batter. She captained the side to two 50-over World Cups.

At 16, Raj scored an unbeaten 114 on ODI debut and soon established herself as a vital clog in India’s batting order. In October 2019, Raj, at 36, became the first woman to complete two decades in ODI cricket.

“I set out as a little girl on the journey to wear the India blues as representing your country is the highest honour. The journey was full of highs and some lows. Each event taught me something unique and the last 23 years have been the most fulfilling, challenging & enjoyable years of my life,” Mithali said on social media on Wednesday.

“Like all journeys, this one too must come to an end. Today is the day I retire from all forms of International Cricket,” she added.

“Each time I stepped on the field, I gave my very best with the intent to help India win. I will always cherish the opportunity given to me to represent the tricolour. I feel now is the perfect time to call curtains on my playing career as the team is in the capable hands of some very talented young players and the future of Indian Cricket is bright.”

“I’d like to thank the BCCI & Shri Jay Shah Sir (Honorary Secretary, BCCI) for all the support I have received – first as a player and then as the Captain of the Indian Women’s Cricket Team. It was an honour to have led the team for so many years. It definitely shaped me as a person & hopefully helped shape Indian Women’s Cricket as well,” she continued.

“This journey may have ended but another one beckons as I’d love to stay involved in the game I love and contribute to the growth of Women’s Cricket in India and world over. Special mention to all my fans, thank you for all your love & support,” Mithali concluded.

Mithali Raj is currently in the seventh position in the latest ICC Women’s ODI batting rankings, released on Tuesday. (ANI)

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar welcomed the Iranian Foreign Minister Dr Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Wednesday, saying the discussion between the visiting minister and Indian officials will reflect the close ties between Tehran and New Delhi.

“Welcoming FM @Amirabdolahian to New Delhi. Our discussions today will reflect our close and friendly relations,” EAM Jaishankar tweeted.

Earlier today, the Iranian Foreign Minister arrived in New Delhi. He is slated to hold talks with India’s high-ranking officials aimed at expanding strategic cooperation between the two countries.

“The visit to India is aimed at expanding ties between the two countries and holding strategic consultations over cooperation regarding regional issues and international developments,” Iran Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

India’s relations with Iran are unique and historic. Iran is an important partner and a close neighbour.

During 2021-22, there was an intensification in bilateral engagement. Jaishankar visited Tehran twice and held constructive meetings with the Iranian leadership.

The two countries continued their engagement in the field of healthcare, and a meeting of the Joint Working Group (JWG) on Health was held in April 2021.

Jaishankar visited Iran to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the President-elect Ayatollah Sayyid Ebrahim Raisi. He visited Tehran at the invitation of the Government of Iran.

He held constructive meetings with the top Iranian leadership and discussed several issues, including the development of Shahid Behesti Terminal, and Chabahar Port.

The Government of India took over the operations of a part of Shahid Beheshti Port, Chabahar in Iran. India started interacting with Iran on Chabahar Port around 2003 but a major push was received in the second half of 2014, resulting in the signing of an MOU between the two countries for the development of Chabahar Port in May 2015.

This MOU translated into a formal 10-year Contract for Equipping and Operating the Chabahar Port, which was executed on 23rd May 2016, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Tehran. (ANI)

India witnessed a leap of nearly 41 per cent in the daily COVID cases on Wednesday as the country logged 5,233 new infections in the last 24 hours, informed the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

On Tuesday, India had reported 3,714 COVID cases. This increase is believed to be led by the surge in COVID cases in Maharashtra. The state reported 1,881 new coronavirus cases last evening, which is the highest since February 18.

With this surge in COVID cases, the active caseload in the country stands at 28,857, constituting 0.07 per cent of India’s total positive cases.

The daily and weekly positivity rates have also seen a surge.

The daily positivity rate was observed to be 1.67 per cent in the last 24 hours, while the weekly positivity rate was recorded to be 1.12, the Health Ministry informed.

As per the Ministry’s data, the daily positivity rate on Tuesday was 1.21 per cent and the weekly positivity rate was 0.97 per cent.

The last 24 hours also saw 3,345 recoveries, taking the total recoveries to 4,26,36,710. India’s Recovery Rate is currently at 98.72 per cent.

India conducted 3,13,361 COVID-19 tests in the last 24 hours. The country has so far conducted 85.35 crore (85,35,22,623) total tests so far, as per the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) data.

The country has administered more than 194.43 crore (1,94,43,26,416) vaccine doses so far under the nationwide vaccination drive. This has been achieved through 2,48,41,726 sessions.

India has also administered 3,73,13,276 precaution doses to all the beneficiaries so far.

COVID-19 vaccination for the age group 12-14 years began on March 16, 2022. So far, more than 3.46 crore (3,46,80,050) adolescents have been administered the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. (ANI)

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesday proposed to allow the linking of credit cards to the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) platform.

After the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das announced that the implementation will start with the indigenous RuPay credit cards.

“At present, UPI facilitates transactions by linking savings/current accounts through users’ debit cards. It is now proposed to allow linking of credit cards on the UPI platform,” RBI Governor said in his statement after the MPC meeting.

“To begin with, the Rupay credit cards will be linked to the UPI platform. This will provide additional convenience to users and enhance the scope of digital payments,” Das said.

RBI Governor noted that the “UPI has become the most inclusive mode of payment in India with over 26 crore unique users and 5 crore merchants on the platform. In May 2022 alone, about 594 crore transactions amounting to Rs 10.4 lakh crore were processed through UPI.”

The RBI also decided to enhance e-Mandates limits on cards for recurring payments.

The framework for processing of e-mandate based recurring payments was introduced by the Reserve Bank of India keeping in mind the benefits of convenience, safety and security to the users, RBI Governor said.

Under this framework, over 6.25 crore mandates have been registered in favour of a large number of domestic and over 3,400 international merchants.

To further facilitate recurring payments like subscriptions, insurance premia, education fee, etc. of larger value under the framework, the limit is being enhanced from Rs 5,000 to Rs 15,000 per transaction. This will further leverage the benefits available under the framework and augment customer convenience, Das said. (ANI)

In a grim incident similar to the 2012 Nirbhaya gang-rape case, a minor girl was allegedly raped inside a bus by three persons in the Bettiah city of Bihar’s West Champaran district on Wednesday, police said.

According to the preliminary report, the victim was found on the bus in a semi-conscious state.
Police also recorded the victim’s statement in which she alleged that the driver and his accomplice offered her a cold drink which contained a pill.

After consuming the cold drink, it made her unconscious and the accused gang-raped the minor girl, according to police citing the victim’s statement.

“Three people were accused of allegedly raping a minor girl inside a bus in Bettiah, West Champaran district. The girl was found on the bus in a semi-conscious state,” Mukul Pandey, Bettiah Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) told ANI.

Out of the three accused, two persons have been arrested by the police in connection with the rape case.

“The bus has been seized, the driver and helper of the bus have been arrested,” Pandey added.

Further, police sent the girl for medical examination and the two arrested accused are being interrogated.

In the 2012 gangrape case, a 23-year-old physiotherapy student was gang-raped and brutally assaulted in New Delhi. She later succumbed to her injuries, igniting widespread outrage and protests across the country.

Six people were involved in the case. The main accused, Ram Singh, allegedly committed suicide in Tihar Jail during the trial. Another accused was a minor at the time of the commission of the crime and was sent to a reform facility and released after three years. While four convicts in the case– Vinay, Akshay, Pawan, and Mukesh were convicted and sentenced to death for the crime. (ANI)

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesday hiked the policy repo rate by 50 basis points to 4.9 per cent and raised the inflation projection for the current financial year to 6.7 per cent.

RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das announced that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has “voted unanimously to increase the policy repo rate by 50 basis points to 4.90 per cent, with immediate effect”.

Consequently, the standing deposit facility (SDF) rate stands adjusted to 4.65 per cent and the marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate to 5.15 per cent.

The MPC also decided unanimously to remain focused on the withdrawal of accommodation to ensure that inflation remains within the target going forward while supporting growth.

This is the second hike in the policy repo rate since the being of the current financial year.

Last month, in its off-cycle monetary policy review the central bank hiked policy repo rate by 40 basis points or 0.40 per cent to 4.4 per cent. This was the first increase in policy repo rate in nearly two years. The repo rate is the interest rate at which the RBI lends short-term funds to banks.

The RBI revised upward the inflation projection for the current financial year to 6.7 per cent from its earlier projection of 5.7 per cent.

According to the RBI, inflation is projected to remain at 7.5 per cent in the first quarter of the current financial year. In the second quarter, it is projected at 7.4 per cent. For the third quarter at 6.2 per cent and for the fourth quarter of 2022-23 headline inflation is projected at 5.8 per cent.

“It may be noted that around 75 per cent of the increase in inflation projections can be attributed to the food group. Further, the baseline inflation projection of 6.7 per cent for 2022-23 does not take into account the impact of monetary policy actions taken today,” RBI Governor said in the monetary policy statement.

Between February and April, headline inflation has increased by about 170 basis points. With no resolution of the war in sight and the upside risks to inflation, prudent monetary policy measures would ensure that the second-round effects of supply side shocks on the economy are contained and long-term inflation expectations remain firmly anchored and inflation gradually aligns close to the target, he said.

“The monetary policy actions including withdrawal of accommodation will be calibrated keeping in mind the requirements of the ongoing economic recovery,” Das added.

Explaining the rationale for the repo rate hike, the RBI Governor said, “The protracted war in Europe and the accompanying sanctions have kept global commodity prices elevated across the board. This is exerting sustained upward pressure on consumer price inflation, well beyond the targets in many economies.”

The ongoing war is also turning out to be a dampener for global trade and growth. The faster pace of monetary policy normalisation undertaken by systemic advanced economies (AEs) is leading to heightened volatility in global financial markets.

The MPC also decided to remain focused on the withdrawal of accommodation to ensure that inflation remains within the target going forward while supporting growth. It may be noted in this context that the repo rate still remains below its pre-pandemic level. (ANI)

Bollywood actress Sonakshi Sinha, who turned 35 on June 2 this year, recently made headlines for making her alleged relationship with actor Zaheer Iqbal official on Instagram.

Zaheer, who will next be seen in the film ‘Double XL’ alongside Sonakshi, shared a belated birthday post for her and wrote, “I love you” in the caption. He posted a couple of videos and a photo with the Dabangg actress and wrote a sweet note, “Happy Birthday Sonzzz Thank You for not killing me I Love You Here’s to a lot more food, flights, love and laughter P.s – This video sums up the entire time we’ve known each other”.

After this post went viral, fans started speculating whether the duo will tie the knot soon. Reports claiming that the two will get married this year surfaced all across the internet.

Reacting to the wedding rumors, the ‘Dabbang’ actress took to her Instagram and shared a funny video. In the video, Sonakshi has written “Me to the media: Kyu haath dho kar meri shaadi karwana chahte ho?!?” The actress then mouths the famous SRK dialogue, “Achcha lagta hai mujhe, bahot maza aata hai.”

Captioning the video, Sonakshi wrote, “Proposal, roka, mehendi, sangeet sab fix kar hi liya hai toh pls mujhe bata do.”

Zaheer then reacted to the video by posting a bunch of laughing emojis.

Makers of the film ‘Double XL’ starring both the actors are yet to announce a release date. The film also stars Huma Qureshi. (ANI)

Actor Shilpa Shetty Kundra turned 47 today. The actor best known for her iconic ‘Dhadkan’ movie has established a name for herself in the film industry, be it for her on-point style game or her devout dedication to yoga.

As the actor turns a day younger, let’s have a glimpse of 5 her gorgeous traditional looks!

1. Shilpa looks drop-dead gorgeous in this Boho-Indie fusion lehenga, with detailed embroidery on the blouse and the skirt. The vibrant play of clours and subtle shimmers on the attire is a sheer treat to the eyes. And Shilpa owned the attire like a queen!
2. The purple-hued ruffle saree with floral carvings on the border, made Shilpa look no less than a diva! The oxidised bangles on her wrist and the choker neckpiece accentuated her looks further.
3. The ‘Dhadkan’ girl looked exuded sunny vibes, decked up in a bright yellow blouse and a skirt having several polka dots. Shilpa’s choice of wearing a baggy blouse was indeed unique, while her smile, made the picture look perfect!
4. Shilpa’s love for pink is evident in the fourth picture where she can be seen donning another embroidered baby pink lehenga jacket. The floral prints in pink made Shilpa look like a sweetheart!
5. The fifth picture had Shilpa wearing an orange-hued velvet lehenga, with a jacket of the same colour over her shoulders. However, the prominent dark green patterns of flowers and leaves on her ethnic outfit brought out Shilpa’s charm! (ANI)

Kanpur Police on Tuesday arrested BJP youth wing leader Harshit Srivastava for derogatory comments on Prophet Muhammad, in view of recent clashes in the district.

A case has been registered against the BJP leader over his controversial tweet, which now stands deleted.

“Harshit Srivastava was arrested while taking immediate action after registering a case for his controversial tweet. Those who disturb the peace of the city, irrespective of religion, will not be spared,” said the police.

This comes three days after a violent clash broke out between two groups belonging to different communities allegedly over a market shutdown in Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh on Friday.

Two persons and one policeman were injured in the aftermath of the clashes. The violence started after some people tried to shut down shops which were opposed by the other group, said the police.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday suspended its spokesperson Nupur Sharma from the party’s primary membership after her alleged inflammatory remarks against minorities.

While suspending Sharma, the BJP said that it “respects all religions” and is “strongly against any ideology which insults or demeans any sect or religion”.

The BJP leader’s remark drew sharp reactions from Gulf countries. India has said that it had taken strong action against those who made controversial remarks against minorities. (ANI)

In three different encounters over the last 24 hours, four terrorists have been eliminated by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir, sources said.

Of the terrorists killed during the period, three belonged to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LET) and one was affiliated with Hizbul Mujahideen, said the sources, adding two of them are Pakistanis and two are locals.

Hanzula and Tufail belonged to Lahore, Pakistan; Ishtiaq Lone hailed from Tral, Awantipora and Nadeem belonged to Kulgam.

Indian Army, Central Police Force, Jammu and Kashmir Police and security agencies carried out a simultaneous operation and eliminated these four terrorists.

In the operation AK-56, grenades and a huge amount of ammunition were recovered.

Even before this, the terrorists who killed people in Kashmir were eliminated by the security forces within 24 hours.

Considering the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has held two meetings in the last 15 days. In a meeting on June 3, the Home Minister had instructed all the agencies and security forces to find and kill the terrorists who disturb the peace of Jammu and Kashmir.

“In a few days to disturb the peace of Kashmir, the terrorists had done the work of spoiling the atmosphere of the valley by killing innocent people there. After which the Home Minister convened a high-level meeting in Delhi and instructed to make a fresh strategy and surround the terrorists,” added sources. (ANI)