PM Modi visits Ladakh amid standoff with China

Sending a firm message to China, PM Narendra Modi said the era of expansionism is over and that India’s enemies have seen the “fire and fury” of its armed forces as he made a surprise visit to Ladakh in the midst of a seven-week tense border standoff between Indian and Chinese in a number of areas of the region. In his address to the troops, Modi paid tributes to the 20 Indian soldiers killed in the Galwan Valley clashes and said tales of the bravery and valour of the armed forces are echoing in every part of the country. Modi travelled to Nimu, a forward post, to interact with Indian troops. Nimu is surrounded by the Zanskar Range and is on the banks of river Indus. The prime minister met the top leadership of the Indian Army and later interacted with personnel of the Army, Air Force and ITBP. Modi was accompanied by Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat and Army Chief Gen M.M. Naravane.

Eight UP cops killed in an encounter with criminals 

Eight Uttar Pradesh Police personnel, including a deputy superintendent of police, were killed and seven others injured in an encounter with criminals in Kanpur, officials said. The encounter took place when a police team was approaching to arrest Vikas Dubey, a history-sheeter facing 60 criminal cases, in Dikru village under the Chaubepur police station, police said. As the police team was about to reach the hideout of the dreaded criminal, a hail of bullets was showered on them from a building rooftop, leaving DSP Devendra Mishra, three sub-inspectors and four constables dead, the officials said. CM Yogi Adityanath paid tributes to the slain policemen. According to a government spokesperson, the chief minister directed the police chief to take stringent action against the culprits.

India’s trade deficit with China reduces to $48.66 billion

India’s trade deficit with China fell to $48.66 billion in 2019-20 on account of decline in imports from the neighbouring country, according to government data. Exports to China in the last financial year stood at $16.6 billion, while imports aggregated at $65.26 billion, the data showed. The trade deficit between the countries was at $53.56 billion in 2018-19 and $63 billion in 2017-18. The main imports from China include clocks and watches, musical instruments, toys, sports goods, furniture, mattresses, plastics, electrical machinery, electronic equipment, chemicals, iron and steel items, fertilisers, mineral fuel and metals. China accounts for about 14 per cent of India’s imports and is a major supplier for sectors like mobile phones, telecom, power, plastic toys, and critical pharma ingredients. Similarly, foreign direct investment (FDI) from China into India too has dipped to $163.78 million in 2019-20 from $229 million in the previous fiscal, according to the data. India had received $350.22 million FDI from the neighbouring country in 2017-18 and $277.25 million in 2016-17.

NCW receives 2,043 complaints of crimes against women in June

The National Commission for Women (NCW) received 2,043 complaints of crimes committed against women in June, the highest in the last eight months. According to the NCW data, 452 complaints of domestic violence were received in June alone. Of the 2,043, as many as 603 complaints related to mental and emotional abuse and were filed under the ‘right to live with dignity’ clause. The number of complaints received in June have been highest since September last year when 2,379 complaints were received, the data showed. NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma attributed the rise in complaints to the increased activity of the commission on social media platforms. There were 252 complaints of harassment of married women and dowry harassment followed by 194 complaints of outraging modesty of women and molestation, the data showed. The NCW data showed that 113 complaints of police apathy towards women and 100 complaints of cyber crime were received by the commission. In May, 1,500 complaints were received by the NCW, while in April 800 complaints were received and in March 1,347 complaints were received.

International flights to remain suspended till July 31

The aviation regulator DGCA said that it was extending the suspension of scheduled international passenger flights in the country till July 31 but added that some international scheduled services on selected routes may be permitted on a case to case basis. Scheduled international passenger flights were suspended in India on March 23 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Modifying its June 26 circular that stated that scheduled international passenger flights will remain suspended till July 15, 2020, the regulator said it has decided to extend the deadline to July 31, 2020. Air India and other private domestic airlines have been operating unscheduled international repatriation flights under the Vande Bharat Mission, which was started on May 6 by the central government. India is in talks with the US, Canada and countries in the European and Gulf regions to establish “individual bilateral bubbles” which will allow airlines of each country in the pact to operate international flights, said Airports Authority of India chairperson Arvind Singh.

Newsmaker

Three-time National Award winning choreographer Saroj Khan, who made some of the biggest Bollywood stars dance to her steps in iconic numbers like ‘Hawa Hawai’, ‘Dhak Dhak’ and ‘Ek Do Teen’, died following cardiac arrest in Mumbai. She was 71.

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