TAMIL NADU GOVERNOR UNILATERALLY DISMISSES JAILED MINISTER

In an unprecedented move, Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi Thursday evening dismissed V Senthil Balaji from the Council of Ministers, further straining the relationship between the MK Stalin-led DMK govt and the Raj Bhavan. Balaji, who was arrested June 14 by the Enforcement Directorate for an alleged job scam in 2015, is currently in judicial custody in a private hospital after having undergone a heart bypass surgery.

Late Thursday night, a source in the Chief Minister’s office said that the state govt had received a communication from Raj Bhavan that the Governor’s  dismissal order was “on hold” pending legal advice.

Giving reasons for dismissing Balaji with immediate effect, the Raj Bhavan said in a statement, “There are reasonable apprehensions that continuation of Thiru V. Senthil Balaji in the Council of Ministers will adversely impact the due process of law including fair investigation that may eventually lead to breakdown of the Constitutional machinery in the State.”

The Governor’s action prompted a swift response from Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin. When asked about the dismissal, Stalin told reporters, “He (the Governor) doesn’t have those powers (to dismiss the minister). We will face this legally.”

The governor’s move tests the constitutional limitations on the role of the Governor and pushes the Raj Bhavan into uncharted political territory. Article 164 (1) of the Constitution states that the Chief Minister shall be appointed by the Governor and “the other Ministers shall be appointed by the Governor on the advice of the Chief Minister, and the Ministers shall hold office during the pleasure of the Governor”. A line of Supreme Court rulings have interpreted that power of the Governor primarily flows from the “aid and advice” of the Council of Ministers.

DRAMA IN MANIPUR AS RAHUL GANDHI VISITS MANIPUR

Ethnic strife-torn Manipur witnessed high drama on Thursday over the visit of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to relief camps in Kuki-Zomi dominated hill district of Churachandpur after his convoy was stopped by the police midway and he had to take a helicopter to reach his destination. Gandhi who interacted with those sheltering in relief camps in Churachandpur, 63 kms from Manipur’s capital Imphal, said “Manipur needs healing. Peace has to be our only priority.” The blocking of his convoy triggered a political slugfest as the Congress alleged that the BJP-led govt is trying to thwart the leader’s visit, while the saffron party accused him of being “stubborn” and choosing to take the road trip even though he was advised to take a chopper as his trip was opposed by various quarters.

“People of all communities are very welcoming and loving. It’s very unfortunate that the govt is stopping me,” Gandhi tweeted. “I came to listen to all my brothers and sisters of Manipur. Manipur needs healing. Peace has to be our only priority,” he said in the Twitter post.

The Congress leader, who had earlier flown into Imphal in the morning was stopped by the local police at Bishnupur, around 20 kilometres from Imphal, citing demonstrations on the way. “There is a security threat. We cannot take the risk of allowing Rahul Gandhi to proceed,” a senior police official said.

A large number of people, mostly women, gathered near the spot and demonstrated both for and against the visit.

After remaining stuck for a few hours in Bishnupur, Gandhi returned to Imphal airport and took a helicopter to go to Churachandpur.

The Congress alleged that the BJP govts at the Centre and the state are using “autocratic methods” to stall the visit of Gandhi.

The BJP, however, wondered why Gandhi did not take a chopper to visit Churachandpur in the first place.

DON’T USE FAKE NEWS IN BID TO SCUTTLE US DRONE DEAL: OFFICIAL

A day after Congress questioned the quality and cost of MQ-9B Predator drones the US has agreed to provide India, a senior govt functionary said the final price of the advanced drones had not been worked out yet and cautioned against the effort to scuttle, through “fake news”, the process to procure the High-Altitude Long Endurance armed UAVs, which are among the best in the world.

He said the average estimated cost of the MQ-9B drones would be 27% lower than the price other countries have paid for them and that the final price could come down further during negotiations.

“The 31 MQ-9B drones being purchased by India are one of the best in the world. These advanced drones will help India to surveil its enemies effectively, reducing the prospect of our enemies surprising us,” the official said, adding, “Only the US has better quality drones than the one being considered for purchase by India. Its procurement is bound to cause fear and concern among enemy countries, therefore, one should not fall in the trap of attempts towards scuttling the procurement and sabotage the deal through fake news. ”

Congress had on Thursday alleged that the MQ-9B drones were not among the best available and were being procured at a higher price.

The govt official said Congress has made allegations about the pricing out of ignorance as the final pricing has not yet been finalised and will happen in a transparent manner after approval of the Cabinet Committee on Acquisitions.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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RUSSIAN GEN WITH TIES TO WAGNER BOSS POSSIBLY DETAINED

Russia’s president has succeeded in exiling Wagner mercenary head Yevgeny Prigozhin, who led a brief mutiny last week, but the fate of several top generals is still unclear. There were unconfirmed reports that one of them with ties to Prigozhin has been arrested.

The opaque world of the Kremlin’s politics has led to speculation that some top military officers may have colluded with Prigozhin and may now face punishment for the mutiny that briefly sent a virtually unchallenged march toward Moscow. The speculation focused on General Sergei Surovikin, who has longtime links to Prigozhin. The 56-year-old officer, nicknamed “General Armageddon” by the Russian media because of his reputation for ruthlessness, has not been seen publicly since early Saturday. A Russian military blogger, the Moscow Times and the Financial Times reported that Surovikin, who is also the commander of the Russian air force, has been arrested.

Alexei Venediktov, former head of the Ekho Moskvy, a prominent independent radio station that was shut down by authorities after Moscow invaded Ukraine, said Surovikin and his close lieutenants haven’t been in contact with their families for three days, but stopped short of saying that he was detained.

Another prominent military messaging channel, Rybar, reported a purge in the ranks was underway.

US COLLEGES CANNOT CONSIDER RACE A FACTOR IN ADMISSIONS, RULES SUPREME COURT

The US Supreme Court on Thursday outlawed race as a factor in college admissions, saying such a policy violates the American constitution. The ruling came to the relief and delight of many students of Indian/Asian origin, who, although a minority in the US, have argued that such a policy discriminates against them (and white students) by giving preference to black, Hispanic and Native American ones.

The apex court ruling involving Harvard and the University of North Carolina split along ideological grounds, with Chief Justice John Roberts writing for the six conservative members, and the three liberals dissenting. “The student must be treated based on his or her experiences as an individual — not on the basis of race. Many universities have for too long done just the opposite. And in doing so, they have concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individual’s identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the colour of their skin,” he wrote.

The ruling overturns several previous decisions by the nine-judge Supreme Court — when its composition was more liberal — upholding race-conscious admissions to promote diversity. But Asian and IndianAmerican students have long sought to overturn the policy, arguing that affirmative action impacted them negatively because it constituted a hurdle to merit-based admissions that gave them a fair shot.

THE REST

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VIOLENCE AGAIN IN MANIPUR

Following two relatively quiet weeks in Manipur, Thursday saw heightened tension in Imphal in the wake of two deaths early in the morning. Two bodies belonging to members of the Meitei community were recovered in Haraothel village in Kangpokpi district’s border with Imphal West after heavy firing.

According to Army inputs, the incident started around 5:30 am with an attack on the Kuki village Haraothel, which was followed by retaliatory firing from the Kuki side.

Following this, two columns of Assam Rifles deployed at National Sports University and K Munlai were mobilised and sent to the area. “While en route to the site, own columns drew effective fire from armed rioters. Own troops responded in a calibrated manner to prevent any collateral damage. Swift action by troops resulted in cessation of firing. Additional columns were moved to the area,” said an Army spokesperson.

After heavy firing subsided around 9 am, the two bodies were recovered.

The incident set off fresh tensions in the heart of Imphal city on Thursday evening with hundreds taking to the street to decry the deaths. The women who had gathered chanted slogans against the Biren Singh govt for its inability to prevent violence.

This eventually led to the forces using tear gas to disperse the mob, while the protesters retaliated with stones and catapults. A similar scene was witnessed at Keishampat, where protesters clashed with the security forces. Tear gas shelling was still ongoing at 9:30 pm.

‘NEXT OPPN MEET IN B’LURU, VENUE CHANGE DUE TO SHIMLA RAINS’

The next meeting of the opposition parties aimed at uniting non-NDA outfits against the BJP will be held in Bengaluru, and not in Shimla, NCP chief Sharad Pawar announced here on Thursday.

In the first meeting held in Patna on June 23, which was attended by 15 parties, it was decided that the next meeting would be held in Shimla. However, Pawar told newspersons that it was decided on Thursday to change the venue of the meeting because of rains. “Owing to prevailing wet weather and heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh, the venue of the meeting has been shifted from Shimla to Bengaluru. The meeting would be held on July 13 and 14.”

The NCP chief said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was making personal attacks on opposition leaders as he was restless after the opposition parties’ meeting in Patna, adding that BJP has failed to make any meaningful inroads in states governed by opposition parties.

SHARAD PAWAR ADMITS TALKS WITH BJP IN 2019, BUT CALLS IT A POLITICAL ‘GOOGLY’

NCP chief Sharad Pawar admitted on Thursday that the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) had engaged in discussions with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after the 2019 assembly elections in Maharashtra. Pawar said that this move was a strategic “googly” to expose the BJP’s hunger for power and their willingness to align with anyone to gain control in the state.

“In 2014, the NCP had openly offered external support to the BJP to form the govt, which was aimed at creating a rift among the alliance partners of the NDA in the state. There were subsequent meetings with the BJP after the 2019 assembly elections. While the BJP leaders claimed that I changed my mind just days before the swearing-in ceremony of Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, the govt did not last long. It was a calculated move by me to demonstrate that the BJP would go to any lengths to hold onto power, while the NCP does not chase after power,” Pawar responded to Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ disclosure that the NCP backed out of forming a govt with the BJP in 2019.

WHO SET TO DECLARE SWEETENER IN DIET SODAS, DRINKS AS CARCINOGENIC

One of the world’s most common artificial sweeteners is set to be declared a possible carcinogen next month by a leading global health body, according to two sources with knowledge of the process, pitting it against the food industry and regulators.

Aspartame, used in products from Coca-Cola diet sodas to Mars’ Extra chewing gum and some Snapple drinks, will be listed in July as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” for the first time by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the cancer research arm of WHO.

The IARC ruling, finalised earlier this month after a meeting of the group’s external experts, is intended to assess whether something is a potential hazard or not, based on all published evidence.

It doesn’t take into account how much of a product a person can safely consume. This advice for individuals comes from a separate WHO expert committee on food additives, known as JECFA (the Joint WHO and Food and Agriculture Organization’s Expert Committee on Food Additives), alongside determinations from national regulators.

However, similar IARC rulings in the past for different substances have raised concerns among consumers, led to lawsuits, and pressured manufacturers to swap to alternatives.

AT 10.6MN, 34% JUMP IN FACIAL ID BASED ON AADHAAR IN 3 MONTHS

Aadhaar-based face authentication is gaining traction, having jumped to 10. 6 million, up 34% since the start of this financial year, due to its increasing use in accessing central as well as several state govt services.

The service, introduced by the UIDAIin October 2021, saw a slow takeoff, but has gained traction in recent months.

“The AI/ML-based face authentication solution, developed in-house by the UIDAI, is now being used by 47 entities, including state govt departments, ministries in the central govt and some banks,” an official statement said.

It said face authentication provides faster authentication and is preferred as an additional modality to strengthen the authentication success rate, along with fingerprint and OTP authentication. “It is safe against any video replay attacks and static photo authentication attempts by anti-social elements,” the release said.

CUSTOMERS FACE BRUNT OF NEW BANK LOCKER RULE

With today being the deadline for updating 50% of locker agreements, banks are urging customers to sign the new contracts. However, the process has become burdensome due to a lack of uniformity, not only across banks but even between branches.

Many bank branches are unprepared, lacking necessary documents for signing the agreements, despite customers being notified to visit and update these. Customers have expressed frustration over the inconsistency in stamp duty denominations between branches in the same state. While some public sector bank branches accept a Rs 100 stamp duty, branches of ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank and Axis Bank insist on a Rs 500 stamp paper.

Following a 2021 Supreme Court order, the RBI instructed banks to have customers sign new contracts by January 2023. The RBI later called for a revision to the model agreement drafted by the Indian Banks Association, extending the deadline to December 2023. The revised agreement mandated that banks prevent fire, theft and building collapse while limiting their liability to 100 times the annual locker rent.

There is no standard practice regarding who bears the stamp duty. Most banks expect customers to bear the cost.

JOBS SCAM: TCS FIRES SIX EMPLOYEES, BANS AS MANY STAFFING FIRM

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has fired six employees and banned six business associate firms for violating ethical conduct following whistleblower allegations around a recruitment scandal, Tata Sons chairperson N Chandrasekaran said on Thursday.

Chandrasekaran said TCS will review and tighten its supplier management process to ensure that incidents such as the recent jobs scandal at the software major are not repeated. Further, he emphasised the need for ethical conduct and integrity among employees.

Two complaints about the involvement of TCS executives in the jobs-for-bribes scam were received in February-March and six employees and six firms have been banned, he said. Further, the US complaint is being investigated by an external investigator, he added.

GOVT OKAYS FOREIGN CAMP FOR PROTEST LEADERS PUNIA, VINESH

It is clear now. Protesting wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat have decided to focus on their careers. Even as the controversy surrounding the trials is raging in the country, the duo will head out to train in Kyrgyzstan and Hungary.

Olympic bronze medallist Bajrang Punia will fly out to Issyk-Kul in Kyrgyzstan for a 36-day training camp. Vinesh Phogat, who is a two-time World Championships medallist, will first train in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, for a week and then proceed to Tata, Hungary, for an 18-day training camp.

They are scheduled to leave for training in the first week of July.

The duo sent their training proposal to Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) office, which is under the Sports Ministry to fund elite athletes, on June 28 and the officials cleared it in one day.

LORD'S TEST, DAY 2: ENGLAND FIGHT BACK

Opener Ben Duckett hit 98 as England raced to 278-4 in an another high octane 'Bazbal' batting display to continue their Ashes fightback on day two of the second Lord's Test on Thursday after bowling Australia out for 416 on a memorable day's action.

In the latest extraordinary display of modern-day Test cricket, England enjoyed their best Ashes opening stand for 11 years and rattled to their total at almost five an over.

However, the counterpoint of their all-action approach meant they also gifted key wickets when well-set batsmen refused to back down in the face of Australia's somewhat desperate short-pitched approach.

INDICATORS

(Indian Stock markets were closed yesterday on account of Eid ul-Adha)

Nasdaq 13,591 (-1) Dow 34,122 (+270), S&P 4,396 (+20)

US$-Rs. 82.05, GBP-Rs. 103.60, Euro-Rs. 89.36, UAE Dhm-Rs. 22.33, Can$-Rs. 61.88, Aus$- Rs. 54.30

GBP 0.79 /US$, Euro 0.91 /US$, Jap.Yen 144.56 /US$, Aus$ 1.51 /US$, Sing 1.35 /US$, Bang Taka 107.13 /US$, Can$ 1.32 /US$, Mal Ring 4.66 /US$, Pak Re 286.40 /US$, Phil Peso 55.35 /US$, Russian Rouble 86.84 /US$, NZ$ 1.64 /US$, Thai Baht 35.61 /US$, Ukraine Hryvnia 36.71 /US$

Bitcoin - USD 30,398, Dollar Index 103.02, Brent Crude 74.26, BDI 1112

Gold world Spot Price USD/aoz 1,908 India (Rs. per gm 24k/22k) 5,875 / 5,385, Silver (Rs. Per KG) 71,900

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Half our life is spent trying to find something to do with the time we have rushed through life trying to save. - Will Rogers

OFF TRACK

When a car skidded on wet pavement and struck a telephone pole, several bystanders ran over to help the driver. A woman was the first to reach the victim, but a man rushed in and pushed her aside. "Step aside, lady," he barked. "I've taken a course in first-aid!"

The woman watched for a few minutes, then tapped him on the shoulder. "Pardon me," she said. "But when you get to the part about calling a doctor, I'm right here."