A deal by a global shipping giant to acquire a 49% stake in Kerala’s largest and deepest container port was not offered to the state government for review, Chief Minister VD Satheesan told the Assembly, flagging concerns over national security and public interest.
The proposed transaction involves Terminal Investment Ltd, the terminal-operating arm of Mediterranean Shipping Company, acquiring the stake in Adani Vizhinjam Ports Pvt Ltd, the concessionaire operating the Vizhinjam International Container Transshipment Port. Satheesan said the concession agreement requires prior state approval for any ownership change and the government will examine the deal to ensure it does not create a monopoly or compromise the state’s interests.
Commercial LPG cylinder prices have been cut by Rs 183.50 per cylinder from today, July 1, bringing the price of a 19-kg commercial cylinder in Delhi down to Rs 2,930 from Rs 3,113 — the first reduction since the supply pressure caused by the West Asia crisis began to ease, offering direct relief to restaurants, hotels, dhabas and small businesses across the country.
A bus travelling from Rishikesh to Indore crashed into a truck on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway in Rajasthan’s Dausa, killing seven people. Flames spread rapidly after the collision, making escape from the bus extremely difficult for those inside.
A 4-year-old child was pulled out dead from a 220-foot-deep borewell in Ambala after a 21-hour rescue operation, in a tragic end to one of the most watched emergency operations in recent weeks.
PM Modi told Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian that a safe Strait of Hormuz is key for global energy stability, as the the Iran leader briefed him on West Asia developments and the way forward. Iran separately said PM Modi had extended an invitation to the country for a BRICS summit in India.
Congress’s K C Venugopal has accused Defence Minister Rajnath Singh of misleading Parliament on the number of soldiers killed in Operation Sindoor, and has demanded that privilege proceedings be initiated against him — a sharp escalation in the political battle over the operation’s casualties.
Kylian Mbappé has overtaken Lionel Messi in the World Cup 2026 scoring charts, breaking a knockout-stage record in the process, as France honoured outgoing coach Didier Deschamps with a win over Sweden — while Paraguay and Morocco knocked out Germany and the Netherlands respectively in tense shootouts, completing a stunning round of upsets.
Amid a red alert sounded in Palghar district in Maharashtra on Thursday, the district collector has declared a holiday across all schools of Palghar tomorrow (July 2).
The Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) on Wednesday lifted the three-year ban imposed on former international cricketer S Sreesanth after he submitted an unconditional apology for making defamatory remarks against the body.
The decision was finalised during a special general body meeting. The KCA accepted his expression of regret but warned that any repeat behaviour would trigger strict disciplinary action.
Sreesanth was banned last year after publicly criticising the KCA over the omission of batsman Sanju Samson from the state squad. After a court rejected his initial plea against the ban, the cricketer issued a formal apology. With the restrictions removed, Sreesanth can now continue as co-owner of the KCL franchise Aries Kollam Sailors.
(PTI)
Sources report that the government is reviewing WhatsApp’s proposed username feature due to potential identity theft and security concerns.
(PTI)
Centre has approved road infrastructure projects worth Rs 14,115 crore for Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, speaking at a media briefing, said the Cabinet has cleared the construction of a six-lane tunnel on NH-148AE linking the Dwarka Expressway with Nelson Mandela Marg in Vasant Kunj, Delhi.
The 8.1-km tunnel project has been approved at an estimated cost of Rs 6,969.67 crore.
(PTI)
People enjoy the rain as high waves crash against the Marine Drive promenade during high tide in Mumbai on Wednesday. (Express Photos by Akash Patil)
Bhupendra Pandey reported from Lucknow that the Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday extended by 15 days the deadline for the Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing the alleged theft and misappropriation of cash and valuables received as donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, to submit its final report.
Director, Information Department, Vishal Singh, confirmed that the government had accepted the SIT’s request for more time. The panel will now submit its report by July 15.
The SIT was constituted on June 13 and was initially given 15 days to complete its inquiry.
Sources said the SIT has already collected both digital and physical records, including details of deposits of donations in the bank, and has questioned more than 150 people.
Those examined include temple staff who were posted in the inner precincts over the past two years, employees of the private agency engaged by the State Bank of India (SBI) to handle cash collection, and bank officials connected with the hiring and supervision of the private agency.
The SIT was supposed to submit its report by today, but its members had submitted a request seeking at least 15 more days to conclude its findings and submit a detailed report.
By Shaju Philip,
A deal by a global shipping giant to acquire a 49% stake in Kerala’s largest and deepest container port was not offered to the state government for review. Chief Minister VD Satheesan told the Assembly, flagging concerns over national security and public interest.
The proposed transaction involves Terminal Investment Ltd, the terminal-operating arm of Mediterranean Shipping Company, acquiring a stake in Adani Vizhinjam Ports Pvt Ltd, the concessionaire operating the Vizhinjam International Container Transhipment Port. Satheesan said the concession agreement requires prior state approval for any change in ownership and the government will examine the deal to ensure it does not create a monopoly or compromise the state’s interests.
The Centre has notified new daily wage rates for unskilled manual workers under the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act, 2025, which came into effect on July 1, replacing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005.
Ayodhya Police are investigating an alleged embezzlement of Ram Temple donation funds, with allegations centred on Avinash Shukla. During a raid on his rented accommodation on June 5, police reportedly recovered more than Rs 20 lakh in cash.
Volunteer Sundarlal said the donation box in question dates back to a 71-day yatra held in 2017â“18 to support the construction of the Ram Temple. According to him, the box had remained with a local guru since then. He described Avinash Shukla, a primary school teacher, as well-behaved and said there had been nothing unusual about his conduct until the police action. The investigation is ongoing.
The Gujarat High Court has ruled that a Hindu marriage is not legally valid merely because it is registered if essential customary rites, such as saptapadi, were not performed. Setting aside a family court order, the court held that the basic requirements under Section 7 of the Hindu Marriage Act were absent in the case, where both parties admitted that no marriage ceremonies had taken place. The bench observed that Hindu marriage is a sacred sacrament and not merely a social celebration, stressing that essential rituals are fundamental to its legal validity. (PTI)
Over 7 people were killed and 24 others injured after a passenger bus collided with a truck and caught fire on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway in Rajasthan’s Dausa district on Wednesday morning.
The accident took place near Dhanawda under the Kolwa police station limits when the Hans Travels bus, travelling from Rishikesh to Indore, rammed into a truck moving ahead. According to police, five passengers were burnt alive, two died from severe head injuries at the scene, and another later succumbed to burn injuries in hospital. Read Here
A fire broke out at a Vijay Sales electronics showroom in Delhi’s Janakpuri on Wednesday morning. The blaze was reported around 4.15 am, with 13 fire tenders deployed to contain the flames, according to the news agency PTI.
The fire spread across the basement, ground floor and three upper floors of the building, damaging electronic goods, furniture and other items. Firefighters brought the blaze under control by around 6.30 am, and cooling operations were underway thereafter.
No injuries or casualties were reported. Officials said the cause of the fire is yet to be determined.
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