Tharoor on Trump's intervention in Indo-Pak ceasefire talks: 'We are not interested in...'
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor took a tough stance on US President Donald Trump's 'peace deal' talks between India and Pakistan after the former retaliated to the latter's terrorist attack in Pahalgam of Kashmir on April 22, by launching 'Operation Sindoor' shortly after. Tharoor is in Washington to rally support for India amid tensions between the two neighbours.
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Time of India
35 minutes ago
- Time of India
Face-to-face programme flooded with requests for more Indiramma houses in Hyderabad
Hyderabad: Applications for Indiramma houses within the Greater Hyderabad limits flooded the face-to-face programme conducted by BC welfare and city in charge minister, Ponnam Prabhakar, at the Gandhi Bhavan on Wednesday. A majority of the people who came to the programme were from the state capital, with a few from neighbouring districts. The people urged Ponnam to sanction Indiramma houses and requested that he ask the chief minister to increase the quota of Indiramma houses for the poor in the city. The state govt sanctioned 3,500 Indiramma houses for each of the 119 assembly constituencies in the state in the first phase of the programme. Speaking to TOI, Ponnam Prabhakar said there was a lot of demand for housing in Greater Hyderabad and the Congress govt was committed to ensuring that every eligible poor family gets an Indiramma house in a phased manner. "Lakhs of applications were received during the Praja Palana programme for the Indiramma housing scheme, but field-level inquiries and document verification by the officials revealed that only 18,000 families have house sites (land). by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Council or Housing Association Tenant? Check Eligibility for Compensation National Disrepair Claims Undo The govt will discuss and come up with a solution soon," he said. The minister received over 100 petitions, in addition to grievances and requests submitted orally to him during the face-to-face programme, which was revived after a few months. The programme was stopped midway without any reasons given, but sources in Gandhi Bhavan said it was due to MLC elections and other factors. It has been revived now after TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud spoke to the chief minister and also AICC in charge Meenakshi Natarajan. The AICC in charge also participated briefly in the face-to-face session and interacted with the people about the problems they were facing in getting their grievances addressed by the officials. Applications for jobs, loans for self-employment schemes, resolutions to land encroachments and disputes, new ration cards, inclusion of names on existing cards, allocation of pending allotment of 2-BHK houses, inclusion of names in the free electricity scheme, and other welfare programmes were submitted to the minister. A delegation of the Telangana Udyama Karula Forum told TOI that they urged Ponnam Prabhakar to remind the TPCC president and the CM about the Congress election manifesto, which promised a house site and a monthly pension to those who fought for statehood. They urged Ponnam to speak to the CM and ensure that a committee is constituted to identify all such Udyama Karulu. "It is not only about the monthly honorarium and house site, but mainly about acknowledgement that we fought and achieved statehood. The govt should give us a memento or certificate, which we will display in our houses and offices as a mark of pride and self-respect that we were at the forefront of the statehood agitation," said forum leader Taduri Gagan Kumar.
Time of India
43 minutes ago
- Time of India
Campus crackdown: US education department threatens Columbia University's accreditation; cites antisemitism concerns
Columbia University campus (File photo) The US administration led by President Donald Trump has intensified its conflict with Columbia University, stating that the institution fails to meet accreditation criteria due to inadequate protection of Jewish students. "After Hamas' October 7, 2023, terror attack on Israel, Columbia University's leadership acted with deliberate indifference towards the harassment of Jewish students on its campus," stated US Secretary of Education Linda McMahon on Wednesday. The Office for Civil Rights at the US Department of Education announced Wednesday that it had informed the Middle States Commission on Higher Education about Columbia University's alleged Title VI Civil Rights Act violation, as per an Education Department release. "The US Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) today notified Middle States Commission on Higher Education (the Commission) that its member institution, Columbia University, is in violation of federal antidiscrimination laws and therefore fails to meet the standards for accreditation set by the Commission," stated the release. The federal body claimed that the university appears to no longer satisfy the commission's accreditation requirements. The comes as the US government escalates its scrutiny of elite academic institutions regarding allegations of widespread antisemitism and progressive prejudice. According to Columbia's website, accreditation, administered by non-profit organisations, is essential for university students to access federal funding, including grants and loans. "We look forward to the Commission keeping the Department fully informed of actions taken to ensure Columbia's compliance with accreditation standards including compliance with federal civil rights laws," McMahon added to her statement. The Middle States Commission on Higher Education acknowledged, to CNN, the receipt of Wednesday's letter. Columbia faced accusations last month of breaching federal civil rights law through "deliberate indifference" to Jewish student harassment since October 7, 2023, corresponding with Hamas's attack and Israel's subsequent military response in Gaza. A Columbia representative characterised these findings as progression in their collaborative efforts with the government to address antisemitism on campus. This forms part of the federal government's Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism initiatives, established following Trump's February executive order. Trump further addressed college accreditation through an April executive order, directing the education secretary to ensure accreditors' accountability through various measures for poor performance or Civil Rights Act violations, as detailed by a White House official to CNN. The Education Department confirmed Wednesday its responsibility to inform accreditors about member institutions' non-compliance findings, in accordance with Trump's executive order. Leading US universities, including Columbia, face substantial pressure from the administration to implement policy changes or risk losing federal support. In March, Columbia implemented comprehensive policy changes after the administration threatened to withdraw $400 million in grants and contracts over alleged insufficient action against campus antisemitism.
Indian Express
43 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Visit aspirational dists, spend at least 24 hrs: PM Modi to ministers
PRIME MINISTER Narendra Modi Wednesday asked all ministers to visit aspirational districts and blocks and spend at least 24 hours there, The Indian Express has learnt. This was conveyed during the meeting of the Union Council of Ministers, the first after Operation Sindoor, under the PM's chairmanship and went on for over three-and-a-half hours. Without mentioning Operation Sindoor, the PM in his closing remarks is learnt to have told the ministers that the world has seen India's defence might. The nature of war has changed and all can happen in just 20 minutes, he is learnt to have told the ministers. During the meeting, Cabinet Secretary T V Samanathan made a presentation on '11 years of transformational governance', detailing the NDA government's achievements. Secretaries of the central government were present. It is learnt that Modi asked the ministers and secretaries to not compare the last 10 years of achievements with the previous 10 years and focus on the targets set for the coming years. Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation Secretary Debashree Mukherjee made a presentation on her ministry's 'Catch the Rain' campaign. The PM suggested that MGNREGS funds should be used for water conservation works like it is used in other schemes PMAY-G. During the meeting, Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava made a presentation on obesity. In March, the Prime Minister had termed obesity as the 'root cause of many diseases' and appealed to the people to 'reduce the intake of cooking oil by 10 per cent in your daily diet as it leads to obesity'. NITI Aayog CEO BVR Subrahmanyam made a presentation on Aspirational District Program (ADP) and Aspirational Block Programme (ABP). It was pointed out that 5 Union ministers have not visited aspirational districts assigned to them. The PM then asked ministers to visit aspirational districts and spend at least 24 hours there. Harikishan Sharma, Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express' National Bureau, specializes in reporting on governance, policy, and data. He covers the Prime Minister's Office and pivotal central ministries, such as the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare, Ministry of Cooperation, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Ministry of Rural Development, and Ministry of Jal Shakti. His work primarily revolves around reporting and policy analysis. In addition to this, he authors a weekly column titled "STATE-ISTICALLY SPEAKING," which is prominently featured on The Indian Express website. In this column, he immerses readers in narratives deeply rooted in socio-economic, political, and electoral data, providing insightful perspectives on these critical aspects of governance and society. ... Read More
