Lawmakers from the opposition alliance 'INDIA' who had gone to Manipur to assess the situation in the strife-torn state briefed leaders of the grouping .

They met at the Parliament House and highlighted the ground realities before the alliance members.

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who was part of the delegation, described the situation in Manipur as "grave."

A delegation of 21 opposition MPs went to Manipur over the weekend, visiting the relief camps and meeting the people affected by the violence.

The opposition has been demanding a discussion on the Manipur violence in both Houses and a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Parliament.

They are set to raise the heat on the government over the issue and will press for a statement from the prime minister as well as an elaborate discussion.

Sonia Gandhi, the chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party, and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge were present during the meeting, along with the leaders of various INDIA bloc parties.

The Mizoram government is still waiting for financial assistance from the Centre for providing shelter to over 12,600 people from ethnic strife-torn Manipur.

Mizoram Home Commissioner and Secretary H Lalengmawia said that Chief Minister Zoramthanga had, in May, sought Rs 10 crore as an immediate relief package for those displaced people.

He hoped that the Centre would soon sanction funds for these people, who have taken shelter in Mizoram after the ethnic violence broke out in the neighbouring state on May 3.

Lalengmawia also said the Mizoram administration has solicited donations from legislators, government employees, bankers and others.

According to the Mizoram home department, altogether 12,611 people from Manipur have taken shelter in the state.

The government and village authorities have set up 38 relief camps in Aizawl, Kolasib and Saitual. The state government, NGOs, churches and villagers provided food and other basic items to the displaced people.

The Lt Governor administration in Jammu and Kashmir has directed government officials to post selfies with the flag, soil and earthen lamp on their display pictures on the social media handles on Independence Day.

As part of ‘Meri Mitti, Mera Desh’ campaign on this year’s Independence Day, the J&K government has directed all government officers to post selfies with images of Jhanda (Tricolour), Mitti (soil) and Diya (earthen lamp) as DPs on their social media handles on August 15, the country’s Independence Day.

The government has directed all administrative secretaries, divisional commissioners, deputy commissioners and heads of the departments to ensure that the directions are implemented on the I-Day. It is for the first time that the government has come out with such instructions for government officials. In J&K, the main Independence Day function would be held at J&K Cricket Stadium at Sonawar, Srinagar where Lt Governor Manoj Sinha is expected to unfurl the Tricolour.

To cater to the increasing global demand for qualified nurses, dental assistants, dialysis technicians, respiratory therapists, physiotherapists and other specialised healthcare professionals, the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) has undertaken an ambitious plan to train and equip around 1 lakh nurses and 10 million caregivers, so that they can be deployed overseas.

While thousands of healthcare workers have already been posted abroad in hospitals and institutes, the next batch is being given specialised skill training, apart from being given language proficiency training in English, Japanese, and German so that they fit in well and can communicate effectively in overseas placements.

NSDC, a public-private partnership firm with the primary mandate of catalysing the skills landscape in India, has undertaken the task of training a qualified healthcare workforce and placing them abroad.

Apart from that, the NSDC International Limited (NSDCI), a subsidy of NSDC, which is a leading global talent development organisation of India, is actively collaborating and partnering with Canada, UK, Australia, Germany, Singapore, Japan and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to meet their demand aggregation.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren  nod for the set-up of the nation's first hydrogen fuel-related plant in Jamshedpur. This hydrogen plant will be the second hydrogen plant in the world. Earlier, a hydrogen engine plant was built in Germany.

Jharkhand Govt has approved Rs 354.28 crore for the establishment of a first-of-its-kind industry. It is being established in collaboration with Tata Motors Limited and American company Cummins Inc. It will be operated by Tata Green Energy Solutions Private Limited (TGESPL). Soren will soon sign MoU with M/s TGESPL.

As per the Jharkhand Industrial and Investment Promotion Policy 2021, and per the investment received from the unit and direct employment, the unit has been classified under the mega category. The capacity of the proposed unit will be over 4000 Hydrogen IC Engine/Fuel Agnostic Engine and 10,000+ Battery systems. According to an estimate, the unit will provide employment to more than 310 people directly or indirectly.

Advantages of Hydrogen fuel:

It is a basic earth element and is available in abundance.

When it burns, it doesn’t emit harmful substances. The only by-product or emission from the usage of hydrogen fuel is water. It makes this fuel 100% clean.

It is a non-toxic substance and environment friendly

Compared to diesel or gas, it is much more fuel-efficient as it can produce more energy per pound of fuel.

France  has  warned it would retaliate if its citizens were attacked in Niger, after protesters tried to enter its embassy in the capital, Niamey.

"Should anyone attack French nationals, the army, diplomats and French interests, they will see France respond in an immediate and intractable manner," the French president's office said, adding that French President Emmanuel Macron "will not tolerate any attack against France and its interests".

They also condemned the violence that erupted around its embassy in Niger, where a junta seized power this week in a coup, and demanded that local authorities protect the building.

Authorities from Afghanistan’s vice ministry created a bonfire of confiscated musicial instruments and equipment in Herat province at the weekend, deeming music immoral.

“Promoting music causes moral corruption and playing it will cause the youth to go astray,” said Aziz al-Rahman al-Muhajir, head of the Herat department of the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.

Since seizing power in August 2021, Taliban authorities have steadily imposed laws and regulations that reflect their austure vision of Islam — including banning playing music in public.

A mysterious object that washed up on an Australian beach has been identified as debris from an Indian rocket .

The bulky barnacle-encrusted cylinder was first spotted in mid-July near remote Jurien Bay, a coastal region two hours' drive north of Perth in Western Australia.

Amateur sleuths speculated online that the object might have a military origin or even be linked to the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370.

But the Australian Space Agency said it had concluded the object was "most likely" debris from an "expended third-stage of a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle".

The medium-lift launch vehicle is operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation.

The object, which measures some two metres (six feet) high and has cables dangling from the top, is being kept in storage.

Meanwhile, officials from both countries are working together to "provide further confirmation to determine next steps, including considering obligations under the United Nations space treaties", the Australian Space Agency said.

It is not the first time Australia has found itself a landing ground for space junk -- last August, a sheep farmer in New South Wales found a charred chunk from one of Elon Musk's SpaceX missions jutting out of his paddock.