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Air India Passenger Finds Metal Blade in His Meal

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An Air India passenger recently recounted a shocking incident of discovering a sharp metal blade in his in-flight meal. Responding to the social media post, the Tata Group-owned airline confirmed on Sunday the presence of the metal blade in the meal.

Addressing the controversy, Air India’s Chief Customer Experience Officer Rajesh Dogra explained that the metal object originated from a vegetable processing machine used for cutting raw vegetables. To prevent similar occurrences, the company has increased the frequency of inspecting the processor, especially after chopping hard vegetables.

“Air India confirms that a foreign object was found in the meal of a guest aboard one of our flights. After investigation, it has been identified as coming from the vegetable processing machine used at the facilities of our catering partner. We have worked with our catering partner to strengthen measures to prevent any recurrence, including more frequent checking of the processor especially after chopping any hard vegetable,” Rajesh Dogra stated, as quoted by ANI.

The incident came to public attention when Mathurs Paul, a social media user, shared his alarming experience with an Air India in-flight meal. He described how he unknowingly chewed on the sharp metal piece before realizing its presence.

“Air India food can cut like a knife. Hiding in its roasted sweet potato and fig chaat was a metal piece that looked like a blade. I only felt it after chewing the grub for a few seconds. Thankfully, no harm was done. Of course, the blame squarely lies with Air India’s catering service, but the incident doesn’t help the image I have of Air India. What if the metal piece was in the food served to a child?” wrote the user on X.

Recently, another Air India passenger, Vineeth K, shared his negative experience traveling in business class. He complained on social media about a 25-minute flight delay and cited poor food and unclean, worn-out seats as issues that marred his journey.

US Embassy Reacts to Putin’s Upcoming North Korea Visit

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Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to visit North Korea on June 18-19, highlighting Moscow’s growing partnership with the reclusive nuclear-armed state, Reuters reported on June 17.

In September 2023, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un invited Putin during a visit to Russia’s Far East. Putin has not visited Pyongyang since July 2020.

“At the invitation of the Chairman of State Affairs of the DPRK, Kim Jong Un, Vladimir Putin will pay a friendly state visit to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on June 18-19,” Reuters quoted the Kremlin as saying.

Following his North Korean visit, Putin will travel to Vietnam on June 19-20, the Kremlin announced.

Since the onset of the war in Ukraine, Russia has been emphasizing its renewed relationship with North Korea, raising concerns among the United States and its allies in Europe and Asia.

During his two-day visit to Hanoi on Wednesday and Thursday, Putin is expected to meet Vietnam’s new president, To Lam, and other leaders.

Meanwhile, the U.S. embassy in Hanoi stated that Putin should not be given a platform to promote his war of aggression.

“No country should give Putin a platform to promote his war of aggression and otherwise allow him to normalize his atrocities,” Reuters quoted a U.S. spokesperson as saying.

“If he is able to travel freely, it could normalize Russia’s blatant violations of international law,” the spokesperson added.

In March 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin over alleged war crimes in Ukraine. However, Vietnam, Russia, and the U.S. are not members of the ICC.

Apple Gets Sued For Leaking Husband’s Private Chat

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A man is suing Apple, claiming the company is responsible for his divorce after his wife discovered deleted messages on a linked computer. These messages exposed his meetings with prostitutes, according to The Times.

The man admitted to arranging meetings with sex workers through iMessage during the final years of his marriage. He believed deleting the messages would conceal his infidelity.

He is seeking nearly ₹53 crore (over £5 million) in damages, arguing that Apple fails to inform customers that deleted messages can still appear on other Apple devices.

The issue came to light when his wife accessed the app on their iMac and found his most recent message to a sex worker. She then uncovered several years’ worth of supposedly deleted messages to prostitutes.

“If someone is told a message is deleted, they are entitled to believe it is deleted,” he told the newspaper, adding that it was a brutal way for his wife to discover his actions.

He reflected that, had he been able to discuss the situation rationally with her and avoid such a harsh revelation, their marriage might have been saved.

He described divorce as an “extraordinarily stressful process,” particularly with children and family dynamics involved. He believes the entire ordeal resulted from Apple misleading him about message deletions. He noted that a message indicating the deletions were device-specific would have provided a critical clue.

“Apple doesn’t tell its users,” he remarked.

Amit Shah States That MHA Will Talk to All to Both Meiteis and Kukis

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Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the security situation in violence-stricken Manipur on Monday and announced that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will soon engage in talks with both the Meitei and Kuki communities to address the ethnic divide.

Shah instructed officials to prevent any further incidents of violence and emphasized that strict legal action should be taken against those responsible for the unrest.

This high-level meeting follows recent reports of renewed violence in Imphal and Jiribam.

“The Ministry of Home Affairs will engage with both the Meitei and Kuki communities to address the ethnic divide as soon as possible. The Government of India has been actively supporting the Manipur Government in enhancing the security situation in the state,” Shah stated.

The minister also highlighted the importance of a coordinated approach to resolve the ongoing ethnic conflict.

Shah stressed the need for strategic deployment of central forces to restore peace and tranquility in Manipur, adding that the number of forces would be increased if necessary.

He reaffirmed the Government of India’s commitment, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, to ensuring the safety and security of all citizens in Manipur.

Additionally, Shah reviewed the conditions in relief camps, emphasizing the need for adequate food, water, medicines, and other basic amenities. He directed the Manipur chief secretary to ensure proper health and education facilities for the displaced people and to work on their rehabilitation.

The high-level meeting included Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Pande, Union Home Secretary, Intelligence Bureau (IB) Director, Chief of Army Staff (Designate) Lt. General Upendra Dwivedi, Security Advisor to the Government of Manipur, Director General of Assam Rifles, Manipur Chief Secretary, Director General of Police (DGP) of Manipur, and senior officials from the Army and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

Naga Bodies Urge Centre to Deal with Illegal Immigrants

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The Naga Civil Society Organisations in Manipur have urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to repatriate illegal immigrants from Myanmar and withdraw Assam Rifles from the Indo-Myanmar border areas near Kamjong.

On Friday, the United Naga Council (UNC), Naga Women’s Union (NWU), All Naga Students Association, Manipur (ANSAM), and the Naga People’s Movement for Human Rights – South (NPMHR-S) submitted a joint memorandum to the Union Home Minister through the Governor of Manipur.

They stated that the memorandum followed a fact-finding visit to the Indo-Myanmar border areas.

“The massive influx of fugitives from Myanmar, who have been temporarily seeking refuge in the Kamjong areas of Manipur since November 2023 following political upheaval in Myanmar after the 2021 coup and the subsequent fall of Thanan in Myanmar’s Sagaing region, has created unbearable hardships for the villagers, where the fugitives are being temporarily sheltered.”

The memorandum highlighted that about 5,457 refugees are being sheltered in eight Tangkhul Naga villages, outnumbering the local residents. “The increasing activities of anti-social elements have become unbearable with no law enforcement agencies effectively controlling the situation, and foreign cultural practices are overwhelming the native customs due to the population imbalance,” it stated.

While biometric data have been captured for 5,173 individuals, monitoring the activities of adult male refugees has become a significant challenge. The authorities cannot regularly verify the fluctuating numbers of inmates between day and night in the makeshift camps, the memorandum added.

“The dubious activities of young and adult members are also a concern, as their prolonged stay could be detrimental to our well-being,” it noted. “We have extended our hospitality wholeheartedly as good neighbors, and the state government has done its part well.”

Expressing sympathy for the plight of fellow human beings, the Naga civil society organisations urged the Union Home Minister to explore ways to safely facilitate the refugees’ return home now that violent confrontations have subsided in Myanmar.

The memorandum also noted that under the pretext of curbing the movement of illegal refugees, arms, and drug smuggling, the presence of men in combat uniforms has created fear and insecurity among the villagers, who are already impacted by the massive influx of refugees.

“The movement of large military trucks at odd hours, particularly at night, across the borders, disturbing the peace and tranquility of the villages, is highly questionable,” it added.

Shruti Hasan Talks About Kamal Haasan’s Nature

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Shruti Haasan followed in the footsteps of her father, Kamal Haasan, by becoming an actor. However, during her formative years, she was more inclined towards direction. She recalls an incident involving her father that sparked her interest in a director’s role.

“I always thought my dad was the ultimate. There was He-Man, and then there was my dad. I used to think, ‘Papa is so cool.’ One day, I visited a set and saw him listening to his director. I wondered, ‘Who is this person that can make my dad act like he’s in a classroom?’ That’s when I realized how cool directing was. It was a very naive motivation at the start,” she shared on Father’s Day.

Now 38, Shruti is juggling her roles as an actor, musician, and producer. When asked if she plans to pursue her dream of directing and perhaps helm a biopic about her superstar father, she responds emphatically, “Oh god no! Definitely not!” She explains, “I would be extremely biased if I made a film about dad’s life. There are more capable storytellers who can do justice to his story.”

Recently, Shruti paid tribute to her father at the audio launch of his upcoming film, Indian 2, celebrating his illustrious career. Reflecting on the experience of performing on stage to her father’s songs, she says, “Papa has had such a prolific, incredible career. It was like finding different treasures in the ocean. It was amazing fun to take all these songs and incorporate them into a newly-produced set that reflected my style and how I play with my band. Infusing my music while honoring what dad’s music means to people was really exciting,” concludes Shruti, who will next be seen in Dacoit and Salaar 2.

Indian Men’s Archery Team in Olympics Rises Despite Losing

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The Indian men’s recurve archery team was eliminated in the quarter-finals of the Final Olympic Qualifier, which offered three quota spots for the Paris Games. However, entry to Paris is nearly guaranteed for the world No. 2 team through their rankings.

The in-form trio of Dhiraj Bommadevara, Tarundeep Rai, and Pravin Jadhav, who triumphed over the formidable Koreans for the Shanghai World Cup gold in April, had a strong chance to secure the team quota at this tournament in Antalya, Turkey. The signs were promising as they topped the qualification round on Saturday morning.

However, much like the women’s team the previous day, the men faltered under pressure during the elimination rounds, suffering a 5-4 shoot-off defeat to Mexico in the quarter-finals. While the women squandered a 3-1 lead against the lower-ranked Ukraine, the men collapsed after being 4-0 up against the eventual winners.

For the men, this event had less at stake regarding the Paris team spot compared to the women. The Indian men’s team, having secured 80 crucial points for the World Cup gold in Shanghai, currently sits second in the world rankings with 243 points, trailing Korea, who have already qualified. The next non-qualified teams are fifth-ranked China (204 points) and eighth-ranked USA (175 points). Thus, India is well-positioned to claim one of the two quotas available through the world rankings, which will be confirmed after the Antalya World Cup from June 18-23.

Despite this, their defeat on Saturday was a blow to their confidence. After topping the qualification round and earning a first-round bye, India easily defeated Luxembourg 6-0 to set up a clash with Mexico’s trio of Matias Grande, Carlos Rojas, and Bruno Martinez Wing.

India narrowly won the first set 57-56 with a couple of 10s and an X (closer to the center) by Dhiraj. They dominated the second set 57-53, with each archer shooting a 10, and at 4-0 up, they needed just one point from the next two sets to secure victory.

However, that point never came. An 8 by Pravin Jadhav in the third set cost India as they lost the set 55-56. Mexico raised their game in the fourth set, shooting three 10s and an X, while India managed only one 10 by Jadhav in a 58-55 scoreline that forced a shoot-off.

In the shoot-off, the scores were tied at 26-all, but with India shooting 8, 9, 9 and Mexico firing an inconsistent X, 7, and 9, Mexico emerged victorious due to the closest arrow to the center.

The individual quota events are set for Sunday and Monday. So far, India has secured just one quota through Dhiraj, who earned it at the Asian Continental Qualifier Tournament last November.

Dishonor of Cheque of Erstwhile Bank is not an Offense According to HC

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The Allahabad High Court has ruled that cheques from former banks (those merged with another bank on April 1, 2020) became invalid after September 30, 2021. As a result, the dishonor of such cheques does not constitute an offence under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881.

Justice Arun Kumar Singh Deshwal made this observation while allowing a petition filed by Archana Singh Gautam seeking the quashing of the entire criminal proceeding, including the summoning order in a Complaint Case under Section 138 of the NI Act.

“According to Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, if an invalid cheque is presented and dishonored, no liability under Section 138 N.I. Act would be incurred. Since the cheque from Allahabad Bank became invalid after September 30, 2021, following its merger into Indian Bank on April 1, 2020, dishonoring such cheques after this date does not attract liability under Section 138 N.I. Act,” observed the court.

In this case, a cheque was presented to ‘Indian Bank’ by the opposite party on August 21, 2023, and was returned on August 25, 2023, with the endorsement “wrongly delivered not drawn on us.” The opposite party then filed a complaint against the petitioner in the Court of Special Judicial Magistrate-II, Banda.

Before the High Court, the applicant’s counsel argued that the bank returned the cheque because it was invalid at the time of issuance and presentation. Therefore, bouncing such an invalid cheque does not incur liability under Section 138 NI Act.

Conversely, the counsel for the opposite party and the Additional Government Advocate (AGA) argued that if the applicant knew the cheque was invalid due to the merger, issuing it was an attempt to deceive the opposite party, thus constituting an offence under Section 138 NI Act.

The Court, while allowing the petition, clarified that this ruling also applies to cheques from all banks that have merged with other banks.

Sweden and Iran Exchange Prisoners in a Historic Moment

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STOCKHOLM – Sweden and Iran conducted a prisoner exchange on Saturday, with Sweden releasing a former Iranian official convicted of involvement in a 1980s mass execution, and Iran freeing two Swedes held there.

The swap was facilitated by Oman, whose foreign ministry announced, “Omani efforts resulted in both sides agreeing to a mutual release, with those freed being transferred from Tehran and Stockholm.”

Sweden released Hamid Noury, a former Iranian official convicted for his role in the 1988 mass execution of political prisoners in Iran. Iran’s IRNA news agency showed footage of Noury arriving at Tehran’s Mehrabad airport, welcomed by his family on a red carpet.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson confirmed that Swedish citizens Johan Floderus and Saeed Azizi, detained in Iran, were on their way back to Sweden. He criticized Iran for using the two Swedes as “pawns in a cynical negotiation game” to secure Noury’s release, noting that Noury was convicted of serious crimes committed in the 1980s.

“As prime minister, I have a special responsibility for the safety of Swedish citizens. The government has worked intensively on this issue, alongside the Swedish security services negotiating with Iran,” Kristersson stated.

Noury, 63, was arrested at a Stockholm airport in 2019 and sentenced to life imprisonment for war crimes, including the mass execution and torture of political prisoners at Gohardasht prison in Karaj, Iran, in 1988. He denied the charges.

An Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson called Noury a hostage, claiming his imprisonment resulted from an “illegal Swedish court decision that lacked legitimacy.”

Upon his return to Iran, Noury told reporters, “They said even God cannot free Hamid Noury, but he did,” acknowledging the complexity and sensitivity of his case.

The National Council of Resistance of Iran, a coalition opposing Iran’s Islamic Republic government, criticized Sweden for yielding to blackmail and hostage-taking, suggesting this move would embolden Tehran.

Kenneth Lewis, a lawyer representing a dozen plaintiffs in Noury’s case in Sweden, expressed dismay over Noury’s release, calling it “an affront to the entire justice system and everyone who participated in these trials.” He acknowledged his clients’ sympathy for the Swedish government’s efforts to bring its citizens home but deemed Noury’s release “totally disproportionate.”

Floderus, an EU employee, was arrested in Iran in 2022 and charged with espionage for Israel and “corruption on earth,” a crime punishable by death.

Putin Demands Ukraine Abandons Four Regions For Peace Talks

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Russian President Vladimir Putin has demanded that Ukraine withdraw from four eastern regions partially occupied by Russian forces as a precondition for peace talks, a requirement Kyiv dismissed as “manipulative” ahead of a war conference to which Moscow is not invited.

Putin stated that Ukrainian forces should vacate the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions in exchange for a ceasefire by Russian troops. He also insisted that Ukraine abandon its bid to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, speaking in a televised address to Foreign Ministry officials on Friday.

Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry accused Putin of attempting to “mislead the international community, undermine diplomatic efforts for a just peace, and fracture global unity.” They argued that these demands, made on the eve of a Kyiv-backed conference, show that “Russia is afraid of genuine peace.”

The Swiss-hosted summit, beginning Saturday, aims to rally support for Ukraine’s demands for a complete Russian withdrawal. Putin’s offer essentially asks Ukraine to surrender its territories for peace talks, a proposition Kyiv has consistently rejected since Russia’s invasion in February 2022.

Putin declared, “As soon as Kyiv announces readiness for such a decision, begins the actual withdrawal of troops from these regions, and officially renounces plans to join NATO, our side will immediately cease fire and start negotiations.”

The Kyiv government refuses to negotiate until Russia vacates the occupied territories, arguing that any halt in the war would allow Moscow to regroup and resume its aggression.

Tatiana Stanovaya, founder of the political consultancy R.Politik, stated, “This is an attempt to dictate terms for ending the war,” noting that Putin’s proposals involve no concessions from Russia and are strategically timed to coincide with the peace conference in Switzerland.

Putin insisted that Ukraine must recognize the four regions, along with Crimea annexed in 2014, as Russian territory and that Ukraine’s neutral status must be enshrined in international law. Additionally, he demanded the lifting of all sanctions against Russia by the US and its allies as part of a peace deal.

These demands followed a Group of Seven summit where leaders agreed to use the profits from roughly $280 billion in frozen Russian sovereign assets to provide Ukraine with about $50 billion in aid. The US also imposed further sanctions on Russia, leading the Moscow Exchange to halt trading in US dollars and euros.

In September 2022, Putin declared the four regions “forever” part of Russia, despite incomplete control over those areas. Prior to the invasion, he demanded that Ukraine drop its NATO ambitions and accept a neutral, demilitarized status.

Presenting his terms as a new initiative for negotiations, Putin said, “If Kyiv and Western capitals reject it as they did before, that’s their decision. The situation on the front line will continue to change, and not in Kyiv’s favor.”

Putin mentioned that there are nearly 700,000 Russian troops in Ukraine, an increase from over 600,000 reported in late January.