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United States Secret Service Admits Mistake Leading to Trump’s Assassination Bid

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Dhruv
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US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle admitted on Monday to the agency’s failure in preventing the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania.

“The Secret Service’s solemn mission is to protect our nation’s leaders,” Cheatle stated during her testimony before the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability.

“On July 13, we failed,” she acknowledged. “As director of the United States Secret Service, I take full responsibility for any security lapse.” Despite this, she rejected bipartisan calls for her resignation.

Cheatle described the attack on Donald Trump, who was slightly wounded in his right ear while speaking at the rally, as “the most significant operational failure of the Secret Service in decades.”

“There clearly was a mistake, and we will make every effort to ensure this never happens again,” she pledged.

The incident occurred just minutes after Trump began his speech. Positioned on the roof of a nearby building, the assailant fired eight shots before being swiftly neutralized by a Secret Service sniper within 26 seconds of the first gunshot.

Two rally attendees were seriously wounded, and a 50-year-old firefighter, Corey Comperatore, of Freeport, Pennsylvania, was killed.

US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle is set to face intense scrutiny on Monday as she testifies before the House of Representatives Oversight and Accountability Committee regarding her agency’s failure to prevent the recent assassination attempt on Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Pressure for her resignation has mounted from prominent Republicans like House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. In a separate hearing on Wednesday, FBI Director Christopher Wray will also testify before the House Judiciary Committee.

Gautam Gambhir Focused On Establishing Trust and Winning Mentality

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Dhruv
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Mumbai: Gautam Gambhir was ready for his 10 am media interaction as India’s new head coach, looking sharp in India’s travel jersey. At 42, he could easily be mistaken for one of the senior players, but he’s taken on one of cricket’s most demanding roles instead of opting for lucrative contracts or family breaks.

A gritty opener, Gambhir spent much of his career overshadowed by the Fab Five (Sehwag, Dravid, Tendulkar, Ganguly, and Laxman). This background might help him relate to players who aren’t recognized as flamboyant stroke-makers or consistent wicket-takers.

“International cricket can be tough and insecure since only 15 players are picked. It’s the support staff’s job to keep them happy,” Gambhir said. “It’s important to give players freedom and build relationships based on trust, not just as head coach and player.”

Trust will be crucial in his relationship with Rohit Sharma (37) and Virat Kohli (35). Both have been vital in the last two World Cups and continue to bring class to Test cricket, but their future remains a question.

“I’m confident they have a lot of cricket left in them,” Gambhir said. “With the 2025 Champions Trophy and a big tour of Australia in November, they should be motivated. If they maintain their fitness, they could even make it to the 2027 ODI World Cup. But ultimately, it’s their personal decision and contribution to the team that matters.”

Gambhir’s partnership with Kohli is highly anticipated. The two have a history of on-field clashes and past tensions over captaincy decisions. However, Gambhir emphasized professionalism and unity.

“Our relationship isn’t public. It’s between two mature individuals,” he said. “On the field, everyone fights for their team. But now we represent India and 140 crore Indians. We’ll be on the same page to make India proud.”

The two have exchanged messages since Gambhir took on his new role. “Virat is a thorough professional and world-class athlete. I respect him as a player, and that respect will continue. Hopefully, we’ll work well together.”

Addressing the future of format specialists and all-format players, Gambhir, alongside chief selector Ajit Agarkar, suggested that transitions are inevitable.

“For example, with Virat, Rohit, and Ravindra not in T20Is, the team will transition as these world-class players retire from the format. In 50-overs and Test cricket, consistency is key.”

Gambhir succeeds Rahul Dravid, under whom the team enjoyed significant success, including reaching the World Test Championship and ODI World Cup finals and winning the T20 World Cup.

While both Dravid and Gambhir despise losing, their coaching styles might differ. Gambhir emphasized winning as his primary focus.

“My learning has been simple – it’s all about winning,” he said. “We’re in a profession with only one winner. We play fair, hard, and aim to return to a winning and happy dressing room. A happy dressing room is a winning dressing room.”

The upcoming Sri Lanka tour, beginning July 27, will give the new team management an opportunity to start strong with both players and results.

Rahat Fateh Ali Khan Arrest Rumors Clarified

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Dhruv
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After reports emerged claiming that Rahat Fateh Ali Khan was arrested in Dubai, the Pakistani singer dismissed these claims on Monday, calling the reports “fake.”

Pakistan’s Geo News, citing Dubai police sources, reported that the singer had been arrested over a defamation complaint filed by his former manager, Salman Ahmed.

In a video post on the microblogging website X (formerly Twitter), Rahat Fateh Ali Khan stated that the news about his arrest is fake and baseless.

According to Geo News sources, Rahat’s former manager had submitted complaints against him to the Dubai authorities. The dispute reportedly began a few months earlier when Rahat dismissed Ahmed. Both Rahat and Ahmed have filed cases against each other.

In the video, Rahat said, “I am in Dubai to record songs. My songs are doing very well here. Everything is fine. I would like to request you all not to pay heed to fake news. My audience is my power.”

Earlier this year, the singer was involved in another controversy when a viral video purportedly showed him beating a man, whom he claimed was his disciple, with his shoe.

Another part of the video shows people trying to pull Rahat away from the student to stop the altercation.

The man was identified as an employee of Pakistani broadcaster Samaa TV, who expressed concern over the rise in violent behavior among singers.

“Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan was caught abusing his servant. Later, he gave an explanation,” the X user wrote in the caption.

INS Brahmaputra Gets Severely Damaged Due Mumbai Dockyard Fire

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Dhruv
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INS Brahmaputra, an Indian Navy warship undergoing maintenance at the Mumbai naval dockyard, caught fire on Sunday, July 21. According to the Indian Navy, the ship experienced severe listing to the port side.

“Despite all efforts, the ship could not be brought to an upright position. The ship continued to list further alongside her berth and is presently resting on one side,” the Navy stated.

The fire broke out onboard INS Brahmaputra, a multi-role frigate, on the evening of July 21 during its refit. A junior sailor is missing, and the search is ongoing. “All personnel have been accounted for except one junior sailor,” the Navy said. The government later informed Defense Minister Rajnath Singh about the situation and the missing sailor.

“Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi has apprised RM Shri @rajnathsingh of the fire breakout onboard INS Brahmaputra and the damages caused by the incident. RM prays for the safety of the missing sailor,” read an official tweet.

The Indian Navy has ordered an inquiry to investigate the incident. The fire was brought under control by the ship’s crew, with the assistance of firefighters from the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, and other ships in the harbor, by the morning of July 22. Follow-up actions, including sanitization checks to assess residual fire risk, were carried out.

“INS Brahmaputra, a multi-role frigate, caught fire on the evening of July 21 while undergoing refit. The fire was brought under control by the ship’s crew, with the assistance of firefighters from Naval Dockyard, Mumbai (ND Mbi), and other ships in the harbor, by the morning of July 22,” the Navy reported.

Commissioned into the Indian Navy in April 2000, INS Brahmaputra is the first of the indigenous ‘Brahmaputra’ class guided missile frigates. Operated by a dedicated crew of 40 officers and 330 sailors, the ship demonstrates India’s naval prowess and commitment to self-reliance in defense technology.

The ship is equipped with medium-range, close-range, and anti-aircraft guns, surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles, and torpedo launchers. It also features an array of sensors for maritime warfare and is capable of operating Seaking and Chetak helicopters.

Kamala Harris Lauds Joe Biden’s Legacy

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Dhruv
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US Vice President and new Democratic nominee Kamala Harris praised President Joe Biden’s legacy as “unmatched in modern history” on Monday, marking her first remarks since Biden withdrew from the 2024 presidential race and endorsed her candidacy.

Speaking at a White House event, Harris highlighted Biden’s record: “In one term, he has already surpassed the legacy of most presidents who have served two terms in office.”

On Sunday, Biden announced his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race and endorsed Harris as the Democratic Party’s new nominee, stating that stepping down was in the best interest of his party and the country.

With the US elections just three months away, Biden’s decision follows concerns about his fitness for office after a challenging debate with Donald Trump.

Harris, responding to Biden’s endorsement on July 21, expressed her gratitude and determination: “I am honoured to have the President’s endorsement, and I intend to earn and win this nomination,” she posted on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, on July 22.

She also thanked Biden for his service: “On behalf of the American people, I thank Joe Biden for his extraordinary leadership as President of the United States and his decades of service to our country.”

As the new US presidential candidate, Harris pledged to unite the Democratic Party and called on all Americans to come together to defeat Donald Trump. She also sought support from citizens and requested donations, stating, “If you’re with me, add a donation right now,” at the end of her post.

Biden Says He is All Set to Return Campaign Next Week

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Dhruv
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On Friday, President Joe Biden urged for party unity to confront former President Donald Trump’s “dark vision” and to resist pressure from high-ranking Democrats to withdraw from the 2024 election in favor of a new nominee. Biden, who is currently isolated at his Delaware beach house due to a COVID-19 diagnosis, faces increasing calls from Democratic members of Congress to step aside. Despite this, Biden remains steadfast in his belief that he can defeat Trump, relying on his family and a few long-time aides for support.

In a statement, Biden criticized Trump’s acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention, describing it as portraying a “dark vision for the future.” He emphasized that the focus should shift from his candidacy to the challenges posed by Trump’s agenda. Biden plans to return to the campaign trail next week and maintains that he has a viable path to victory, despite concerns from prominent party members.

Biden’s campaign chair, Jen O’Malley Dillon, acknowledged a decline in support but insisted that Biden is committed to the race and sees multiple ways to defeat Trump. She noted that while voters may have concerns about Biden’s age, they are not switching their support to Trump.

The Democratic National Committee’s rulemaking arm is proceeding with plans for a virtual roll call before August 7 to nominate the presidential candidate, ahead of the party’s convention later in the month in Chicago. Biden’s closest friend in Congress, Sen. Chris Coons, stressed that Biden deserves the respect to have important family conversations without battling leaks and press statements.

Amidst these developments, influential Democrats like former President Barack Obama and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi have privately expressed concerns about Biden’s chances and suggested that he step aside. Some Democratic lawmakers have also publicly called for Biden to exit the race to allow the party to unite behind a new candidate.

Despite these pressures, Biden has received key endorsements, including from the political arm of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and remains committed to his campaign. However, there is still time for reconsideration, and some key Democrats believe that Biden’s departure could secure his legacy and strengthen the party’s chances in the election.

Biden, who tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week, dismissed the idea that it is too late for him to recover politically, stating that many people do not focus on the election until September. However, Democratic lawmakers are having private conversations about potential alternatives, including Vice President Kamala Harris.

A recent poll indicates that nearly two-thirds of Democrats believe Biden should step aside, while a majority think Harris would make a good president. Amid the ongoing debate, many influential Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, are expressing concern but also acknowledge that the current ticket can win.

Overall, while Biden’s commitment to the race remains firm, the Democratic Party faces significant internal debate and pressure as it navigates the path to the 2024 election.

Sonakshi Sinha Says She Never Had Religious Issues With Zaheer Iqbal

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Dhruv
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Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal have remained supportive of each other despite the divisive opinions on the internet regarding their interfaith marriage. In an interview with ETimes, the couple shared that religion has never been a point of contention between them.

Discussing how they embrace each other’s cultures, Sonakshi remarked, “Absolutely! I think it will be beautiful. But genuinely, we’re not very different from each other. Our core values are the same. Basically, our parents have taught us to be good human beings and believe in God, regardless of the name. The most important thing in life is to be a good person—those are the values we have imbibed.”

Zaheer added that while he and Sonakshi might have numerous disagreements, “it will never have anything to do with religion.” He also recalled advice from ‘Salim uncle’ (Salman Khan’s father) who once shared that he told ‘Salma aunty’s’ parents the same when they got married.

Sonakshi emphasized that in their seven years of dating, the difference in their faiths was never a topic of discussion. They both respect other religions, and it has never been an issue for them. She noted that the only noise about their interfaith wedding comes from outside, as actors belong to an audience of diverse faiths.

Sonakshi and Zaheer dated for seven years before getting married on June 23, 2017, the same date they started dating. They both starred in the film “Double XL,” co-produced by Huma Qureshi. Zaheer, son of businessman Iqbal Ratansi and a close friend of Salman Khan, was supported by Salman for his debut film, “Notebook,” where he starred alongside Pranutan Bahl. Sonakshi was introduced to Zaheer by Salman at a party.

Recently, Sonakshi appeared in Aditya Sarpotdar’s horror-comedy “Kakuda.”

NIA Arrests Main Arm Suppliers of Canada-Based Gang

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Dhruv
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The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a key aide of Canada-based Khalistani terrorist Lakhbir Singh Sandhu, also known as Landa, in connection with a major terror network case involving the supply of deadly weapons for extortion, among other crimes, according to an official statement released on Friday.

The accused, identified as Baljeet Singh, also known as Rana Bhai or Balli, hails from Barwani district in Madhya Pradesh. He was arrested on Thursday and brought before an NIA special court in Mohali, which remanded him to the agency’s custody. Balli has been identified as a significant weapon supplier to Landa’s agents in Punjab.

These weapons were used to carry out large-scale terror activities, including extortion from businessmen and others, the NIA reported. The investigation also led to the arrest of Gurpreet Singh Gopi, an associate of both Landa and another Khalistani terrorist, Satnam Singh Satta.

The case, which was registered suo motu by the NIA on July 10 last year, revealed that Baljeet Singh had also provided weapons to Satta. This was part of a broader conspiracy involving various banned Khalistani terrorist organizations aiming to destabilize India by inciting violence in Punjab and other regions.

Landa and Satta are believed to be operating from Canada, promoting terror activities in India.

The NIA continues its investigation as part of its crackdown on Khalistani terrorist outfits, the agency added.

Anand Mahindra Takes ‘Bullish’ Stance Against Microsoft Outage

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Dhruv
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Businesses and public services worldwide experienced significant disruptions on Friday due to a massive Microsoft outage. This unprecedented glitch affected airlines, banks, healthcare systems, and investment firms, forcing many operations to revert to pre-technology methods. Thousands of people reported encountering the infamous ‘Windows blue screen of death’ as the workday commenced.

Businessman Anand Mahindra encapsulated the situation with a picture of security personnel riding buffaloes. The image features officials from the Brazilian Buffalo Patrol team, who monitor Soure, the capital of Marajó Island in Brazil, and are believed to be the only police force globally that rides buffaloes.

“The pace of global commercial activity right now—post the Microsoft crowd strike outage,” he commented.

The post elicited amused reactions from several X users, with many praising the ‘amazing patrol vehicle.’

“Yamdut,” remarked one user.

“Did Mahindra & Mahindra also get stalled?” wondered several others.

Many noted that the outage served as a reminder that even technology has a ‘breaking point.’ Users expressed concern about the world’s heavy reliance on technology for every aspect of life.

“Just shows how dependent we are on digital currencies and computers. It’s like the world will come to a halt if something goes wrong with the internet and computers/AI systems,” commented one user.

“This outage highlights our heavy reliance on a handful of companies. It’s a real concern and a wake-up call for the world to develop alternatives for every critical service. Diversification is key to resilience,” added another.

“We think our lives are in our control. One virus, technical glitch can jeopardize our lives,” read a third, somewhat ominous, post.

An update from CrowdStrike—the security firm associated with the software update that caused the outage—indicated that the issue had been isolated and a fix deployed by Friday afternoon.

“CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated, and a fix has been deployed. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website. We further recommend organizations ensure they’re communicating with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels. Our team is fully mobilized to ensure the security and stability of CrowdStrike customers,” said George Kurtz, President and CEO of CrowdStrike.

Trainee IAS Officer Puja Khedkar’s Father Given Interim Protection

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Dhruv
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A Pune court has granted interim protection to Dilip Khedkar, the father of trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar, until July 25. This decision comes in the context of a case involving the alleged threat to a local farmer over a land dispute.

Dilip Khedkar, along with his wife Manorama Khedkar, is a co-accused in the case. Manorama Khedkar was arrested by Pune Rural police on Thursday.

Earlier this month, a video surfaced showing Manorama allegedly threatening people with a gun over a land dispute in Dhadwali village, located in Pune’s Mulshi tehsil in 2023.

Manorama, her husband Dilip, and three others are accused of threatening Pandharinath Pasalkar, a 65-year-old man, with a gun over a land dispute in Dhadwali village on June 4, 2023.

Following this incident, the Paud police in Pune rural charged the Khedkar couple and five others under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 307, 144 (unlawful assembly armed with deadly weapon), 147 (rioting), and 506 (criminal intimidation), as well as under the Arms Act.

The First Information Report was registered after a viral video showed Manorama purportedly threatening individuals with a gun in Dhadwali village.

Meanwhile, their daughter Puja Khedkar is facing scrutiny regarding her claims about disability and Other Backward Class (OBC) certificates in her Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) application, as well as her conduct during her tenure at the Pune collector’s office.

Earlier in the day, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) announced that it had registered a criminal case against Puja Khedkar for allegedly faking her identity to fraudulently gain additional attempts in the civil services examination beyond eligibility and has taken steps to debar her from future selections.

Khedkar, a 2023-batch probationary Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, is accused of misusing her power and privileges by demanding perks and facilities she was not entitled to during her training at the Pune District Collectorate in Maharashtra recently.

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