Veteran actor B Saroja Devi passed away on Monday following age-related illness. Saroja breathed her last at her residence in Malleswaram, Bengaluru. She was 87. Known as “Abhinaya Saraswathi”, B Saroja Devi made her silver screen debut in 1955 with the Kannada film Mahakavi Kalidasa. In a career spanning more than seven decades, she appeared in over 200 movies across Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Hindi cinema. Some of her notable works include Kittur Chennamma, Babruvahana, Anna Thangi, Bhakta Kanakadasa, Bale Bangaara, Naagakannike, Bettada Hoovu, Kasturi Nivasa, Nadodi Mannan, Karpoora Karasi, Panduranga Mahatyam, and Thirumanam. She was last seen in the 219 Kannada film Natasaarvabhowma. B Saroja Devi was honoured with the Padma Shri in 1969 and the Padma Bhushan in 1992. Celebrities, politicians and fans took to social media to mourn the demise of B Saroja Devi. Khushbu Sundar took to X and wrote, “AN era gold golden cinema comes to an end. #SarojaDevi amma was the greatest of all times . No other female actor in south has ever enjoyed the name and fame as her. Such a lovable adorable soul she was. Had a great rapport with her. My trip to Bengaluru was incomplete without meeting her. And whenever in chennai, she would call. Will miss her immensely. Rest in peace Amma. Om Shanti.” Karantaka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah posted on his X handle, “The news of the passing of veteran Kannada actress B. Saroja Devi is deeply saddening. Known as Abhinaya Saraswathi (Goddess of Acting), she acted in nearly 200 films across Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi cinema. The very mention of Saroja Devi brings to mind her graceful performances in films like Kittur Chennamma, Babruvahana, and Anna Thangi. Through films of refined taste, she entertained cinephiles for several decades. Her passing marks a tremendous loss for Indian cinema. I pray that her soul rests in peace. My heartfelt condolences to her grieving family and fans.” A fan wrote, “An era ends with #SarojaDevi Amma’s passing. A timeless legend, forever in our hearts. Om Shanti” Source : Indian Express

Legendary South Indian actress Saroja Devi passes away

Starting from tomorrow (15), 9,191 children in detention homes, child development centers, or under guardianship will receive a Rs. 5,000 monthly allowance.&nbsp; Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Savithri Paulraj stated that Rs. 3,000 will be allocated for the child's welfare via development centers or guardians, while Rs. 2,000 will be saved in a National Savings Bank account for the child's future.&nbsp; Deposits will be made on the 10th of each month.

Govt. to grant Rs. 5,000 monthly allowance for vulnerable children from tomorrow

Prime Minister (PM) Harini Amarasuriya has called for a transformative shift in Sri Lanka’s education system, stating that evaluating students solely based on exam results is a flawed approach that must change. Addressing the “Pankaja Student Summit 2025” at Royal Central College in Polonnaruwa, she highlighted the need to build a compassionate society by nurturing children with strong values and creativity. She emphasised that the goal of education should be to produce citizens who contribute meaningfully to society, not merely individuals who chase personal success. Amarasuriya, who also serves as Minister of Education, attended the event on the invitation of student Prime Minister Praveen Maneesha Watthegama and praised the talent and leadership potential of the participating students. She reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to fostering a more holistic, humane, and inclusive education system aligned with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s vision.

PM calls for shift from exam-centric education to value-driven learning

Azusa Kubota, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative, reaffirmed the agency’s support for Sri Lanka’s efforts to build a more efficient and accountable public service. Meeting with Presidential Secretary Nandika Sanath Kumanayake on 13 July, she discussed UNDP's role in establishing Internal Affairs Units across Government institutions to combat corruption and promote transparency. The proposed units will work in coordination with the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC)to uphold ethical governance and reinforce compliance in the public sector. UNDP experts, including Drago Kos and Dhammika Dassanayake, joined the discussion, emphasizing global best practices and continued cooperation with Sri Lanka’s anti-corruption drive.

UNDP pledges support for Sri Lanka's public sector reforms

The European Union said on Sunday it would extend its suspension of countermeasures to U.S. tariffs until early August and continue to press for a negotiated settlement as U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration demanded more concessions from trading partners. Trump said on Saturday he would impose a 30% tariff on most imports from the EU and Mexico from August 1, adding to similar warnings for other countries and leaving them less than three weeks to hammer out framework deals that could lower the threatened tariff rate. White House Economic Adviser Kevin Hassett said on Sunday that countries’ trade deal offers so far have not satisfied Trump and “the tariffs are real” without improvements. “The president thinks that deals need to be better,” Hassett told ABC’s This Week program. “And to basically put a line in the sand, he sent these letters out to folks, and we’ll see how it works out.” Ursula von der Leyen, head of the EU’s executive Commission which handles trade policy for the 27 member states, said the bloc would maintain its two-track approach: keep talking and prepare retaliatory measures. “We have always been very clear that we prefer a negotiated solution. This remains the case, and we will use the time that we have now,” von der Leyen told a press conference, adding that the bloc would extend its halt on countermeasures until August. White House Economic Adviser Kevin Hassett said on Sunday that countries’ trade deal offers so far have not satisfied Trump and “the tariffs are real” without improvements. “The president thinks that deals need to be better,” Hassett told ABC’s This Week program. “And to basically put a line in the sand, he sent these letters out to folks, and we’ll see how it works out.” Ursula von der Leyen, head of the EU’s executive Commission which handles trade policy for the 27 member states, said the bloc would maintain its two-track approach: keep talking and prepare retaliatory measures. “We have always been very clear that we prefer a negotiated solution. This remains the case, and we will use the time that we have now,” von der Leyen told a press conference, adding that the bloc would extend its halt on countermeasures until August. Macron said the Commission needed more than ever to “assert the Union’s determination to defend European interests resolutely”, and that retaliation might need to include so-called anti-coercion instruments. German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said on Sunday the EU should be ready to take firm action if talks failed. “If a fair negotiated solution does not succeed, then we must take decisive countermeasures to protect jobs and companies in Europe,” Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil, also vice chancellor in the ruling coalition, told Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper. While the EU has held back from retaliating against the U.S. in the months since Trump hit the bloc with tariffs, it has readied two packages that could hit a combined 93 billion euros of U.S. goods. A first package, in response to U.S. levies of 50% on imported steel and aluminium that would hit 21 billion euros in U.S. goods, was suspended in April for 90 days to allow time for negotiations. The suspension had been due to expire on Monday before the extension was announced. A second package in retaliation against Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs has been in the works since May and was set to target 72 billion euros of U.S. goods. These measures have not been made public and the final list requires approval by member states. Anti-Coercion Instrument Von der Leyen said on Sunday that the use of the EU’s Anti-Coercion Instrument was not yet on the table. The instrument allows the bloc to retaliate against third countries that put economic pressure on EU members to change their policies. “The (anti-coercion) instrument is created for extraordinary situations, we are not there yet,” she said. Possible retaliatory steps could include restricting EU market access to goods and services, and other economic measures related to areas including foreign direct investment, financial markets and export controls. In a sign of the EU’s desire to strike deals with more trading partners at a time of deepening uncertainty in trans-Atlantic relations, von der Leyen said a political agreement had been reached to advance an EU-Indonesia trade deal. France’s cheese producers warned of the damaging consequences of a 30% tariff for the local dairy industry, which exports nearly half its produce, including to the United States. “It’s a new environment we will have to get used to - I don’t think this is temporary,” Francois Xavier Huard, CEO of dairy association FNIL, told Reuters. Source: Reuters

Trump demands more concessions as EU holds off on US tariff countermeasures

Former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, who led the country twice as a military head of state and a democratic president, has died aged 82, his press secretary said Sunday. Buhari died Sunday in London, where he had been receiving medical treatment. He first took power in Africa’s most populous nation in 1983, after a military coup, running an authoritarian regime until fellow soldiers ousted him less than 20 months later. When he was elected in 2015 on his fourth attempt, he became the first opposition candidate to win a presidential election there. Buhari rode into power in that election on a wave of goodwill after promising to rid Nigeria of chronic corruption and a deadly security crisis. He led until 2023, during a period marked by Boko Haram’s extremist violence in the northeast and a plunging economy. Current President Bola Tinubu in a statement described Buhari as “a patriot, a soldier, a statesman ... to the very core.” Tinubu dispatched the vice president to bring Buhari’s body home from London. Others across Nigeria remembered Buhari as a president who left the country of more than 200 million people — divided between a largely Muslim north and Christian south — more at odds than before. For many, Buhari will be linked with memories of the 2020 youth protests against a police unit accused by rights groups and others of extrajudicial killings, torture and extortion — and the deadly shootings of demonstrators by soldiers. “The uneven response to Buhari’s death, with muted disillusionment in some quarters and sadness in others, is a reflection of how difficult it is to unite a country and his inability to do so after decades in the public eye,” said Afolabi Adekaiyaoja, an Abuja-based political scientist. Coming from Nigeria’s north, the lanky, austere Buhari had vowed to end extremist killings and clean up rampant corruption in one of Africa’s largest economies and oil producers. By the end of his eight-year tenure, however, goodwill toward him had faded into discontent. Insecurity had only grown, and corruption was more widespread. Nigeria also fell into a recession amid slumping global oil prices and attacks by militants in the sprawling oil-rich Niger Delta region. The currency faltered as Buhari pursued unorthodox monetary policies to defend its fixed price to the dollar, and a massive foreign currency shortage worsened. Inflation was in the double digits. Civil society accused him of authoritarian tendencies after protesters were killed during a protest against police brutality and over his decision to restrict access to social media, as young people vented their frustrations against economic and security problems. Buhari’s attempts at managing the problems were complicated by prolonged medical stays abroad. His absences, with few details, created anxiety among Nigerians and some calls for him to be replaced. There also was anger over his seeking taxpayer-funded health care abroad while millions suffered from poor health facilities at home. “I need a longer time to rest,” the president once said in a rare comment during his time away. His presidency saw a rare bright moment in Nigeria’s fight against Boko Haram — the safe return of dozens of Chibok schoolgirls seized in a mass abduction in 2014 that drew global attention. But others among the thousands of people abducted by Boko Haram over the years remain missing — a powerful symbol of the government’s failure to protect civilians. At the end of 2016, Buhari announced that the extremist group had been crushed, driven by the military from its remote strongholds. “The terrorists are on the run, and no longer have a place to hide,” he boasted. But suicide bombings and other attacks remained a threat, and the military’s fight against Boko Haram continued to be hurt by allegations of abuses by troops against civilians. In early 2017, the accidental military bombing of a displaced persons camp in the northeast killed more than 100 people, including aid workers. The U.N. refugee chief called the killings “truly catastrophic.” As Nigeria’s military reclaimed more area from Boko Haram’s control, a vast humanitarian crisis was revealed. Aid groups began alerting the world to people dying from malnutrition, even as government officials denied the crisis and accused aid groups of exaggerating the situation to attract donations. The extremist threat and humanitarian crisis in the northeast — now exacerbated by Trump administration aid cuts — continues today. Years earlier, as Nigeria’s military ruler, Buhari oversaw a regime that executed drug dealers, returned looted state assets and sent soldiers to the streets with whips to enforce traffic laws. With oil prices slumping and Nigerians saying foreigners were depriving them of work, the regime also ordered an estimated 700,000 illegal immigrants to leave the country. Meanwhile, government workers arriving late to their offices were forced to perform squats in a “war against indiscipline” that won many followers. Buhari’s administration, however, was also criticized by rights groups and others for detaining journalists critical of the government and for passing laws that allowed indefinite detention without trial. As he pursued the presidency decades later, Buhari said he had undergone radical changes and that he now championed democracy. But some of his past stances haunted him, including statements in the 1980s that he would introduce Islamic law across Nigeria. Source: AP

Nigeria’s ex-president Buhari, twice leader of Africa’s most populous nation, dies at 82

An aircraft has crashed at London Southend Airport, police have confirmed. Essex Police said it was alerted to a 12-metre plane on fire at the site in Southend-on-Sea shortly before 16:00 BST on Sunday. Emergency services are at the scene and officers have evacuated the Rochford Hundred Golf Club and Westcliff Rugby Club due to its proximity to the incident. The Labour MP for Southend West and Leigh, David Burton-Sampson, said on X: “My thoughts are with everyone involved.” A spokesperson for Essex Police said: “We are working with all emergency services at the scene now and that work will be ongoing for several hours. “We would please ask the public to avoid this area where possible while this work continues.” Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said it was called to the incident at 15:58. The service has asked people to avoid the area if possible. A spokesperson said: “Crews from Southend (two), Rayleigh Weir and Basildon (two), along with off-road vehicles from Billericay and Chelmsford attended. “We are continuing to work at the scene with our emergency services and aviation partners." Source: BBC

Plane crashes at London Southend Airport

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday he will send Patriot air defense missiles to Ukraine, saying they are necessary to defend the country because Russian President Vladimir Putin “talks nice but then he bombs everybody in the evening.” Trump did not give a number of Patriots he plans to send to Ukraine, but he said the United States would be reimbursed for their cost by the European Union. The U.S. president has grown increasingly disenchanted with Putin because the Russian leader has resisted Trump’s attempts to negotiate a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has asked for more defensive capabilities to fend off a daily barrage of missile and drone attacks from Russia. “We will send them Patriots, which they desperately need, because Putin really surprised a lot of people. He talks nice and then bombs everybody in the evening. But there’s a little bit of a problem there. I don’t like it,” Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews outside of Washington. “We basically are going to send them various pieces of very sophisticated military equipment. They are going to pay us 100% for that, and that’s the way we want it,” Trump said. He plans to meet NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte to discuss Ukraine and other issues this week. Source: Reuters

Trump says US will send Patriot missiles to Ukraine

Bitcoin crossed the $120,000 level for the first time on Monday, marking a major milestone for the world’s largest cryptocurrency as investors bet on long-sought policy wins for the industry this week. Starting on Monday, the U.S. House of Representatives will debate a series of bills to provide the digital asset industry with the nation’s regulatory framework it has long demanded. Those demands have resonated with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has called himself the “crypto president” and urged policymakers to revamp rules in favor of the industry. Expectations of further tailwinds for the industry helped propel bitcoin to yet another record high of $121,207.55 in the Asian session on Monday. It last traded 1.5% higher at $120,856.34. The surge in bitcoin, which is up 29% for the year thus far, has sparked a broader rally across other cryptocurrencies over the past few weeks even in the face of Trump’s chaotic tariffs. Ether, the second-largest token, scaled an over five-month top of $3,048.23 on Monday and last stood at $3,036.24. The sector’s total market value has swelled to about $3.78 trillion, according to data from CoinMarketCap. Source: Reuters

Legendary South Indian actress Saroja Devi passes away

Govt. to grant Rs. 5,000 monthly allowance for vulnerable children fro ...

Govt. to grant Rs. 5,000 month ...

PM calls for shift from exam-centric education to value-driven learnin ...

PM calls for shift from exam-c ...

UNDP pledges support for Sri Lanka's public sector reforms

UNDP pledges support for Sri L ...

Trump demands more concessions as EU holds off on US tariff countermea ...

Trump demands more concessions ...

Nigeria’s ex-president Buhari, twice leader of Africa’s most populous ...

Nigeria’s ex-president Buhari, ...

Plane crashes at London Southend Airport

Plane crashes at London Southe ...

Trump says US will send Patriot missiles to Ukraine

Trump says US will send Patrio ...

Bitcoin tops $120,000 for the first time

Bitcoin tops $120,000 for the ...

Govt. to grant Rs. 5,000 monthly allowance for vulnerable children fro ...

Govt. to grant Rs. 5,000 month ...

PM calls for shift from exam-centric education to value-driven learnin ...

PM calls for shift from exam-c ...

UNDP pledges support for Sri Lanka's public sector reforms

UNDP pledges support for Sri L ...

Trump demands more concessions as EU holds off on US tariff countermea ...

Trump demands more concessions ...

Nigeria’s ex-president Buhari, twice leader of Africa’s most populous ...

Nigeria’s ex-president Buhari, ...

Plane crashes at London Southend Airport

Plane crashes at London Southe ...

Trump says US will send Patriot missiles to Ukraine

Trump says US will send Patrio ...

Bitcoin tops $120,000 for the first time

Bitcoin tops $120,000 for the ...

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Govt. to grant Rs. 5,000 monthly allowance for vulnerable children fro ...

Govt. to grant Rs. 5,000 month ...

PM calls for shift from exam-centric education to value-driven learnin ...

PM calls for shift from exam-c ...

Bringing the news paper to your fingertips

UNDP pledges support for Sri Lanka's public sector reforms

UNDP pledges support for Sri L ...

Trump demands more concessions as EU holds off on US tariff countermea ...

Trump demands more concessions ...

Nigeria’s ex-president Buhari, twice leader of Africa’s most populous ...

Nigeria’s ex-president Buhari, ...

Plane crashes at London Southend Airport

Plane crashes at London Southe ...