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Authorities say goods worth Rs 36 lakh including insulated flasks, insulated food containers, metallic potable water bottles, ceiling fans and toys were seized from Amazon.

In a major crackdown, officials from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) raided warehouses of Amazon and Flipkart in Tiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu, adjoining Chennai and seized consignments for suspected violation of BIS Act, 2016 and several quality control orders. 

Authorities say goods worth Rs 36 lakh including insulated flasks, insulated food containers, metallic potable water bottles, ceiling fans and toys were seized from Amazon. These items, they claim, can’t be stored or sold without BIS Standard Mark (ISI) under a valid BIS licence.

From Flipkart, authorities claim they recovered baby diapers, casseroles, stainless steel water bottles which were without the required BIS standard mark. They have not yet released the worth of these.

BIS officials say E-commerce platforms have turned into hotspot for sale of these goods.

“Action would be initiated. The offence is punishable with imprisonment up to two years or a fine not less than Rs 2 lakh, but may extend up to ten times the value of goods or articles produced or sold or offered to be sold or affixed or applied with a Standard Mark or both as per Section 29 of BIS Act, 2016 for first Contravention,” said G. Bhavani, Head of BIS in Chennai.

The injured auto driver is currently undergoing treatment at a government hospital. His wife has filed a formal complaint with the local police. The use of a minor to control the dogs has raised further legal and ethical questions.

An auto-rickshaw driver was bitten by two Rottweilers in Chennai while waiting near the Washermanpet area. The dogs, reportedly being walked by a minor boy, suddenly charged at the unsuspecting man, causing serious injuries.

According to senior police officials, the owner of the dogs, identified as Mahendran, has been arrested and will be remanded.

“We are investigating the circumstances under which the attack took place,” a senior police officer told NDTV.

Preliminary investigations revealed that although the dogs were vaccinated, they were not registered with the Chennai Corporation as required. Authorities confirmed that the Rottweilers have been taken to the city pound pending further examination.

The injured auto driver is currently undergoing treatment at a government hospital. His wife has filed a formal complaint with the local police. The use of a minor to control the dogs has raised further legal and ethical questions.

This incident comes nearly a year after a similar attack in which a young girl was mauled by two Rottweilers at a public park in the city. In response to the recurring threat, the Chennai Corporation had announced plans to enforce stricter regulations, including mandatory muzzling of ferocious breeds like Rottweilers in public areas. But this has not been adopted yet.

These rest lounges feature comfortable seating for up to 25 people, clean drinking water, charging points for mobile phones, and washrooms.In a first-of-its-kind initiative in India, the Greater Chennai Corporation has opened two swanky, air-conditioned rest lounges exclusively for gig workers, offering much-needed relief to food, grocery, and parcel delivery personnel who navigate the city daily under extreme conditions.

Designed with a modern Scandinavian aesthetic, these rest lounges feature comfortable seating for up to 25 people, clean drinking water, charging points for mobile phones, and well-maintained washrooms.

The pilot project, built at Rs 25 lakh, marks a significant step toward recognizing the needs of thousands of partners employed with food delivery platforms.

For many delivery workers, especially women, these lounges are more than just a place to sit – they’re a safe and dignified space.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin to inaugurate fifty free water vending machines in Chennai to boost clean water access.In a major public welfare initiative to ensure access to clean drinking water for all, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin will inaugurate 50 vending machines across Chennai on Wednesday.

The official inauguration will take place near the Marina swimming pool. The initiative, led by the Chennai Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB), is designed to provide 24/7 access to free drinking water, especially benefiting people from low-income backgrounds.

These state-of-the-art water vending machines, also known as water ATMs, have been installed in strategic public locations throughout the city.

According to Metro Water officials, the machines are being installed in two to six key spots within each Corporation zone. Locations include public places such as beaches, parks, temples, bus depots, terminals, and marketplaces — all identified by the Greater Chennai Corporation for their high footfall and utility.

Each vending machine is linked to a Metro Water pipeline and a storage tank to ensure an uninterrupted water supply. The machines are equipped with a purification system and are monitored around the clock through CCTV surveillance.

The penalty follows an internal investigation that held the contractor Larsen & Toubro primarily responsible for the collapse of two massive I-girders.Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) has imposed a Rs 1 crore penalty on its contractor, Larsen & Toubro (L&T), after an accident at its Manapakkam construction site led to the death of a 43-year-old worker on Thursday. The penalty follows an internal investigation that held the contractor primarily responsible for the collapse of two massive I-girders.

The accident occurred during construction activities for Phase II of the Chennai Metro. CMRL stated that a supporting frame slipped, causing the girders to fall.

The victim, identified as Ramesh, hailed from Nagercoil and was on duty when the structure collapsed.

An enquiry committee constituted by CMRL submitted its report on June 18, attributing primary responsibility to L&T for safety lapses. Consequently, two key safety officials from the contractor, the Chief Safety Manager (ESHS) and the Senior ESHS Manager, have been removed from the project.

The committee also held the General Consultant (GC), tasked with supervising the project, secondarily responsible. Following this, the Safety Engineer and the Senior Deputy Resident Engineer from the GC team have also been relieved of their duties.

Kajol Can’t Save Maa From a Weak NarrativeFronted solidly by Kajol in the guise of a woman who fights fiercely to prevent her daughter from falling prey to an old curse that hangs over the family and their village, Maa is a confused concoction. Faith, fear and feudalism flow into a feminine fable both fantastical and feeble.  

The mythological drama pans out in a remote Bengal village – its name is a Punjabified ‘Chandarpur’ and not ‘Chandrapur’ as it would be pronounced and spelled by a Bengali – off a forest that nobody dares to enter. Here, newly-pubescent girls disappear only to return within days without any recollection of what happened to them and where they went. 

The killing of the girl unleashes a curse that casts a shadow on all young village girls on the cusp of adulthood. They are hounded by a daitya (demon), a personification of a fearsome giant tree that spreads terror around the zamindar’s mansion that is now up for sale.  

The zamindar’s son, Shuvankar (Indraneil Sengupta) – yes, the boy who is allowed to live and branch out – leaves home never to return. He hides his family’s dark secret from his daughter Shweta (Kherin Sharma).   

Javed Akhtar extended his support and said the Censor Board and government should be a little more sympathetic towards the film’s release in India

Indian screenwriter, lyricist, and poet Javed Akhtar recently in conversation with NDTV Creators Manch, addressed the ongoing Diljit Dosanjh controversy over his Punjabi film Sardaar Ji 3, featuring Pakistani actor Hania Aamir. He shared his thoughts on the ongoing situation and whether it is fair for the singer-actor.

When asked about Diljit Dosanjh starring alongside Pakistani actress Hania Aamir in Sardaar Ji 3, and the backlash he received, Javed Akhtar said that he wasn’t aware when the movie was shot.

On being told that the makers say it was shot before the Pahalgam attack earlier this year, he said, “Ab kya karein bechara. The movie was shot earlier. Usko pata toh nahi tha ki aisa hoga. Iss mein Pakistani aadmi ka paisa toh nahi doobega, Hindustani ka paisa doobega. Toh phir kya faayda?”

He adds, “Usko pehle pata hota yeh hone wala hain, toh woh thodi na leta Pakistani actress. I think the government and the censor board should look at the situation with a little sympathy. And say that don’t do this again, but since you made this film before, then release it. But it should not happen again.”

Kaalidhar Laapata gives us a glimpse of Abhishek Bachchan as a middle-aged man suffering from memory loss and family betrayal decides to disappear in the crowd of Maha Kumbh Mela. he meets Ballu on his escape, who is a confident and aspiring boy of eight years. Their bond strengthens through laughter, warmth, and opportunities for the second time. The trailer promises a heartfelt story of rediscovery and happiness. Both of them start to fulfil their bucket list and leave the tension behind. The film beautifully explores the theme of transformation, dignity and abandonment.

Kaalidhar Laapata is an emotional and heartfelt story, and the remake of the Tamil film Karuppu Durai, featuring Abhishek Bachchan and Daivik Baghela in the road thriller premiere. It has been directed by Madhumita and produced under Zee Studios. The story takes you to Kaalidhar, a man who has failed to fulfil his wishes in life, sees a turning his life once he meets Ballu, a young boy. Together, they embark on a journey to fulfil their long bucket list.

Its clout on the world stage is diminished. Facing major funding cuts from the United States and others, it has been forced to shed jobs and start tackling long-delayed reforms.

The United Nations, a collaborative global dream built into reality out of the ashes of World War II, marks its 80th anniversary this month. There’s little to celebrate.

Its clout on the world stage is diminished. Facing major funding cuts from the United States and others, it has been forced to shed jobs and start tackling long-delayed reforms. Its longtime credo of “multilateralism” is under siege. Its most powerful body, the Security Council, has been blocked from taking action to end the two major wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

And as conflict between Israel, Iran and now the United States flares, it watched from the sidelines.

Four generations after its founding, as it tries to chart a new path for its future, a question hangs over the institution and the nearly 150,000 people it employs and oversees: Can the United Nations remain relevant in an increasingly contentious and fragmented world? With its dream of collaboration drifting, can it even survive?

When the United Nations was born in San Francisco on June 26, 1945, the overriding goal of the 50 participants who signed the UN Charter was stated in its first words: “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.”

The White House signaled trade progress with China on Thursday, with an official saying both sides have reached an understanding on issues including expediting rare earth shipments to the United States.

After talks in Geneva in May, Washington and Beijing had agreed to temporarily lower steep tit-for-tat tariffs on each other’s products.

China also committed to easing some non-tariff counterm.

Both sides eventually agreed on a framework to move forward with their Geneva consensus following talks in London this month.

On Thursday, a White House official told AFP that President Donald Trump’s administration and China have “agreed to an additional understanding for a framework to implement the Geneva agreement.”

This clarification came after Trump told an event that Washington had “just signed” a deal relating to trade with China, without providing further details.

Asked about Trump’s remarks on Bloomberg TV, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick referred to the London negotiations, saying the framework deal — which needed top-level approval — has now been “signed and sealed.”

Separately on Thursday, the White House also indicated that Washington could extend a July deadline when steeper tariffs impacting dozens of economies are due to kick in.

While Trump imposed a sweeping 10 percent levy on most trading partners this year, he unveiled — then halted — higher rates on dozens of economies while negotiations took place.

That pause is set to expire July 9.

Asked if there were plans to further the pause, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters: “Perhaps it could be extended, but that’s a decision for the president to make.”

“The deadline is not critical,” she said. “The president can simply provide these countries with a deal if they refuse to make us one by the deadline.”

This means Trump can “pick a reciprocal tariff rate that he believes is advantageous for the United States,” she said.

Lutnick told Bloomberg TV that Washington will announce some deals in the next week or so.

“Those who have deals will have deals, and everybody else who’s been negotiating with us, they’ll get a response from us,” he said

On the progress of trade negotiations, Leavitt added that US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer is “working very hard” and has had “good and productive discussions with many of our key trading partners.”