At least one person was killed and several others, including police personnel, were injured during a clash between evicted individuals and security forces in the Paikan reserve forest area of Assam’s Goalpara district on Thursday, officials confirmed. According to reports, the incident occurred when forest and police personnel visited the area to cordon off a section of land previously cleared during an eviction drive conducted on July 12. The forest department had planned to dig a channel in the area to prevent future encroachments. While the work began peacefully the previous day, tensions escalated when the team returned on Thursday morning.

Officials said that a group of former residents, allegedly among those evicted, attacked the team with sticks and pelted stones at the police and forest staff. In response, the police fired shots to control the situation, resulting in the death of one person and injuries to at least two others. Several police officers and forest guards sustained injuries during the stone-pelting. Authorities believe the attackers were people displaced during the earlier eviction.

The situation highlights the ongoing tensions surrounding land disputes and eviction efforts in the region. The forest department had initiated the action to reclaim reserve forest land from alleged encroachers and to prevent further settlement in the area. A more detailed investigation into the clash is currently underway, officials added.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from PTI.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu paid a courtesy visit to Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in New Delhi on the second day of his trip. During the meeting, Naidu discussed various infrastructure and sports development initiatives aimed at enhancing the state’s sports ecosystem.

The CM requested the establishment of Sports Authority training centres in Tirupati and proposed setting up a world-class badminton training facility in Amaravati. He also highlighted the potential for creating a National Water Sports Training Hub in Amaravati and developing water sports centres along the Krishna River.

Naidu informed the Minister that the state had submitted several proposals to strengthen sports infrastructure. These include National Centres of Excellence at Nagarjuna University and in Kakinada, as well as the timely completion of projects under the Khelo India scheme in Tirupati, Rajamahendravaram, Kakinada, and Narasaraopet.

Additionally, he sought ₹27 crore for upgrading Vijayawada’s Indira Gandhi Stadium, ₹170 crore for a multi-sports complex at BR Stadium in Guntur, and ₹341 crore for overall sports development in the state. The CM emphasized the need for more Khelo India Centres at the district level to identify young talent.

Naidu further proposed a Sports Authority of India centre in Tirupati under the Andhra Pradesh Sports Policy 2024–29, aimed at creating a robust sports infrastructure. He thanked Minister Mandaviya for considering Andhra Pradesh to host the Khelo India Martial Arts Games 2025 in cities like Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam, and requested ₹25 crore in support for the event.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from ANI.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge met with Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday to discuss preparations for the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament. Describing the meeting as “fruitful,” Kharge shared on X that the Opposition is aiming for a constructive and meaningful session of the Rajya Sabha starting July 21.

He stressed the need for thorough discussions on several critical issues including strategic, political, foreign policy, and socio-economic matters that are of significant public interest. The Monsoon Session is scheduled from July 21 to August 21, with no sittings on August 13 and 14 due to Independence Day celebrations.

Meanwhile, senior BJP leaders, including Union Ministers like Amit Shah, gathered at party chief JP Nadda’s residence in the capital for internal discussions. Additionally, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju announced that the Centre will hold an all-party meeting on July 19 to prepare for the session.

Rijiju confirmed on X that the President of India has approved the session dates and reiterated the Parliament will not convene on August 13 and 14. This Monsoon Session will be the first held after Operation Sindoor, which India launched on May 7 following a terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, that left 26 people dead.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from X/@Kharge.

Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is set to return to Earth after spending nearly 18 days aboard the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission. Accompanying him on this journey back are Commander Peggy Whitson, Slawosz 'Suave' Uznanski-Wisniewski, and Tibor Kapu. According to NASA, the process of departure will begin with the closing of the spacecraft’s hatch at 2:00 pm IST on Monday. The crew is expected to board the Dragon spacecraft by 2:25 pm IST, with undocking preparations starting around 4:15 pm IST. The actual undocking is scheduled to occur at approximately 4:30 pm IST.

Following their separation from the ISS, the crew’s journey back to Earth is estimated to take about 22 hours. Union Minister Jitendra Singh stated on social media that the splashdown is expected to take place around 3:00 pm IST on July 15, with an allowance of about an hour either side of the projected time. The capsule is planned to land in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, utilizing parachutes in a water-landing—a standard recovery technique used by the United States for such missions.

NASA has announced that it will broadcast live coverage of the undocking through NASA+, which will continue for about 30 minutes after the event. Axiom Space will take over the broadcast to cover the Dragon capsule’s re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere and its eventual splashdown. During his time in space, Shukla participated in a range of scientific and outreach activities. Among his tasks, he handled microalgae samples by centrifuging and freezing them—part of ongoing research into how life might be sustained beyond Earth. He also engaged in a microgravity farming experiment, planting moong and methi seeds in orbit to study how plants grow and germinate in space conditions.

At a farewell event aboard the ISS, Shukla delivered a heartfelt speech, reflecting on his time in orbit and expressing pride in India’s progress. Referring to Rakesh Sharma’s historic quote from 1984, Shukla offered a modern perspective, saying that today’s India appears ambitious, fearless, confident, and full of pride when viewed from space. He concluded by saying that, for all these reasons, “Aaj ka Bharat abhi bhi saare jahaan se achha dikhta hai,” meaning “Today’s India still looks better than the entire world.” Shukla also thanked ISRO, NASA, Axiom Space, SpaceX, and international collaborators for making the mission possible. According to NASA, the returning Dragon capsule will carry back over 580 pounds of cargo, including NASA equipment and data from more than 60 scientific experiments. The Ax-4 mission was launched on June 25 via a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and docked with the ISS on June 26.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from PTI.

Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have purchased an Albanian island for over $1 billion. The island, one of the last undeveloped in the Mediterranean, will be turned into a luxury resort after unexploded ordnance from past conflicts is cleared from the site.

Disclaimer: This Podcast is taken from The Guardian.

A town in Alsace, France, banned tap water after high levels of PFAs, or "forever chemicals," were found. These toxic substances, used in many everyday products, don’t break down easily and are now present in water, soil, and even human blood — raising concerns about what might be in your own tap water.
Disclaimer: This Podcast is taken from The Guardian.

In Destination Anywhere, show producer Vaisali Prabhakaran chats with travel storyteller Divyakshi Gupta, the creator behind Quirky Wanderer, about her experiences exploring Himachal Pradesh. While the state is often associated with snow and Shimla, Divyakshi ventures off the beaten path to discover sacred mountain temples, centuries-old wooden architecture, and challenging high-altitude treks. She also delves into the tradition of Himachali Dham, a festive local feast, and recounts her journey along the dramatic Hindustan–Tibet Road.
Disclaimer: This Podcast is taken from CNA.

More people in their 50s and beyond are redefining retirement by pursuing purpose-driven second careers rather than stepping away from the workforce. According to Lim Kai Ning, co-founder of The Courage Chapter, a Singapore-based initiative that helps mature professionals find new meaning in their work, many are now choosing paths that align with their personal values, such as teaching, consulting, social entrepreneurship, or advocacy. These encore careers are driven not by financial necessity alone, but by a desire for impact and fulfillment after decades in corporate roles. With aging populations and shifting attitudes toward lifelong learning, there's a growing recognition of the unique value older adults bring—such as wisdom, emotional intelligence, and mentorship. Despite persistent ageism in some sectors, more organizations are embracing intergenerational teams and the benefits of experience. As Lim puts it, "Your most meaningful contribution might still be ahead of you," encouraging a shift from retirement as an end to work as a continued journey of purpose.

Disclaimer: This Podcast is taken from CNA.