The recent sengol controversy surrounding a golden scepter gifted to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru as a symbol of power during the transfer of power in 1947 has sparked heated debates and discussions. However, it has been revealed that even the Prime Minister's Office was unaware of the sengol until 2021. Controversy was triggered when a Samajwadi Party MP urged for its removal from the Parliament building, stating that it represented monarchy. However, editor of The Hindu, N. Ram, has pointed out that the historical sources cited by the government were questionable and that there is no evidence of any ceremony involving the sengol in 1947.
Samajwadi Party MP RK Chaudhary's demand for the removal of the Sengol sceptre from the Lok Sabha and its replacement with the Constitution stirred controversy. Chaudhary, in his letter, labelled the Sengol as an "anachronistic symbol of monarchy" and called for its removal to uphold the values of democracy. The BJP and other NDA allies criticised his remarks, while Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath accused the Samajwadi Party and its allies of displaying a disregard for Indian culture and history.
India's unbeaten streak in the T20 World Cup is at risk as they face off against England, who have already suffered two defeats in the competition. The match, which was supposed to take place in Guyana's Providence Stadium, has been delayed due to rain and the covers are yet to be removed. If the match does not proceed as per schedule, India will advance to the final based on their performance in the Super 8 stage.
In an effort to expand its collection of artists and songs for AI-generated music, YouTube is reportedly holding talks with major record labels. The platform has offered one-time payments to Universal, Sony, and Warner in exchange for permission to use their music for AI training. This development comes amidst lawsuits filed by the record labels against AI music generators for copyright infringement, and highlights the growing concern among musicians about the potential threat of AI to their creativity and compensation. YouTube has strict guidelines in place for creators and artists to label and remove AI-generated music, and Google has even launched a Music AI Incubator to address these concerns. This signals a growing trend of licensing deals with AI companies in the media industry.
The highly-anticipated launch of Nothing's sub-brand CMF Phone 1 in India has been generating a lot of buzz and the recent teaser adds to the excitement. The teaser reveals that the smartphone may feature a removable back plate with a screw design element, potentially offering improved customization options for users. The upcoming phone is rumored to have a 6.7-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, 50-megapixel dual rear cameras, and a powerful battery with 33W fast charging. Stay tuned for the official launch on July 8 to find out more about the CMF Phone 1.
AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi sparked controversy during his oath as an MP in Parliament by chanting 'Jai Palestine' slogan. Union minister Shobha Karandlaje filed a formal complaint against him and demanded that his speech be removed from the parliamentary record. Owaisi defended his actions, stating that his intention was to show solidarity towards the oppressed people of Palestine and referred to Mahatma Gandhi's views on the issue.
A Touch Imperious, known as “Henry”, was retired at age 20 with a final farewell at the Hickstead International Arena. The pairing of Harriet Biddick and Henry finished second in the Hickstead Derby five times and came third twice, earning almost £117,000 in this famous class. After an emotional moment of Harriet removing Henry's saddle, he was led on a final lap around the arena, surrounded by applause and a guard of honor from fellow riders. Harriet made the difficult decision to retire Henry to ensure his well-earned record remained intact, and he leaves behind a legacy as a true Hickstead Derby champion.
After Iga Swiatek's dominant victory at the French Open, comments made by podcast co-founder Caitlin Thompson angered fans of the tennis star. Thompson criticized Swiatek's appearance and personality, sparking backlash from retired WTA player Andrea Petkovic and others. Former women's doubles No. 1 Rennae Stubbs apologized for Thompson's comments and removed them from her podcast.
The government has removed NTA Director General Subodh Singh from his position following allegations of irregularities in NEET and NET exams. Pradeep Singh Kharola, the Chairman and Managing Director of ITPO, has been given temporary charge of the testing agency. This decision comes amidst demands for the cancellation of UGC-NET and allegations of paper leak in NEET-UG. Stay updated on business news, stock market updates, and personal finance coverage with Zee Business on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.
Amid controversy over potential exam irregularities, Pradeep Singh Kharola has been given the additional charge as the director general of the National Testing Agency (NTA). Previous NTA DG, Subodh Kumar Singh, has been removed and placed on compulsory wait in the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT). This decision comes after allegations of paper leaks in multiple exams conducted by NTA, such as the NEET and NET. However, Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan has denied any paper leak in the CSIR-UGC NET, which was postponed earlier this week.