Government to reconsider minority tag for Hindus in some states

HT Daily News Wrap

Putin doesn't know the way out of war, says Biden, Government to reconsider minority tag for Hindus in some states, Cyclone Asani brings heavy rain to north coastal Andhra & other top news in this bulletin.
The Union government will initiate a “wide consultation” with states and other stakeholders to examine a plea as to whether Hindus can be granted minority status in states where their numbers are less than those of other communities, an affidavit filed by the Centre in the Supreme Court said on Monday, indicating a withdrawal of its previous stand on the issue. Moderate to heavy rains lashed several parts of north coastal Andhra Pradesh on Monday, as the Indian Meteorological Department warned of the presence of severe cyclonic storm Asani located in the Bay of Bengal, about 450 km southeast of Visakhapatnam. The severe cyclonic storm is moving north-westwards with a speed of 16 kmph and is expected to get weakened gradually into a cyclonic storm during the next 24 hours and move towards Odisha coast, the weather bulletin said. “Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to occur at isolated places. Squally wind with speed reaching up to 40-60 kmph is likely to be witnessed in the next 24 hours,” said the bulletin from IMD, Amaravati. Sri Lanka saw its most violent day in recent weeks as prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa quit from his post on Monday and clashes – far and wide – claimed at least five lives and left over 200 injured. Lawmaker Amarakeerthi Athukorala of the ruling party shot dead a 27-year-old man and then took his own life, reports said, as the country remained tense amid  the country’s worst economic crisis. The country has been struggling to meet the basic needs of the people. Imports of everything from milk to fuel have plunged, spawning dire food shortages and rolling power cuts are only some aspects of the escalating crisis. Russian President Vladimir Putin does not know his way out of the war, Joe Biden said on Monday as the United States tries to speed up aid for Ukraine, which is in its 11th week of Europe’s worst conflict in decades. Calling Putin “a very calculating man”, the US president said, the Russian leader “doesn’t have a way out right now, and I’m trying to figure out what we do about that”. Sona Mohapatra has tweeted in support of Aamir Khan’s daughter Ira Khan, reminding people that the young girl is 25-year-old and does not need her father’s approval to exercise her choices. After Ira posted pictures from her birthday celebrations, many internet users criticised her for wearing a bikini around her father, Aamir.  Sona wrote on social media late Monday, “All the people outraging about Ira Khan’s choice of attire or linking it to what #AamirKhan said, did or didn’t in the past please note; she is 25. A free, thinking, adult woman. Is exercising her choices. Doesn’t need her dad’s approval or yours. BUZZ off. #Patriachy #India.” There are few better sights in T20 cricket than Jasprit Bumrah in his elements. The Mumbai Indians (MI) pacer had not been on top this season by his lofty toe-crushing standards, but he was breathing fire against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the DY Patil Stadium on Monday. The death bowling ace hit the good length and also got the short ones to rise and bite, claiming the best bowling figures of this Indian Premier League (IPL) season that read 4-1-10-5. It had a three-wicket maiden in the 18th over and 18 dot balls that single-handedly halted KKR’s surge towards a healthy total, eventually ending at a decent 165/9.