Indian Sub-continent

Mumbai, Jul 26 (PTI); Actor Priyanka Chopra has thanked an online magazine for including her in its list of the 500 most influential people, saying it encourages her to tell important stories.

Popular magazine Variety had recently unveiled its list of influential people and apart from Priyanka, it also featured the names of Indian celebrities such as Karan Johar, Salman Khan and Ekta Kapoor among others.

The 36-year-old actor took to Instagram to express her happiness over being included in the list and shared the credit with her team.

By Lalit K Jha

Washington, Jul 26 (PTI); China has quietly resumed its activities in the Doklam area and neither Bhutan nor India has sought to dissuade it, a top US official has said while comparing Beijing's actions in the Himalayan region with its manoeuvres in the disputed South China Sea.

China claims sovereignty over all of South China Sea. Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei and Taiwan have counter claims.

Islamabad, Jul 26 (PTI); Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan said today that he envisioned to set up a Medina-like welfare state which will be sympathetic towards widows and the weaker sections of the society.

In his first public address since his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) emerged as the single largest party in the general election, Khan shared his vision for Pakistan and pledged to safeguard the interests of ordinary citizens.

Islamabad, Jul 26 (PTI); Imran Khan, who is set to become Pakistan's premier, today said he will not live in the official residence of the prime minister and the "lavish" house will be converted into a public space like an educational institution.

The 65-year-old chief of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party promised to make Pakistan free of the perpetual rich-getting-richer and poor-getting-poorer cycle and said that "change has to come from the top."

Mumbai, Jul 26 (PTI); The Congress would take out a morcha against the non-disclosure of the Rafale jet purchase price by the BJP-led Central government, in Mumbai on July 30.

The forthcoming march is the part of similar protests the Congress is planning to organise across the country, senior party leaders said today.

The morcha would start from Fashion Street and conclude at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai.

The Congress has been demanding that the government disclose the purchase price of each Rafale jet during the ongoing session of Parliament.

Kolkata, Jul 26 (PTI); Former President Pranab Mukherjee today said despite the country having high GDP growth and being among the top economic powers, it is "way behind" in the overall happiness ranking.

India occupies the 133rd place (according to a world survey) in overall happiness ranking in 2018, Mukherjee said.

He said this was so in spite of the impressive GDP numbers, high average life expectancy, which went up from 31.4 years (in four years after Independence) to 68 years at present, and a quantum jump in foodgrain production since 1947.

Islamabad, Jul 26 (PTI); Pakistan is willing to improve its ties with India, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan said today, asserting that the blame game between the two neighbours, detrimental to the sub-continent, should stop.

"If they take one step towards us, we will take two, but at least need a start," 65-year-old Khan said in his first public address after leading his party to victory in the general elections held yesterday.

Khan said Kashmir is the "core" issue between the two countries and it should be resolved through talks.

Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 25 (PTI); In a landmark ruling, a Special CBI court today sentenced to death two serving police officers in connection with the custodial death of a 26-year-old man in 2005.

K Jithakumar and S V Sreekumar, presently serving as assistant sub-inspector and civil police officer respectively, were awarded the death penalty, along with a fine of Rs 2 lakh by the court here.

Pronouncing the verdict, Judge J Nazer said "this is a brutal and dastardly murder by accused one and two."

Ballia, Jul 25 (PTI); The Basic Education Department has started removing the word 'Islamia' prefixed to the names of some government primary schools in the Ballia district here, the officials said today.

The exercise has been launched here days after a similar step was initiated in another eastern UP district of Deoria.