A massive fire broke out in a bed and breakfast hotel in south Delhi’s Malviya Nagar on Wednesday, killing at least 21 people.
Several of those killed are foreigners, mainly from Central Asia and Africa, officials said.

Earlier in the day, officials said the fire started in Lemon Green Restaurant at 8.45 am. Police later clarified that the blaze was actually at the Flourish Stay B&B in Hauz Rani in the congested Malviya Nagar area.
More than 40 people were rescued and rushed to hospital where 21 were declared brought dead. There are fears that the death toll might rise further as several of those injured are critical.

The southwest monsoon is expected to onset over Kerala around June 4, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Tuesday.
Typically, monsoon arrives in Kerala around June 1, which marks the beginning of the southwest monsoon season (June-September).
“Conditions are favourable for further advance of southwest monsoon into some more parts of southwest and southeast Arabian Sea, Lakshadweep Islands, some parts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu around June 4,” the IMD said in its daily forecast.
It added that the monsoon will also advance in some more parts of southwest, westcentral, eastcentral and northeast Bay of Bengal, and the remaining parts of southeast Bay of Bengal around this date.
The IMD had earlier said the monsoon onset over Kerala would take place on May 26. However, it got delayed and the department, on May 29, stated that the onset could happen in the following week.
Last week, the department in its revised forecast for the rainfall during the season said it would be below normal.
The IMD stated that India is expected to see 90 per cent of the long period average (LPA) this year.
LPA refers to the rainfall recorded over a particular region for a given interval, such as a month or a season, averaged over a long period of time, typically 30 to 50 years.
The LPA of seasonal rainfall over the country as a whole, based on data from 1971 to 2020, is 87 cm.
If the monsoon season sees less than 90 per cent of LPA rainfall, the IMD classifies it as “deficient”.
One reason for the below-normal rainfall could be the emergence of El-Nino conditions, which lead to less rain during monsoon in the country.
Currently, neutral El Nino-Southern Oscillation conditions are transitioning towards El-Nino conditions over the equatorial Pacific region.
The IMD said El-Nino conditions are likely to be weak in June, and moderate to strong in September. (AGENCIES)

Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Tuesday dedicated 15 common facility centres (CFCs) across the Union territory to strengthen micro-enterprises, generate livelihood opportunities for women and youth within their own villages and help reduce migration.
He said the CFCs will function as shared workspaces for weavers, spinners, tailors, artisans and women self-help groups (SHGs), providing them with access to modern facilities for producing high-quality products.

“Inaugurated and dedicated to the people, 15 Common Facility Centres (CFCs) across Ladakh, marking a significant step towards building self-reliant villages and empowering rural communities”, the L-G said on X.
Saxena described the initiative as a step towards building self-reliant villages, empowering rural communities and creating sustainable sources of income in the remote areas.
The newly established centres are located at Skurbuchan, Wanla, Saspol, Chuchot, Kharu, Anlay, Koyul, Korzok, Chushul, Phobrang, Sato, Panamik, Diskit, Turtuk and Digger, he said.
The lieutenant governor said that the centres would promote handloom activities, local entrepreneurship and skill development, while creating new avenues of self-employment in rural areas.

He said the initiative is expected to strengthen micro-enterprises, generate livelihood opportunities for women and youth within their own villages and help reduce migration from remote areas by creating sustainable sources of income.
According to him, the CFCs have been envisioned not merely as production units but as hubs of rural development, community participation and economic empowerment.
He said the centres would help preserve Ladakh’s rich handloom heritage while enabling local products to access wider national and international markets, thereby contributing to the overall growth of the rural economy. (Agencies)

Describing the May 22 meeting as a “breakthrough” moment for the political dialogue in Ladakh, Chief Secretary of the Union Territory, Ashish Kundra, on Monday said that discussions are now focusing on a “customised” constitutional and administrative framework to address the region’s aspirations within the ambit of the Constitution.
“Over the next few months, we may begin moving towards a concrete outcome,” he said.

The meeting, convened by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) under its political dialogue sub-committee, was attended by its officials, representatives of the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), besides former and sitting Members of Parliament from Ladakh.
Kundra said that the Centre has asked representatives of Ladakhi groups to prepare and submit a document outlining their proposed framework based on the discussions.
“I believe the discussions were held in a highly constructive and open atmosphere. In fact, if I were to describe the May 22 meeting in one or two words, I would call it a breakthrough moment,” he told reporters here.
He said that for many months, and indeed years, there has been an ongoing process driven by political and democratic aspirations. “Different groups have been advocating their respective positions and concerns through dialogue and engagement.” The May 22 meeting “marked a significant step forward in this process, creating an environment where various stakeholders could engage openly and work towards greater understanding and consensus on issues concerning Ladakh’s future”, he said.

Pointing to the difficulties in the dialogue process, he said, “One group would present its views in one manner, while another would put forward its concerns differently, and there was often a lack of coordination or a unified voice.

The LAB and KDA have been jointly engaged in talks with the Centre since 2021 over their key demands, including statehood for Ladakh and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
According to Kundra, the latest discussions explored whether a new framework under Article 371 could be developed to address Ladakh’s concerns regarding protection of land, preservation of culture and safeguarding employment opportunities for local youth.
He said the meeting examined the possibility of a “customised solution” unique to Ladakh, including the creation of a body with political, executive and legislative powers and strengthening local governance institutions.

“There was broad in-principle understanding among representatives from Kargil, Leh and the Government of India that the framework discusse deserved further exploration,” he said. Kundra said the Centre acknowledged the aspirations for statehood but pointed out that prevailing financial and administrative realities did not make immediate statehood feasible.
“They acknowledged that people have aspirations regarding statehood. However, under present circumstances, the conditions may not be conducive for granting statehood immediately,” he said. At the same time, he said, the Centre did not reject the aspiration altogether and was instead focusing on practical and constitutionally viable alternatives.

“The question then becomes — if not statehood, what alternative framework could be explored? Discussions have now begun on a customised model for Ladakh, unlike any arrangement existing elsewhere in India,” he said.
Kundra stressed that any constitutional changes emerging from the process would ultimately require Parliament’s approval.

He also sought to dispel confusion over reports relating to the meeting, saying that official minutes had not yet been issued and that a draft record shared among stakeholders was only intended to facilitate discussion.
“I am here for them. People should come forward and speak openly. We will certainly convey their views to the Government of India,” he said, describing himself as a link between the people of Ladakh and the Centre.

On employment, Kundra said the Centre had introduced a reservation formula for Ladakh that was unique among Union Territories and aimed at addressing local aspirations.

The chief secretary also said administrative arrangements for the newly created districts were being streamlined, with proposals relating to Drawing and Disbursing Officers already submitted to the Lieutenant Governor for approval and budgetary allocations planned accordingly.

Emphasising the importance of trust in the ongoing talks, Kundra said the latest round of discussions had generated a new atmosphere of confidence and constructive engagement.
“If both sides continue to move forward in this spirit, more possibilities and solutions will emerge,” he said. (Agencies)

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has questioned the necessity of playing all five verses of Vande Mataram at the beginning and end of official events, labelling the practice “unnecessary and burdensome” for audiences.
Speaking to reporters here on Monday amid the controversy over the singing of the national song in Kerala, Tharoor said everyone respects Vande Mataram, but making the full version mandatory at every function was difficult to justify.

“Vande Mataram is the national song and we stand up in respect when it is sung. The first verse, or the first couple of verses, is something most people know by heart,” he said.
Tharoor noted that traditionally the song was sung once at the start of an event, while the national anthem was played separately, often at the end.
“Now they want all five verses to be sung at the beginning of every event and again at the end. I think that is an unnecessary imposition,” the Congress Working Committee member said.
The MP said the Kerala government had maintained that singing the full version was optional, while Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar appeared to hold a different view.
“It may ultimately have to be adjudicated because there is no law passed by Parliament requiring this. It is more a matter of convention,” he said.

Tharoor stressed that he had no objection to the national song itself.
“We all respect Vande Mataram. I can happily sing it for you,” he remarked.

Recalling a book launch event attended by Vice President C P Radhakrishnan in New Delhi, Tharoor said the full song had been played both at the beginning and end of the programme.
“For the audience, standing through a relatively unfamiliar and lengthy song twice became an issue,” he said.

Tharoor argued that the portion of Vande Mataram traditionally rendered in public was roughly the same length as the national anthem and had long been widely accepted and respected.
Calling the dispute “unfortunate”, he said he hoped it would be resolved amicably.
“I can understand singing it once during ceremonial occasions involving the president, vice president or prime minister. But singing the entire song twice during a short programme is difficult to understand. I don’t see the rationale for it, and it is not particularly efficient either,” he said. (Agencies)