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NEET Mock Tests: Your Key to Acing the Exam

Preparing for NEET can be a daunting task, but with the right resources and strategies, you can improve your chances of success. One valuable tool that can help you in your preparation is the NEET mock tests offered by NEET MOCK.

NEET mock tests by NEET MOCK

The NEET mock tests is a comprehensive online mock test series designed specifically for NEET aspirants. It provides a simulated test environment that closely resembles the actual NEET exam. This series consists of a wide range of mock tests that cover all the subjects and topics included in the NEET syllabus.

Key Features of the NEET mock tests by NEET MOCK:

1. Comprehensive Coverage: The mock tests at NEET MOCK covers all the subjects — Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, as well as their respective topics, ensuring that you have a thorough understanding of the entire NEET syllabus.

2. Real Exam-like Experience: The mock tests are designed to replicate the actual NEET exam, providing you with a similar test environment. This helps you become familiar with the exam pattern, time management, and overall exam experience.

3. Detailed Analysis: After each mock test, you will receive a detailed analysis of your performance. This analysis includes a breakdown of your scores, strengths, and weaknesses in different subjects and topics. It helps you identify areas where you need improvement and allows you to focus your efforts accordingly.

4. Adaptive Learning: The NEET mock tests at NEET MOCK adapts to your performance and provides personalized recommendations for improvement. Based on your test results, the series suggests specific topics or subjects that you should concentrate on, ensuring a targeted and efficient study approach.

5. Time Management: Time management is crucial in the NEET exam, and the mock performance at NEET MOCK helps you improve this skill. By practicing with timed mock tests, you can learn to effectively allocate your time to different sections and questions, enhancing your overall exam performance.

The NEET mock tests at NEET MOCK is designed to help aspirants prepare for the NEET exam efficiently. This comprehensive mock series covers all the essential topics and provides in-depth explanations, practice questions, and mock tests to enhance the students’ understanding and performance. With a focus on NEET-specific content, these mocks aims to equip students with the necessary knowledge and skills to excel in the exam. Join NEET MOCK’s NEET mock tests and boost your preparation today!

For Contact Details: Office Address 701–702, Motia Royal business Park Zirakpur, Punjab — 140603 Phone:+91 77176 28931 Email: info@neetmock.com Website: www.neetmock.com

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76-year-old’s decomposed body found inside drum in Chennai

On Wednesday morning, the apartment owner called Kovilan on his phone to ask about the delay in rent payment, but he did not pick up the call.

CHENNAI: The decomposed body of a 76-year-old man was found inside a drum at his house in Thiruporur on Wednesday morning. Police suspect a family dispute. His wife, Ezhilarasi (54) is missing and the police have launched a hunt for her.

The deceased was identified as Valathi Kovilan from Villupuram. He was staying in an apartment with his wife in Alathur village. On Wednesday morning, the apartment owner called Kovilan on his phone to ask about the delay in rent payment, but he did not pick up the call.

“At around 10 am, she reached the apartment to check on the elderly couple. The door was locked from the outside and there was a foul smell emanating from the house,” said a senior police officer.

She then informed the police. Thiruporur police led by Inspector Venkatesan reached the spot and broke open the door. They found a plastic drum covered with a plastic sheet. On opening it, they found the decomposed body of Valathi Kovilan.

Police suspect he was killed and stuffed inside the drum at least 10 days ago. Police suspect he was murdered by his wife due to a property dispute and have launched a hunt for her.

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Muslim-majority nations express outrage and plan street protests over Quran desecration in Sweden

Protesters planned demonstrations after Swedish police permitted a protest Thursday in which an Iraqi Christian living in Stockholm kicked and stood on a Quran, outside of the Iraqi Embassy.

BAGHDAD: Muslim-majority nations expressed outrage Friday at the desecration of a copy of the Quran in Sweden. Some prepared for street demonstrations following midday prayers to show their anger.

In Iran, Iraq and Lebanon, protesters planned demonstrations after Swedish police permitted a protest Thursday in which an Iraqi Christian living in Stockholm kicked and stood on a Quran, Islam’s holy book, outside of the Iraqi Embassy. Hours before that, demonstrators in Baghdad broke into the Swedish Embassy and lit a fire to show their anger at his threats to burn the book.

Iraqi Prime Minister Shia al-Sudani has ordered the expulsion of the Swedish ambassador from Iraq and the withdrawal of the Iraqi charge d’affaires from Sweden. But that may not be enough to calm those angered, and another protest in Baghdad is planned for Friday afternoon.

In neighboring Iran, demonstrators also planned to take to the streets. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian has written a letter to the United Nations secretary-general over the Quran desecration and has summoned the Swedish ambassador.

“We consider the Swedish government responsible for the outcome of provocation reactions from the world’s Muslims,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said.

The man in Stockholm also wiped his feet with a picture of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during his demonstration and did similar to a photo of Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, a powerful leader there.

Lebanon’s Shiite militant group Hezbollah also called for a demonstration Friday afternoon. Khamenei and Iran’s theocracy serve as Hezbollah’s main sponsors.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in a video address Thursday night called on Muslims to demand their governments expel Sweden’s ambassadors.

“I invite brothers and sisters in all neighbourhoods and villages to attend all mosques, carrying their Qurans and sit in them, calling on the state to take a stance toward Sweden,” Nasrallah said in the address, according to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency.

On Friday “the whole world must see how we embrace our Quran, and the whole world must see how we protect our Quran with our blood.”

Saudi Arabia and Qatar, two Sunni-ruled Gulf Arab nations, summoned Swedish diplomats to condemn the desecration. Turkey’s Foreign Ministry also criticized it.

In Pakistan, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the events in Sweden. He called on the 57-nation Organization of Islamic Cooperation to play a “historic role in expressing the sentiments of Muslims and stopping this demonization.” Meanwhile, Islamists in his country have been pushing Sharif, who faces an upcoming election, to cut diplomatic ties with Sweden.

On Thursday morning, protesters in Baghdad occupied the Swedish Embassy for several hours and set a small fire. The embassy staff had been evacuated a day earlier. After protesters left the embassy, diplomats closed it to visitors without specifying when it would reopen.

Prime Minister Sudani said in a statement that Iraqi authorities would prosecute those responsible for starting the fire and referred to an investigation of “negligent security officials.” Some demonstrators stayed at the site, ignored by police, after the attack. An Associated Press photographer and two Reuters staff members were arrested while covering the protest and released several hours later without charges.

This is the second Quran desecration to involve the Iraqi Christian in Sweden, identified as Salwan Momika. Last month, a man identified by local media and on his social media as Momika burned a Quran outside a Stockholm mosque during the major Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, triggering widespread condemnation in the Islamic world.

The right to hold public demonstrations is protected by the constitution in Sweden. Blasphemy laws were abandoned in the 1970s. Police generally give permission based on whether they believe a public gathering can be held without major disruptions or safety risks.

For Muslims, the burning of the Quran represents a desecration of their religion’s holy text. Quran burnings in the past have sparked protests across the Muslim world, some turning violent. In Afghanistan, the Taliban suspended all the activities of Swedish organizations in the country in response to the recent Quran burning.

A similar protest by a far-right activist was held outside Turkey’s Embassy earlier this year, complicating Sweden’s efforts to persuade Turkey to let it join NATO.

In June, protesters who support al-sadr stormed the Swedish embassy in Baghdad over that Quran burning.

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Chinese Groups Accused Of Hacking Top US Government Officials, Military

China's authorities have consistently denied any form of state-sponsored hacking, saying China itself is a frequent target of cyberattacks. Beijing has called the U.S. "the empire of hacking."

Chinese hacking teams have been blamed by Western intelligence agencies and cybersecurity groups for digital intrusion campaigns across the world, targeting everything from government and military organisations to corporations and media groups.

Cybersecurity firms believe many of those groups are backed by China’s government.

China’s authorities have consistently denied any form of state-sponsored hacking, saying China itself is a frequent target of cyberattacks. Beijing has called the U.S. “the empire of hacking.”

Some of the Chinese hacking teams recently identified are:

STORM-0558

Chinese hackers have since May secretly accessed email accounts at around 25 organisations, including U.S. government agencies, Microsoft and U.S. officials have said.

These include the accounts of U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and, according to a Wall Street Journal report on Thursday, U.S. envoy to China Nicholas Burns and Daniel Kritenbrink, the assistant secretary of state for East Asia.

Microsoft said a China-based actor, which it nicknamed Storm-0558, misappropriated one of its digital keys and used a flaw in its code to steal emails.

China’s embassy in Washington said in a statement that identifying the source of cyber attacks was complex and warned against “groundless speculations and allegations.”

‘VOLT TYPHOON’

Western intelligence agencies and Microsoft said on May 24 that Volt Typhoon, a group they described as state-sponsored, had been spying on a range of U.S. critical infrastructure organisations, from telecommunications to transportation hubs.

They described the attacks in 2023 as one of the largest known Chinese cyber-espionage campaigns against American critical infrastructure.

China’s foreign ministry rejected the claims.

‘BACKDOORDIPLOMACY’

A Reuters report in May identified BackdoorDiplomacy as being behind a widespread series of digital intrusions over several years against key Kenyan ministries and state institutions. The Chinese authorities said it was not aware of such hacking and described the accusations as baseless.

Palo Alto Networks, a U.S. cybersecurity firm, said its research showed BackdoorDiplomacy had links to the Chinese state and was part of the APT15 hacking group.

APT 41

Chinese hacking team APT 41, which is also known as Wintti, Double Dragon and Amoeba, has conducted a mix of government-backed cyber intrusions and financially motivated data breaches, according to U.S.-based cybersecurity firms FireEye and Mandiant.

The U.S secret service said the team had stolen U.S. COVID-19 relief benefits worth tens of millions of dollars between 2020 and 2022.

Taiwan-based cybersecurity firm TeamT5 said the group had targeted government, telecoms and media victims in Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, the United States and Hong Kong.

APT 41 was named by the U.S Department Justice in September 2020 in relation to charges brought against seven hackers for allegedly compromising more than 100 companies around the world.

The Chinese authorities have described such reports as “groundless accusations.”

APT 27

Western intelligence agencies and cybersecurity researchers say Chinese hacking team APT 27 is sponsored by the state and has launched multiple attacks on Western and Taiwanese government agencies.

APT 27 claimed responsibility for cyberattacks against Taiwan in 2022 during a visit by then U.S House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, saying it acted as a protest because Pelosi defied China’s warnings not to visit.

Cybersecurity firm Mandiant said last year the group compromised the computer networks of at least six U.S. state governments between May 2021 and February 2022, while the German authorities named blamed it for attacks against German pharmaceutical, technology and other companies.

[wiseedition]

Girl awarded $800,000 in damages for 'dangerously hot' McDonald's burn injury

A young girl in Florida, who suffered severe burn injuries when a McDonald's Chicken McNugget fell on her leg in 2019, was awarded $800,000 in damages by a jury. The compensation covered her pain, suffering and mental anguish.

An eight-year-old girl in Florida was awarded $800,000 in damages after she suffered severe burn injuries when a McDonald’s Chicken McNugget fell on her leg.

According to a report with the BBC, the girl’s family had sought $15m in damages after the ‘dangerously hot’ McNugget burnt the minor, identified as Olivia Caraballo.

The incident happened in 2019, when Olivia was four years old.

The Chicken McNugget fell on her leg, leaving a scar, after she had opened her Happy Meal in the car at a McDonald’s drive-thru in Tamarac, near Fort Lauderdale in Florida.

The Florida jury awarded compensation to Olivia, based on the pain, suffering and mental anguish she suffered.

The compensation included $400,000 for the past four years as well as $400,000 for the future.

The decision came after the family’s lawyers shared photos of the burn, along with an audio of the minor’s screams the moment McNugget fell on her leg.

In defense, McDonald’s had argued the family should receive $156,000 because, they claimed, her pain ended after the burn healed in three weeks.

The lawyer for the outlet also said the girl was still going to McDonald’s, getting chicken nuggets.

Meanwhile, terming the legal decision ‘momentous’, the minor girl’s mother told US media outside court that she was “just happy”.

She further said she had no expectations and that this was fair.

Commenting on her daughter’s burn injury and the scar, she said that Olivia was willing to get it removed.

[wiseedition]

House of man who paraded Manipur women naked set on fire

The house of the main accused, who paraded two women naked in Manipur, was burnt down by miscreants. The viral video showed two naked women from another community and sparked an outrage.

As the country seethes with anger over a video showing two women being paraded naked by a mob in Manipur, the house of the main accused, Huirem Herodas Meitei, was on Thursday burnt down by miscreants.

Visuals showed a group of people, mostly women, setting the man’s house on fire.

On Wednesday, a video emerged that showed women from one of the warring communities in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district being paraded naked by a mob from the other side. It soon went viral.

The incident, which happened in a village in Kangpokpi district, took place a day after ethnic violence erupted in the northeastern state on May 3. However, the horrific footage surfaced over two months later and became viral after the internet ban was lifted.

Taking note of the video, the Manipur Police had on Wednesday night registered a case of kidnapping, gang-rape and murder in Thoubal district against unidentified men.

Four people have been arrested in connection with the incident.

On Thursday, Chief Minister N Biren Singh said a thorough investigation was being conducted, adding that they would seek capital punishment if possible.

More than 150 people have been killed and several injured since ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on May 3, when a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of the state’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley, while tribals, which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mostly in the hill districts.

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3 Back-To-Back Earthquakes Hit Jaipur Within Half An Hour

Jaipur Earthquake: The earthquake occurred at around 4.09 am. According to the NCS, the earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometres.

Jaipur: Three earthquakes were felt in Jaipur in the early hours of Friday in a span of half an hour.

The latest earthquake of magnitude 3.4 occurred at around 4.25 am, the National Center for Seismology (NCS) reported. According to the NCS, it occurred at a depth of 10 kilometres.

“Earthquake of Magnitude:3.4, Occurred on 21–07–2023, 04:25:33 IST, Lat: 26.87 & Long: 75.69, Depth: 10 Km ,Location: Jaipur, Rajasthan, India,” the National Center for Seismology (NCS) tweeted.

Earlier the earth quake of magnitude 3.1 was felt at 4.22 am at a depth of 5 kilometres.

“Earthquake of Magnitude:3.1, Occurred on 21–07–2023, 04:22:57 IST, Lat: 26.67 & Long: 75.70, Depth: 5 Km ,Location: Jaipur, Rajasthan, India,” the NCS tweeted.

Prior to this, the first quake was felt at 4.09 am at a depth of 10 kilometres.

The NCS had tweeted, “Earthquake of Magnitude:4.4, Occurred on 21–07–2023, 04:09:38 IST, Lat: 26.88 & Long: 75.70, Depth: 10 Km Location: Jaipur, Rajasthan, India.”

No reports of casualties or damages are known yet.

Reacting to the tremors, former Chief Minister of Rajasthan Vasundhara Raje tweeted, “Earthquake tremors have been felt at other places in the state including Jaipur. I hope you all are safe!”

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US Teen Dies After Loose Truck Tyre Smashes Windshield On Highway

The Walton Fire Department "extricated" and transported the teenager to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center with life-threatening injuries.

An 18-year-old student was killed in Kentucky, in the United States, after a truck tyre broke loose on a highway and crashed through the windshield, as per a report in People. Around midnight, Lauren Collins was travelling south on Interstate 75 close to the Ohio border when a truck tyre came loose on the southbound side of the road, according to a statement from the Boone County Sheriff’s Office.

“She was operating a white, 2012 Buick LaCrosse in the southbound lanes of I-75 at the time,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a statement on Facebook. Further, the police “responded to the 176.5-mile marker on southbound 1–75 for a single vehicle collision” at around 12:15 am. They said that she was the only one in the car at the time of the accident.

The statement added, “Deputies believe that another vehicle, possibly a dually pickup truck, was travelling northbound on 1–75 when its tire suddenly broke away causing it to roll out of control and over the concrete barrier, where it ultimately struck Collins’ vehicle.”

The Walton Fire Department “extricated” and transported the teenager to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. “Tragically, Collins passed away from her injuries while at the hospital,” the department noted. An investigation regarding the same is underway and police are currently looking for the truck driver.

The teenagers’ mother Amy Marsh told People, “Certainly we want to know who the driver is and I know in talking to the sheriff yesterday that they had not had any luck — not that that’s going to bring her back.” She said that “maybe the driver was unaware that their tyre was loose, I don’t know.” “It’s just hard to wrap your brain around,” she continued.

After returning home from work on Saturday night, Ms Marsh said she spoke to Lauren 15 minutes before died. The mother informed that Lauren worked two jobs to save money for college. “She worked at Buffalo Wild Wings as a server in the evenings. She came into my room at about 11:45 and said, ‘I’m going out to meet a friend.’ I said, ‘I wish you wouldn’t go. It’s late.’ She said, ‘Well, I’m off tomorrow’.” Ms Marsh added that she “saw her leaving on our nest camera at 12:00 am and I believe the accident happened at 12:13”.

She informed the outlet that she was sleeping until about 2 am when she heard someone at the main door of their house. Ms Marsh saw a police officer standing at the door through a camera app on her phone. Her husband told her that they had to rush to the University of Cincinnati Hospital since Lauren was admitted there.

[wiseedition]

Chasing the IAS dream: The many challenges in cracking India's most demanding exam

The UPSC examination is one of the toughest tests around. Recently, even ChatGPT failed to clear the first hurdle. What are the challenges faced by those preparing for it?

Tamilvendhan R hails from a village in Thanjavur district. He was brought up by his single mother who is a daily-wage laborer. Presently working with a leading private firm in Chennai, Tamilvendhan is an IAS aspirant.

Way back in 2018 when he set out with the ambition to crack the Union Public Service Commission Examination, he was an unemployed youth. It seemed like the odds were stacked against him.

But Tamilvendhan was not to be deterred. He shifted to Chennai with the aim of fulfilling his dream.

Civil Services. Thousands dream of cracking the prestigious exam each year to embrace a career that they believe offers them the power and privilege to change lives — including theirs — for the better.

Tamilvendhan recalls the challenges he faced in his initial days,

After reaching Chennai, he took up a part-time job and gave tuitions to children to supplement his income and buy books for the UPSC exams.

“I found myself in a tight corner. There was a time when I needed a book to prepare but there was no money as I hadn’t received my salary for the part-time job I was doing then,” he said.

Tamilvendhan frequently thought about his mother. Back home, his mother too thought about him. She sent him money whenever he was in dire straits.

Amma Unavagam turned out to be a boon. Moreover, whenever he faced a financial crisis, his friends were quick to bail him out.

He recalled that there were occasions when he felt like giving up and returning home since he was unable to make ends meet in Chennai. His passion and determination to succeed, however, gave him the strength to face the challenges and stay the course.

He remembers another hurdle. At his village, people were always asking him about what he was doing.

‘’During the early days of preparation, I had trouble making the villagers understand my pursuit. They would ask me whether I would complete my studies this year. I used to explain it to them. But later on I got tired repeating the same narrative to everyone every time,” he said.

These days, he hardly bothers. All that matters is his goal.

The mental strength the exam demands is huge. Whenever he feels low, he reassures himself that his present situation is better than the past.

Tamilvendhan is highly optimistic about his preparation and shares, “I am improving and progressing in life. I firmly believe that my efforts will not go in vain. I can totally understand what I knew before I began preparing and how my knowledge has expanded manifold now. If I am able to move ahead in life, it is not only because of my hard work and effort but also because of my focus and clarity of thoughts. I have derived a lot of benefits apart from knowledge through my UPSC preparation and it is helping me out in many ways and it in turn is one of the many reasons for my relentless hope.”

‘Don’t demotivate me’

Pressure from society is something Suganthan L is also grappling with. An automobile engineering graduate, presently in Coimbatore, he has been preparing full-time for the Civil Services exam for the past few years.

“I wish that those relatives who can’t support me can at least avoid demotivating me,” he says.

Suganthan underwent coaching at a premier institute in Delhi for one year, right after completing his graduation.

He confides that “my relatives expected that I will start earning quickly. Most did not know the process involved in cracking UPSC and how tiresome it can at times be. Instead, they make comparisons with others who are employed and brush aside my ambition.”

When asked about how psychologically taxing the examination is, he says “The process is so tiring and it has broken me very badly at times, making me feel like quitting. But, I give up the thought always as I have high self-confidence.”

His mother and brother have been supporting him constantly and that has given him the mental strength to make fresh attempts at attaining his goal every year.

Suganthan has also turned to yoga to take care of his physical and mental well-being.

‘Self-motivation and inner drive’

Obaid Abdullah, a mechanical engineering graduate and a UPSC aspirant from Baramulla, Kashmir, believes that what keeps him going “is self-motivation and the inner drive to achieve personal goals.”.

He also adds that ‘’It is not uncommon for moments of self-doubt, stress, and anxiety during the journey of preparation.” He admits that he is largely cooped up in his room as preparation requires a lot of dedication and time.

When asked how friends, family, and society at large can change their perspective, he says that it will be really encouraging if they try to have measured expectations and are sensitive to the mental health of the aspirants. He finds that emotional and moral support from near ones plays a crucial role in the preparation.

‘Having a backup plan is essential’

Talking about the uncertainties involved in the exam, Arun B, an automobile engineering graduate and a long-time UPSC aspirant based in Chennai, says, “Having a backup plan is essential as one sets aside prime years of their life for the preparation and the journey to success might be longer than expected.’’

Arun has recently cleared the SSC-MTS Examination, his backup plan.

Deepak Kumar Mandia, an aspirant and a law graduate based in Faridkot, Punjab, says that adaptability to changing exam patterns, time management, and achieveing consistency in preparation are his major challenges.

When asked about specific efforts he has taken to adapt to the tiring and strenuous preparation, he says,’’ I always try to develop a positive mindset before studying. I take short breaks in between the preparation to break the monotony and recoup. I ignore negative influences and keep myself enthusiastic. I learn from my mistakes and make sure that I don’t repeat them.”

He also adds that ‘over the years, I have realized it is equally important to take care of my health . Now, I am more aware of the need of a balanced diet and regular exercise.’’

Dream born on a motorcycle ride

The UPSC examination is one of the toughest tests around. Recently, even ChatGPT failed to clear the first hurdle. There is a preliminary examination, a main examination, and personal interview spanning over a year.

The dream of becoming an IAS officer takes shape in the minds of many during their childhood days.

For instance, I can recollect how the seeds of my IAS dream were sown in my young mind during a conversation with my father while he was taking me to school on his motorcycle in Tiruchy. I was then in Class II. En route, I saw people huddled below an overbridge and asked my father why they are where they are and not at home. He replied, “You should grow up and become a Corporation Commissioner or district Collector so that you can build them a home.”

The key driving factor that motivates most aspirants is an opportunity to serve the people, particularly, the less-privileged lot.

The exam offers a level-playing field and allows candidates from different educational backgrounds ranging from medicine to humanities and from different socio-economic backgrounds to have their shot at glory. The resources and guidance are at hand. Nevertheless, the conventional mode of attending premier coaching institutes and getting tailored guidance is still the most preferred method for the aspirants.

Delhi beckons

Aspirants often move to Delhi to prepare for the all-important exam as the coaching centres there are seen to offer the best guidance, There is easy availability of study materials including test series, an affable community and a conducive atmosphere

The hurdle of adapting to a new location awaits the aspirants anyhow, especially for young ones from small towns.

A decent accomodation that suits their budget will be the first thing they would be looking for in the metropolis. Hostels located nearer to the coaching institutes are preferred by most. Once a suitable accommodation is arranged, comes the hunt for good food. The language barrier is a common and primary problem faced by aspirants coming from regions other than the Hindi-speaking belt. The extreme weather conditions of Delhi are also an acid test for most.

Old Rajinder Nagar, Karol Bagh, and Mukherjee Nagar are hubs of UPSC training centres and one can find a slew of coaching institutes, libraries, study halls, and book stalls dotting these places. The places are as busy as the aspirants. Backpacked aspirants rush from the metro to the classes often with the just-read newspaper in hand, visibly scribbled and with important points highlighted, thanks to the travel time. Often, aspirants juggle from one building to the other as they choose different institutes for GS (General Studies), CSAT (Civil Services Aptitude Test) and Optional. After fully-packed classes and a tiring day, it’s then time for the endless study hours in the room.

Lakhs go for it, only a few clear it

Every year lakhs of young people appear for the preliminary examination, but it is less than 1000 who make it to the final list. The success stories of those who have cleared the exam get into the limelight every year once the final results are published, but what happens to the rest ?

For them, it is a back again into the labyrinth of clearing prelims-mains-interview. The study hours stretch longer and the preparation style is adjusted to be relevant to the new pattern of questions.

The examination is always unpredictable and the candidate who has given an interview might fail at the prelims stage itself the next year. A candidate who has never cleared prelims in all his previous attempts might clear all three stages in his/her last attempt. A candidate could even end up writing mains in all his/her attempts but never to make it to an interview even once.

The game is put on reset every time one fails any stage of the examination and thereby tests the endurance capacity more than the cumulative knowledge. With the preparation demanding a strategic approach and expertise in multiple formats, the struggle is not just to prepare for the exam itself but to face new and peculiar problems.

Once the close circle of friends and family gets to know that one of their own is preparing for the exam, he/she is definitely in for a whirlwind. The progress of the aspirant is closely monitored, and constant enquiries about the results follow. There is no end to the random advice/critical comments that the aspirants receive, especially if he/she is unsuccessful when it comes to clearing any stage of the examination, which is more likely to happen in a highly competitive exam like the UPSC.

The lot of aspirants who prepare year after year despite failures then is particularly challenging. Most of the time, the advice is not constructive and only distracts from the preparation. Yet, what pushes the aspirants to rise, relearn, and fight back is their conviction and drive to realise their cherished dream.

As the number of attempts that remain get whittled down, the uncertainty of the examination is likely to grab you by the shoulder. Sometimes, after a few unsuccessful attempts, aspirants turn to alternative career prospects. But then again who waits is who conquers…

To sum up, civil services preparation is certainly a journey that tests the limits of endurance before the destination arrives. Egg on those who are chasing the grand prize despite the many obstacles!

[wiseedition]

Manipur video: Why did police take over two months to act? Senior cop responds

On July 20, over two since the horrifying Manipur incident took place, four people were arrested – after a viral video of it went viral on social media.

It took more than a month for the FIR in connection with the sexual assault of two women in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district on May 4 to be transferred to the relevant police station since the victims had reportedly fled their homes and had complained to the police in another district.

On Thursday, over two since the horrifying incident took place, four people were arrested — after a viral video of it in which the women could be seen being paraded naked went viral on social media.

“Four main accused arrested in the Viral Video Case: 03 (three) more main accused of the heinous crime of abduction and gangrape under Nongpok Sekmai PS, Thoubal District have been arrested today. So a total 04 (four) persons have been arrested till now,” the Manipur Police tweeted.

Thoubal superintendent of police Sachidananda told The Indian Express that the police “could not take any action” so far due to “lack of evidence”.

Sachidananda, however, rejected the claims that cops were not present at the site at the time of the gruesome incident as “untrue”, the newspaper reported.

“That very day, the Nongpok Sekmai police station was being mobbed by people trying to loot arms. Police were busy guarding the police station,” the daily quoted the SP as saying.

One of the victims had earlier told IE that the police were there with the mob which was attacking their village. “The police picked us up from near home, took us a little away from the village and left us on the road with the mob. We were given to them by the police,” she was quoted as saying.

Village chief Thangboi Vaiphei, whose complaint later led to the registration of the FIR in the case, told HT that the thousand-strong mob plundered the village, forcing most of the residents, including the women and their two male relatives, to flee.

On May 4, as they came under attack from a mob that vandalised their homes, Vaiphei made frantic calls to the local police station, to no avail.

“When the first incidents of violence took place in Churachandpur on May 3, we informed the local police station and officers came. But on May 4, when we called them, they said they would not be able to come because the police station needed to be saved,” said 65-year-old Vaiphei, who served in the Indian Army’s infantry and retired as a junior commissioned officer (JCO) of the Assam Regiment in 2007, told HT.

As the mob plundered the village, the three women and others fled into the jungles.

“On seeing the church and houses being set on fire, the women fled the village with other residents and took shelter in the jungles on the hills,” said Vaiphei.

His complaint — first registered as a “zero FIR” on May 18 but forwarded to the appropriate police station only on June 21 — said the family was finally rescued by a police team from the Nongpok Samai police station 2km away.

But the mob waylaid them and “snatched” them from police custody — though in statements to some media outlets, one of the women later said they were handed over by the police to the mob — killed a man, before assaulting the women and parading them naked. One of the women was later gangraped, the FIR said, adding that the mob also killed her 19-year-old brother for trying to intervene. “The brother of the younger victim was butchered to death. Nobody came to the rescue of the older women,” Vaiphei said.

Manipur governor expresses strong condemnation

Manipur governor Anusuiya Uikey expressed her strong condemnation of the viral video and directed the director general of police (DGP) to take immediate steps to book the perpetrators of this heinous crime and award exemplary punishment as per law.

Amidst a nationwide outcry over the appalling incident in Manipur, chief minister N Biren Singh emphasised that his government would spare no effort in seeking the death penalty for the accused.

The violence in Manipur erupted after a rally by the All Tribal Students Union of Manipur (ATSUM) on May 3 in protest against the proposed inclusion of people belonging to the Meitei community in the list of Scheduled Tribes (STs).

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16 killed as landslide strikes Maha village

AT least 16 people were killed after a massive landslide hit Irshalwadi, a remote tribal village in Maharashtra’s Raigad district, late on Wednesday night amid torrential rains. 

MUMBAI: AT least 16 people were killed after a massive landslide hit Irshalwadi, a remote tribal village in Maharashtra’s Raigad district, late on Wednesday night amid torrential rains. Over 100 people were rescued by the NDRF team, which had to halt search operations on Thursday evening due to downpour.

Irshalwadi is a small hamlet located at the foothill of a mountain. There is no motorable road to reach the location. The region received 499 mm rainfall from July 17 to 19, Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar said.

“Irshalwadi is one of the isolated locations. From the main road, it takes more than two hours to reach the spot, but the NDRF teams and local NGOs and trekkers rushed to the spot, rescued trapped people and pulled out bodies. Forty-eight families were staying in the area, which has a population of 228,” Pawar added.

According to reports, the landslide buried as many as 17 houses, with the debris and rubbles mounting up to 15–20 feet. The Maharashtra government has announced Rs 5 lakh financial help to the families of the deceased.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who visited the spot by walking for more than an hour, said alternative shelter will be provided to the affected people. Shinde said authorities were unable to bring adequate machinery to carry out rescue operation due to difficult terrain and bad weather.

‘Not on landslide prone areas list’

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde reached the remote tribal village by walking through a muddy path for more than an hour. “Irshalwadi was not on the list of landslide-prone villages,” he said.

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Rajeev Jhawar Intimated As Managing Director For The Following 5 Years By The Board Of Directors:

In the latest Intimation of change in the composition of Board in terms of Regulation 30 of SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015, Rajeev Jhawar who have been the Managing Director of Usha Martin till date have been reappointed for the next 5 years. The re-appointment of Mr. Rajeev Jhawar [DIN: 00086164] as Managing Director is for a term of five years effective from 19th May 2023 and is subject to requisite approvals under applicable laws.

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Usha Martin’s FY2023 Earnings Conference Call – Rajeev Jhawar Speaks To Investors And Analyst Community

Usha Martin is one of the world's leading manufacturers of specialty steel wire ropes with over 60 years of experience. The Company offers a wide range of products including specialty wire ropes, high quality wires, LRPC, customized end-fitments, accessories, and related services. These products are used in industries such as oil and gas, ports, cranes, elevator, mining, fishing, renewable energy, construction and infrastructure and general engineering, among others.

The company conducts FY2023 earnings conference call for the investors and analyst community for the betterment of their business relations. “Our goal is to hold such forums regularly in the future with the aim of increasing transparency and building a stronger relationship with the investors and analyst community”, said Rajeev Jhawar Usha Martin, MD

Usha Martin has manufacturing facilities in India along with plants overseas in Thailand, UAE and the United Kingdom. The business model is primarily to stock and sell through their own distribution centers worldwide in Southeast Asia, Australia, Europe, US, UAE and also do some direct sales from the plant. UML have dedicated service centers where they provide value additions such as cutting, socketing, testing, inspection and so on. The Company also has a global R&D center located in Italy, where it designs wire ropes using proprietary software.

Rajeev Jhawar also shared details about how Usha Martin deleveraged their business, “In the past, Usha Martin was involved in the steel making business which was impacted due to the severe downturn in the industry and high leverage of the Company. To overcome these challenges, we undertook divestment of the steel business by way of a slump sale. It is important to note that the Company never defaulted, did not go for debt restructuring and there was no haircut by any of the lenders. This exercise enabled the Company to significantly deleverage and turnaround our financial and operational position. While it was a tough decision at that time, this helped us transform from a commodity business to a value-added high ROC business”.

According to Rajeev Jhawar, MD, Usha Martin through this:

Was able to grow their margins and profitability despite the volatility in commodity prices that is their raw material, basically the steel.

The barrier to entry in the industry are high because of the long customer approval cycle and critical applications. As some of you know, wire ropes are highly engineered products that need to meet the highest standards of reliability and performance. Now, with the renewed focus on the specialty wire rope business, Usha Martin has undertaken strategic initiatives to enhance its production capacity for wire ropes, diversify its product range, restructure its cost, secure its raw material sources, and strengthen its financial position.

Post the turnaround and stabilization of the business, Usha Martin adopted a new dividend policy in FY22. “I am delighted to share that the Board has recommended a healthy dividend of Rs. 2.5 per share for FY23, amounting to a total cash flow of Rs. 76.2 crore after taxes. Our commitment to all shareholders remains strong, and our Board will continue to prioritize a balance between investing in the business to pursue growth opportunities and rewarding shareholders through dividends”, Rajeev Jhawar Usha Martin , MD explained.

He concluded by saying that Usha Martin has successfully navigated its past challenges and has made substantial progress in the last 3 years. Today, he strongly believes that Usha Martin is in a very exciting phase. Rajeev Jhawar is confident that the company is well placed to capitalize on the significant growth opportunities which the industry has to offer. He looks forward to for the continuing support from the investors and the community in their journey where they will create long-term sustainable value for all the stakeholders.

The session was carried on by Mr. Anirban Sanyal, CFO of Usha Martin, who then explained through the operational and financial highlights for the quarter ended 31st March 2023.

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Deadly Russian missile strikes hit Ukraine

Overnight, in the eastern cities of Kramatorsk and Kostiantynivka, Russian missile strikes killed three people and destroyed dozens of private houses, regional authorities said.

Deadly Russian missile strikes hit southern and eastern Ukraine on Wednesday, as Kyiv claimed fresh advances in its long-awaited counter-offensive.

Russia fired four Kalibr missiles on the southern port city of Odesa from a warship in the Black Sea, Ukraine's air force said. The country's Western-backed air defences shot down three of them.

But one missile hit a food warehouse, killing three employees and wounding seven, said Oleg Kiper, the head of the region's military administration.

Another six people were wounded after a business centre, shops and a residential complex in central Odesa were damaged "as a result of air combat and the blast wave", he said.

Overnight, in the eastern cities of Kramatorsk and Kostiantynivka, Russian missile strikes killed three people and destroyed dozens of private houses, regional authorities said.

A blast in Kramatorsk left a huge crater in a street of one- and two-storey family houses, an AFP correspondent said.

The blast completely demolished some houses, and several more around lost their windows and roofs.

The attack killed at least two men, while several other people were wounded and evacuated for treatment.

Police officer Anastasiya Korzun, 33, told AFP she and her husband had escaped their damaged house as others helped with trying to dig neighbours out of the rubble.

"My colleagues from the police were on the scene in 20 minutes to help," Korzun said, showing cuts on her arm from flying glass.

Shelling kills six Russia said it had launched multiple strikes overnight, targeting Ukraine's troops and "foreign mercenaries" as well as warehouses containing foreign-made weapons.

"All the assigned targets have been hit," the defence ministry said.

Kyiv also reported that Russians had a day earlier shelled a van in northeastern Ukraine, close to the border with Russia, killing six people.

Moscow has intensified its nightly attacks on major Ukrainian cities in recent weeks while Kyiv has launched a long-awaited counter-offensive to reclaim Russian-occupied territory.

Ukraine said Wednesday that its forces had retaken around three square kilometres (about one square mile) of territory and advanced in some areas as far as 1.4 kilometres in the last three days. Fighting was continuing near recaptured villages.

The latest strikes came as the death toll from Tuesday's missile strikes on Kryvyi Rig -- the hometown of President Volodymyr Zelensky -- rose to 12.

Although Kyiv says it is making gains after launching its counter-offensive, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday claimed his forces were inflicting "catastrophic" losses on Ukrainian troops.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday urged the defence alliance to ensure Ukraine keeps getting enough arms to pursue its counter-offensive, ahead of a meeting of Kyiv's allies in Brussels on Thursday.

"It is still early days and we do not know if this will be a turning point," he said.

IAEA chief to visit plant Putin said during a Kremlin meeting with war bloggers that Russian forces were suffering from diminishing stockpiles of some military equipment, pointing in particular to attack drones and missiles.

Kyiv insisted that Ukraine's push, bolstered with Western weapons and training, had had "certain gains, implementing our plans, moving forward".

According to military analysts, Ukraine has not yet committed the bulk of its forces in its counter-offensive and is currently still testing the front with probing attacks to determine weak points.

In recent days, Kyiv has claimed to have re-captured several villages in the eastern and southern regions.

UN nuclear chief Rafael Grossi was expected at the Moscow-occupied Zaporizhzhia atomic power plant on Wednesday.

But Russian news agencies reported the visit had been delayed by a day.

Kyiv and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) did not confirm the delay.

A Western diplomatic source contacted by AFP said Grossi's visit had been delayed "by a few hours, but not cancelled", adding that security reasons were causing the postponement.

The safety of Europe's largest nuclear power plant, located in Ukraine's southeastern region of Zaporizhzhia, has been a concern since Russian forces seized it over a year ago.

Those concerns have been exacerbated by the breach of the Kakhovka dam that provided the cooling water for the plant.

While in Kyiv on Tuesday, Grossi said that while there was "no immediate situation", the water level in the cooling pond was of concern.

The IAEA has warned that the dam disaster, which has left dozens dead and missing, further complicated "an already precarious nuclear safety and security situation" at the plant.

Kyiv has accused Moscow of blowing up the dam on the Dnipro River, while Russia has blamed Ukraine.

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WFI chief sexual harassment case: Delhi Police likely to submit investigation report today

Seven women wrestlers had submitted a complaint of sexual harassment at the Connaught Place police station in Delhi against the WFI chief on April 21.

NEW DELHI: DELHI Police will most likely submit its investigation report on Thursday at a local court in the sexual harassment case filed against Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

Sources privy to the investigation told this newspaper that the police have acquired some videos and chats related to the case, which they will submit before the court, along with the testimonies of over 150 witnesses.

On whether a charge sheet will be filed by the police, the source without mentioning any specific date said that Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora has reviewed the progress of the investigation and given his approval to proceed with the report.

Seven women wrestlers had submitted a complaint of sexual harassment at the Connaught Place police station in Delhi against the WFI chief on April 21. The police, after the Supreme Court’s intervention, registered two FIRs on April 28. The wrestlers had already threatened that if Singh is not arrested then they would relaunch their protest.

The first FIR has been registered under the POCSO Act along with relevant sections of the IPC. It has been filed based on the allegations of a minor. The second FIR has been registered based on complaints filed by the wrestlers under relevant sections pertaining to outraging of modesty.

There are reports that the police are in touch with wrestling federations of at least five countries and have sought whatever evidence possible.

Both the FIRs, which were accessed by this newspaper, reveal the horrific experiences which the women wrestlers, including a 17-year-old minor girl, were facing in the presence of Singh.

The FIR in the case of the minor wrestler was lodged on the complaint of her father under sections 354 (Assault of criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modest), 354A ( Sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment.) 354D (Stalking) and 34 (common intention) of the IPC and relevant sections of the POCSO Act.

However, in what could be seen as a major twist in the case, the father of the minor wrestler recently came forward and claimed that he had lodged a ‘false’ complaint of sexual harassment against Singh following the latter’s impartial treatment towards his daughter.

The father, while speaking to this newspaper, said that he got infuriated after his daughter failed to qualify for the final trials in 2022 of the Asian Championship.

The police even served separate notices under section 91 of the Code of Criminal Procedure to the victim women wrestlers and asked them to provide photos, audio, and video as evidence for their allegations.

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Is Tamil superstar Vijay set for a political debut?

Sources close to the actor say he is considering launching a political outfit and contesting the Tamil Nadu polls in 2026

Kollywood, as the Tamil film industry is called, and politics are inseparable. Tamil cinema superstar Vijay, who has long been speculated to be considering launching a party, is now believed to have made up his mind to test the political waters sooner than later. Sources close to the actor suggest Vijay may launch his outfit after the 2024 Lok Sabha election and, if all goes according to plan, contest the Tamil Nadu polls in 2026.

The All India Thalapathy Vijay Makkal Iyakkam, an organisation named after the star by his fans and which takes care of Vijay’s social activities, could well be converted into a political party, say sources close to the actor. “The ground is being readied. The fans have been entrusted with specific tasks. We have been collecting information on various aspects and demands of voters and the key issues in each and every area. The timing of the political entry will be announced by Thalapathy (Vijay) alone,” said a senior functionary of the All India Thalapathy Vijay Makkal Iyakkam, requesting anonymity.

Vijay appears to be keen to attempt the success formula of M.G. Ramachandran, the charismatic actor and philanthropist who became the chief minister of Tamil Nadu. MGR’s fan club had laid a strong foundation for his political success even though he had been in politics for over a decade before launching a party of his own, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or AIADMK. Vijay’s fan club has been working for the needy in Tamil Nadu.

It was Vijay’s father, director S.A. Chandrasekhar, who initiated Vijay’s political plans in 2009. Once an admirer of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Chandrasekhar has often promoted Vijay as a future CM of Tamil Nadu even though his son had all this while shown reluctance in joining politics.

The hesitation seems to have disappeared now, and not without reasons. Vijay, according to the sources, had been reluctant to enter politics before the previous assembly election (2021) as he strongly felt there was no political vacuum to cash in on by a newcomer. Both the DMK and AIADMK had put up a strong fight in the 2021 election. The AIADMK, despite losing the election, remained a powerful entity under the twin leadership of E.K. Palaniswami and O. Panneerselvam.

However, the situation has changed over the last two years with the divide within the AIADMK growing wider. No other Opposition party, including actor-turned-politician Vijayakanth’s Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) and the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), has gained strength from the perceived weakening of the AIADMK. Could this have indicated to Vijay and his think-tank a political opportunity?

Last year, Vijay tested the waters by allowing some members of his fan club to contest the rural local body elections. They won in over 100 seats. The All India Thalapathy Vijay Makkal Iyakkam has recently started a massive membership drive.

Some political analysts question Vijay’s chances in Tamil Nadu politics and point out that not every actor who took such a step was successful. Vijay and his fans, though, may disagree. If Vijay indeed takes the political plunge, it will undoubtedly cause a buzz but will also be a path full of challenges, hard work and perseverance.

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At least 59 migrants dead, 100 rescued as ship sinks off Greece

The accident occurred in international waters in the Ionian Sea and prompted an extensive rescue operation complicated by strong winds, the coastguard said earlier.

ATHENS: At least 59 people died Wednesday after a boat carrying dozens of migrants sank off the Peloponnese peninsula in southern Greece, the coastguard said in announcing the latest toll.

Previously 17 deaths had been reported while around 100 others were rescued in a rescue operation in international waters that was complicated by high winds.

The accident occurred in international waters in the Ionian Sea and prompted an extensive rescue operation complicated by strong winds, the coastguard said earlier.

Along with navy vessels, the operation included an army plane and helicopter as well as six other boats that were in the area.

"Since very early Wednesday, an extensive rescue operation is underway off Pylos, after a fishing boat capsized with a large number of migrants onboard," the coastguard said.

Those rescued were being brought to Kalamata, though four in serious condition were transferred by helicopter to the port's hospital.

The coastguard said a surveillance plane with Europe's Frontex agency had spotted the boat Tuesday afternoon, but the passengers "refused any help".

It later said that none on board were wearing life jackets, and did not immediately disclose their nationalities.

Authorities said it appeared the migrants had departed from Libya and were heading for Italy.

Also Wednesday, Greece's port police said a sailboat in distress carrying about 80 migrants off Crete was rescued by a coastguard patrol and towed to port.

Greece along with Italy and Spain have long been the main landing points for the tens of thousands of people seeking to reach Europe from Africa and the Middle East.

Greece is also facing an increase in crossing attempts from Turkey on southern routes near the Cyclades islands and toward the Peloponnese peninsula, hoping to avoid patrols in the northern Aegean Sea.

Rescue operations are common, but last month the Greek government came under international pressure over video footage reportedly showing the forceful expulsion of migrants who were set adrift at sea.

Greece and other EU member states on the south and southeastern rim of the bloc say they are being unfairly tasked with managing the arrivals of undocumented migrants.