Live Updates: PM Modi to chair 8th NITI governing council meeting today – The Economic Times

Biden says debt default deal ‘very close’ while deadline now set at June 5

President Joe Biden said a deal to resolve the government’s debt ceiling crisis seemed “very close” late Friday, even as the deadline for a potentially catastrophic default was pushed back to June 5 and seemed likely to drag negotiations between the White House and Republicans into another frustrating week.The later “X-date,” laid out in a letter from Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, set the risk of a devastating default four days later than an earlier estimate. It came as Americans and the world uneasily watched the negotiating brinkmanship that could throw the U.S. economy into chaos and sap world confidence in the nation’s leadership.

Legislation introduced to make Diwali a federal holiday in US

A prominent American lawmaker on Friday introduced a bill in the US Congress to declare Diwali, the festival of lights, a federal holiday, a move welcomed by different communities from across the country.”Diwali is one of the most important days of the year for billions of people across the globe, and for countless families and communities in Queens, New York, and the United States, Congresswoman Graced Meng told reporters during a virtual news conference here soon after introducing the bill in the House of Representatives.

UK to focus on enhancing science and innovation ties with India

Lord Tariq Ahmad, the UK’s Minister of State for South Asia, arrived in India on Saturday for a four-day visit with a focus on strengthening science, research and innovation links.The visit’s focus on science, technology and innovation emphasises the UK’s commitment to deepen partnerships in these areas across the globe.

Earthquake of magnitude 5.7 strikes Tonga Islands

A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Tonga Islands region on Saturday, the German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ) said.The quake was at a depth of 252 km (156.586 miles), GFZ said.

Brazil: UN regional group has endorsed Amazon city to host 2025 climate conference

Brazil’s government announced Friday that a UN Latin America regional group has endorsed a Brazilian city in the Amazon region to host the 2025 UN climate change conference, though the world body has not yet publicly confirmed the venue.President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva initially said Brazil will hold the conference, known as COP 30, in the city of Belem, state of Para, in the heart of the Brazilian rainforest, reflecting his intention to bring attention to the Amazon.

DU Academic Council clears implementation of four-year integrated teacher education programme

The Delhi University’s Academic Council has approved several resolutions, including some contentious ones like the implementation of a four-year integrated teacher education programme, despite dissent by some members.The council also cleared several syllabi changes, including the scrapping of a chapter on Muhammad Iqbal from the BA political science syllabus, officials aware of the matter said.