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The devastating fire at a private budget hotel on Tuesday left 14 people, mostly visitors to the city, dead. The victims included a woman and two children.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday visited the fire-ravaged hotel in central Kolkata and announced that those responsible for the death of 14 people will not be spared.

Ms Banerjee reached the Mechhua Falpatti area of Burrabazar on her way back from Digha and said that special committees comprising police, administration and fire services department are being set up to monitor and identify establishments which are flouting fire safety norms.

“The teams will conduct surprise checks in the city as well as district towns. Those in the administration found guilty of oversight and handing operational NOCs to buildings with inadequate fire safety will also come under the purview of punishment,” she said.

“The panels will prepare reports and submit them to my office in the next 15 days,” the Chief Minister added.

The devastating fire at a private budget hotel on Tuesday left 14 people, mostly visitors to the city, dead. The victims included a woman and two children.

Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) Mayor Firhad Hakim said all the rooftop restaurants will have to be shut down to ensure unhindered access to premises in case of an emergency.

Days after the Kolkata hotel fire that claimed the lives of 14 people, the KMC on Friday ordered the closure of all rooftop restaurants in the city.

Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) Mayor and Municipal Affairs and Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim said all the rooftop restaurants will have to be shut down to ensure unhindered access to premises in case of an emergency.Days after the Kolkata hotel fire that claimed the lives of 14 people, the KMC on Friday ordered the closure of all rooftop restaurants in the city

St Xavier’s Institution-Sodpure, Julien Day School and Delhi Public School Ruby Park were among the schools that announced summer vacations from Friday following CM Banerjee’s appeal.

Several private schools in West Bengal have declared summer vacations from Friday, after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged the educational institutions to advance the holidays by a week in the wake of the India-Pakistan military conflict.

St Xavier’s Institution-Sodpure, Julien Day School and Delhi Public School Ruby Park were among the schools that announced summer vacations from Friday following CM Banerjee’s appeal.

“We were scheduled to hold classes till May 13… But, in view of the emerging situation and as suggested by the CM, we advanced the dates by a few days,” said Lipika Ghosh, Principal of St Xavier’s Institution, Sodpure.

A spokesperson of Julien Day School said, “We have advanced the summer vacation dates from the initial plan of May 16 to May 9 following the directive of the CM.” Delhi Public School Ruby Park, too, has announced holidays for a month from Friday.

Secretary of La Martiniere School for Boys and Girls, Supriyo Dhar added: “After the CM’s request, we have decided to switch to online classes from today till May 16. We had earlier announced to start the vacations from May 17, and that remains.” The chief minister had on Wednesday appealed to private schools in the state to declare summer vacations from May 9 in light of the tensions between India and Pakistan.

The measure was being taken to ensure the safety and security of passengers, it saidThe Kolkata Metro on Monday said it will fine people who unnecessarily cross the ‘yellow’ safety line on platforms of the Dakshineswar-New Garia corridor from June 1.

Those crossing the ‘yellow’ line will be fined Rs 250, it said in a statement.

The measure was being taken to ensure the safety and security of passengers, it said.

“It has been found that a section of the commuters unnecessarily cross the yellow line when there is no train at the station in spite of repeated requests. In order to curb this tendency, Metro Railway authorities have now decided to launch a special drive against the erring commuters,” it said.

“Unnecessarily crossing the yellow line will be considered a nuisance activity in the Metro station premises and will attract a penalty of Rs 250 from June 1,” it added.

Appealing to the teachers who lost their jobs to take part in the fresh process, CM Banerjee said they will be given the benefit of their experience and age relaxation.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said her government will start a fresh process for recruiting teachers following the Supreme Court directive, while simultaneously pursuing the review petition seeking reinstatement of those who lost their jobs.

Appealing to the teachers who lost their jobs to take part in the fresh process, CM Banerjee said they will be given the benefit of their experience and age relaxation.

The teachers, who have been agitating after their appointments were invalidated by the Supreme Court on April 3, said they felt “disappointed and shattered” by the announcements made by the CM.

“We want all those teachers who lost their jobs to get their jobs back. But we also have to follow the Supreme Court directive on issuing the notification by May 31. I want to tell you that we have been compelled to do this (the fresh recruitment). Do not think we are agreeably doing this,” she said, addressing a press conference.

“Both the review petition and the process of issuing the notification will go on simultaneously,” she said.

CM Banerjee said the state government has been waiting for days for the Supreme Court to take up the review petition.

“But, summer vacation is going on at the Supreme Court, due to which it could not be heard. In our petition, we have mentioned that we do not want those who were working to lose their jobs. If there is an order based on the review petition that the jobs will not be cancelled, and those who were working can continue, then we will follow that,” she said.

CM Banerjee’s statement came amid massive protests by the teaching and non-teaching staff of state-backed schools, who lost their jobs because of the SC order in the School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment scam.

Announcing relief in the fresh recruitment process for the teachers who lost their jobs, the CM said, “Age will not be a barrier. Those who lost their jobs will be allowed to sit for the exam even if they have crossed the usual age limit. They will also receive the benefit of their experience.” She said the notification will be issued on May 30, and the online applications for the fresh recruitment will begin on June 16. It will continue till July 14, and the panel will be published on November 15.

CM Banerjee said the government was aiming to complete the process by November-end.

Kaalidhar Laapata is an emotional and heartfelt story, and the remake of the Tamil film Karuppu Durai, featuring Abhishek Bachchan and Daivik Baghela in the road thriller premiere. It has been directed by Madhumita and produced under Zee Studios. The story takes you to Kaalidhar, a man who has failed to fulfil his wishes in life, sees a turning his life once he meets Ballu, a young boy. Together, they embark on a journey to fulfil their long bucket list.

The film has struck a chord with both critics and viewers. This can be seen through social media posts and memes. Its IMDb rating is not given till now. The movie has a heartfelt connection, and Abhishek Bachchan is coming in a different and challenging role. Viewers can see a different perspective of life through him.

Its clout on the world stage is diminished. Facing major funding cuts from the United States and others, it has been forced to shed jobs and start tackling long-delayed reforms.

The United Nations, a collaborative global dream built into reality out of the ashes of World War II, marks its 80th anniversary this month. There’s little to celebrate.

Its clout on the world stage is diminished. Facing major funding cuts from the United States and others, it has been forced to shed jobs and start tackling long-delayed reforms. Its longtime credo of “multilateralism” is under siege. Its most powerful body, the Security Council, has been blocked from taking action to end the two major wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

And as conflict between Israel, Iran and now the United States flares, it watched from the sidelines.

Four generations after its founding, as it tries to chart a new path for its future, a question hangs over the institution and the nearly 150,000 people it employs and oversees: Can the United Nations remain relevant in an increasingly contentious and fragmented world? With its dream of collaboration drifting, can it even survive?

When the United Nations was born in San Francisco on June 26, 1945, the overriding goal of the 50 participants who signed the UN Charter was stated in its first words: “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.”

The White House signaled trade progress with China on Thursday, with an official saying both sides have reached an understanding on issues including expediting rare earth shipments to the United States.

After talks in Geneva in May, Washington and Beijing had agreed to temporarily lower steep tit-for-tat tariffs on each other’s products.

China also committed to easing some non-tariff countermeasures, but US officials later accused Beijing of violating the pact and slow-walking export license approvals for rare earths..

On Thursday, a White House official told AFP that President Donald Trump’s administration and China have “agreed to an additional understanding for a framework to implement the Geneva agreement.”

This clarification came after Trump told an event that Washington had “just signed” a deal relating to trade with China, without providing further details.

Asked about Trump’s remarks on Bloomberg TV, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick referred to the London negotiations, saying the framework deal — which needed top-level approval — has now been “signed and sealed.”

Separately on Thursday, the White House also indicated that Washington could extend a July deadline when steeper tariffs impacting dozens of economies are due to kick in.

While Trump imposed a sweeping 10 percent levy on most trading partners this year, he unveiled — then halted — higher rates on dozens of economies while negotiations took place.

That pause is set to expire July 9.

Asked if there were plans to further the pause, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters: “Perhaps it could be extended, but that’s a decision for the president to make.”

“The deadline is not critical,” she said. “The president can simply provide these countries with a deal if they refuse to make us one by the deadline.”

This means Trump can “pick a reciprocal tariff rate that he believes is advantageous for the United States,” she said.

Lutnick told Bloomberg TV that Washington will announce some deals in the next week or so.

“Those who have deals will have deals, and everybody else who’s been negotiating with us, they’ll get a response from us,” he said.

“July 9 will go forward. And as the president said, if people want to come back and negotiate further, they’re entitled to, but that tariff rate will be set, and off we’ll go,” Lutnick added

The demolition of a Durga Temple in Dhaka had led to a sharp response from India over the treatment of minorities in Bangladesh. Authorities in Bangladesh have justified the move, calling it a ‘makeshift structure’, built illegally. 

Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We understand that extremists were clamouring for the demolition of the Durga temple in Khilkhet, Dhaka. The interim government, instead of providing security to the temple, projected the episode as a case of illegal land use and allowed the destruction of the temple today.”

“This has resulted in damage to the deity before it was relocated. We are dismayed that such incidents continue to recur in Bangladesh. Let me underline that it is the responsibility of the interim government of Bangladesh to protect Hindus, their properties, and their religious institutions,” Mr Jaiswal said. 

India has repeatedly voiced concern about the targeting of minorities in Bangladesh under the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus. Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue with Mr Yunus during the meeting between the two leaders on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC summit in Bangkok. 

Prime Minister Modi had also underlined India’s concerns related to the safety and security of minorities in Bangladesh, including Hindus, and expressed his expectation that the Government of Bangladesh would ensure their security, including by thoroughly investigating the cases of atrocities committed against them, during the meeting with Muhammad Yunus. 

US President Donald Trump’s recent claims about mediating major international conflicts have stirred widespread discussion online and offline. Trump stated that he played a key role in preventing a nuclear war between India and Pakistan and in brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Iran. He credited his achievements to personal diplomacy and strong economic leverage.

However, many experts and governments have questioned these assertions. India, in particular, has rejected Trump’s involvement in its ceasefire with Pakistan, stating that the agreement was the result of direct military-level negotiations, not external mediation.

Trump’s statements have drawn skepticism globally, especially in South Asia, where his claims are viewed as exaggerated. Diplomats and analysts have also expressed doubt over the effectiveness and credibility of Trump’s self-proclaimed mediation efforts.Social media users have responded to Trump’s remarks with a wave of humorous memes, turning serious diplomatic matters into viral internet content.

One popular meme shows Trump receiving prank calls asking him to mediate in marital disputes between married couples, with a frustrated Trump saying, “Who gave you my number? I don’t mediate between husbands and wives!”