Deadliest week in Yemen as US-led strikes kill dozens of civilians

Mangaluru, July 8: In a significant employment push for the region, the Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme, introduced by the central government through the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), is expected to generate 20,000 to 25,000 new jobs in Dakshina Kannada district.

Announcing this at a press meet on Monday, Rajib Mukherjee, Regional Commissioner of EPFO Mangaluru, said the initiative targets 2,500 to 3,000 establishments in the district, with a major focus on boosting employment and social security, particularly in the manufacturing sector.

"The ELI scheme is designed not only to support first-time job seekers but also to incentivize employers for generating sustainable employment," Mukherjee said.

Key Highlights of the Scheme:

•    For first-time employees, the government will provide EPF wage support of up to ₹15,000, disbursed in two installments.

•    Employers who create new jobs will receive incentives of up to ₹3,000 per new hire per month for a duration of two years.

•    In the manufacturing sector, these incentives will continue for an additional two years (years three and four), encouraging long-term hiring.

Wider Goals and Eligibility:

The ELI scheme is part of the Prime Minister’s five-scheme package announced in the 2024–25 Union Budget, which aims to generate 3.5 crore jobs across India over two years.

•    The benefits will apply to jobs created between August 1, 2025, and July 31, 2027.

•    Employees with a monthly salary of up to ₹1 lakh are eligible.

•    Employers hiring within this salary range are eligible for government subsidies, provided the job is retained for at least six months.

Awareness and Outreach:

EPFO is conducting awareness camps across Dakshina Kannada to inform businesses and job seekers about the scheme’s benefits and application process.

Officials U Panduranga Kini, Nagendra Babu Gutti, Benny Lobo, and Anita R were also present at the briefing.

Palestinian authorities in Gaza have released alarming figures on the starving civilians killed by Israeli live fire while waiting in line for humanitarian aid.

The Palestinian authorities condemned the regime forces’ ongoing attacks on Palestinians seeking aid across the territory.

Gaza’s Government Media Office said approximately 580 Palestinians have been killed and over 4200 others injured as a result of Israeli attacks on civilians seeking aid.

It held Israel and its allies, particularly the US, the UK, France, and Germany, legally and morally responsible for supporting the systematic extermination of civilians in Gaza.

The office also urged the international community to pressure Israel to open Gaza’s crossings, lift its blockade, and allow the immediate entry of humanitarian aid before it is too late.

The new revelation came after Israeli media reported that soldiers have deliberately shot at unarmed Palestinians seeking aid in Gaza after being “ordered” to do so by their commanders.

UN agencies have also condemned the so-called US-Israeli food distribution system in Gaza, calling it a death trap.

Researchers have found that almost 100,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023.

The figure was published in a new study led by University of London economist Professor Michael Spagat and Palestinian political scientist Khalil Shikaki, who surveyed 2,000 households in the besieged Gaza, comprising almost 10,000 people.

The researchers concluded that, as of January 2025, some 75,200 people died a violent death in Gaza during the Israeli aggression, the vast majority caused by Israeli munitions, along with 8,540 killed via a non-violent death.

Since January, more than 10,000 people have also been reported killed by the Gaza Health Ministry, bringing the combined fatality count to nearly 100,000.

The new death toll shows that the Gaza Health Ministry understates the true scale of the crisis caused by the Israeli aggression, compounded by hunger, disease, and gunfire at food distribution centers

New Delhi, June 27: Former US President Donald Trump on Thursday hinted at a potentially “very big” trade deal with India, weeks after closed-door negotiations between the two countries concluded in Washington.

Speaking at the Big Beautiful Event at the White House, Trump said, “We just signed with China yesterday. We have some great deals. One may be coming up with India — a very big one.” He added that the US would not pursue trade deals with every country, suggesting a selective, strategic approach.

The four-day negotiations focused on expanding market access, reducing tariffs, and addressing non-tariff barriers across industrial and agricultural sectors. The Indian delegation was led by Commerce Ministry’s Rajesh Agrawal, while the US side was headed by officials from the Office of the US Trade Representative.

Sources say the proposed deal aims to boost bilateral trade from $190 billion to $500 billion by 2030.

Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal confirmed that talks are ongoing to strike a “fair, equitable, and balanced” agreement. “PM Modi and President Trump met in February 2025 and agreed on the importance of a mutually beneficial trade pact,” he said.

Earlier this month, US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick also indicated that the deal could be finalized soon, noting that both countries are finding common ground.

US-China Deal Also Signed

Trump also mentioned a new trade agreement with China, signed a day earlier, focused on accelerating rare earth shipments to the US. According to a White House official, the pact includes a framework tied to the Geneva agreement, following a period of heightened tensions and stalled trade between the two countries.