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The Times of India | May 31, 2026, 13:13:13 IST

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13:13 (IST), May, 31

Orange alert halts Kedarnath Yatra amid heavy rain in Rudraprayag

The meteorological department issued an orange alert for heavy rain and storm in Rudraprayag district, where continuous rainfall occurred since night. In view of the safety of pilgrims, the Kedarnath Yatra has temporarily been halted on the directions of the district magistrate and superintendent of police, Rudraprayag.

All pilgrims currently on the Kedarnath trekking route are being stopped immediately at the nearest holding points and safe locations. No pilgrim is permitted to proceed further until weather conditions normalised.

The district administration has requested the pilgrims to maintain patience and follow the instructions.

13:09 (IST), May, 31

RS nomination in TN to begin; TVK likely to win its first upper house berth

The nominations to fill one Rajya Sabha seat from Tamil Nadu will begin on Monday, and the ruling TVK is expected to get its first upper house berth.

The Rajya Sabha seat fell vacant after AIADMK leader C Ve Shanmugam resigned from the Upper House on May 7, 2026, following his victory from the Mailam Assembly constituency.

Since the TVK led by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay is the single largest party in the state Assembly, it is expected to win comfortably in the Rajyasabha seat.

However, it is not clear whether TVK will secure the seat for itself or allocate it to an alliance partner, especially the Congress, which was the first party to extend support to TVK, as the party lacked the majority to form the government.

EC sources said that the nominations can be filed from June 1 to 8, and the scrutiny of nominations will be done on June 9. The last date for withdrawal of nominations is June 11. The poll will be held from 9 am to 4 pm on June 18. The counting will begin at 5 pm on the same day.

13:09 (IST), May, 31

POCSO Act applies if victim of commercial sex trafficking is minor: SC

The Supreme Court has held that cases involving the trafficking of children for Commercial Sexual Exploitation (CSE) can attract charges under the stringent POCSO Act, alongside the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act.

A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan on Friday issued a slew of directions to mitigate the concerns of sex workers, while clarifying the legal framework for the prosecution of perpetrators and the rehabilitation of victims.

It said the consent of an adult victim to the intended exploitation is irrelevant if any of the listed "means," like the use of threat, force, other forms of coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, abuse of power, abuse of a position of vulnerability, or the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person, are used.

"The consent of a child victim of trafficking is irrelevant, regardless of whether or not 'means' have been used... Lack of consent is not an element of the crime of trafficking in persons.

"Thus, the focus should be firmly on the actions and intentions of the perpetrators, and once the elements of the crime of trafficking, including the use of one of the identified means (coercion, deception, etc.), are proven, any defence or allegation that the victim 'consented' should be deemed to be irrelevant," it said.

The bench said a person's awareness that they are being employed in the sex industry or prostitution does not exclude them from being a victim of trafficking, as they may have been deceived about the conditions of work, which later turned out to be exploitative.

The top court said Article 23 of the Constitution prohibits trafficking in human beings, beggars, and all other similar forms of forced labour, and its ambit is wide and unlimited. It strikes at human trafficking in whatever form it is found and is enforceable not only against the State but against any private individuals engaged in such practices.

The bench noted that while dealing with Article 23 or legislations enacted to give effect to it, the court has consistently adopted a liberal interpretation, presuming and extending protections and benefits to all those in conditions of exploitation.

"When the victim of trafficking for CSE is a child, the provisions of the POCSO Act may apply alongside Sections 143 and 144 BNS respectively and/or the provisions of ITPA," it said.

The court said this was because there is no ambiguity in Indian law regarding the fact that every act of sexual exploitation involving a child is non-consensual as a matter of law, and the POCSO Act was designed to cover all forms of sexual abuse against children, including sexual harassment, aggravated sexual assault, and the production, storage or possession of child sexual abuse material, among others.

"Therefore, in all cases where the sexual exploitation of a child involves acts punishable under the POCSO Act, the perpetrators would be charged and prosecuted under it. Once the POCSO Act is enacted, several aspects of the prosecution change significantly.

"The procedure for reporting the offence, recording the victim’s statement, and conducting the medical examination is governed by the specific provisions of the POCSO Act, which are designed to be more sensitive and protective of the child's interests," it said.

The bench passed the order in the case filed by NGO Prajwala seeking directions to curb human trafficking and the enforcement of the rights of victims of commercial sexual exploitation.

It said the court's conscious effort was to move away from treating trafficking victims merely as passive subjects of rescue and instead recognise them as individuals capable of making informed decisions on how they wish to be empowered.

The bench said when dealing with an offence of trafficking for CSE, the applicable legal provisions are not static, and they vary depending on a combination of factors, such as the age of the victim, the means employed by the trafficker, and the specific nature of the exploitative acts to which the victim was subjected.

"No single piece of legislation operates in isolation when it comes to the crime of trafficking for CSE. An investigating officer must, therefore, approach each case with a holistic appreciation of the applicable legal framework and remain alive to the full range of provisions that the facts of a given case may attract," it said.

The top court said without rehabilitation, the victim returns to the very same conditions that made her a target in the first place, and thus it is the plainest requirement of Articles 21 and 23, respectively, that victims of exploitative structures must be suitably rehabilitated.

11:34 (IST), May, 31

PM Modi begins his Mann Ki Baat address with India's achievements in athletics, talks with sprinters Gurindervir Singh, Animesh Kujur

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday began his Mann Ki Baat radio programme with recent achievements of Indian athletes in athletics and said the national record in the 100-metre race had been broken thrice in two days at the 29th National Senior Athletics Federation Competition 2026 in Ranchi.

PM Modi spoke with Gurindervir Singh and Animesh Kujur, who talked about their practice, friendship and also healthy competition.

Gurindervir Singh said they were friends and helped each other in practice, but during a race, they are competitors.

Gurindervir Singh, who is in the Indian Navy, said he is country's fastest sprinter and has created a new national record of completing the 100-metre race in 10.09 seconds.

The athlete also said that when his mother discouraged him from watching television as a child and told him to focus on studies, he had told her that she would watch him on television one day.

"Today I feel very happy when they watch me on television," Gurindervir Singh said.

Gurindervir clocked a sensational 10.09 seconds at the 29th National Senior Athletics Federation Competition 2026 in Ranchi earlier this month, becoming the first Indian man to breach the 10.10-second barrier in the blue-riband event.

The 25-year-old's remarkable effort rewrote the national record and secured qualification for both the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.

Gurindervir's record-breaking run capped a dramatic day in Ranchi. He had earlier clocked 10.17 seconds in the semifinals to briefly set a new national mark, only for fellow sprinter Animesh Kujur to surpass it moments later with a 10.15-second effort.

In the final, however, Gurindervir reclaimed the record emphatically with his historic 10.09s finish, while both he and Animesh booked their spots for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya congratulated the sprinter after he became the first Indian to clock below 10.10 seconds in the men's 100m event.

"10.09 seconds! Gurindervir Singh, you have rewritten history. The entire nation is incredibly proud of you!" Mandaviya said in a post on X.

11:33 (IST), May, 31

Chamba accident: Operation underway to retrieve bodies from gorge

Rescue operations were underway on Sunday to pull out the bodies of seven tourists and a taxi driver, who were killed after their car fell into a gorge in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh, officials said.

The incident occurred late on Friday night on the Bairgarh-Sach Pass-Killar road in Churah subdivision, but locals came to know about it on Saturday afternoon.

The accident occurred when the car was going towards the snow-bound Sach Pass, one of the toughest stretches in Himachal Pradesh, the officials said.

BJP MLA from Churah, Hans Raj, told PTI that a rescue operation was underway, but due to the steep slope and bad weather conditions, the bodies could not be retrieved.

The area is remote, topography is tough and there is no phone signal in the area, he added.

The rescue operation resumed on Sunday morning and the locals along with police formed human chains along with ropes to get down to the accident spot, the operations to bring to bodies up to the road are underway, officials said.

According to preliminary information, two families had met in Dalhousie and decided to enjoy the snow in the Sach Pass region in a shared taxi.

Both families, accompanied by the taxi driver, departed on Friday for the Bairagarh-Killar route via Sach Pass and when the taxi did not return to Dalhousie even after the scheduled time, the vehicle owner checked the vehicle's GPS location.

According to the GPS data, the vehicle appeared to be stationary at a single spot near the Kalavan area, showing absolutely no signs of movement.

Following this, a local search operation was initiated, which raised the apprehension that the vehicle had met with an accident.

The deceased have been identified as Arvind Chandrakar his wife Prachi, sons Darsh and Akshad, all residents of Bengaluru, P G Karthikeyan, his wife Manimala and son Nandan, all residents of Karnataka and the taxi driver Vishwas, a resident of Banikhet from Chamba in Himachal.

10:25 (IST), May, 31

Assam cabinet to be expanded on June 5: CM Sarma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that the state Council of Ministers will be expanded on June 5.

The cabinet expansion is expected to take place shortly after Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya returns from Mongolia, where he is leading an Indian delegation accompanying the holy relics of Lord Buddha's two principal disciples, Arhant Sariputra and Arhant Maudgalyayana, for a sacred exposition organised under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.

He will return to India on June 3.

"I am pleased to inform that the Council of Ministers of the Government of Assam will be expanded on 5 June 2026," Sarma wrote on X.

Currently, the cabinet operates with only four ministers alongside the Chief Minister, following the formation of the new NDA government earlier this month.

The initial ministers sworn in include Rameswar Teli (Transformation & Development), Atul Bora (Panchayat & Rural Development), Charan Boro (Transport), and Ajanta Neog (Women & Child Development), representing the BJP, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), and Bodoland People's Front (BPF).

Himanta Biswa Sarma took oath as Chief Minister for a second term on May 12 at the Veterinary College ground in Khanapara. The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP President Nitin Nabin, and several other senior Union and state leaders.

The 2026 Assam Assembly elections saw the NDA secure a commanding three-fourths majority, winning 81 of the 126 Assembly seats, with the BJP-led alliance, including BPF and AGP, collectively securing 101 seats. Bodoland People's Front and Asom Gana Parishad won 10 seats each as part of the alliance.

Former minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass has been elected as the NDA's candidate for Speaker of the state Assembly.

The cabinet expansion on June 5 is expected to bring in new ministers to key portfolios, consolidating the state government's governance and development agenda under Sarma's leadership.

10:24 (IST), May, 31

Maratha quota activist Jarange Patil ends 15-hour hunger strike after Maharashtra govt's positive assurances

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil on Sunday ended his 15-hour-long indefinite hunger strike, which he had launched to intensify pressure on the Maharashtra government.

Jarange Patil, who had launched the hunger strike at 10 am on Saturday in Jalna, broke his fast in the presence of Maharashtra Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and Chairman of the Maratha Reservation Sub-Committee, after the state government showcased a positive stance related to his previous pending demands for the Maratha community.

Vikhe Patil met Manoj Jarange Patil on Saturday late at night, following which detailed discussions were held between government representatives and the Maratha agitation leaders regarding a draft proposal presented by the state administration.

Soon after suspension of his hunger strike, Manoj Jarange Patil was shifted to a hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar for further medical treatment.

Interacting with the media after ending his protest, Jarange stated that government resolutions (GRs) regarding most of the Maratha community's demands will be issued by Tuesday. He informed that the process of issuing Kunbi certificates based on 58 lakh recorded entries will be accelerated. Additionally, the government has given positive assurances to resolve issues related to caste validity certificates.

Jarange added that directives will be issued to take action against officials who delay the issuance of Kunbi certificates. Furthermore, a review meeting on the caste verification process will be held within 15 days, and the government has agreed to grant a one-year extension to the Shinde Committee.

He also noted that the government has been given a one-month window to withdraw police cases registered against Maratha protestors and to issue the GR related to the Satara Sansthan. According to Jarange, rushing the Satara Sansthan GR could lead to legal challenges in court. Hence, he said that the government has been allocated time to formulate a legally robust decision.

Apart from this, Jarange shared that positive decisions have been reached regarding the resumption of all schemes under 'SARATHI' and providing employment opportunities in MIDC areas for the children of families who lost members during the agitation.

Meanwhile, Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil reiterated that the state government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, remains positive toward the demands of the Maratha community and is fully committed to implementing them. BJP MLA Prasad Lad was also present during the deliberation.

10:19 (IST), May, 31

China’s factory activity slows in May, raising questions over its economy

China’s factory activity was flat in May, according to an official survey released Sunday, raising questions about how much further the country’s economy can shield itself from the fallout of the ongoing Iran war and pressure on demand.

The official manufacturing purchasing managers index moderated to 50 from 50.3 in April, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Measured on a scale between 0 and 100, a PMI reading above 50 indicates expansion, while a reading below 50 reflects contraction.

The new orders sub-index dropped to 49.9 from 50.6 in April, while the sub-index on production edged down to 51.2 from April’s 51.5. The sub-index for raw material stockpiles fell to 48.6 from 49.3 in April.

China has been less affected by the global energy shock from the Iran war than many other countries, which face inflationary pressures as as oil prices have surged due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil is shipped in peacetime.

Analysts say China's ample oil reserves and diversified sources of energy have helped the world's second-largest economy weather the war nearly unscathed.

“Though the energy crisis remains the dominant headwind for Asia, China is relatively more shielded given its robust energy security set-up,” Frederic Neumann, Chief Asia Economist at HSBC bank, wrote in a research note last week.

Meanwhile, exports remain key for China’s broader economy, HSBC said.

While China’s exports to the United States have dropped year-on-year during most months in the past year, its global exports have been robust, particularly to Europe and Southeast Asia.

Hopes for a recovery in exports to the U.S. have risen following President Donald Trump’s summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing in mid-May, and after the two countries agreed to set up separate boards of trade and investment.

Autos, technology and artificial intelligence-related exports have been helping to drive export growth, but some economists also point to concerns over the broader economy. Domestic demand remains sluggish in the wake of a years-long property sector slump that has clobbered consumer confidence and investment.

“Domestic demand is lagging, but high-end manufacturing and exports are holding the line,” Robin Xing, Chief China Economist at Morgan Stanley, wrote in a research note last week.

Chinese leaders have set an annual economic growth target of 4.5% to 5% for this year. That's the lowest target since 1991, albeit only slightly lower than the “around 5%” target set in 2025.

Morgan Stanley said China will still likely meet its 2026 target, but oil prices and the easing of uncertainties around global oil supplies would be key factors determining where things might be heading.

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10:15 (IST), May, 31

Andhra Pradesh: 5 die saving minor girl from drowning in Tungabhadra river

Five people have drowned while attempting to rescue a minor girl who slipped into the Tungabhadra river here in Kurnool district, said a police official.

The girl was washing her feet in the river around 4.30 pm on Saturday when she accidentally slipped and was swept away by the current, the official added.

“Five people who jumped into the river in an attempt to save the girl drowned, though the girl was saved,” the official told PTI.

Police said the deceased belonged to neighbouring villages.

The official noted that local police launched a search operation to retrieve the bodies of the deceased with the assistance of State Disaster Management Force (SDRF) teams.

10:15 (IST), May, 31

BJP chief Nitin Nabin on 2-day visit to Jharkhand from June 6

BJP chief Nitin Nabin will be on a two-day visit to Jharkhand from June 6, during which he will take part in several party events and organisational meetings.

A senior leader said this would be Nabin's first visit to Jharkhand after becoming the party's national president.

"The BJP president will arrive at Ranchi Airport on June 6 at 11.30 am. A tree plantation programme is slated to take place in the vicinity of the airport. The same day, he will participate in a 'Prabuddhjan Samvad' programme at the party office," Jharkhand BJP general secretary Amar Bauri said.

He said that on June 7, Nabin will hold interactions with youth and participate in organisational meetings.

Nabin's visit comes ahead of the elections to the two Rajya Sabha seats in Jharkhand. The last date for filing nominations is June 8, and the election day is June 18.

One of the seats fell vacant following the death of JMM co-founder Shibu Soren, while BJP's Deepak Prakash, who holds the other seat, will complete his six-year term on June 21.

06:33 (IST), May, 31

Trump calls for replacing US 250th concerts with MAGA rally

US President Donald Trump called Saturday for the cancellation of upcoming concerts celebrating America's 250th anniversary after several musical acts backed out, saying they should be replaced by a political rally headlined by himself.

"We should have a giant MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN RALLY, for 250, instead of having overpriced singers, who nobody wants to hear, whose music is boring, and yet who do nothing but complain," Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, adding: "Cancel it."

06:33 (IST), May, 31

Hundreds arrested as clashes erupt in Paris on PSG victory night

Police on Saturday detained more than 280 people in Paris after violent clashes erupted when thousands poured onto the streets during Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League final victory.

Some 22,000 police were deployed across France for the game, including 8,000 in Paris, after unrest marred PSG's win in the competition last year. Paris tram lines were halted, several metro stations shut and bus traffic halted in places in a bid to minimise disturbances.

According to the French interior ministry, 416 people were detained nationwide, including 283 who were apprehended in Paris. It was not immediately clear how many of these individuals were remanded in custody to face further investigation.

06:33 (IST), May, 31

President of Myanmar’s military-backed government visits India

The leader of Myanmar’s military-backed government embarked Saturday on an official visit to India, one of the country’s key regional partners, for high-level meetings aimed at strengthening bilateral ties.

It is the first time Min Aung Hlaing has traveled to the neighboring country since he was sworn into office as president in April following an election that critics say was orchestrated to maintain the military’s tight grip on power. His last visit to India was in 2019 as military chief.

06:32 (IST), May, 31

Crash kills 5 in Virginia including family of 4 traveling to wedding, bus driver charged

A Massachusetts family of four travelling to a wedding in South Carolina was killed in a multi-vehicle crash involving a bus on Interstate 95 in Virginia, authorities said. The victims — Dmitri and Ecaterina Doncev and their two children, Emily and Mark — were carrying homemade desserts for the family celebration.

Police said the crash occurred when a motorcoach struck vehicles that had slowed for a work zone, triggering a chain-reaction collision. Another Massachusetts resident, 25-year-old Priscilla Mafalda, was also killed. The bus driver, Jing S. Dong, has been charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter, while investigators continue to examine the circumstances of the crash. The National Transportation Safety Board said the bus appeared to have been travelling at a high speed before impact.

06:31 (IST), May, 31

Pakistan in darkness: Karachi residents erupt in fury as utility collapse ruins festive season

he breakdown of essential municipal services, marked by a total collapse of the water supply alongside widespread gas and electricity outages, transformed the three-day festivities of Eid-ul-Adha into a severe crisis for millions of residents in Pakistan's financial hub, Dawn reported.

Citizens were forced to endure intense heatwaves without the basic means to cook, bathe, or sustain themselves.

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