Republic Top 10 Headlines: Suvendu attacks Bengal govt, Pawar meets PM Modi and More

'Wikipedia Taken Over By Left, Nobody Should Trust It': Wikipedia Co-founder Larry Sanger

In a big statement, Wikipedia Co-founder Larry Sanger on Friday weighed in on the strong influence of Left media on Wikipedia saying that he no longer trusted the site that he had created. In an interview with Freddie Sayers on LockdownTV, the Wikipedia founder said that the world's fifth-largest website could not be trusted for a holistic view since it was written and monitored by paid writers who made it 'extremely partisan.'

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WHO Says Second Stage Of COVID-19 Origin Probe Should Include China Lab 'audits'

The World Health Organization on July 16 said that the second stage of an investigation into COVID-19 origin should include further studies in China and lab “audits”. According to a press release, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus proposed five priorities for the next phase of the investigation. He said that the next phase should include “audits” of relevant laboratories and research institutions operating in the area of the initial human cases identified in December 2019. 

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'No One Can Challenge Indian Borders' Says Amit Shah At BSF's 18th Investiture Ceremony

Union Home Minister Amit Shah attended the18th Investiture Ceremony of Border Security Force (BSF) at the Vigyan Bhawan in the national capital on Saturday, July 16. Shah delivered Rustamji Memorial Lecture on the occasion. According to a statement issued by the BSF, 27 BSF personnel were awarded which included 14 Police Medals for Gallantry and 13 Police Medals for Meritorious Services. 

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Sena Asks Pak PM Imran Khan 'Why RSS Ideology Matters?'; Points Out Dialogue Between PMs

Rebutting Pakistan PM Imran Khan's refusal to talk with India due to 'RSS ideology', Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Saturday, questioned why Khan could not talk to PM Modi. Claiming the RSS' beliefs of 'Akhand Bharat' and that Jammu-Kashmir belonged to India was shared by the nation, Raut said that Khan must not stop talks due to RSS. Pointing out that RSS was an organisation, Raut said that dialogue was held between state heads. 

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UGC Exam Guidelines & Academic Calendar 2021-22 Out! Admissions By Sept 30, Session By Oct

The University Grants Commission (UGC) on Saturday issued guidelines on examinations as well as the new academic calendar for 2021-22 in view of the COVID-19 pandemic to all universities and colleges. As per the UGC guidelines, admissions to first-year courses for 2021-22 have to be completed by no later than September 30, 2021. The new academic session will commence by October 1, 2021, after the admission process is complete. 

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'Why?': Yediyurappa Flays Question On Resigning As Karnataka CM; Meets BJP Chief JP Nadda

Refuting any leadership change in Karnataka, CM BS Yediyurappa on Saturday confirmed that he had not resigned from his post and that there was no change in guard in Karnataka. Yediyurappa met with PM Narendra Modi at his 7 Lok Kayan Marg residence in Delhi and discussed the hotly contested Mekedatu Dam, seeking the Centre's nod. The CM will meet BJP chief JP Nadda and Union Ministers Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah regarding the same project. Several BJP MLAs have sought Yediyurappa's ouster but the High Command has maintained that the CM will complete his term.

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Sharad Pawar Meets PM Modi Ahead Of Parliament Session, Amid Sena-Congress War Of Words

In a major development, NCP Supremo Sharad Pawar held an hour-long meeting with PM Modi on Saturday to discuss 'various issues iof national interest', ahead of the Parliament's Monsoon Session. This meeting comes a day after Pawar's meeting with Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh along with ex-Defence Minister AK Antony. The two former defence ministers were briefed by CDS  Gen. Bipin Rawat & Army Chief Gen. Manoj Mukund Naravane on the ongoing conflict over the Sino-Indian border dispute, clarifying the two ministers' doubts. This flurry of meetings comes amid a war of words between NCP,  Shiv Sena and Congress in Maharashtra and the Centre's plan to take up 23 bills in parliament for passage.

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Pakistan PM Imran Khan Trolled For Blunder After Blunder In Uzbekistan; Netizens Stunned

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan came under the brunt of heavy trolling during the Central-South Asia conference in Uzbekistan after he committed a series of blunders from claiming to know more about the history of Uzbekistan than Uzbek people, to his alleged refusal to shake EAM Jaishankar's hand at the conference. 

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'TMC Destroyed Democratic Fabric In West Bengal': Suvendu Adhikari Attacks Bengal Govt

Hitting out at the TMC-led government in West Bengal, Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari on Friday alleged that the state government has destroyed the democratic fabric in the state. The BJP leader said that the party would submit a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in this regard. This statement by Suvendu Adhikari comes days after TMC Leader Mukul Roy was elected as chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) 2021-2022 in the West Bengal Assembly. 

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38,079 New COVID Cases Recorded In Last 24 Hours; Active Cases Drop Below 4.5 Lakh

Continuing the slight decrease, India added approximately 39,000 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases in the country to over 3.10 crore. After nearly 600 deaths were reported across the country during the same time period, the death toll climbed to 4.13 lakh. 

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