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At IndiaVerve, we go beyond the noise to bring you meaningful stories of change, resilience and progress—from India to the world stage. Our mission is to bring readers credible, wide-ranging coverage across politics, business, sports, culture, society and more.
At IndiaVerve, we go beyond the noise to bring you meaningful stories of change, resilience and progress—from India to the world stage. Our mission is to bring readers credible, wide-ranging coverage across politics, business, sports, culture, society and more.
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Day: July 6, 2026

CM Mohan Majhi reviews Rath Yatra 2026 preparations

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Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday chaired a special review meeting in Puri to assess preparations for the annual Rath Yatra, directing officials, staff and sevaks to work in close coordination to ensure the world-famous festival is conducted smoothly and without any lapses.

The meeting, held at Puri Town Hall, focused on security, crowd management, health services, sanitation, drinking water, transportation and traffic management ahead of Rath Yatra 2026.

In a post on X, the CM stressed that officers and staff of all concerned departments should combine their knowledge, skills, experience and dedication to ensure seamless arrangements for devotees.

Majhi said that with the blessings of Mahaprabhu Shri Jagannath, every stakeholder associated with the festival should perform their responsibilities with complete commitment. He urged officials to maintain effective coordination among departments so that all arrangements function smoothly throughout the festival.

Highlighting security measures, the CM said extensive police deployment has been planned for crowd control and public safety. He added that comprehensive arrangements have also been made for healthcare services, sanitation, drinking water supply, transport facilities, and traffic regulation.

Drawing on the experience gained during the previous two Rath Yatras, he advised officials to strengthen inter-departmental coordination.

He also emphasised continuous monitoring of all activities related to the festival and appreciated the sevaks of Mahaprabhu Shri Jagannath for carrying out rituals with punctuality and discipline.

The high-level review meeting was also attended by Deputy Chief Ministers Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo and Pravati Parida, ministers, Members of Parliament, MLAs, and senior officials from various departments. The participants reviewed the coordinated preparations and arrangements aimed at providing the best possible facilities to devotees visiting Puri during the festival.

Describing the Rath Yatra as a symbol of Odisha’s pride, identity and cultural heritage, Majhi said the annual chariot festival of Mahaprabhu Shri Jagannath holds immense spiritual and emotional significance for crores of Odias and devotees across the world. He said the administrative review was conducted to ensure all preparations are completed well before the festival.

During the meeting, the CM released “Ruparekha – Rath Yatra 2026,” a booklet prepared by the Puri district administration outlining arrangements for the festival.

Govt reviews drinking water arrangements in Puri ahead of Rath Yatra

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Bhubaneswar: With lakhs of devotees expected to visit Puri for the annual Rath Yatra, the government on Monday reviewed drinking water supply arrangements and intensified preparations to ensure uninterrupted access to safe drinking water during the festival.

Housing and Urban Development Minister Dr. Krushna Chandra Mahapatra conducted a comprehensive review of the city’s drinking water infrastructure and inspected the ongoing construction of the 42 MLD Water Treatment Plant. He also chaired a meeting with senior officials to assess the preparedness of the water supply system ahead of the festival.

WATCO Managing Director Debabrata Mohanty, senior departmental officials, engineers and project authorities briefed the Minister on the progress of the water treatment plant and the special measures being taken to ensure uninterrupted water supply during Rath Yatra.

During the inspection, Dr. Mahapatra reviewed the progress of key components of the 42 MLD Water Treatment Plant, including the clarifier, filtration unit, equipment installation and supporting infrastructure. Emphasising the project’s importance in meeting Puri’s growing water demand, he directed the executing agencies to expedite the work while maintaining prescribed quality standards.

“The population of Puri increases manifold during the Rath Yatra. Ensuring uninterrupted supply of safe drinking water to devotees and residents is our top priority. All agencies must remain fully prepared to respond to any contingency,” the Minister said.

He also reviewed arrangements for round-the-clock drinking water supply around the Shree Jagannath Temple, pilgrim accommodations, temporary camps and other key locations across the city. Officials were instructed to continuously monitor the distribution network and keep standby pumps, power backup systems and emergency response mechanisms ready throughout the festival.

As part of contingency planning, WATCO has positioned mobile water tankers, temporary water distribution points and emergency response teams to deal with any disruption in supply. A dedicated control room will operate round the clock during the Rath Yatra to ensure prompt response and uninterrupted services.

The Minister further directed officials and implementing agencies to complete the water treatment plant within the stipulated timeline without compromising on quality, warning that any negligence or deviation from prescribed standards would be viewed seriously.

Reaffirming the government’s commitment to efficient civic services during the annual festival, Dr. Mahapatra said the Housing and Urban Development Department and WATCO are fully prepared to ensure smooth drinking water supply for devotees and residents throughout the Rath Yatra.

Tehran witnesses massive turnout as funeral procession for Ayatollah Khamenei begins

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State media describe the procession as the largest public gathering in modern Iran, with mourners demanding justice and chanting anti-US and anti-Israel slogans.

Hundreds of thousands of mourners filled the streets of Tehran on Monday as Iran began the main funeral procession for its late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with the capital witnessing one of its largest public gatherings in recent years amid heightened regional tensions.

The funeral procession, expected to continue for 10 to 12 hours, follows a nearly 10-kilometre route through central Tehran before concluding near Mehrabad International Airport. Iranian state media, including Press TV and Tasnim News Agency, reported that millions of people had gathered for the ceremony, describing it as the largest public gathering in the country’s modern history.

Television footage broadcast by Iranian state media showed a ceremonial vehicle carrying several coffins draped in the Iranian national flag, including that of Khamenei, moving slowly through densely packed crowds. The sides of the vehicle were partially open, allowing mourners to view the coffins as the procession advanced through the capital.

The main procession route and adjoining streets were reportedly packed with mourners, most of them dressed in black. Water mist was sprayed over sections of the crowd to help people cope with temperatures that were forecast to reach around 37 degrees Celsius.

Many participants were seen carrying anti-US and anti-Israel placards while chanting slogans, including “Death to America” and “Death to Israel”. according to CNN. Some banners also criticised US President Donald Trump.

Senior Iranian officials used the occasion to reiterate calls for accountability over Khamenei’s assassination. Iran’s Army Chief Major General Amir Hatami said the country would continue pursuing justice.

“Those who committed this crime must know that the nation of Iran and all of us will never cease in our pursuit of and demand for justice,” Hatami was quoted as saying by Press TV. He added that Iran would continue its efforts until those responsible were held accountable.

Meanwhile, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf described the memorandum of understanding (MoU) reached with the United States as “an achievement for the axis of resistance”, referring to the network of Iran-backed groups across the Middle East, Press TV reported.

Khamenei was killed along with several members of his family in an airstrike during the conflict that followed the outbreak of war between the United States, Israel and Iran earlier this year. His funeral comes at a time when tensions remain high despite recent diplomatic efforts aimed at preventing further escalation.

Earlier on Sunday, three sons of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — Mostafa, Meysam and Masoud — were reportedly seen offering funeral prayers beside their father’s coffin, along with the coffins of four other family members, during a ceremony at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla. Iran’s state television broadcast the prayers, while Mojtaba Khamenei, who succeeded his father as the country’s Supreme Leader, was not seen at the event, raising dobuts ove his health.

FIFA World Cup: Norway stun Brazil, England beat Mexico

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Jude Bellingham scored two quick goals as 10-man England beat co-hosts Mexico 3-2 in a thrilling FIFA World Cup 2026 match.

England will meet Norway in the quarter-finals in Miami on July 11.

Bellingham’s clever header gave the Three Lions a 1-0 lead in the 36th minute, and two minutes later he found the net again, silencing thousands of passionate home fans.

Mexico City Stadium erupted in joy in the 42nd minute after Julián Quiñones beat Jordan Pickford from close range.

The second half turned out to be even more dramatic, with Jarell Quansah receiving a red card in the 54th minute for a challenge on Jesús Gallardo.

Soon after, England were awarded a penalty after Mexico goalkeeper Raúl Rangel brought down Anthony Gordon inside the penalty box.

England talisman Harry Kane calmly converted the spot-kick, notching his sixth goal of the tournament.

The match witnessed more drama as the England skipper’s foul on Brian Gutiérrez gave Mexico an opportunity to reduce the deficit following a VAR review.

Raúl Jiménez coolly converted the penalty in the 69th minute. Mexico tirelessly tried to find the net again, but England eventually won the memorable contest.

Earlier, Norway stunned Brazil 2-1 thanks to a brace from Erling Haaland at New York New Jersey Stadium.

Brazil were awarded a penalty in the first half after Kristoffer Ajer challenged Matheus Cunha, but Bruno Guimarães’s effort was saved by Norwegian goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland.

Brazil were desperate to find the net, but it was Haaland who opened the scoring with a header in the 79th minute.

Haaland completed his brace in the 90th minute with a fine strike.

A late penalty from Neymar was not enough to save Brazil from the defeat. Norway, meanwhile, reached the last eight for the first time.

OTET 2026 conducted smoothly across Odisha under CCTV surveillance

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BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha Teacher Eligibility Test (OTET), conducted by the Board of Secondary Education (BSE), was held smoothly across all 30 districts of the state on Sunday, with authorities reporting a seamless, incident-free examination.

The examination was conducted in two sittings. The first session was held from 9 am to 11.30 am, while the second session took place from 2 pm to 4.30 pm.

Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the School and Mass Education Department, Dr. N. Thirumala Naik, visited several examination centres in Cuttack to review the conduct of the test. At the BSE Secondary Board High School examination centre, he interacted with candidates, including specially abled examinees and their scribes, to assess the facilities and support arrangements provided to them.

Dr. Naik also visited the Command and Control Centre at the BSE headquarters, where he reviewed the real-time monitoring of examination centres across the state through the live CCTV surveillance system.

He observed inspections being carried out by District Education Officers and senior Board officials at various centres through the live monitoring facility.

In the presence of BSE President Srikanta Tarai, the commissioner-cum-secretary reviewed the overall examination management, including the live CCTV surveillance and Digi Lock systems installed at all 311 examination centres across Odisha.

He also interacted with the technical team to assess the technological arrangements and monitoring mechanisms put in place to ensure the smooth and secure conduct of the examination.

Expressing satisfaction over the seamless conduct of the OTET examination, Dr. Naik appreciated the meticulous planning and coordinated efforts of the Board of Secondary Education and all officials associated with the examination process.

During his visit to the BSE headquarters, Dr. Naik also held discussions with Cuttack District Education Officer Nityananda Barik and Additional District Education Officer Manoranjan Barik on the overall management and supervision of the examination. Senior officials and staff of the Board of Secondary Education were also present.