SC refuses to pass order on TN govt's plea to release 24,000 cusecs of Cauvery water
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Friday refused to pass any order on the Tamil Nadu government's plea seeking release of 24,000 cusecs of Cauvery water daily by Karnataka for standing crops.
A three-judge bench headed by Justice BR Gavai sought report report from the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) on the amount of water released by Karnataka after Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati informed that a meeting of the authority is scheduled on Monday.
"We do not possess any expertise on the matter. The ASG informs that authority is meeting on Monday to decide discharge of water for next fortnight.
"We find that it will be appropriate that CWMA submits its report on whether the directions issued for discharge of water have been complied or not," the bench also comprising Justices PS Narasimha and PK Mishra said.
The Karnataka government has described as "wholly misconceived" Tamil Nadu's plea seeking a direction from the top court that it be asked to release 24,000 cusecs of Cauvery water daily for standing crops.
The Karnataka government, in an affidavit filed in the top court, has said Tamil Nadu's plea was based on an incorrect assumption that "the current water year is a normal water year and not a distressed water year".
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President Donald Trump to feature on limited edition US passports
Washington (PTI): The State Department is all set to unveil a limited-edition US passport with pictures of President Donald Trump and the Founding Fathers to commemorate the 250th anniversary of American independence in July.
The special passports will be available only to those who show up in person at the Washington Passport Agency and not anywhere else across the country.
The Department of State shared images of the limited edition passports on its social media accounts.
One page of the passport carries Trump's image surrounded by the text of the Declaration of Independence and the American flag along with the president's signature in gold.
Another page features the famous painting of the founding fathers at the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
The passports, which are set to be released this summer, are part of the Trump administration’s broader "America250" celebration, which also includes a Grand Prix race on the National Mall in August and a UFC fight on the White House South Lawn in June.
"As the United States celebrates America's 250th anniversary in July, @StateDept is preparing to release a limited number of specially designed US Passports to commemorate this historic occasion,” State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said in a post on X.
A State Department official told Fox News Digital that the new designs will be available for "any American citizen" who applies for a passport when the rollout happens and will continue for as long as there is availability.
“These passports will feature customised artwork and enhanced imagery while maintaining the same security features that make the US Passport the most secure documents in the world,” Pigott said in a statement.
In October, the Department of Treasury proposed minting a one dollar coin featuring Trump’s image on it, to mark the 250th anniversary of American Independence.
According to draft images confirmed as real by US Treasurer Brandon Beach, one side of the coin would feature Trump’s profile, along with the words “LIBERTY,” “IN GOD WE TRUST,” and “1776-2026.”
The other side of the coin would feature Trump standing with a clenched right fist in front of an American flag and the words “FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT” — a reference to his chant after the 2024 assassination attempt at his campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
