CM Vijay meets PM Modi in Delhi; Karnataka garbage scam row escalates; and more

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a NITI Aayog meeting in New Delhi, attended by union ministers and state chief ministers, including newly elected southern leaders. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay met the Prime Minister, requesting the release of over 3,000 crore rupees in Samagra Shiksha funds without National Education Policy conditions, while raising delimitation concerns. Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar also held his first meeting with the Prime Minister amid BJP allegations of a solid waste management scam. The central government assured states of financial support, including 16,000 crore rupees allocated to a southern state for urban revival. In other developments, the central government scrapped the excise duty on ethanol-blended petrol, and a protest was lodged after a commercial ship was struck. Meanwhile, a regional party faces internal conflict and resignations. Weather updates indicate delayed monsoons in Mumbai and Hyderabad, with an orange alert in central Kerala. Additionally, the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins in North America.