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- The 25-year-old Arshdeep Singh, the joint highest wicket-taker with 17 wickets in the T20 World Cup hosted jointly by the US and West Indies, shared his joy on getting such a warm welcome after winning the tournament. 2. It was just another Sunday morning for Kaveri Nakhava and her husband Pradeep Nakhava. The couple, who lived in Worli's Koliwada and sold fish for a living, set out on their scooter and reached Sassoon Dock to buy fish they could sell later. They were on their back when a speeding BMW crashed into the two-wheeler, throwing Pradik and Kaveri into the air. Pradeep fell on the ground, but Kaveri was dragged by the car. She was rushed to the hospital, but it was too late. 3. Mr Thackeray met the victim's husband at a police station in Mumbai and demanded that the accused driver be arrested. Speaking exclusively to NDTV outside the police station, Mr Thackeray said the accused has to be arrested without any political influence. 4. Six terrorists were killed in two separate encounters in the Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir. The encounters, which began on Saturday, also claimed the lives of two soldiers, including a para-trooper, while another soldier sustained injuries, police said. In a separate incident in Rajouri district, there were reports of firing near an army camp. One soldier was injured, and initial reports suggest an attempted overnight terror attack on the Manjakote army camp.
- In a brazen attack, the Tamil Nadu chief of the Bahujan Samaj Party was hacked to death by six bike-borne men near his house in Chennai on Friday. According to the police, eight individuals have been taken under custody in connection with the attack. 2. Eight suspects in the case were nabbed within three hours of the crime on Friday, City Police Commissioner Sandeep Rai Rathore told reporters here. The city Police on Saturday said the killing of Tamil Nadu BSP chief K Armstrong by a group of assailants was not political and that all angles were being probed. 3. After 121 people were killed in a deadly stampede at his satsang in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras earlier this week, Bhole Baba, the former constable-turned-self-styled godman, has said that he was deeply saddened by the incident. 4. Reiterating its stand on the NEET-UG controversy, the Centre has told the Supreme Court that it does not intend to scrap the examination and hold a retest. It has also emphasised that there were no large-scale irregularities in the exam, in which 24 lakh students appeared.
- Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Friday morning reached Hathras in Uttar Pradesh to meet with the families of the people affected by the July 2 stampede. Enroute to Hathras, Gandhi also stopped in Aligarh and met with families of the victims of the tragedy that took place at a religious satsang event in in Fulari village in which 123 people were killed. 2. Six BRS MLCs joined Congress late last night in the presence of Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, dealing a significant blow to the K. Chandrasekhar Rao-led party. The Bharat Rashtra Samithi continues to suffer from desertions, with several leaders, including six MLAs, leaving the party after its defeat in the assembly polls last year. 3. The PM also interacted virtually with Neeraj Chopra, who will aim to defend his crown in Paris, boxer Nikhat Zareen and two-time Olympic medallist shuttler PV Sindhu. Earlier in the day, the PM also welcomed the Rohit Sharma-led side, that won the T20 World Cup by defeating South Africa last week. 4. Following heavy rain and landslides, 77 roads were closed in Himachal Pradesh on Friday, said authorities. Also due to the rain, 236 electricity supply schemes are disrupted and 19 water supply schemes have been hampered in the state today. 5. Rishi Sunak on Friday apologised to the public after his Conservatives were trounced by Labour in the UK general election, and said he would step down as party leader.
- Reacting to the clarification issued by the Indian Army on the emoluments to Agniveer Ajay Kumar, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said that the 'Indian Army is committed to the welfare of Agniveers.' Taking to X, the defence minister has wrote, 'Indian Army is committed to the welfare of Agniveers!' Indian Army's Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI) has posted a 'clarification on emoluments to Agniveer Ajay Kumar' says certain posts on social media have brought out that compensation hasn't been paid to the next of kin of the Agniveer. 2. Two days after the killer stampede at a religious gathering in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras left 123 people dead, police are yet to make any arrests. Self-styled godman Narayana Sakar Hari, who addressed the 'satsang', is still at an unknown location, but his lawyer has said he will cooperate in the probe. Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak has told NDTV that the investigation report is expected soon and no one who is guilty will be spared. 'We are committed to taking strict action.' 3. Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu meets PM Modi. 4. The flood situation in Assam continued to deteriorate with eight more people losing their lives and more than 16.25 lakh people reeling under the deluge across 27 districts on Wednesday, an official bulletin has said.
- Self-styled godman 'Bhole Baba' aka Narayan Saakar Hari is likely to be arrested soon after more than 100 people died in a stampede at his 'satsang' (religious congregation) in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras. 'Bhole Baba', whose original name is Suraj Pal, is believed to be at his 'ashram' in Mainpuri, about 100 km from near the Phulrai village, where he held the doomed event attended by lakhs of devotees. Many senior police officials have reached the Hathras stampede site, while others are at his ashram, the Ram Kutir Charitable Trust. Besides police personnel, an NDTV team at the ashram also saw his followers gathering in large numbers. 2. The stampede in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras that killed 121 people was triggered by a mad rush for dust. Men, women and children fell over each other, getting crushed, just to collect dust stirred up by the car of a self-styled godman. The organisers' laxity and inadequate police force contributed to the tragedy. The stampede took place at a 'satsang' addressed by self-styled godman Suraj Pal aka Narayan Saakar Hari, whose followers called him Bhole Baba. According to the FIR, the organisers of the 'satsang' sought permission for a gathering of 80,000-odd people, but a crowd of over 2.5 lakh turned up. 3. The Rajya Sabha will resume its proceedings today, a day after the Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reply to the 18-hour-long debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address. PM Modi will likely address the Rajya Sabha today after the parliament witnessed the government and the opposition go head-to-head in a debate. Lok Sabha witnessed unprecedented chaos as the prime minister was seen shouting while Opposition MPs screamed to drown out his voice. The PM targeted Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi during his over two-hour long speech in the Lok Sabha and dismissed his fiery speech, just a day ago, as 'balak buddhi'. 4. The shares rose to record highs at the open on Wednesday, led by the country's top private lender HDFC Bank, which jumped to a record high on hopes of a likely increase in its weightage in a key global index. The NSE Nifty 50 was up 0.7pc at 24,291.75 points, while the SandP BSE Sensex added 0.72pc to 80,013.77 points, as of 9:15 a.m. IST. This is the first time that the 30-stock Sensex has crossed the 80,000 mark.
- The Bharatiya Janata Party hit by a blistering broadside from Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, in his first speech as Leader of the Opposition deployed union ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw and Kiren Rijiju, and Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi to make a point-by-point rebuttal. The trio have accused Mr Gandhi of belittling his post and of making an 'extremely irresponsible speech' that inflicted a 'grave insult' on Hindus. After Rahul Gandhi's fiery speech in Parliament yesterday, in which he launched a scathing attack on BJP large portions of which have been expunged from official records the stage is set for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's anticipated response. 2. The Delhi High Court today directed Trinamool Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP, Saket Gokhale, to pay Rs 50 lakh in damages in a defamation case filed by former diplomat Lakshmi Puri. The court also issued additional instructions, including a public apology on social media which must remain on his handle for at least six months. 3. In an act of defiance, the principal secretary of Environment and Forest department has questioned the formation of a fact-finding committee of the Delhi government ministers over cutting of trees in Ridge area, claiming it violated rules and could lead to contempt of the Supreme Court. 4. The flood situation in Assam turned grim on with over 6.44 lakh people affected in 19 districts, an official bulletin has said. At least eight rivers were flowing above the danger mark, with the Brahmaputra breaching its highest flood level at Nematighat in Jorhat district, it says. Multiple agencies, including the NDRF, SDRF, army, air force and local administration, were engaged in rescue operations, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) bulletin says.
- Three new criminal codes Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam have come into force today. They will replace the colonial-era Indian Penal Code, Indian Evidence Act and the Code of Criminal Procedure. 2. BJP leader Anurag Thakur, initiating the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address, highlighted the economic milestones of the NDA government over the past decade. 3. Pune police plan to challenge the Bombay High Court's decision to release a 17-year-old involved in a fatal Porsche accident in May. The HC deemed the Juvenile Justice Board's (JJB) remand orders illegal and ordered the boy's release on June 25. 4. Days after the canopy collapse incident at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport, Union Minister of Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu on Monday visited the Airport Operations Control Centre (AOCC) to take stock of the operations. Union Minister Naidu held a meeting with senior officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, DGCA, BCAS, DIAL, and airline operators on Sunday.
- India edged past South Africa by 7 runs in the final match of T20 World Cup 2024 at the Kensington Oval, Barbados on Saturday to clinch an ICC title after 11 years. After the historic win, Virat Kohli announced his T20I retirement. 2. Two of India's greatest ever cricketers Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma announced their T20I retirements on Saturday, after the side's second T20 World Cup win. While Kohli announced his retirement minutes after the historic triumph, India captain Rohit Sharma announced it in the official post match press conference. Rohit, who played a crucial role in India's triumphant campaign, confirmed that he would continue to represent India in ODIs and Tests. 3. Rahul Dravid ended his stint with Team India on a triumphant note as captain Rohit Sharma and his boys gave the head coach a brilliant farewell gift by winning the T20 World Cup, which not only marks the end of Dravid's tenure but also adds a World Cup triumph to his decorated career in cricket, albeit not as a player. 4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the Indian Cricket Team for bringing the ICC T20 World Cup home in style. India beat South Africa in the final by 7 runs and Rohit Sharma and company brought an ICC trophy home after 11 years and India's first World Cup win since 2011.
- The soft roof of the canopy outside Rajkot airport's passenger pickup and drop area collapsed after heavy rain today.The airport director told NDTV no one was injured. A team of engineers is looking into the incident, the official said. 2. Flight operations of airlines like IndiGo and SpiceJet have been impacted after a roof collapsed at Terminal 1 of Delhi airport, on Friday morning, leaving six people injured and one dead. 3. The CBI was conducting searches at seven location in Gujarat in the NEET-UG paper leak case, officials said on Saturday. They said the operation began in the morning at the premises of suspects spread across four districts Anand, Kheda, Ahmedabad and Godhra. 4. Five soldiers of the Indian Army were killed after their tank met with an accident during a river-crossing exercise near the Line of Actual Control in Leh's Daulat Beg Oldi area in the early hours of Saturday, officials said. 5. Calling the special session of Parliament scheduled from September 18 as a diversion tactic of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said that it was time to prioritise critical issues like the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) report and the Manipur violence.
- Ex-Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has been granted bail by the High Court. Bail is granted. The court held, prima facie, Hemant Soren is not guilty, and there is no likelihood of the petitioner committing an offence on bail, Mr Soren's counsel Arunabh Chowdhury, has told news agency PTI. 2. The Lok Sabha adjourned till Monday amid an uproar in the House over a discussion on the alleged irregularities in the conduct of the medical entrance exam NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) and other competitive exams. As soon as the House met at 11 am, opposition INDIA bloc members sought the acceptance of an adjournment motion to suspend all business and discuss matters related to the NEET. 3. Heavy rain causes a roof to collapse at the Delhi airport and leads to a flood-like situation in various parts of the national capital. The roof collapse at Indira Gandhi International Airport's Terminal 1 (T1), used for only domestic flight operations, leaves one dead and six others injured.
- Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and senior members of the INDIA bloc meet Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to formally protest his reference, in Parliament, to the 'dark days of the Emergency'. The opposition including the NCP's Supriya Sule Misa Bharati from the RJD, and Kanimozhi of Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK has said Mr Birla's actions were 'a very grave matter impacting Parliament's credibility' and expressed 'profound concern and anguish over this travesty of parliamentary traditions'. 2. Controversy from leaked question papers to the award of 'grace marks' over the NEET exam for admission to medical courses found mention in President Droupadi Murmu's speech in Parliament. Addressing a joint sitting of both Houses the first in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's third term, and one likely to be rocked by opposition protests over the NEET row Ms Murmu has said the government is 'committed to a fair investigation' and vowed 'strict punishment to the culprits'. 3. The Emergency imposed in 1975 was the darkest chapter of a direct attack on the Constitution, President Droupadi Murmu has said in her address to a joint sitting of Parliament. This is her first address to Parliament after the general election elected a new Lok Sabha. The Constitution, she says, has stood up to every challenge and every test in the past decades. 4. The 'sengol' installed next to the Speaker's chair in Lok Sabha has emerged as the latest flashpoint this Parliament session after Opposition MPs questioned its relevance in a democracy and the BJP accused them of disrespecting Indian culture. The ongoing debate over 'sengol', a handcrafted, gold-plated sceptre about 5-feet long, has been triggered by Samajwadi Party MP RK Chaudhary's letter to Speaker Om Birla. The MP from Mohanlalganj has said the 'sengol' must be replaced by a copy of the Constitution.
- Arvind Kejriwal has been arrested by the CBI inside Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court in the alleged liquor policy case, and then, inside a tumultuous hour, withdrew a Supreme Court petition challenging a stay on grant of bail after his arrest in March in the same case by the Enforcement Directorate. That petition was withdrawn the ED offered no objection citing a desire to launch a more substantial appeal against the High Court's decision to stay the Rouse Avenue Court's bail order. 2. prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, set to be Leader of Opposition, shake hands in parliament as they together welcome the newly re-elected Lok Sabha Speaker, Om Birla, marking a fresh chapter in the 18th Lok Sabha. Rahul Gandhi is the third member of the Gandhi family to take the post of the Leader of the Opposition. Mr Gandhi follows in the footsteps of his mother, Sonia Gandhi, who served from 1999 to 2004, and his father, Rajiv Gandhi, who was the Leader of the Opposition from 1989 to 1990. Pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab has declared the election results after the Opposition, which had put forward Congress MP K Suresh as its candidate, chose not to push for a vote on the motion. Following the announcement, Prime Minister Modi and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju approach Mr Birla's seat in the front row of the treasury benches to escort him to the Speaker's chair. Accompanying them Rahul Gandhi. It is a matter of honour that you have been elected to this chair for the second time, PM Modi says, congratulating Mr Birla. I congratulate you on behalf of the entire House and look forward to your guidance for the next five years. Your sweet smile keeps the entire House happy. I would like to congratulate you on behalf of the entire opposition and the INDIA alliance, says Rahul Gandhi. You are the final arbiter of people's voice. The government may have political power, but Opposition also represents the voice of the people. Opposition would like to assist you in your work, I am confident you will allow us to speak in House.
- After days of uncertainty over the Lok Sabha Speaker's post, the NDA has decided to nominate Om Birla for the post again. BJP's Om Birla was the Speaker in the previous Lok Sabha. Sources said that Mr Birla will file his nomination at 11.30 am today. The opposition INDIA bloc has fielded K Suresh against Mr Birla, the first time in decades elections will be held for the key post. A Lok Sabha Speaker is elected by a simple majority of MPs voting and all speakers until now had been elected with consensus. 2. The Centre's seven-member high-level committee forms to oversee transparency and look into the functioning of the National Testing Agency to meet on Monday, states the sources at the Education Ministry. 3. The Delhi High Court will shortly pronounce its verdict on a plea by the Enforcement Directorate seeking a stay on the trial court order granting bail to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a money laundering case. A vacation bench of Justice Sudhir Kumar Jain had reserved the order on June 21 after the agency challenged the trial court's decision and put it in abeyance until the pronouncement.
- The Supreme Court on Monday refused Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal immediate relief in his battle to overturn the High Court's interim stay on a bail order issued last week by a lower court. The court responded to Mr Kejriwal's arguments that the High Court erred in staying bail without fully reading the order, and rationale, of the lower court by saying it would wait till the said order came on record, and the High Court had a chance to re-examine the stay before ruling on his plea. 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and members of his Council of Ministers, including Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah, took the oath as members of the 18th Lok Sabha as its first session began today. President Droupadi Murmu administered oath to Bharatiya Janata Party lawmaker Bhartruhari Mahtab as the pro-tem Speaker of the Lok Sabha. Mr Mahtab then call upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Leader of the Lok Sabha, to take oath as a member of the House. 3. In a show of strength as the Parliament met for the first time after Lok Sabha polls, MPs of the INDIA Opposition bloc today held up copies of the Constitution and raised slogans inside the Parliament complex.Showing a united front, members of the Congress, the Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress, DMK and other Opposition parties gathered where the Gandhi statue earlier stood. 4. Investigating the alleged paper leaks of the NEET and NET exams, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has dispatched teams to Bihar and Gujarat's Godhra to gather evidence. According to CBI sources, the investigation will proceed through four phases, scrutinizing every aspect from the creation and printing of exam papers to their distribution across various examination centres nationwide. The National Testing Agency (NTA), responsible for conducting these exams, has stringent protocols in place to maintain confidentiality, making any breach a matter of grave concern. 5. Former Janata Dal Secular MP Prajwal Revanna, who is facing charges of rape and sexual abuse, has been sent back to judicial custody until July 8. He was remanded to a 14-day judicial custody starting June 18 until July 2. But, the Special Investigation Team or SIT which is probing the cases against him sought a body warrant against him and took him under custody that ended today.
- A fresh case has been filed in connection with the alleged paper leak in medical entrance exam NEET, by the Central Bureau of Investigation, which has taken charge of the probe following a complaint by the Ministry of Human Resources. The fresh case against unidentified persons alleges fraud and criminal conspiracy. The accused arrested by the states will also be taken into custody, sources said. 2. Facing protests in several parts of the country as well as attacks from the opposition, the Centre has removed the chief of the National Testing Agency (NTA) from his post amid the controversy over the alleged irregularities in NEET-UG and the cancellation of the UGC-NET Exam. 3. The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha will begin on Monday, which will see newly-elected MPs, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, taking the oath, followed by the election of Speaker and President Droupadi Murmu's address to a joint sitting of both the Houses. 4. Janata Dal-Secular leader Suraj Revanna, the elder brother of Prajwal Revanna who is facing sex crimes allegations by multiple women, has been arrested allegedly for sexually assaulting a male party worker. A case was filed against Suraj Revanna based on a complaint registered by the 27-year-old party worker who accused the JD(S) leader of sexually assaulting him at a farm house in Karnataka's Hassan district on June 16.
- The Bihar Police detained six people from Jharkhand's Deoghar district in connection with the alleged irregularities in medical entrance exam NEET, an official said on Saturday. They were detained from a house near AIIMS-Deoghar in Devipur police station area on Friday night, he said. 2. The ongoing disruption in the education sector that have emerged after paper leak and exam cancellation may further result in delayed admission process in the new academic year. The NEET fiasco has already disrupted the admissions in medical colleges. The counselling for admissions into MBBS, BDS, and other courses will start on July 6. The UGC NET exam has been cancelled and fresh dates for new exam will be announced later. 3. YSRCP's under construction central party office at Tadepalli was demolished based on a complaint lodged by a TDP leader that it was being allegedly built illegally on Irrigation Department land, said the party. 4. Mumbai police have recovered an audio file which establishes a link between the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and the attackers who shot at actor Salman Khan's house in April. Sources said that the audio file shows that Lawrence's brother Anmol Bishnoi was in constant touch with the shooter. 5. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is the first foreign guest on a bilateral State Visit to India after the formation of the Modi 3.0 government, received a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan.
- The toll in Kallakurichi hooch tragedy rose to 51 and 64 people are in the hospital, the Tamil Nadu government said on Friday.The bodies of 29 people who died till Thursday were handed over to their relatives and the bodies were either buried or cremated, Kallakurichi District Collector Prasanth M S said. 2. Bhartruhari Mahtab, the BJP's key leader from Odisha said to be in the running for the Speaker's post, has been appointed Pro Tem Speaker by President Droupadi Murmu. 3. The central government and exam conducting agency have come under fire as the multiple exam fiascos were recently reported in the country. Opposition has been launching a scathing attack on the government and the National Testing Agency (NTA) over the alleged irregularities in the NEET exam as well as the cancellation of UGC-NET. 4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the 10th International Yoga Day celebrations at a mass yoga session in Srinagar this morning. 5. Several leaders from across the country from Foreign Minister S Jaishankar to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath shared glimpses from their yoga sessions to commemorate the event.
- The Ministry of Education has ordered the cancellation of the UGC-NET exam conducted by the National Testing Agency, just a day after it was held. Controversy has again erupted following the cancellation of the second entrance exam conducted by the NTA. The centre had earlier scrapped the grace marks awarded to 1,563 candidates who took the NEET UG 2024. A re-test has been scheduled for these students for June 23, 2024 2. Twenty-nine people have died after consuming toxic liquor in Tamil Nadu's Kallakurichi district, around 250 km from state capital Chennai. At least 68 others, who reportedly consumed the toxic liquor over the past few days, have been hospitalised. Eighteen of them have been shifted to JIPMER in Puducherry and six to the Medical College and Hospital in Salem. 3. Jammu and Kashmir Police have strengthened security in Srinagar ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-day visit starting Thursday. According to the police, a multi-tier security blanket has been put in place. 'It is a multi-tier security. As per the security protocols, the high-alert security arrangement has been made here,' IGP Kashmir Zone Vidhi Kumar Birdi tells ANI. 4. In a major decision, the Union Cabinet has approved a minimum support price of at least cost plus 50 pc for 14 crops ahead of the Kharif sowing season. The minimum support price of paddy has been increased by Rs 117, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has said at a Cabinet briefing. A legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) has been a long-standing demand of farmers who have staged large-scale protests, including some held earlier this year, to press for it. The MSP decision is also significant because it comes ahead of Assembly polls in states like Haryana, Maharashtra and Jharkhand, which are scheduled to be held later this year. 5. A diplomat in Saudi Arabia has said that 68 Indian nationals died during the hajj pilgrimage this year marked by searing heat, bringing the overall tally to more than 600.
- Seventeen people, led by actors Pavithra Gowda and Darshan Thoogudeepa, conspired to murder Renuka Swamy the 33-year-old man who allegedly sent obscene text messages to the latter and, days later, was found dead in Karnataka's Bengaluru, police say in a remand copy seen by NDTV. The cops believe Darshan listed as Accused No 2 may have paid as much as Rs 50 lakh to four men involved in the planning and execution of the gruesome crime, including arranging for Renuka Swamy to be brought from Chitradurga district to the state capital, a distance of 200 km 2. In another case involving a high-profile person less than a month after the Pune Porsche accident, the daughter of a Rajya Sabha MP allegedly ran her BMW over a man sleeping on a pavement in Chennai. The man died of his injuries and the woman has got bail. 3. Amid intense heatwave North India records highest ever minimum temperatures at night. Multiple cities suffer record high temperatures. Worst heatwave spell in at least five decades. 4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates a new campus of Nalanda University in Bihar's Rajgir. The Prime Minister unveils a plaque at the site and also planted a sapling. Ahead of the ceremony, he takes a tour of the ruins of the ancient campus.
- Five passengers have died and at least 25 others injured after an express train collided with a goods train in Darjeeling district of West Bengal. Kanchanjunga Express was travelling from Silchar in Assam to Sealdah in Kolkata when a goods train hit it from behind near Rangapani station, close to New Jalpaiguri. 2. Former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa appeared before the Criminal Investigation Department for an inquiry in connection with a POCSO case registered against him. The Karnataka High Court has restrained the CID from arresting the veteran BJP leader in connection with the March 14 case. According to police, Mr Yediyurappa has been booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, and Section 354 A of the Indian Penal Code based on a complaint by the mother of a 17-year-old girl who alleged that he molested her daughter during a meeting on February two this year, at his residence in Dollars Colony here. 3. The Union Home Ministry handed over the probe into the recent terror attack on a bus in Jammu and Kashmir to the National Investigation Agency, officials say. Nine people, including three women were killed, and 41 injured as a bus carrying pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi plunged into a deep gorge after an ambush by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district on June 9.
- Eight people, including three Railway employees, have died and about 50 others injured after an express train collided with a goods train in Darjeeling district of West Bengal this morning. Kanchanjunga Express was travelling from Silchar in Assam to Sealdah in Kolkata when a goods train hit it from behind near Rangapani station, close to New Jalpaiguri. 2. Former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Monday appeared before the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for an inquiry in connection with a POCSO case registered against him. The Karnataka High Court on Friday restrained the CID from arresting the veteran BJP leader in connection with the March 14 case. 3. The Union Home Ministry on Monday handed over the probe into the recent terror attack on a bus in Jammu and Kashmir to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), officials said. Nine people, including three women were killed, and 41 injured as a bus carrying pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi plunged into a deep gorge after an ambush by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district on June 9. 4. A sense of unease hangs in the air of Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch, even at a bustling marketplace. The mountains overlooking the border town are hiding a troubling reality of Pir Panjal region highly trained Pakistani terrorists holed up in the green forest cover. 5. Indian national Nikhil Gupta, who is accused of being involved in murder-for-hire plot against a Khalistan terrorist, has been extradited from Czech Republic, media reports said Sunday.Gupta, 52, was arrested in the Czech Republic last year at the request of the US government on charges of being involved in a plot to assassinate Khalistan terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. He is expected to be produced before a federal court in New York on Monday.
- NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday described as misuse of power the Delhi Lieutenant Governor's sanction to prosecute author Arundhati Roy under the stringent UAPA for an alleged provocative speech in 2010. 2. Delhi Water minister Atishi on Sunday wrote to Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora requesting deployment of personnel for patrolling and protecting major pipelines for next 15 days, as the national capital grapples with a water crisis. 3. At least 14 people were killed after a tempo traveller carrying 23 passengers fell into a gorge in Uttarakhand on Saturday, officials said. The accident took place on the Rishikesh-Badrinath highway near Raitoli in the Rudraprayag district. 4. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath a senior leader of the BJP and Mohan Bhagwat, boss of ruling party's ideological mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh are expected to meet this afternoon in Gorakhpur, which is the latter's Assembly bastion.
- India will bring back the bodies of 45 of its nationals killed in a devastating fire in Kuwait City on Wednesday by a special flight which will land in Kochi before heading for Delhi, the Indian Embassy in Kuwait has said in a statement on Thursday night. According to the statement, most of the victims are from Kerala (23), followed by seven from Tamil Nadu, three each from Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, two from Odisha, and one each from Bihar, Punjab, Karnataka, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Haryana. 2. Major trouble for Karnataka's BJP strongmen. Hight court is expected to hear Mr Yediyurappa's bail plea. A warrant against the EX-CM in Minor's sex assault case.3. There is more trouble for EX-Telangana CM KCR. ED is going to probe the alleged sheep rearing scam. Agency will probe the money laundering angle. 4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in Italy to attend the Outreach session of the G7 Summit and hold bilateral meetings with world leaders. During his day-long visit, PM Modi will participate in the summit session on 'Artificial Intelligence, Energy, Africa-Mediterranean', which is being hosted by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and joined by Pope Francis. 'Looking forward to engaging in productive discussions with world leaders. Together, we aim to address global challenges and foster international cooperation for a brighter future,' he has posted on X after landing in Italy.
- The bodies of some of the Indians killed in the fire in Kuwait are charred beyond recognition and DNA testing is on to confirm the victims' identities, Union Minister Kirti Vardhan Singh has said. The Gonda MP, who had to rush to the Gulf country soon after he took charge as a Minister of State for External Affairs, has said an Indian Air Force plane is ready to bring the bodies home. 'As soon as the bodies are identified, their kin will be informed and our Air Force plane will bring the bodies back,' he says. According to the latest figures, he says, at least 48 people have died in the fire in Mangaf city and 42 of them are believed to be Indians. 2. A fresh encounter breaks out in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district, leaving a soldier injured. This is the fourth encounter the Union Territory has seen in the last three days, and the second in Doda region of Jammu division since yesterday. Terrorists launched an attack on pilgrims on June 9 in Reasi in which nine people died. Yesterday, an encounter broke out between security forces and terrorists in the Kathua region. 3. The water crisis in Delhi has blown up into a full-fledged political controversy, with the Delhi government being accused of being unable to stop water theft from the Munak canal. The BJP has alleged that the water mafia is hand-in-glove with the ruling Aam Aadmi Party. Officials of Raj Niwas, the Delhi Lieutenant Governor's house, have also blamed the AAP government, pointing to the water mafia. AAP has alleged that the water mafia is stealing water in collusion with the Delhi government officials and has complained about it in a letter to the Lieutenant Governor. AAP has also claimed that Haryana is not releasing the water it has been asked to give to Delhi.
- The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha will begin on June 24 for oath or affirmation of the newly elected members, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has said. The first three days of the session will see the newly elected leaders taking oath or making affirmation of their membership of the Lok Sabha and electing the Speaker of the House. The session will conclude on July 3. President Droupadi Murmu will address a joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha on June 27 and is likely to outline the new government's roadmap for the next five years. 2. The Supreme Court has come down heavily on the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi over the prevalence of tanker mafia and water wastage in the city, and asked what measures it has taken against them. A vacation bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Prasanna B Varale has hold Delhi government that if it can't deal with tanker mafia, it will ask the Delhi Police to take action in the matter. 3. Two terrorists who opened fire in a village in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district last evening had gone door-to-door asking for water, but the alert villagers shut the doors in their faces, the police say while sharing chilling details of the terror attack. One of the terrorists was gunned down in an encounter that began overnight while a hunt for the second one has dragged into the morning. A paramilitary soldier was also killed in action. 4. India will remain the fastest-growing major economy recording a steady growth of 6.7 per cent in the next three years including the current financial year, says a world bank report released on Tuesday.
- With Modi 3.0's swearing-in done and portfolios allocated to the new ministers, the ruling BJP now has two key tasks at hand choosing a new Speaker for Lok Sabha and naming a party chief. BJP president JP Nadda, who was Health Minister in the first Narendra Modi government, has been brought back to the cabinet this time. He now holds the portfolios of Health and Family Welfare, as well as Chemicals and Fertilizers. The new BJP president will have to hit the ground running as Assembly elections are due later this year in Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Jharkhand and Maharashtra. The other task on the BJP's agenda is finalising the NDA's choice for a Lok Sabha Speaker. N Chandrababu Naidu's TDP and Nitish Kumar's JDU, BJP's key allies whose support is critical for the government's majority, are eyeing the post, it is learnt. This comes against the backdrop of mutinies over the past couple of years that have split parties and toppled governments. In such cases, the anti-defection law comes into play, and the Speaker of the House becomes a crucial post. Mr Naidu and Mr Kumar, both Coalition-era veterans, want the Speaker's post as a shield against any such tactic. Sources in the BJP, however, have said they are not keen to hand over the Speaker's post. While there is no official word yet, the name of Andhra Pradesh BJP chief D Purandeshwari is doing the rounds for the key position. Ms Purandeshwari is the daughter of former Chief Minister and legendary actor NT Rama Rao and the sister-in-law of Mr Naidu. Her husband, Daggubati Venkateshwara Rao, is a former Congress MP and MLA who later joined YSR Congress Party. 2. DMK MP Kanimozhi, who was elected from the Thoothukudi Lok Sabha constituency, has been appointed as the party's parliamentary leader, the DMK has said. She replaces the Sriperumbudur MP T R Baalu, who will now head the DMK in the Lok Sabha.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi took oath today along with 71 ministers of the new coalition government. Thirty of them are Cabinet Ministers, five independent charge, and 36 Ministers of State. The portfolios will be announced later.PM Modi, 73, will head a coalition government in his third term, or Modi 3.0, for the first time since he became Prime Minister in 2014 following a huge Brand Modi victory after 10 years of the United Progressive Alliance rule. 2. President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath to PM Modi. Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah took oath after him. Nitin Gadkari was the fourth leader to be administered the oath of office by the President. JP Nadda, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Nirmala Sitharaman, S Jaishankar, and Manohar Lal Khattar followed in taking oath. 3. As Narendra Modi took oath as the Prime Minister for the third consecutive term, a number of global events are lined up, where India's participation will play a crucial role in shaping geopolitics.India has emerged as a strong voice in the past decade. PM Modi has prioritised positioning India as the Voice of the Global South with the Vishwa Bandhu approach. The G20 Summit was held under India's presidency with the theme of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. 4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's new Council of Ministers in his historic third term has laid an unprecedented emphasis on the southern part of the country, reflecting the outcome of the recently concluded assembly election. The new cabinet includes 13 ministers from south. This despite the BJP tally remaining exactly where it was in 2019-29 of the 129 southern seats.Five of the 13 southern ministers including former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy are from Karnataka, BJP's only bastion in the south that delivered 19 of the 28 Lok Sabha seats to the NDA. The BJP won 17 seats and Mr Kumaraswamy's Janata Dal two. The state's ruling Congress won nine seats. 5. Nine people were killed and 33 injured after a bus full of pilgrims, attacked by terrorists, plunged into a gorge in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi .The bus was on its way to the Shiv Khori cave temple when it came under attack. As the terrorists opened fire, the bus fell into a gorge.
- Hours ahead of the swearing-in ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today met a battery of NDA leaders, many of whom are expected to get minister posts at the Centre. As the Prime Minister spoke, BJP veterans and leaders of NDA allies occupied the first row. 2. Outgoing Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Roads and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari are likely to retain their portfolios, sources have said. Nirmala Sitharaman and Dr S Jaishankar, both Rajya Sabha MPs, are also likely to retain their finance and external affairs portfolios, respectively. 3. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge will attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony today. Mr Kharge will attend in his capacity as the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, the Congress said in a statement. This decision follows consultations with several INDIA bloc leaders yesterday. 4. Reeling under a stark water shortage worsened by a harsh summer, Delhi is set to get additional water supply from Himachal Pradesh. The hill state must release 137 cusecs of additional water to Delhi, ordered the Supreme Court on Thursday, and asked Haryana to facilitate the water flow from Himachal to Delhi. 5. Hundreds of passengers had an extremely close call at Mumbai airport yesterday after an IndiGo aircraft touched down on the same runway from which an Air India jet was taking off. In a swift response, aviation regular Directorate of Civil Aviation has launched a probe and derostered an Air Traffic Control official.
- President Droupadi Murmu has invited Narendra Modi as leader of the BJP's National Democratic Alliance to form the next union government, days after the coalition eased to victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Mr Modi will take oath, as too will members of his new cabinet, at 6 pm Sunday. 2. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has officially started the process of holding Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. 'The commission has decided to accept applications seeking allotment of common symbol under Para 10B of election symbols order 1968 for the General Election to the legislative Assembly of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir with immediate effect,' said Jaydeb Lahiri, Secretary of the Election Commission of India through a Press note. 3. Three days after it stunned the BJP and the breakaway factions of the Shiv Sena and the NCP by emerging as the single largest party in Maharashtra in the just-concluded Lok Sabha elections, the Congress has set its sights on the next target the Assembly polls scheduled to be held around October. 4. The Ministry of Education held a press conference today addressing the controversies of paper leak and the alleged irregularities in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET UG) 2024. Maintaining that the exam was conducted with brief integrity and fair procedure, K Sanjay Murthy, secretary, Higher Education, assured that there was no compromise in administering the medical entrance exam.
- President Droupadi Murmu has invited Narendra Modi as leader of the BJP's National Democratic Alliance to form the next union government, days after the coalition eased to victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Mr Modi will take oath, as too will members of his new cabinet, at 6 pm Sunday. 2. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has officially started the process of holding Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). 'The commission has decided to accept applications seeking allotment of common symbol under Para 10B of election symbols order 1968 for the General Election to the legislative Assembly of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir with immediate effect,' said Jaydeb Lahiri, Secretary of the Election Commission of India through a Press note. 3. Three days after it stunned the BJP and the breakaway factions of the Shiv Sena and the NCP by emerging as the single largest party in Maharashtra in the just-concluded Lok Sabha elections, the Congress has set its sights on the next target the Assembly polls scheduled to be held around October. 4. The Ministry of Education held a press conference today addressing the controversies of paper leak and the alleged irregularities in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET UG) 2024. Maintaining that the exam was conducted with brief integrity and fair procedure, K Sanjay Murthy, secretary, Higher Education, assured that there was no compromise in administering the medical entrance exam.
- With the BJP falling short of majority in Lok Sabha, its allies in NDA have started bargaining hard for plum ministries at the Centre. The allies, including Coalition-era veteran's N Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar, are learnt to have put forward their demands in the NDA meeting held yesterday. No official word on what they have demanded is out yet, but hectic negotiations are on, it is learnt. There is speculation that Mr Naidu's TDP, which has won 16 Lok Sabha seats and also swept the Andhra Pradesh Assembly polls, have demanded five ministerial berths, including a Minister of State post for Finance, and the Lok Sabha Speaker's post. TDP may also be looking at portfolios such as Roads, Panchayati Raj, Health and Education. 2. Is there a meltdown of the alliances in Maharatsra. The NCP's Ajit Pawar has called for a meeting of All Party MLAs. 3. Lok Sabha elections: 22 Union Ministers lose out ans BJP's heavyweights infact some of those who have lost from key seats. 3. Ajit Pawar, the nephew of Sharad Pawar, has sided with the BJP again, weeks after his cousin Supriya Sule was named the Nationalist Congress Party's working president, leaving his uncle Sharad Pawar with a major loss of face. His move could not have come at a worse time for Pawar Senior, who had been trying to project himself as a front-runner for the top post in the united opposition ahead of the 2024 election. It is also a blow for the opposition, which has been hard at work trying to stitch up an alliance.
- With the 2024 Lok Sabha polls denying an absolute majority to BJP, NDA and INDIA partners will be holding key meetings today as they try to cobble together numbers required to form the government. The BJP-led NDA has bagged 294 seats in the 543-member Parliament 22 more than the magic figure of 272. The INDIA Opposition bloc has finished with 234, 38 less than the majority mark. Two NDA allies, TDP's Chandrababu Naidu and JDU's Nitish Kumar, hold the key to the doors to power. While the two contested the general election in an alliance with the BJP, INDIA leaders are learnt to have reached out to coalition-era veterans to woo them into the Opposition bloc. As the numbers stack up, INDIA needs the support of both JDU and TDP, and a bunch of unaligned MPs, to clinch a majority. The day after the results, leaders of both NDA and INDIA alliances are flying to Delhi to hold discussions on the way forward. Interestingly, Nitish Kumar, known for his record of political flip-flops, will be on the same flight as INDIA ally and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav. Both Mr Kumar and Mr Yadav, his former ally, will be on the same plane when they travel to Delhi to attend separate meetings. Nitish Kumar's close aide and JDU leader KC Tyagi has told news agency ANI yesterday that the party will stay in NDA and rejected any speculation of a switch to INDIA bloc. The other kingmaker, Mr Naidu, congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on NDA's stunning show in Andhra Pradesh and said TDP and BJP will rebuild the state together. 2. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has hailed the triumph of the INDIA bloc in Uttar Pradesh as a landmark victory for the state's backward classes, Dalits, and minorities. This victory, he has claimed, was a testament to the power of the PDA (Pichada, Dalit, and Alpasankhyak) strategy and the collaborative efforts of the Opposition alliance.
- During the entire election season, the BJP stood by its target of 400 Lok Sabha seats for the NDA and its slogan of ab ki baar 400 paar in the face of relentless mocking by the opposition. If three exit polls are to be believed, the ruling party is going to have the last laugh. 2. Mocked by the opposition, the BJP's 'ab ki baar 400 paar' slogan could be turning into a reality, the Jan Ki Baat exit poll has predicted.The agency has said the NDA is expected to win 362-392 Lok Sabha seats, comfortably over the majority mark of 272, while the INDIA alliance will get only between 141 and 161. 3. The seventh and final phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha election has started. Fifty-seven seats across seven states 13 in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, nine in Bengal, eight in Bihar, six in Odisha, four in Himachal Pradesh, and three in Jharkhand, as well as Chandigarh will complete a mammoth exercise that began 55 days ago on April 19. 4. Votes polled in the Arunachal Pradesh assembly election are being counted today. The state with 60 assembly seats saw 133 candidates contesting. The ruling BJP has already won 10 seats unopposed. In 2019, BJP formed government after winning 41 seats. 5. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will today return to Tihar jail as his interim bail in a corruption case linked to the Delhi liquor policy ends. Mr Kejriwal had been granted interim bail by the Supreme Court to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections, but the court had asked him to surrender a day after the last leg of polling.
- The voting for the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 ends on June 1 with the final and seventh phase polling. The general elections began on April 19, followed by five other phases on April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, and May 26. 2. The seventh and final phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha election has started. Fifty-seven seats across seven states 13 in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, nine in Bengal, eight in Bihar, six in Odisha, four in Himachal Pradesh, and three in Jharkhand, as well as Chandigarh will complete a mammoth exercise that began 55 days ago on April 19. 3. A Pune court on Sunday remanded parents of a 17-year-old boy allegedly involved in the Porsche car accident in police custody till June 5 in a case pertaining to destruction of evidence.The duo is being probed for their alleged role in tampering with the blood sample of the minor following the car accident on May 19 in Maharashtra's Pune city, which claimed the lives of two IT professionals.
- Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, who is accused of sexually assaulting multiple women, has been arrested after his flight from Germany's Munich landed at the Bengaluru airport. The Janata Dal (Secular) leader, who is also the candidate from the Hassan Lok Sabha seat, had left for Germany on April 27, a day after polling in his constituency. Videos allegedly showing him sexually assaulting the women had surfaced the same day. 2. Ten people died of suspected heatstroke in Odisha's Rourkela city on Thursday, as the mercury shot up in most parts of the eastern state, officials say. The director-in-charge of Rourkela Government Hospital, Dr Sudharani Pradhan, has said the deaths occurred within a span of six hours from 2 pm onwards. 'Eight people were dead by the time they reached the hospital, while the rest died while undergoing treatment here. This was likely due to the intense heatwave,' she has said. 3. At least 40 people have died and over two lakh have been affected across the northeast after flash floods, heavy rains, and landslides triggered by Cyclone Remal over the last four days and in Mnaipur heavy rain triggered by Cyclone Remal has caused flooding across multiple districts, prompting the state government to carry out rescue and relief operations, an official says. 4. A passenger of an Air India flight has alleged some people fainted inside the aircraft, which had no air-conditioning, after a delay of over eight hours. The flight to San Francisco, which was supposed to take off yesterday afternoon, will depart at 11 am today, after a delay of over 20 hours.
- Lending credence to allegations of political meddling, the dean of Pune's Sassoon Hospital has claimed that one of the doctors accused of replacing the blood samples of the teenager behind the Porsche accident had been made the head of the forensic department at the insistence of a state minister and an MLA. 2. A Special Court in Bengaluru today rejected the anticipatory bail plea of suspended JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna, who is facing allegations of sexually abusing several women, in a rape case. The special court for Elected Representative dismissed the bail application moved by his advocate Arun. 3. Several cities in the northern plains of Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh continued to sizzle under highs ranging between 45 and 49 degrees Celcius. 4. Lok Sabha Polls campaign ends today. Varanasi to Kolkata, 57 seats vote in 7th phase. 5. After a gap of about 10 years, S and P Global Ratings upped India's outlook to positive from stable on robust growth prospects for the next three years and raised hopes for an upgrade in two years provided the government continues reforms and policies to keep fiscal deficit under check.
- Suspended JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna, who is facing sexual abuse charges, has booked a return flight ticket to Bengaluru from Munich on May 30, official sources have said. According to sources in the Special Investigation Team, the 33-year-old grandson of JDS supremo H D Deve Gowda is expected to land in Bengaluru in the small hours of May 31. The SIT is maintaining vigil at the Kempegowda airport in Bengaluru to arrest him as soon as he lands, they have added. 2. With three more days to go for the final phase of polling in Odisha on June 1, the Election Commission of India has suspended IPS officer DS Kutey and ordered medical examination of another police service officer Asish Singh, who is on leave. In a letter to the CEO, Odisha, the ECI has said that 1997 batch IPS officer DS Kutey, who is presently working as the special secretary to the chief minister, be placed under suspension on the charge of 'interfering' in the conduct of election. 3. Breaking his silence on the Pune Porsche accident, which has sparked outrage across the country as well as a political row, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has said he has been in touch with the Pune police commissioner since day one and that the law is equal for all. 4. Three person lost their lives in Jaipur due to heat stroke, the health department has said, adding that the total number of heat stroke cases climbs to 3965 on Monday. Those who died were from Agra and Delhi, health officials have said.
- PM Modi says the high voter turnout in Jammu and Kashmir sends a strong message to the world. In an interview to news agency ANI he says there is no enmity in democracy, when asked about his relationship with other political parties. 2. In an explosive revelation in the Telangana phone tapping and snooping row, ex-Deputy Commissioner of Police P Radhakrishna Rao has claimed devices belonging to media industry bigwigs, retired cops, and politicians (including from then-ruling BRS) were hacked and monitored. 3. Ten people were killed while several remain trapped as a stone quarry collapsed in Mizoram's Aizawl district amid heavy rain today. A search operation has been launched to rescue the trapped people, officials say. The search operation is hampered by incessant rain and landslides in the area, they add. While all schools were shut, government employees have been asked to work from home. Several highways and key roads have also been disrupted by landslides, officials say. 4. The main accused in the case of a gaming zone fine in Gujarat's Rajkot, which killed 27, has been arrested, the police say. The key accused Dhawal Thakkar was arrested from Abu Road in Rajasthan. The police received information that he had been hiding at his relative's house in Rajasthan. 5. The peon, who was arrested in the Pune Porsche crash case yesterday along with two doctors for allegedly manipulating the blood test report of the 17-year-old accused, handed Rs 3 lakh bribe to the doctors, sources have said. Sources say the peon, Atul Ghatkamble, acted as the middleman and collected Rs 3 lakh bribe meant for the two doctors from the teen's family. Dr Ajay Tawade and Dr Hari Harnor of Sasoon Hospital were arrested yesterday by the Pune Crime Branch.
- In the latest twist in the Pune Porsche horror, two doctors have been arrested for allegedly manipulating the blood test report of the 17-year-old, whose late night drunk drive left two 24 year old software engineers dead. Dr Ajay Tawade and Dr Hari Harnor of Sasoon Hospital have been arrested by the Pune Crime Branch, which is investigating the case that has sparked nationwide outrage. Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar told the media that samples collected at the hospital and sent for forensic tests were not of the juvenile accused at all. 2. A speeding Audi was seen on CCTV hitting an elderly man in Uttar Pradesh's Noida, killing him on the spot. The incident comes days after outrage over the deaths of two techies in Pune after a speeding Porsche driven by a drunk teen rammed them. In the Noida case, the elderly man is seen crossing a road when suddenly the Audi comes from the front and hits him. 3. Two days after a video gaming zone in Rajkot burst into flames and killed 28 people, including nine children, and left their bodies burnt beyond recognition, the city's municipal body came under fire from the Gujarat High Court for failing to certify at least two such structures in the city. 4. The Delhi children's hospital, where seven babies died in a massive fire on Saturday night, was embroiled in a massive controversy a few years ago over the assault of a newborn. The staff of Baby Care New Born Hospital in East Delhi's Vivek Vihar was accused of assaulting a baby during treatment in 2021. The case was registered after a security camera footage which had gone viral - showed a nurse beating the baby due to which the boy's hand was fractured. The First Information Report or FIR had also alleged that the hospital was unregistered. 5. The former mayor of Maharashtra's Malegaon Abdul Malik Mohammed Yunus Isa was shot by unidentified attackers this morning. Mr Malik, a prominent leader in Asaduddin Owaisi's All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) party, suffered three bullet wounds and was rushed to a local hospital for treatment.
- At least seven newborns died in a massive fire that broke out at a children's hospital in Delhi late Saturday, officials said. The Delhi Fire Services said it received a call about a fire at 11.32 pm at a baby care centre in the Vivek Vihar area in East Delhi, following which as many as 16 fire tenders were rushed to the site. 2. Twenty-eight people, including nine children, have died in the massive fire that broke out at a gaming zone in Gujarat's Rajkot on Saturday. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel visited the incident site at Nana-Mava road on Sunday morning and a hospital where the injured are being treated. 3. At least seven newborns died in a massive fire that broke out at a children's hospital in Delhi late Saturday, officials said. The Delhi Fire Services said it received a call about a fire at 11.32 pm at a baby care centre in the Vivek Vihar area in East Delhi. 4. The sixth phase of voting in the ongoing Lok Sabha election took place in 58 seats across seven states and one Union Territory (UT) today. Delhi and Haryana voted in a single phase. Lok Sabha and Assembly elections are being held simultaneously in Odisha. Till 11.45pm, 61.2 pc voter turnout was recorded. The highest voter turnout in Phase 6 was recorded in Odisha with 79.47 pc and the lowest turnout was reported from Uttar Pradesh at 54.03 pc.
- Surrender or face the anger of your family, this is former prime minister and JD(S) chief HD Deve Gowda's stern warning to his grandson Prajwal Revanna, the NDA's candidate from Karnataka's Hassan Lok Sabha seat, who has been accused of sexual assault by several women. The 33-year-old Prajwal, facing serious charges of sexual abuse, has triggered a national uproar. Allegations include rape, sexual assault, disrobing women, and forcibly video-graphing sexual acts to intimidate the victims. 2. Large parts of India sweltered under a heat wave for the seventh day on the trot on Thursday, with the mercury soaring to 48.8 degrees Celsius in Rajasthan's Barmer, the highest temperature recorded in the country this year so far. Official data has showed that at least 16 places in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh recorded maximum temperatures of 45 degrees Celsius or above on Thursday. 3. A 17-year-old running over two techies in Pune while driving a Porsche has become the talk of the town, with new details about the accident emerging every day. The boy allegedly spent Rs 48,000 at a pub just hours before the accident on May 19. 4. The first batch of 60 Indian nationals rescued by the Indian Embassy in Cambodia from fraudulent employers have returned home, the embassy has said. These Indians were rescued by authorities from a place called Jinbei-4 on May 20. The operation was carried out in coordination with authorities in Sihanoukville.
- Fifteen hours after a late-night Porsche dash in Pune left two 24-year-old software engineers dead, the 17-year-old at the wheels was at his home, thanks to a bail order with conditions that were widely seen as appallingly flimsy. Three days later, he is at a child observation home, waiting for a decision on whether he will be tried as an adult, and his father in jail. 2. The Bombay High Court has fumed over the 'incomplete' autopsy report of Anuj Thapan, an accused arrested in connection with firing outside actor Salman Khan's house and died in police custody. 3. Heat stroke is a serious medical condition that occurs when your body overheats due to prolonged exposure to high temperatures, often made worse by not drinking enough water. 4. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's parents will be interrogated in the row linked to his party MP Swati Maliwal. The interrogation by the Delhi Police will take place tomorrow, the Chief Minister has posted on social media. 'Tomorrow Delhi Police will come to interrogate my old and sick parents,' read a rough translation of his post on X, formerly Twitter.
- The 17-year-old who ran over two techies in Pune while driving a Porsche will be tried for drink driving, a juvenile court ruled today. The court has said that he would be tried and punished under section 185 of the Motor Vehicles Act, which deals with drink driving offences. The act states that drink driving is a criminal offense if a breath analyzer test reveals that the blood alcohol concentration of the driver of the motor vehicle is more than 30 mg per 100 ml. 2. Mumbai hoarding collapse, death toll rises. 52-year-old dies in hospital during treatment. 3. In an unprecedented development, CCTV footage has emerged showing an MLA from the ruling YSR Congress Party in Andhra Pradesh picking up a voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) machine and hurling it to the ground at a polling station. The Election Commission has said the MLA vandalised electronic voting machines (EVMs) in seven polling centres and the state police chief has been asked to take strict action. The police say the MLA has been named as an accused while the opposition Telugu Desam Party has claimed that the legislator and the YSRCP are indulging in such vandalism because they are fearing defeat. 4. The Visakhapatnam police has said it busted a cybercrime racket and arrested three consultancy agents for allegedly luring unemployed youths and sending them to Chinese-operated cybercrime rings in countries such as Cambodia, Myanmar, and Thailand. Despite growing awareness of cybercrime, incidents continue to rise, with many still falling prey to sophisticated scams. To combat this, Visakhapatnam police has launched an operation to root out these criminal activities, according to an official release. 5. Offering little respite to people reeling under a savage and searing summer wave across the vast swathes of the country's northern belt, the India Meteorological Department has predicted heatwave to severe heatwave conditions to prevail over parts of Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi, and West Uttar Pradesh as it issued a 'red alert' for the states over the next five days.
- Voters from 49 constituencies across six states and two Union Territories are voting in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha polls today. Polling is being held for five parliamentary seats in Bihar, Jharkhand (3), Maharashtra (13), Odisha (5), Uttar Pradesh (14), West Bengal (7) and two Union Territories Jammu and Kashmir (1) and Ladakh (1). Till 1pm, 36.7 pc of voter turnout was recorded across the six states and UTs. Maharashtra recorded the lowest voter turnout while Ladakh reported the highest percentage. 2. Ahead of the Phase 5 polling for the Lok Sabha elections 2024, top Bollywood stars including Shah Rukh Khan have taken to their social media accounts and appealed to the people in Mumbai to vote. Film personalities like Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar, Shilpa Shetty, and Suniel Shetty too have urged voters in Mumbai and other areas going to polls to exercise their voting rights. 3. Voting for the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, which will decide the fate of four Union ministers, including Rajnath Singh and Smriti Irani, and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, will be held on Monday. Voting will also take place for the assembly bypoll to Lucknow East assembly constituency. The seats going to polls in the fifth phase are Mohanlalganj (SC), Rae Bareli, Amethi, Jalaun (SC), Jhansi, Hamirpur, Banda, Fatehpur, Kaushambi (SC), Barabanki (SC), Faizabad, Kaisarganj and Gonda. 4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has turned the Opposition's allegation of communal politics against the BJP on its head, telling NDTV that the Opposition is not only communal but their politics is also riddled with casteist and vote-bank ideas. 'This is how they run their politics. I have thought sometimes that I should be careful. But now I think whether I'm labelled communal or not, no matter what anyone says about me, I will expose their sins,' he told NDTV's Editor-in-Chief Sanjay Pugalia. 5. As Iran mourns its President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and other officials killed in a helicopter crash, the world will be closely watching the aftermath and the implications on geopolitical equations.
- The Delhi Police has beefed up security in and around the BJP headquarters here in view of a protest announced by AAP's national convenor and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal there on Sunday, officials said. The traffic police has also issued an advisory in view of the protest planned outside the BJP office at the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg, while entry and exit have been disallowed at the nearest ITO metro station. 2. The campaigning saw high-pitched rhetoric by both the BJP and the INDIA bloc. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacked the Congress, claiming that the UPA government had wanted to allocate 15 pc of the budget to Muslims, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge widened the gamut of poll guarantees of his party when he promised 10 kg of free grains to the poor instead of the five kg being given at present. 3. The national capital is likely to see heatwave conditions during the day on Sunday with the maximum temperature settling around 44 degrees Celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department. 4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an exclusive interview with NDTV took a swipe at the Opposition bloc INDIA over dynastic politicsExplaining the matter to NDTV Editor-In-Chief Sanjay Pugalia, PM Modi said leaders of the INDIA bloc are more interested in the welfare of their own children, and not the children of the nation.
- Arvind Kejriwal's aide and AAP MP Swati Maliwal have filed cases against each other with both accusing the other of abuse. Swati Maliwal first filed a case claiming that she was beaten and abused by Bibhav Kumar, the secretary to Mr Kejriwal, when she visited the Delhi Chief Minister's residence. 2. The Supreme Court on Friday reserved its verdict on a petition filed by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal challenging his arrest and subsequent remand by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the excise policy case. 3. In a shocking incident, Kanhaiya Kumar, the Congress' Lok Sabha candidate from North East Delhi, has been assaulted by seven to eight people and had black ink thrown at him while campaigning in the national capital. Videos of the assault, which took place in East Delhi's New Usmanpur area on Friday, have now gone viral. Two of the alleged attackers have also released videos boasting that they had thrashed the Congress leader and said they did so because he had raised slogans on breaking up the country and had spoken against the Indian Army. 4. Nine devotees were killed and dozens others injured after their bus caught fire on the Kundali-Manesar-Palwal Expressway in Haryana on Friday night, officials said. The devotees were returning from a pilgrimage to Mathura and Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh when the fire broke out near Nuh. 5. Indian stock markets will remain open on Saturday, May 18, 2024, as both the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) have scheduled a special trading session. This session, focused on the equity and equity derivatives segments, aims to evaluate the exchanges' disaster preparedness in the event of major disruptions. Earlier, a special trading session was held on March 2, 2024.
- A retired Air Traffic Control (ATC) manager and his wife were among the 16 people who died after a 250-tonne hoarding fell on Monday during a massive dust storm that hit Mumbai. The bodies of retired ATC manager Manoj Chansoria, 60, and his wife Anita, 59, were found inside their car on Wednesday night after the 100-foot hoarding collapsed on top of a petrol pump in east Mumbai. 2. Mumbai Municipal Commissioner and state-appointed administrator Bhushan Gagrani visited the spot on Thursday morning. 'The rescue operation has been called off and right now the work of removing the rubble is going on. This work is expected to continue as there is still a substantial proportion of debris left at the spot,' he told. Crushed motor vehicles and skeletal parts of the hoarding are still lying around the plot. 3. The banned group Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) has said it is engaged in talks with the Centre and expressed its willingness to contest elections if the ban on the Islamist organisation is lifted in Jammu and Kashmir. The statement has come ahead of Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to Srinagar this evening. 4. The Supreme Court has junked the Enforcement Directorate's plea for action against out on bail Arvind Kejriwal, reasoning the Delhi Chief Minister's 'if you vote for AAP (when Delhi's seven Lok Sabha seats poll next week) I won't have to go back to jail' remark did not violate his bail terms. 5. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued notices to Western Railways and Central Railways directing them to take down large hoardings that have been put up in their region. The action was taken after the recent Ghatkopar tragedy in which 16 people lost their lives, while 74 were injured.
- The Special Investigation Team probing the sex video scandal is on high alert following reports that the prime accused, JD(S) MP and Lok Sabha candidate from Hassan Lok Sabha seat Prajwal Revanna, was planning to return to Bengaluru from Germany on Wednesday, according to sources. Sources say that Revanna had booked a Rs 3.5 lakh business class ticket for a Deutsche Lufthansa flight that departs from Germany at noon. 2. Two more bodies located under the debris at the site of a giant hoarding collapse in Mumbai as the search and rescue operation continues, an NDRF official has said. The bodies were spotted last night, but were yet to be pulled out. 3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the fifth polling phase in 13 constituencies from Maharashtra slated for May 20 will have a busy schedule today. He will hold a roadshow in Mumbai North East Constituency in the evening for party nominee Mihir Kotecha and also address two campaign rallies in Nashik and Kalyan. 4. Fourteen people, including senior vigilance officers, trapped after a lift collapse at the Kolihan mine in Rajasthan's Jhunjhunu district. 5. A day after the US warned of 'potential risk of sanctions' after India inked a 10-year agreement for running the Chabahar Port in Iran, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar emphasises that the project will benefit the entire region and people should not take a 'narrow view' of it. He also points out that the US itself had appreciated the larger relevance of Chabahar in the past. 6. The Board of Control for Cricket in India begins its hunt for the next coach of senior men's cricket team. Current India head coach Rahul Dravid put pen to paper on an extension, along with his support staff, in November 2023 after the conclusion of the ODI World Cup. However, his current contract is only valid till the end of June 2024. Stephen Fleming being considered as the next coach.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi files his nomination for the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi - after a flashy six km roadshow last evening - accompanied by a phalanx of senior leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party and its alliance partners, including party boss JP Nadda, Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, as well as Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his Meghalaya counterpart Conrad Sangma. En route to filing his papers, Mr Modi prayed at the city's iconic Dashashwamedh Ghat, on the banks of the Ganges, with UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath present, and visited the Kaal Bhairav Temple. 2. Fourteen people died and over 70 were injured when a massive billboard collapsed during a fierce storm that battered Mumbai Monday evening. The 100-foot billboard, situated opposite a fuel station in the Ghatkopar area of Mumbai, succumbed to the ferocity of the storm, crashing down with alarming force, directly onto the fuel station below. CCTV footage from the area captured the metal structure tearing through the roofs of several cars before thudding on the ground. 3. Polling is over for 70 per cent of the Lok Sabha seats. Electiosn wrapped up in southern states. 62.9 per cent voters' turnout across India. Srinagar witnesses highest turnout in 20 years.
- The campaigning for Phase 4 of Lok Sabha elections which will see voting on 96 constituencies, ended on Saturday. A total of 1,717 candidates from 10 States/UTs will contest elections in this phase. The Election Commission of India informed that a total of 4,264 nominations were filed for 96 parliamentary constituencies across. The poll body further stated that the maximum number of nomination forms were received from Telangana (1488) followed by Andhra Pradesh with 1103 nominations from 25 constituencies. 2. Another 96 seats will go to the polls today as the Lok Sabha elections reach their halfway mark in terms of the number of phases three stages of polling have been completed and three more will be left after today. Voters will decide the fate of candidates in 10 states, including all 17 seats in Telangana. Andhra Pradesh will also see voting on all 25 of its Lok Sabha constituencies as well as 175 Assembly seats. Assembly elections will begin in Odisha too. 3. The Kannauj battle is a prestige fight for Samajwadi Party as Mr Yadav pushes to win back the family stronghold once represented by his late father Mulayam Singh Yadav. The BSP has named Imran Bin Zafar as its candidate from Kannauj, but it is likely to be a straight fight between the Samajwadi Party and the BJP. 4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke exclusively to NDTV during a roadshow on Sunday and predicted a clean sweep for the alliance in Bihar. He said the BJP will expand its footprint hugely in eastern India this time, which would take the NDA easily over the 400-seat mark.
- Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday returned fire at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief's swipe that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is setting the ground for Mr Shah to take over as Prime Minister in future. Mr Kejriwal in his first press conference a day after being released from jail attacked PM Modi as someone who wants 'one nation, one leader', alluding to the BJP's push for 'one nation, one election' system. 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived in Kolkata from Jharkhand last night, is set to address four election rallies in West Bengal today. The rallies will take place in Barrackpur, Panchla, Chinsurah, and Pursura across three districts, with the Prime Minister having arrived amid heightened security. 3. The fourth phase of the Lok Sabha election on May 13 will witness polling in 96 constituencies. By the end of Phase 3, approximately half of the seats had gone through the process, determining the fate of numerous candidates. Historically, this phase has favoured non-aligned parties, as evidenced by their performance in 2019. Additionally, the phase marks the conclusion of polling in the southern region of India, with Telangana and Andhra Pradesh casting their votes tomorrow. 4. Arvind Kejriwal said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is asking for votes for Amit Shah, claiming the Union Home Minister will be his successor after he 'retires' on turning 75. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday launched a blistering attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and said that the ruling party won't get more than 230 seats in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. 5. The MeT department here on Sunday issued an orange alert for five districts of Uttarakhand warning of thunderstorms accompanied with lightning and hail in isolated places.
- India is gearing up for the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections scheduled for May 13. So far, voting has taken place in 285 constituencies since April 19. The voter turnout in the last phase stood at 64.4 per cent, the lowest compared to the preceding phases. Uttar Pradesh recorded the lowest turnout, while Assam saw the highest. 2. The complaint accused YSRCP of spreading misinformation about TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu on social media platforms. Following the complaint, the Election Commission directed the CID to initiate the case against Bhargav Reddy. 3. The complaint accused YSRCP of spreading misinformation about TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu on social media platforms. Following the complaint, the Election Commission directed the CID to initiate the case against Bhargav Reddy. 4. India has voiced hope that Palestine's bid to become a full member of the United Nations, which was blocked by the US last month, will be reconsidered and its endeavour to become a member of the world organisation will get endorsed.
- The Supreme Court is expected to give its verdict today on interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who was arrested in a money laundering case and is seeking a release from jail to campaign for the ongoing Lok Sabha polls. A bench, comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta, had reserved its verdict on Mr Kejriwal's interim bail on May 7. 2. In an important order, the Supreme Court has asked Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat to not give any new mining permissions in the Aravallis until further directions. Striking a balance between protecting the environment and the livelihood of the people engaged in mining activities, the court stressed, however, that its order will not in any way be construed as a stay on mining already being carried out in the range with valid permits and licences. 3. In a major breakthrough in the Air India Express crisis, which had led to the cancellation of over 170 flights since Wednesday, the airline's management has sent letters reinstating all 25 crew members who had been sacked for taking part in the 'mass leave' protests. All 300 crew members who had reported sick are expected to return to duty immediately. 4. Haryana Congress on Thursday sought time to meet the state Governor in the wake of three Independent MLAs withdrawing support to the BJP government, with Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the state Assembly Bhupinder Singh Hooda saying the 'minority' dispensation should resign on moral grounds. 5. In a diplomatic breakthrough, five of the Indian sailors on board an Israeli-linked vessel seized by Tehran were released on Thursday and have departed from Iran, the Indian embassy in Iran said. The Indian Embassy, while sharing details of their release, thanked the Iranian authorities for their close coordination with the Embassy and Indian Consulate in Bandar Abbas.
- Air India Express on Thursday cancelled at least 85 flights as a section of cabin crew was fired, a day after nearly 300 employees of the airline called in sick and switched off their phones. Flights that were cancelled were on various domestic and international routes. Scores of flights were also delayed on key routes. 2. In another twist to the Sandeskhali row, a woman has alleged that people linked with the BJP made her sign a blank paper and then wrote a false rape complaint in her name. The development has intensified the political blame game between the ruling Trinamool and the BJP, which has been playing up the Sandeshkhali issue in the election season. 3. Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose, in the backdrop of sexual harassment allegations against him, has declared that he would allow the public to see the video footage of the concerned day 'but not Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee or her police'. 4. A corruption racket has been uncovered by the Central Bureau of Investigation at Delhi's Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital. The central probe agency has arrested nine people, including two doctors and two professors, at one of the busiest hospitals in the national capital. 5. Amid a diplomatic standoff, Maldives Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer on Wednesday arrived in New Delhi on an official visit to India to discuss bilateral ties between the two countries. During his visit, the two sides will discuss bilateral and regional issues and seek ways to provide impetus to our multifaceted relationship.
- At least 86 Air India Express flights cancelled after about 300 cabin crew members go on a 'mass sick leave', official sources say. The Air India Express management is currently trying to reach out to the crew, who are protesting against the new employment term at the Tata Group-owned airline, sources say. 2. The Congress steps up its criticism of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over his trip abroad, by seeking to know whether the CM's absence was a deliberate strategy to avoid campaigning against the BJP amid the ongoing Lok Sabha polls in the country. 3. The Congress seeks the imposition of President's Rule followed by fresh polls in Haryana after three Independent MLAs withdraw support to the BJP dispensation, reducing the Nayab Singh Saini government to a minority in the state assembly. 4. In a surprise development, BSP President Mayawati removes her nephew Akash Anand as her political heir and from the post of national coordinator of the party till he becomes 'mature'. In a series of posts on X, Mayawati says that her brother Anand, the father of Akash Anand, will continue to discharge the responsibilities allotted to the latter. 5. UK-based pharmaceutical major AstraZeneca starts global withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine, which was provided in India as 'Covishield' in partnership with Serum Institute of India, days after it admitted to rare side effects of blood clotting and low platelet counts. The withdrawal has been initiated due to a surplus of available updated vaccines since the pandemic, the company said in a statement.
- Voting is on in 93 constituencies across 10 states and a Union Territory in the third phase today of the staggered seven-round Lok Sabha polls. The election in the Anantnag-Rajouri constituency in Jammu and Kashmir has been postponed to May 25. 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi votes at a polling booth in Ahmedabad. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, too, cast their votes. 3. Today's election brings to an end polling on more than half of the 543 parliamentary seats and could mean that the country has already delivered a verdict. 4. The Supreme Court will deliberate today on whether to grant interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who has been under arrest since March 21 and is currently confined in Tihar jail under judicial custody, in connection with a money laundering case linked to the scrapped Delhi excise policy. 5. Jharkhand raid case: ED makes two arrests. So far, Rs 35. 23 crore recovered.
- The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday launched a series of raids across multiple locations in Jharkhand's capital Ranchi, leading to the discovery of Rs 25 crore unaccounted cash. The recent raids, conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), have targeted approximately half a dozen locations linked to Virendra Ram, the former chief engineer at the Jharkhand Rural Development Department, and his inner circle. 2. The National testing Agency (NTA) today conducted the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET UG) 2024 exam in 557 cities across the country and 14 cities abroad in multiple exam centres. However, several social media posts are claiming that the question paper is leaked. 3. A 65-year-old woman on Sunday died in AIIMS Rishikesh where she was admitted after getting burn injuries while trying to douse a forest fire that had reached her farm in a village in Pauri tehsil, officials said. With forest fires still raging in Uttarakhand, Director of the Meteorological Center in Dehradun Bikram Singh said that there is a possibility of rain in the state from May 7-8, which will intensify from May 11. 4. This phase will witness key battles including Amit Shah in Gandhinagar, Dimple Yadav in Mainpuri, Jyotiraditya Scindia in Guna, Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Vidisha, and Supriya Sule in Baramati. Here's a glimpse of the major candidates and the constituencies that will shape the outcome of this phase. 5. The terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch, in which a soldier of the Indian Air Force died, has become grist to the political mill amid the massive seven-phase election across the country. Two leaders of the Opposition, former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and Rashtriya Janata Dal's Tej Pratap Yadav, have drawn a parallel with the Pulwama attack of 2019 in which 40 CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) men died, and alleged that Saturday's attack was also a 'stunt' to help the BJP win.
- The family of University of Hyderabad student Rohith Vemula on Friday said it will legally contest the Telangana Police's closure report in his 2016 suicide case. His brother Raja Vemula claimed the district collector has to decide on the family's SC status, prompting the police to say that they will conduct a further investigation. In its closure report on Rohith Vemula's death, the Telangana Police claimed he was not a Dalit and died by suicide in 2016 as he feared that his 'real caste' would be discovered. 2. A video making rounds on social media claims that Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, a leader of the Indian National Congress, recently urged people to vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the ongoing 2024 Indian general election. The viral clip features him stating that voting for the BJP is preferable to voting for the Trinamool Congress (TMC), West Bengal's ruling party. 3. Delhi CEO's office approved the Lok Sabha elections campaign song of AAP after the party made changes following Election Commission guidelines. AAP's campaign song 'Jail ka Jawab Vote se Denge' was initially claimed to be banned but was approved after modifications. 4. The Supreme Court will look into the possibility of granting interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal so that he can campaign for the ongoing Lok Sabha polls. A bench of Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Dipankar Datta today said it will look at the interim bail plea on Tuesday (May 7) and asked the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Mr Kejriwal's counsel to be prepared. 5. In a big setback to Hemant Soren, the Jharkhand High Court on Friday turned down plea by the former chief minister who challenged his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case.
- In a sharp retort, India has said Pakistan harbours a 'most dubious track record' on all aspects, as it slammed 'destructive and pernicious' remarks made by Islamabad's envoy in the UN General Assembly here. India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj's stern response came after Pakistan's UN envoy Munir Akram made lengthy remarks against India, including references to Kashmir, the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, during his address to the UN General Assembly meeting on 'Culture of Peace.' 2. Mother Sonia Gandhi and sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra by his side, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today field nomination papers for the Raebareli Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Priyanka Gandhi's husband Robert Vadra were also with Mr Gandhi as he submitted the papers at the district magistrate's office. 3. The Supreme Court has intervened to halt the opening of a road outside Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's residence in Chandigarh. The decision, made today, comes as a response to concerns raised by both the Centre and the Punjab government regarding security threats associated with the road's opening. 4. Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has denied allegations of sexual harassment by an employee of the Raj Bhavan, calling it an 'engineered narrative'. 'If anybody wants some election benefits by maligning me, God bless them. But they cannot stop my fight against corruption and violence in Bengal,' he said. 5. JDS leader HD Revanna, named in a sex scandal case alongside son Prajwal, has filed for a pre-arrest bail a day after he received a notice from the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in connection with the case.
- In a major crackdown, Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has removed 223 employees of the capital's women commission. AAP MP Swati Maliwal, it is alleged, made the appointments during her term as chairperson of Delhi Commission for Women in violation of the rules. Ms Maliwal has slammed the Lieutenant Governor's order, saying that the women's commission will shut down if all contractual staff are removed. She has said the panel has a total of 90 staff members now. Out of them, 8 are from the government and the remaining are on three-month contracts. 'Why are they doing this? This organisation has been nourished with blood and sweat.' Daring the Lieutenant Governor to put her in jail, she added, 'I will not let the women commission shut down. Put me in jail, but don't torture women.' 2. Hours after Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh shared a stage with a BJP Lok Sabha candidate and praised him, the TMC removed him from the post of state general secretary for making statements not aligning with the party. 3. Sexual harassment allegations and street protests by the country's top wrestlers may cost BJP heavyweight and six-time MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh an opportunity to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. 4. A lookout notice has been issued against Janata Dal Secular MP Prajwal Revanna amid the political storm over the sexual harassment allegations against him. Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said Revanna has to appear before the Special Investigation Team probing the matter at the earliest and indicated that he may be arrested if he does not turn up. Earlier, the SIT had turned down his request for seven days' time to appear before the investigators. 5. In the wake of heatwave conditions prevailing in the state, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has extended the polling hours in various assembly segments of Telangana for the Lok Sabha elections scheduled on May 13. According to the Election Commission, the new timing for the polling is from 7 am to 6 pm, extended from the earlier 7 am to 5 pm schedule. The decision by the Election Commission has been taken to increase voters' participation.
- Amid the political row in Karnataka over the alleged sex video scandal involving JD-S leader Prajwal Revanna, the grandson of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case has issued a notice to the accused, asking him to appear before it for investigation within 24 hours, sources have said. A notice has also been issued to JD-S MLA H.D. Revanna, the father of Prajwal Revanna who is the second accused in the case. 2. Now 17 people have been summoned as the probe into the doctored video of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's speech widens. Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy is unlikely to appear, sources say. 3. As the Lok Sabha nomination deadline looms, the Congress party's suspense over Amethi and Raebareli seats continue. 4. The Election Commission releases the final voter turnout data for the first two legs of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections, showing a turnout of over 66 per cent in both phases. As per the data, of those eligible to poll in the first leg (April 19), 66.14 per cent of people exercised their right to vote, with the corresponding figures for the second phase (April 26) being 66.71 per cent. 5. The founding family of the 127-year-old Godrej Group, which deals in locks to soaps to aerospace to real estate, has reached an agreement to split the conglomerate, as per a joint announcement. The Godrej family has announced an ownership realignment of their shareholdings in the Godrej Companies. 6. NDTV launches its Marathi channel on Maharashtra Day.
- The Chairperson of the Karnataka State Commission for Women, Nagalakshmi Choudhary, has stated that the 'obscene videos' case involving JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna is the biggest scandal of the country. She says that the pen drive she received contained hundreds of explicit videos, some of which purportedly show Prajwal Revanna. 'I wrote to CM and SIT was constituted. The pen drive that I have received has hundreds of videos. In a few videos, it is visible that the person is Prajwal Revanna. I will be writing this to the National Women's Commission. I mean, it's the biggest scandal in India,' Ms Choudhary has said. Home Minister Amit Shah has launched a frontal assault on the Congress after a deep-fake video of him saying he would remove reservations went viral. A Congress worker, Reetam Singh, from Assam's Guwahati was arrested yesterday for allegedly making and sharing the deep-fake video of the Home Minister. The deep-fake video has Mr Shah talking about scrapping all reservations, while he was actually referring to removing quota only for Muslims on religious grounds in Telangana. The BJP had scrapped such a quota in Karnataka before it lost power to the Congress. Mr Shah during a press conference has played both the videos to show what he actually has said and what the doctored content projected him as saying. 3. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has expressed confidence that the BJP would score 80 80 in Uttar Pradesh, shrugging off any concern that low voting could be bad news for his party. Rajnath Singh, who is the BJP candidate from Lucknow, also slams what he called the opposition's 'politics of obfuscation' in an interview with NDTV on the campaign trail. 4. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's challenge to his arrest despite his refusal to give a statement to the Enforcement Directorate in the Delhi liquor policy case questioned by the Supreme Court. 'If you do not go for recording of Section 50 statements, you cannot take the defence that his statement was not recorded,' has said Justice Sanjiv Khanna, who was part of the two-judge bench hearing the case.
- The Chairperson of the Karnataka State Commission for Women, Nagalakshmi Choudhary, has stated that the 'obscene videos' case involving JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna is the biggest scandal of the country. She says that the pen drive she received contained hundreds of explicit videos, some of which purportedly show Prajwal Revanna. 'I wrote to CM and SIT was constituted. The pen drive that I have received has hundreds of videos. In a few videos, it is visible that the person is Prajwal Revanna. I will be writing this to the National Women's Commission. I mean, it's the biggest scandal in India,' Ms Choudhary has said. Home Minister Amit Shah has launched a frontal assault on the Congress after a deep-fake video of him saying he would remove reservations went viral. A Congress worker, Reetam Singh, from Assam's Guwahati was arrested yesterday for allegedly making and sharing the deep-fake video of the Home Minister. The deep-fake video has Mr Shah talking about scrapping all reservations, while he was actually referring to removing quota only for Muslims on religious grounds in Telangana. The BJP had scrapped such a quota in Karnataka before it lost power to the Congress. Mr Shah during a press conference has played both the videos to show what he actually has said and what the doctored content projected him as saying. 3. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has expressed confidence that the BJP would score 80 80 in Uttar Pradesh, shrugging off any concern that low voting could be bad news for his party. Rajnath Singh, who is the BJP candidate from Lucknow, also slams what he called the opposition's 'politics of obfuscation' in an interview with NDTV on the campaign trail. 4. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's challenge to his arrest despite his refusal to give a statement to the Enforcement Directorate in the Delhi liquor policy case questioned by the Supreme Court. 'If you do not go for recording of Section 50 statements, you cannot take the defence that his statement was not recorded,' has said Justice Sanjiv Khanna, who was part of the two-judge bench hearing the case.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi has strongly criticised the Congress again on its push for redistribution of wealth through measures such as inheritance tax, calling them 'dangerous problems disguised as solutions.' 'Would you work day and night if the government takes away your money at the end in the name of redistribution?' PM Modi said in an interview. 2. Union Defence Minister and veteran Bharatiya Janata Party leader Rajnath Singh filed his nomination papers from Lucknow seat for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. Singh was accompanied by Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath and Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami. BJP leader Smriti Irani files her nomination from the cucial Amethi seat in Uttar Pradesh. 3. Congress has declared candidates in two out of the total four Lok Sabha seats. The situation is that around months' time has left for voting, but the issue of Congress tickets is still stuck. BJP on its part has already declared candidates for all the seats and its candidates have already started campaigning. 4. Janata Dal (Secular) lawmaker Sharangouda Kandkur has demanded the suspension of party MP Prajwal Revanna amid a row over explicit videos allegedly showing the Hassan MP sexually assaulting multiple women that began circulating a day after voting in his constituency. 5. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on April 29 a plea by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case stemming from the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. A Bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta will hear the matter.
- The Mumbai Police has arrested actor Sahil Khan for his alleged involvement in the Mahadev betting app case. Sahil Khan was arrested in Chhattisgarh by the Special Investigating Team (SIT) of Mumbai Police Cyber Cell after the Bombay High Court rejected his petition for interim bail. Mr Khan, sources say, had fled Mumbai and was on the run after his plea was rejected by the high court. 2. A day after voting took place in the constituency, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has ordered the formation of a special investigation team to probe a sex scandal allegedly involving Hassan MP and Janata Dal (Secular) candidate from the seat, Prajwal Revanna. Mr Revanna, grandson of JDS chief and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, has left for Germany. 3. The Special PMLA Court in Ranchi refused to grant interim bail to former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren in a land scam case. Former Chief Minister Hemant Soren had sought interim bail of 13 days from the court to attend the funeral of his uncle, hearing which the court refused to grant him bail. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal told the Supreme Court that his 'illegal arrest' in a money-laundering case stemming from the alleged excise policy scam constitutes an unprecedented assault on the tenets of democracy based on 'free and fair elections' and 'federalism'. 4. Powerful tornadoes swept across the US state of Nebraska this week and damaged several homes. Videos and pictures on social media showed immense black twisters sweeping across the sky and turning over earth, dust, and materials in their path. One such clip on X showed a man driving a car on the highway north of Lincoln in Nebraska. The clip was shared with the text, 'Incredible tornado intercept just now north of Lincoln Nebraska.' 5. East and south peninsular India are reeling under a severe heatwave, with daytime temperature staying above 41 degree Celsius every day, the weather office has said. The heat wave to severe heat wave conditions are likely to continue till Wednesday. The areas that saw temperatures between 41 and 45 degree Celsius are Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra.
- Voting held in 88 constituencies across 13 states and Union Territories amid a furious row between the Congress and the BJP over manifesto and inheritance tax. For Kerala, Rajasthan and Tripura, polling is over. Polling for the second phase held for 20 seats in Kerala, 14 seats in Karnataka, 13 in Rajasthan, eight each in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, seven in Madhya Pradesh, five each in Assam and Bihar, three each in Bengal and Chhattisgarh and one each in Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur and Tripura. 63 pc voting recorded in this phase. 2. The Delhi High Court has pulled up the city government over the issue of non-supply of books to the children studying in MCD schools, saying the continuation of Arvind Kejriwal as the chief minister even after his arrest puts political interest over national interest. The court has said the Delhi government was 'interested in appropriation of power'. 3. Two CRPF personnel has been killed and two others injured in a suspected insurgent attack early in Manipur's Bishnupur district. According to sources, a group of suspected Kuki insurgents opened gunfire from a hillside in Naranseina village towards the valley region, targeting a central security force post. 4. Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress has now knocked on the doors of the Election Commissioner with an official complaint against the Central Bureau of Investigation, or CBI, accusing it of 'throttling' the Opposition's, including its own, campaigns at a time when elections are on. The letter of complaint was sent last evening. 5. A lookout circular has issued on Friday against Anmol Bishnoi, the younger brother of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, in connection with the firing outside actor Salman Khan's house in Mumbai's Bandra on April 14, a police official says. The official also said police is likely to take custody of Lawrence Bishnoi, who is currently lodged in a jail in Sabarmati in Gujarat, and was also contemplating invoking the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in the case.
- Voting for 88 constituencies in the second phase of the 18th Lok Sabha elections across 13 states and union territories has begun. Over 1,200 candidates, including 4 candidates from Outer Manipur, are contesting the polls. All 20 seats in Kerala, 14 of the 28 seats in Karnataka, 13 seats in Rajasthan, 8 seats each in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, 7 seats in Madhya Pradesh, 5 seats each in Assam and Bihar, 3 seats each in Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, and 1 seat each in Manipur, Tripura and Jammu and Kashmir will go to polls tomorrow. 2. At 80.32 percent, Tripura once again clocked the highest voter turnout during the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections held at the East Tripura ST-reserved seat on Friday. The state had finished first with 81.52 percent voter turnout even in the first phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls held on April 19 when the West Tripura constituency went to polls. 3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacked the Opposition bloc INDIA after the Supreme Court rejected requests for 100 per cent VVPAT verification of votes punched into electronic voting machines (EVMs). PM Modi said every Opposition leader has 'committed the sin' of creating doubts in the minds of people about EVMs. 'Their (Opposition) dreams have been shattered,' PM Modi said in rally in Bihar as voting on 88 seats across India took place in the second of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections. 4. Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge concealed veiled attacks against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in their appeals to voters. As voting for the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections began, Gandhi, who is contesting from Kerala's Wayanad, asked people to vote in large numbers as the exercise will decide if the next government will have a 'few billionaires' or not. Kharge asked the masses to protect democracy from the 'clutches of dictatorship'. 5. The Bengal government has approached the Supreme Court against a Calcutta High Court order directing the CBI to probe allegations of extortion, land grab, and sexual assault from Sandeshkhali against suspended Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan and his associates.
- Equity benchmark indices decline in early trade, giving up their gains of last four days, amid heavy selling in Kotak Mahindra Bank and foreign fund outflows. The 30-share BSE Sensex has declined 296.79 points to 73,556.15. The NSE Nifty has dipped 97.15 points to 22,305.25. From the Sensex basket, Kotak Mahindra Bank has tanked over 12 per cent after the RBI barred the company from onboarding customers online and issuing credit cards. 2. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was arrested after he evaded nine summons and only after the High Court refused to grant him interim relief, the Enforcement Directorate has told the Supreme Court. Mr Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party has alleged the Central agency was just a 'machine churning out lies' at the behest of the BJP. The court will hear Mr Kejriwal's petition challenging his arrest by the agency in the Delhi liquor policy case. 3. Leading the BJP's attack over senior Congress leader Sam Pitroda's comments, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has alleged that the Opposition party plans to tax inheritance passed down from parents to their children. The Congress has distanced itself from Mr Pitroda's remarks and said they do not reflect the party's position. Addressing a poll rally at Chhattisgarh's Surguja, the Prime Minister has said the Congress's 'dangerous intentions are coming out in the open'. 4. Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's former aide Lokesh Sharma has once again hit out at him over allegations of phone tapping in the previous government and the REET exam paper leak issue. Time just a day ahead of the second phase of the Lok Sabha election, Loksh Sharma has claimed Mr Gehlot had handed him a pen drive with some audio clips that were then leaked to the media. He has claimed he was told that these were interceptions of phone conversations but was not sure if they were legal. 5. Delhi crime branch officials reached Mumbai and interrogated the two accused arrested in the Salman Khan firing case. Both the accused Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal were interrogated for about three hours. Earlier, the Mumbai Crime Branch recovered strong evidence against gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his brother Anmol Bishnoi, and hence both are the main conspirators and have been made the most wanted accused.
- The Supreme Court will today pronounce its verdict on a batch of petitions seeking directions to tally Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail slips with votes cast through Electronic Voting Machines during the elections. A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta have asked a senior official of the Election Commission of India to be present in the court at 2 pm to answer a few queries. 2. Ajit Pawar's wife has been cleared in Rs 25000 crore MSCB bank 'scam' Sunetra Pawar is BJP's Baramati candidate. EOW closure report says, no criminal report, no loss to bank. 3. In a strong riposte to PM Narendra Modi's twin jabs of a Muslim League imprint on the party's manifesto and an alleged promise of 'wealth redistribution to infiltrators', Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has said the PM should stop his attempts at dividing society and grant him time so that he can explain the document's contents. 4. Amid the suspense over the Congress's Amethi candidate, posters demanding a poll pass for Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's husband Robert Vadra have come up outside the local party office. The posters read, 'Amethi ki janta kare pukar, Robert Vadra ab ki baar', meaning 'the people of Amethi want Robert Vadra this time'. 5. Actor Kangana Ranaut, the BJP's pick from Himachal Pradesh's Mandi holds a massive roadshow in Rajasthan as she campaigned for party candidate from Jodhpur, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.
- Crucial BJP meet held amid polls. BJP president and the Home minister met Chief ministers last evening. 2. With the Congress yet to announce its candidate in Uttar Pradesh's Amethi, sitting BJP MP Smriti Irani has taken a swipe at Rahul Gandhi and his brother-in-law Robert Vadra, and claims that she ensured more work in the constituency in five years than Mr Gandhi did in 15. The remarks come after Mr Vadra sparked speculation that he may contest the Amethi seat, a Congress stronghold where Ms Irani won in 2019. Amethi votes on May 20 in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha polls. 3. NDTV special report from battleground Balurghat. Balurghat will vote in the second phase of the elections on Friday. 4. Congress's South Goa candidate Viriato Fernandes has claimed the Indian Constitution was 'forced' on Goa after its liberation from the Portuguese rule in 1961. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant calls the comments appalling and says the Congress is a threat to democracy. 5. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was given insulin at Tihar jail on Monday night when his blood sugar level spiked to 320, when the ideal range should be between 70 and 100. The AAP leader, a diabetic, has criticised the Tihar jail administration for allegedly failing to provide him with insulin despite his repeated requests.
- Addressing a poll rally in Rajasthan yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleged that the Manmohan Singh-led Congress government had said Muslims have the first right on the country's wealth. The remarks have sparked a massive row, with one section criticising the Prime Minister for using expressions such as 'infiltrators' for Muslims, and another section slamming Dr Singh over his alleged remarks. 2. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) shared a letter written by the Director General of Prisons requesting a senior AIIMS doctor for Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, countering the prison authorities claim of adequate medical facilities in Tihar jail. AAP Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj hit out at the jail administration alleging a flip-flop and reiterated the party's claim that a conspiracy was being hatched for Arvind Kejriwal's 'slow death' in the prison. 3. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday conducted searches at nine locations in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, in a case linked to terror activities. The ongoing raids, initiated early Monday, are being conducted in collaboration with security forces at various sites associated with individuals linked to terrorism as part of a case registered by the agency in 2022. 4. Re-polling began at 11 polling stations in the inner-Manipur Parliamentary constituency of the north-eastern state on Monday. After incidents of violence reported from these polling stations in Manipur on April 19, the Election Commission has ordered the re-polling. Some miscreants had allegedly opened fire and even destroyed EVMs at these polling stations during the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections on Friday.
- The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India has removed the age cap on buying health insurance policies, effective from April 1, 2024. Earlier, individuals were restricted to purchasing new insurance policies only until the age of 65. However, after the recent changes that have come into effect from April 01, 2024, anyone, regardless of age, is eligible to purchase a new health insurance. 2. Ahead of the remaining six phases of Lok Sabha elections 2024, senior leaders of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) are set to convene a mega rally at Ranchi's Prabhat Tara ground on Sunday. The event, called the 'Ulgulan (uprising) Nyay rally', will be attended by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, senior party leader Rahul Gandhi, Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren, Punjab Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Bhagwant Mann and AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, along with other top leaders of the Opposition parties. 3. Manipur chief electoral officer on Saturday announced repolling at 11 polling stations in the Inner Manipur Lok Sabha constituency on April 22. The decision follows a directive from the Election Commission to declare the polls held at these stations on April 19 as null and void and schedule fresh polling. The affected polling stations are Moirangkampu Sajeb and Thongam Leikai in the Khurai constituency, four in Kshetrigao and one in Thongju in Imphal East district and three in Uripok and one in Konthoujam in Imphal West district, the official said. 4. A searing heatwave gripped parts of India, with maximum temperatures ranging from 40 degrees Celsius to 46 degrees Celsius in many areas. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), heatwave to severe heatwave conditions prevailed in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Gangetic West Bengal during the day. 5. The Maldives votes Sunday in a parliamentary election likely to test President Mohamed Muizzu's tilt towards China and away from India, the luxury tourism hotspot's traditional benefactor. Primarily known as one of the most expensive holiday destinations in South Asia, with pristine white beaches and secluded resorts, the strategic Indian Ocean island nation has also become a geopolitical hotspot.
- The first phase of voting for the 18th Lok Sabha elections were held in 21 states and Union territories on April 19. Nearly 64 pc voter turnout was recorded pm across the states. Seats in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep and Puducherry go to polls today. 2. The northeast is echoing PM Modi's 400 paar slogan. We are going to give a very substantial contribution in the NDA's number. The PM gave this slogan but it has come from the people. It is the mood of the people across the country and it is resonating with everyone, said Minister Kiren Rijiju. 3. A 20-year-old man has been arrested for booking a cab from Bollywood superstar Salman Khan's home in the name of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, said police on Friday. According to Mumbai police, the accused has been identified as Rohit Tyagi, a 20-year-old man from Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. Sharing details, police said that the accused had booked a cab in the name of Lawrence Bishnoi from Galaxy Apartment, the house of actor Salman Khan, to the Bandra Police Station. 4. A man has died after setting himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump. The man burned for several minutes in full view of television cameras that were set up outside the courthouse, where the first-ever criminal trial of a former U.S. president is being held.
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah today filed his nomination for the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat in the upcoming general elections. This move marks Mr Shah's bid for re-election in a constituency with a rich political legacy, previously represented by veterans like former deputy PM and BJP chief LK Advani. 2. An average voter turnout of 25.20 per cent was recorded in the first four hours of polling today in all eight parliamentary constituencies of western Uttar Pradesh where voting is underway in the first phase of the Lok Sabha election. Polling began at 7 am and according to the Election Commission, till 11 am, 29.84 per cent voting was reported in Saharanpur, 23.35 per cent in Moradabad, 25.89 per cent in Kairana, 26.89 per cent in Nagina, 26.94 per cent in Pilibhit, 25.50 per cent in Bijnor, 20.71 per cent in Rampur and 22.62 per cent in Muzaffarnagar. 3. Tamil Nadu's 39 Lok Sabha seats and the fact that it is the fifth-largest state in terms of representation in the Lok Sabha, make it electorally important enough, and this can be seen in the way both the BJP and the INDIA alliance have been making it a focus of their campaigns. What makes it indispensable in these general elections, however, is that the state may hold the key for the BJP if it wants to get anywhere close to its stated target of 370 seats on its own and has, thus, seen the opposition direct all its energies into keeping the party out. 4. Tight security arrangements have been put in place for the first of the two-phased Lok Sabha elections in Manipur, which had been rocked by ethnic violence over the last one year, officials said. The Inner Manipur Lok Sabha seat, which comprises 32 of the 60 assembly segments in the state, and 15 assembly segments of the Outer Manipur Lok Sabha seat will go to polls in the first phase on Friday. Voting will be held in the remaining 13 segments of Outer Manipur in the second phase on April 26. 5. Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused previous governments of cheating the SC, ST and OBC communities in the name of social justice, and said he is working towards achieving the dream of social reformers Jyotiba Phule, B R Ambedkar and Chaudhary Charan Singh. The prime minister also took a veiled dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav, saying the 'do shehzade ki jodi' has been rejected by people.
- Campaigning ends for 102 Lok Sabha seats across 21 states and Union territories which will go to polls in the first phase on April 19 with top leaders of the BJP-led NDA and the opposition INDIA bloc making a last-gasp effort to woo voters. Leading the charge, Prime Minister Narendra Modi takes whirlwind tours of various constituencies in the past few days, addressing rallies and holding roadshows, and asserting that he went to people with hope in 2014, trust in 2019 and guarantee in 2024. 2. EC's notification as far as the fourth phase is concerned which will take place on 13 May for 96 seats. 3. A migrant worker from Bihar has been shot dead by terrorists in a targeted attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district, officials say. The Kashmir Zone Police has posted on X that the worker, identified as Raju Shah, was rushed to a hospital but died during treatment. 'The injured person, who was shot at by terrorists, succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. Search operation underway in the area. the post read. 4. Another suspect involved in the Salman Khan firing case has been detained from Haryana. As per police sources, this individual served as a liaison between the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and the shooters Vicky Gupta, 24, and Sagar Kumar Palak, 21 who are in police custody.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meet at a remote space centre in Russia's Far East region Amur, CNN reports. The two leaders are expected to discuss a potential arms deal, potentially resulting in North Korea supplying weapons to Russia during the ongoing conflict with Ukraine. Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un arrive at Russia's space rocket launch site Vostochny. The two leaders shake hands and speak briefly before entering the building. 2. Sao Lorenco de Bairro in Portugal is in for a surprise as a river of red wine begins flowing through the streets of the small town. Residents are stun as millions of litres of wine is seen flowing down from a steep hill in the town and down the streets. Videos show a seemingly endless river of wine flowing down the town's lanes. 3. Apple unveils its much-awaited iPhone 15 series globally at its 'Wonderlust' launch event. The tech giant has introduced four versions of iPhone 15, iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. The company has also launched the latest Apple Watch series and AirPods Pro with USB-C functionality. A few notable hardware upgrades in their latest handsets have intrigued the users. 4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit the poll-bound Madhya Pradesh once again on September 14 to lay the foundation stone of the expansion of BPCL Refinery and construction of the Petrochemical Complex located in Sagar district. PM Modi will also lay the foundation stone of various industrial complexes of Madhya Pradesh on the occasion.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his meeting with Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau and raises 'strong concerns' about the continuous 'anti-India activities' by extremist elements in Canada, and states that it is essential for the two countries to cooperate in dealing with such threats. The two leaders held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in New Delhi. PM Trudeau also congratulates PM Modi on the success of India's G20 Presidency. 2. G20 Summit: US President Joe Biden says he held 'substantial discussions' with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on ways to strengthen the Indo-US partnership and thanks him for his leadership and hosting the Summit in New Delhi. President Biden, who arrived in Delhi on his first visit to India as the US President, holds wide-ranging talks with PM Modi and they vow to 'deepen and diversify' the bilateral major defence partnership while welcoming forward movement in India's procurement of 31 drones and joint development of jet engines. On the corridor connecting India to Europe with the Middle East and Israel, he says that are going to open up untold opportunities for transformative economic investment. 3. India along with the US and several major economies announces an ambitious India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor with Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasising on respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations while promoting connectivity initiatives.
- The G20 meet has adopted the 'New Delhi declaration', seen as a huge win for the country. Reaching a consensus for international groupings has been difficult of late owing the war in Ukraine and divisions over tackling climate change. G20 will work to accelerate 'strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth' and work towards implementing the 2030 agenda for sustainable development, the grouping says. 2. Nearly 200 hours of 'nonstop negotiations' were needed to ensure a joint communique from G20 leaders divided over the bloc's stance on Russia's war on Ukraine, India's sherpa Amitabh Kant tells NDTV. Mr Kant says the declaration was the result of multiple rounds of talks from discussions with developing economies about the war's economic impact to bilateral meets with Russia and China and that consensus was only reached late last night. 3. US President Joe Biden tweets about a major development during G20 Summit 'New Economic Corridor' for India, Middle East and Europe. Mr Biden calls it a game changing regional investment. 4. Rishi Sunak, UK Prime Minister, visits the Akshardham Temple in Delhi with his wife Akshata Murty. Mr Sunak is in Delhi to attend the two-day G20 Summit where world leaders are holding discussions on some of the world's most pressing issues. This is Rishi Sunak's first official visit to India since becoming Britain PM. 5. Morocco's deadliest earthquake in decades has killed more than 2,000 people, authorities has said, as troops and emergency services has scrambled to reach remote mountain villages where victims are still feared trapped. Authorities has declared three days of national mourning, but the Red Cross warned that it could take years to repair the damage.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi's bilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden at his residence later today will see meaningful progress on a number of issues, including the GE jet engine deal, the procurement of predator drones, on 5G and 6G spectrum, collaboration on critical and emerging technologies, and progress in the civil nuclear area, Jake Sullivan, National Security Advisor of the United States, has said. PM Narendra Modi is likely to hold 15 bilateral meetings during G20 summit, sources say. Among those he will hold one-on-one discussions with include US President Joe Biden and France's Emmanuel Macron. Sources say PM Modi will hold bilateral meetings with the US president and the Bangladeshi prime minister on Friday at his official residence. He will also hold a meeting with the leader of Mauritius. On Saturday, he will hold bilateral meetings with the leaders of the UK, Japan, Germany and Italy besides attending the G20 events. 2. With just hours left for the G20 Summit to begin, climate change is already turning to be a contentious point among the leaders, sources say. The language of the climate commitment is appearing to be a hurdle, with the grouping divided on commitments to phasing down fossil fuel use, increasing renewable energy targets and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. 3. The Indian Air Force has taken an operational pause in the ongoing Exercise Trishul going on in the northern sector as fighter aircraft will not be flying from September 7-10. IAF officials makes it clear that only the flying operations of the aircraft involved in Ex Trishul will be paused and other routine flying may continue. 4. At least two people have died, and over 50 injured, in fresh violence in strife-torn Manipur. Heavy exchange of fire between armed locals and security forces has continued since morning in Tengnoupal and Kakching districts of the northeastern state, government sources say. A dozen people have sustained bullet injuries, they say. 5. The BJP retains the Bageshwar assembly seat in Uttarakhand and Dhanpur in Tripura and wrests Boxanagar assembly seat from CPI(M) in the northeastern state, where the INDIA alliance parties had joined hands, but lost the Dhupguri assembly seat in West Bengal to the Trinamool Congress (TMC).
- US President Joe Biden will arrive in New Delhi on Friday and is scheduled to hold a Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the White House informes. Beginning Friday, Biden has a packed schedule for three days. After he departs from the US, he will arrive in Ramstein, Germany on Friday for a brief stopover and will arrive in New Delhi the same day. The US President is scheduled to participate in a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, according to a White House press release. 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who landed in Jakarta on Thursday early morning, receives a grand welcome from the Indian community. Upon reaching, PM Modi greets the members of the Indian diaspora who gathers at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Jakarta to welcome him amid chants of 'Vande Mataram' and 'Modi Modi'. 3. Amid a raging row across the country over his cabinet colleague Udhayanidhi Stalin's alleged anti-Sanatan Dharma remarks, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has said his son had expressed certain comments about the 'inhuman principles' preaches in it and accuses the BJP of being 'desperate' to create division in the mega opposition bloc, the INDIA alliance. 4. ISRO has released 'selfie' and images of the Earth and the Moon the first of the images taken by the camera on-board Aditya-L1 solar mission spacecraft, which on reaching its intended orbit would begin sending as many as 1,440 images a day to the ground station for analysis. 5. SRK starrer 'Jawan' releases across theaters today. Long queues hold and fireworks on the first day on the release.
- The first official meeting of the 'One Nation One Election' committee that was formed to examine the policy, is likely to take place today under the chairmanship of former President Ram Nath Kovind at his residence in the national capital, the sources has said. The Union Law Ministry has named eight members to the committee, headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind, that will examine the issue of simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha, Assemblies, municipalities and panchayats. 2. Even as the dinner invite to G20 leaders from President Droupadi Murmu has sparked controversy and speculation after using the term 'President of Bharat' instead of the traditional 'President of India', another document has come to light that refers to Narendra Modi as the 'Prime Minister of Bharat'. A note on the Prime Minister's visit to Indonesia for the 20th ASEAN-India Summit and the 18th East Asia Summit uses the term 'Prime Minister of Bharat'. 3. Former Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, pointing out that no agenda had been listed for the special session of parliament that will begin on September 18. Sonia Gandhi has said in her letter, 'I must point out that this special session has been convened without any consultation with other political parties. None of us have any idea of its agenda. All we have been communicated is that all five days have been allocated for government businesses'. 4. An FIR was registered here against DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's son Priyank Kharge for allegedly outraging religious feelings, police say. 5. Calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Indonesia visit for the ASEAN-India and East Asia Summit 'important' just two days before the G20 Summit, the Indian ambassador to ASEAN Jayant Khobragade has said that the visit shows how India gives importance to this region and to ASEAN centrality.
- Alleging that Sanatana Dharma is against equality and social justice, DMK youth wing secretary and Tamil Nadu Youth Welfare Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin has said it should be eradicated. Likening Sanatana Dharma to coronavirus, malaria, fever caused by dengue virus and mosquitoes, he said such things should not be opposed but destroyed. Meanwhile, Home Minister Amit Shah lashes out at opposition INDIA coalition parties over Stalin's remarks, accusing them of insulting 'Sanatan Dharma' for votebank and appeasement politics. 2. Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and the BJP's senior leader Uma Bharti was not invited by the party for the Jan Ashirwad Yatra flagged off by party chief JP Nadda today. 3. The Manipur government has appointed a retired decorated Army officer who was in charge of the operation to destroy militant camps in Myanmar eight years ago, as the senior superintendent of police (combat), a post created for him, officials have said. The appointment of Col (retired) Nectar Sanjenbam for five years followed Union Home Minister Amit Shah statement last month that Kuki people started entering Manipur from Myanmar illegally following a military crackdown on militants. 4. The Maratha Kranti Morcha has called for a bandh today in Kalyan town of Maharashtra's Thane district to condemn the baton-charging of protesters in Jalna during their demand for Maratha quota. In the wake of the bandh call, security in the town has been stepped up, an official in-charge at the Kalyan police control room has said.
- Whether India can have a 'one nation, one election' system, or simultaneous national and state elections countrywide, will be examined by a new committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind, sources said today, signalling a big step forward on the long-debated proposal discussed by multiple panels. The move comes a day after the Centre announced a special session of the parliament from September 18 to 22, without revealing the agenda. The surprise announcement was followed by intense speculation that a bill on 'one nation, one election' would be tabled during the session, but no one from the government has confirmed this. 2. The body of a 30-year-old man has been found at a house owned by Union Minister and BJP MP Kaushal Kishore on the outskirts of Lucknow. Vinay Srivastava died of a gunshot wound and the pistol used in the shooting belongs to the minister's son. 3. The worst is behind Manipur, and the ethnic-strife torn state is 'headed towards better times', says Director General of Assam Rifles Lt Gen P C Nair. He adds though incidents of sporadic violence are still being reported from certain areas, the northeastern state is on the path to peace. 4. India's first indigenously developed 700 MW nuclear power plant in Gujarat's Kakrapar has started operations at full capacity, says Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- The stage is set for the third meeting of the INDIA alliance from today. As many as 63 representatives from 28 political parties will attend the meeting of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) today and tomorrow at Grand Hyatt Hotel in Mumbai. The third meeting of the opposition bloc is hosted by the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), the three-party alliance of the Congress, the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the NCP led by Sharad Pawar. The alliance would announce a coordination committee, which could be of 11 members from principal opposition parties. 2. Five people have died and at least a dozen have been injured within two days as heavy gunbattle between two groups was reported from Khoirentak foothills in Bishnupur district and Chingphei and Khousabung areas in Churachandpur district today morning, officials say. 3. The Centre tells the Supreme Court that elections can be held in Jammu and Kashmir 'anytime from now' with most of the work on the voters' list over, and the decision on specific dates depends on the Election Commission. However, the restoration of complete statehood will 'take some time'. 4. Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud warns lawyers and litigants about a fake website of the Supreme Court created for phishing attacks and asks them to be careful with monetary transactions. The top court also issues a public notice and asks the public to neither click nor share any website links they receive without verifying their authenticity. 5. Johannesburg: A fire has engulfs a five-storey building killing nearly 63 people including children in central Johannesburg today, the South African city's emergency services say. Another 43 have been injured, some suffering from smoke inhalation, and have been taken for treatment to local hospitals, Emergency Management Services spokesman Robert Mulaudzi says.
- The centre's affidavit in Supreme Court on the Bihar government's decision to conduct a caste survey, and its correction hours later, has 'exposed the BJP' and its 'motive to block the survey', the Opposition has alleged. 2. Four students of a Delhi school have alleged that their teacher made communal remarks and asked them why their families did not go to Pakistan during Partition. This comes amid the outrage over a viral video from Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar, where students are seen slapping a Muslim classmate on the order of their teacher. The teacher, Tripta Tyagi, is heard making communal remarks in the video from Muzaffarnagar. 3. The one-day session of the Manipur Assembly adjourned sine die within an hour of commencement after Congress MLAs created a ruckus demanding that the session be extended to five days. 4. After the successful placement of a lander on the moon's uncharted South Pole region by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the launch of the country's maiden solar mission Aditya-L1 is the next much-awaited endeavour. 5. The Central Government has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court and said that the Census Act, 1948, empowers only the Central Government to conduct the census. In the affidavit filed before the top court, the Centre informed that it is committed to taking all affirmative actions for the upliftment of SCS/STS/SEBCs and OBCs in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of India and the applicable law.
- Security measures have been heightened in Haryana's Nuh district and surrounding areas in the wake of an impending religious procession organised by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), despite authorities' refusal to grant permission for the event. The procession 'Shobha Yatra', has prompted concerns over potential communal tensions, with officials putting in place a series of precautions to ensure public safety. 2. Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra scripts history yet again as he becomes the first Indian to win a gold medal in the World Athletics Championships. 3. A Dalit teen was allegedly beaten to death by a mob of hundreds over a sexual harassment case filed by his sister in 2019 in Madhya Pradesh's Sagar district, police say. His sister was also beaten and his mother was stripped naked when she tried to save her son from the attackers. Nine people have been charged with murder and three will face charges under the stringent Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribes Act. Eight people have been arrested, informs Additional Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Uikey. 4. A 29-year-old man arrested for beating his live-in partner to death with a pressure cooker at their rented Bengaluru home, police say.
- Kuber Group Director, Vikas Malu, has been called by the Haryana police for questioning, after a road crash involving a Rolls-Royce killed two people earlier this week. Industrialist Vikas Malu was among the three occupants of the Rolls-Royce that smashed into a petrol tanker at a high speed on the New Delhi-Mumbai expressway in Haryana's Nuh. Two of the three people in the tanker the driver and his assistant were killed in the crash. 2. Congress rolls out SC/ST declaration in Telangana. Congress makes 12 promises to deliver social justice. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge takes on Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao in his poll pitch. 3. A white man driven by racial hatred shot dead three Black people in a Florida discount store Saturday before taking his own life after a standoff with police, authorities' say. He targeted a certain group of people and that's Black people. That's what he said he wanted to kill. And that's very clear, Jacksonville Sheriff TK Waters tell a news conference about the gunman, who was in his early 20s. According to the sheriff's office, the shooter, who has not yet been identified, entered a Dollar General store wearing a tactical vest, armed with an AR-style rifle and a handgun.
- Chandrayaan-3 mission's Lander Module which touched down on the lunar surface, has rolled out the rover, Pragyan, with ISRO saying 'India took a walk on the moon'. On its official X handle, ISRO said the 'rover ramped down.' 'Chandrayaan-3 ROVER: Made in India--Made for the Moon! The Ch-3 Rover ramped down from the lander and India took a walk on the moon!,' it said. Official sources had earlier confirmed the development. 2. The National Disaster Relief Force and Quick Response Team have recovered 22 bodies so far and rescued three injured after an under-construction railway bridge collapsed in Mizoram's Aizwal district. Rescue operations continued till Wednesday evening. 3. Board exams twice a year, mandatory studying of Indian languages and increased number of minimum subjects for classes 9-12 are among the recommendations made in the new National Curriculum Framework (NCF). The NCF has been prepared according to the new National Education Policy (NEP) by the national steering committee, headed by former ISRO chief K Kasturirangan. 4. Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was listed as a passenger on a private jet that crashed north of Moscow, killing all 10 people on board, the Russian authorities have said. It, however, remains to be confirmed if the Wagner chief had actually boarded the flight, as per Al Jazeera. Prigozhin was seen as the biggest challenge to Russian President Vladimir Putin's authority since he came to power. 5. The second game of Classical Chess at the Federation Internationale des Echecs (FIDE) World Cup final between Indian grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa and Norway's world number one star Magnus Carlsen ends in a draw, with the winner of the tournament set to be decided today.
- Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has ordered the suspension of the senior official in Delhi government's Women and Child Development department who was charged with raping his friend's 14-year-old daughter over several months. Mr Kejriwal has also sought a report from the Chief Secretary today. Meanwhile, the Delhi Commission for Women has sent a notice to the Delhi Police, seeking the arrest of the senior Delhi government official. 2. Coming down heavily on Gujarat High Court, the Supreme Court has said any court passing an order against a superior court's ruling is against constitutional philosophy. The matter relates to a petition by a rape survivor, seeking permission to terminate her pregnancy. The Supreme Court's strong remarks came after the high court passed an order on Saturday, even after the Supreme Court listed the matter for today. The high court had refused relief to the petitioner, but the Supreme Court has allowed the termination of her pregnancy. 3. Cooperative NCCF commences retail sale of onion from the government buffer stock at a subsidised rate of Rs 25 per kg in the national capital to give relief to consumers from high prices of the kitchen staple, its top official says. 4. Indian cricket team's Asia Cup 2023 squad has been announced by Captain Rohit Sharma and BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar in a press conference. KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer ans Jasprit Bumrah have made a comeback to the squad. However, since Rahul has a niggle, Sanju Samson has been named as back-up player. 5. Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) releases fresh pictures of the Vikram lander of the Chandrayaan 3 mission, determining the landing site on the moon. 6. Get ready to witness news and ground reports straight from the heart of India as NDTV launches its first regional channel -- NDTV Madhya Pradesh-Chhattisgarh.
- Bihar police have arrested four people in the shooting of a local journalist in the state's Araria district. Cops have said that the hunt is on for two more accused in the case. The incident took place yesterday in the Raniganj Bazaar area. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar called it a dukhad (sad) incident and said that on hearing the news, he immediately directed officials to investigate the crime. How can a journalist be killed like this, he tells reporters in Patna. Vimal Kumar Yadav, 35, worked for a Hindi daily. He was killed at his residence in Premnagar village. 2. A tree-feller allegedly died after his vehicle was stopped and he was beaten by a group of people in Rajasthan's Alwar district late Thursday night, say police. The family of the victim, Wasim, has accused forest personnel of thrashing him to death but the cops are yet to ascertain the facts. Wasim, 27, allegedly used to cut trees in forest areas and send the woods to Haryana without informing the forest department, police say. 3. Expressing concern over the rising cases of student suicide in Kota, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot directs officials to form a committee to provide suggestions on preventing them. The committee will be composed of all stakeholders, including representatives from coaching institutes, parents and doctors, and it will submit its report in 15 days, Mr Gehlot says. 4. Over 400 Indians who fled to neighbouring Myanmar from the border town Moreh in Manipur when ethnic violence broke out on May 3 have safely returned home, Chief Minister N Biren Singh says in a post on X, formerly Twitter. Mr Singh thanks the Indian Army for bringing the Indians all of them from the Meitei community home safely. Relief and gratitude as 212 fellow Indian citizens (all Meiteis) who sought safety across the Myanmar border post the May 3rd unrest in Moreh town of Manipur, are now safely back on Indian soil, Mr Singh says in the post. 5. Nurse Lucy Letby's conviction for murdering seven babies and attempting to kill six others makes her one of the UK's worst medical serial killers. Her youngest victim was just one-day old. 6. Parts of Gurugram witnesses severe waterlogging due to heavy rainfall. Visuals on social media shows commuters stuck on inundated roads, and pedestrians wading through knee-deep water.
- The BJP announces first lists of candidates for Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh due later this year. This is the first time the BJP has announced names of candidates even before the Election Commission of India announces the poll dates. The party has announced 21 candidates for the 90-member Chhattisgarh Assembly and 39 for the 230-member Madhya Pradesh House. 2. Achieving a major milestone, ISRO today announced that the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft's Lander Module has successfully separated from the Propulsion module that was propelling it all these days in space. The Lander Module comprising the lander (Vikram) and the rover (Pragyan) is now ready to be lowered to an orbit that takes it closer to the Moon's surface. The soft landing on the Lunar south pole is scheduled on August 23. 3. At least 71 people have died in the past three days and 13 are still missing in Himachal Pradesh after devastating rains pounded the state, with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu terming the work of rebuilding infrastructure a 'mountain-like challenge'. The death count from landslides and flashfloods jumped on Wednesday as rescuers pulled out more bodies from the rubble of collapsed buildings, officials say.
- Leaving no stone unturned in preparations for the Assembly polls due later this year, BJP calls a meeting of its central election committee at its Delhi headquarters. The meeting will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, party president JP Nadda and other members of the central election panel. 2. Senior BJP leaders joined by their allies in National Democratic Alliance in paying tribute to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at his memorial, Sadaiv Atal, on his fifth death anniversary. President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reached the memorial this morning and paid their respects. Several top BJP leaders and ministers were also there. 3. At least 60 people die this week due to landslides and flashfloods in Himachal Pradesh, home to scenic mountains and a popular tourist destination that has been battered by heavy rain since last week. Dozens have died in landslides in Summer Hill, Krishna Nagar and Phagli in state capital Shimla since Sunday, while another has been reported in Summer Hill again. 4. NDRF teams rescue several people in the villages of Nangal and Anandpur Sahib divisions of Ropar district following the flooding of more than 15 villages in the area due to the release of water by BBMB from the Bhakra and Pong dams downstream in Satluj river. 5. Bittu Bajrangi, a Bajrang Dal member and cow vigilante from Haryana, arrested in connection with communal violence that took place last month in Nuh, Gurugram and other areas of the state. There are allegations that provocative comments by him and fellow Bajrang Dal activist Monu Manesar had triggered the violence. 6. Supreme Court orders status quo with regard to the demolition drive being carried out by railway authorities to clear illegal constructions near the Krishna Janmabhoomi in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura. A bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose, Sanjay Kumar and SVN Bhatti issued notice to the Centre and others in the matter.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today unfurled the flag at Delhi's Red Fort, spoke of the massive opportunities before India and took a swipe at political rivals. Highlighting his government's effort in poverty alleviation, the PM said over 13.5 crore poor people came out of poverty to become part of neo-middle, middle classes, in the last five years alone. 'When the country celebrates its 100th Independence Day in 2047, it would be as a developed nation,' he said. In a departure from his usual style, he today addressed the 140 crore Indian citizens as his 'parivarjan (family members)'. At the end, he said he would return next year if people's blessings are with him. During his speech, PM Modi also outlined the Centre's commitment to make India a developed country by 2047, which will be the centenary year of the country's independence. The Guard of Honour to PM Modi was commanded by Major Vikas Sangwan. The Army Contingent in the Prime Minister's Guard was commanded by Major Indrajeet Sachin, the Naval contingent by Lieutenant Commander MV Rahul Raman and the Air Force contingent by Squadron Leader Akash Ganghas. The Delhi Police contingent was commanded by Additional DCP Sandhya Swami. After inspecting the Guard of Honour, PM Modi proceeded to the ramparts of the Red Fort where he was greeted by Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh, Raksha Rajya Mantri Ajay Bhatt, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Chief of the Army Staff General Manoj Pande, Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral R Hari Kumar, and Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, the Ministry said. The GoC, Delhi area escorted Prime Minister Modi to the ramparts of the Red Fort to hoist the national flag. The Army band, comprising one JCO and 20 other ranks, played the National Anthem during the hoisting of the national flag and the presenting of the ‘Rashtriya Salute'.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi lays foundation stones and dedicates to the nation development projects worth over Rs 4,000 crore in Sagar, Madhya Pradesh. The projects include Sant Shiromani Gurudev Shri Ravidas ji Memorial being built at a cost of over Rs 100 crore and two road projects with a cost of Rs 1,580 crore. 2. Pakistani senator from Balochistan Awami Party Anwaarul Haq Kakar named the caretaker PM of Pakistan, days after the Assembly was dissolved. Outgoing PM Shehbaz Sharif and outgoing opposition leader Raja Riaz reach consensus over Kakar's name in a meeting. President Arif Alvi approves Kakar's appointment. 3. Enforcement Directorate files a 3,000-page chargesheet against Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji in money laundering case. V Senthil Balaji is produced in the court by the central agency before Principal Sessions Judge S Alli who sends him into judicial custody till 25 August. 4. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma says that the Indian Army won't be able to solve anything in Manipur and the solution to the ethnic violence that has now continued for over 100 days should come from the heart and not bullets. Mr Sarma asks if Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, who suggested the Army could 'stop the nonsense' in the strife-torn northeastern state in two days, was prescribing the Army should open fire on civilians. 5. President Droupadi Murmu gives assent to four bills passed during the stormy monsoon session of the parliament. The Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, The Registration of Births and Deaths Amendment Bill, The Jan Vishwas Amendment of Provisions Bill, and Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Amendment Bill have now been signed into law.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while replying to the no-confidence motion in Lok Sabha today took a dig at the Opposition coalition- I.N.D.I.A, saying that the leaders of the bloc have laid almost one and half decade old UPA to rest last month in Bengaluru and propped up the new alliance. 'The people of the country have repeatedly shown faith in us and I want to thank all of them. I think it's god's blessing that the Opposition brought the no-confidence motion. In 2018, they brought the no-confidence motion and at that I said this motion is not a floor test for us but for them. When we went to the people, in 2019, they showed no-confidence to them, and the National Democratic Alliance and BJP got more seats compared to 2014. The Opposition's no-confidence motion is lucky for us,' the PM said.
- BJP has set fire to Manipur and is now trying to to do the same in Haryana, says Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha in a scathing attack on Narendra Modi government. Addressing the Lower House during the debate on the no-confidence motion against BJP government, Mr Gandhi says, 'You are traitors. That is why Prime Minister does not visit Manipur. You are not protectors of Bharat Mata.' 2. Union Minister Smriti Irani accuses Congress MP Rahul Gandhi of blowing a flying kiss while leaving parliament after his speech during the no-confidence motion debate in Lok Sabha. She says, 'Only a misogynist man can blow a flying kiss to parliament that seats women MPs.' 3. Twenty one-year-old Mamita from Odisha found dead inside her hostel room. She joined IIT Hyderabad less than two weeks ago for an M.Tech degree. The student allegedly left a note saying she was under mental pressure and that no one should be blamed for her death. 4. India Meteorological Department issues yellow alert for several districts in Uttarakhand predicting heavy rains over the next couple of days. Videos show a flood-like situation in Haldwani. 5. Kerala Assembly unanimously adopts a resolution urging Centre to officially change the state's name to 'Keralam'. The resolution was moved by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan who urged the central government to change the state's name to 'Keralam' in all languages included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India.
- Imran Khan, former Pakistan prime minister, arrested after court sentences him to three years in jail in corruption case. Islamabad trial court also bars him from participating in active politics for five years. The 70-year-old politician, also a cricket legend, has been found guilty of illegally selling gifts he received from foreign dignitaries during his term as prime minister. 2. Congress leader Jagdish Tytler instigated the mob to kill Sikhs near Gurudwara Pul Bangash in Delhi, says Central Bureau of Investigation's charge sheet against him, filed on May 20. Mr Tytler has been charged with murder in the 39-year-old anti-Sikh riots case. 3. Around two dozen medical stores and other shops razed to the ground as Haryana's Nuh district administration's action against illegal construction continues for the third day. They razed shanties of migrants living in Tauru, about 20 km away from violence-hit Nuh, for encroaching on government land on Thursday evening. 4. Star athlete Jyothi Yarraji wins India's first ever 100m hurdles medal, a bronze, at World University Games while smashing her own national record time at Chengdu. Another national record holder sprinter, Amlan Borgohain, also wins India's first ever 200m medal at the World University Games as he picks a bronze medal with a season's best time of 20.55 seconds.
- The Supreme Court refuses to stay the Allahabad High Court order allowing the ASI to conduct a scientific survey at the Gyanvapi mosque complex to determine if the 17th century structure was built upon a pre-existing temple, notwithstanding the assertion by the Muslim side that the exercise will 'reopen wounds of the past'. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, however, asks the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) not to take recourse to any invasive act during the survey. 2. In a relief to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the Supreme Court, in an interim order, stays his conviction in the criminal defamation case over 'Modi surname' remark. The apex court earlier in the day began hearing of an appeal filed by the Congress leader challenging Gujarat High Court order which declined to stay his conviction in the criminal defamation case. The apex court told Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who appeared for Rahul Gandhi, that he will have to make out an exceptional case for a stay on conviction.
- At least six people have been killed and at least 70 others, including several policemen, have got injured as a mob in Haryana's Nuh district tries to stop Vishva Hindu Parishad procession, pelting stones and setting cars on fire. Security around religious places has been strengthened. Police registers about 40 cases and arrests more than 80 people in connection with the communal violence. 2. Lok Sabha gets adjourned yet again as the opposition's protest against Manipur violence continues. The contentious Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Amendment Bill, 2023 was supposed to be taken up in the Lok Sabha today for consideration and passing. The opposition INDIA bloc plans to oppose the bill with the Aam Aadmi Party calling it 'most undemocratic' piece of legislation. 3. Donald Trump hit with criminal charges for a third time in four months, this time arising from efforts to overturn his 2020 US election defeat, as he campaigns to regain the presidency next year. The charges stem from Special Counsel Jack Smith's investigation into allegations that Trump sought to reverse his loss to Democratic rival Joe Biden. 4. Russian strike using Iran-made Shahed kamikaze drones destroys a technical training institute in Ukraine's second largest city. Police say that the building was a civilian target with no soldiers inside.
- A Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel today shot dead four people, including an Assistant Sub-Inspector, on-board a running train near the Palghar railway station in Maharashtra, as per an official. He was later arrested after attempting to run away. The accused, RPF Constable Chetan Singh, opened fire from his official automatic weapon around five in the morning, killing another RPF colleague, his escort duty in charge ASI Tikaram Meena, and three passengers on the train, which was on the way to Mumbai from Jaipur, officials say. He fired 12 rounds. 2. In the Manipur gang rape case, the survivors move the Supreme Court. The CJI-led bench hears the survivors' plea. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the two women who were seen in the May 4 video being paraded naked, confirms they have filed a petition in the apex court. 3. Actor Falak Khan, from Bihar's Muzaffarpur, expresses her gratitude towards her team after her short film 'Champaran Mutton' made it to the semi-final round of Oscar's Student Academy Award. Speaking to ANI, she says it is a touching story on the everyday problems plaguing middle-class families. The film is directed by Ranjan Kumar of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune.
- In a heart-wrenching incident that has left the Kerala society in shock, a minor girl is brutally assaulted and strangulated to death after being abducted by a migrant worker from her house. Her body has been found dumped in a sack in a marshy area behind a local market in the nearby Aluva. 2. The 21-member multi-party delegation of MPs of the opposition's Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance that is in Manipur for a two-day visit to assess the situation in the strife-torn state, meets Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey and shares their experience. A memorandum submitted to Governor Uikey says that the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi shows his brazen indifference to the violence in Manipur. 3. An Armyman goes missing in south Kashmir's Kulgam district. Rifleman Javed Ahmad belongs to Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry regiment and came home on leave around Eid. 4. Gujarat has been witnessing heavy rainfall over the past few days. Amid the heavy downpour, Machhu Dam in Morbi overflows. Earlier, incessant rainfall from the previous night created a severe waterlogging situation in Gujarat's Navsari district. 5. The Indian High Commission in Singapore says that the launch of seven satellites by the Indian Space Research Organisation marks another milestone in the Space partnership between the two countries. The Indian Space Research Organisation launches PSLV-C56 carrying seven satellites, including the primary satellite DS-SAR and six co-passenger satellites, from Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota. 6. At least 39 people have been killed and dozens have been wounded in a suicide bombing at a political gathering of a leading Islamic party in northwest Pakistan. The blast targeted the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F party, a government coalition partner led by an influential firebrand cleric. 7. While launching BJP's campaign for upcoming polls in Madhya Pradesh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah trains his guns on Congress, claiming that the grand old party didn't do anything for the poor in the country for 70 years.
- Eight people die in a fire accident at Sivakasi, the huge cracker manufacturing hub in Tamil Nadu. Ten persons have got injured in the accident. The fire started as crackers were being offloaded from a vehicle to a shop. 2. Former army chief general MM Naravane hints on the involvement of foreign agencies behind the prevailing Manipur crisis and that 'Chinese aiding various insurgent groups' cannot be ruled out. He adds, 'I had said right in the beginning that internal security is very important. If there is instability not only in our neighbouring country but in our border state, then that instability is bad for our overall national security.' 3. A delegation of 21 MPs from the opposition bloc I.N.D.I.A. is in Manipur to assess the ground situation in the violence-hit state. Based on their observations, the delegation will make recommendations to the government and parliament for a solution to Manipur's problems. 4. CBI records an FIR to assume control over the probe into the alleged assault incident in Manipur's Thoubal area. Under the Indian Penal Code and IT Act, the central agency files a case for murder, outraging modesty, and criminal assault. 5. BJP president JP Nadda rejigs the list of the party's central office-bearers, bringing in a Pasmanda Muslim from Uttar Pradesh as one of its vice presidents. The appointment of former Aligarh Muslim University Vice-Chancellor Tariq Mansoor, now BJP MLC in Uttar Pradesh, is being seen to be part of the party's overtures to Pasmanda Muslims. 6. Incessant rainfall hits normal life in Jaipur where many areas face waterlogging. Heavy rains have been pounding the district since Friday night, leaving many areas around Sikar Road and Jal Mahal submerged.
- Both houses of the Parliament adjourned after yet another day of chaos in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha over the Manipur crisis. The 26-party opposition alliance moves a notice of no-confidence in Lok Sabha demanding the Prime Minister speak on the Manipur situation inside the House. 2. Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day after a heated argument between Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar and Trinamool's Derek O'Brien. 'Mr. Derek O'Brien, please take your seat. You indulge in theatrics,' he says. 'These are not theatrics. We want a serious discussion on Manipur under Rule 267, which is a key emergency provision given the seriousness of the issue,' Mr O'Brien responds. 3. A delegation of 20 INDIA bloc MPs will visit Manipur over the weekend to assess the ground situation first-hand and make recommendations to the government and Parliament for a solution to the problems in the violence-hit state. 4. The Supreme Court grants bail to Elgar Parishad members Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira, accused in the Bhima Koregaon violence case. The two were arrested in August 2018 on charges of inciting violence. Since then, both of them were lodged in Mumbai's Taloja jail. 5. Six people die in Telangana as 'record-breaking' rainfall continues to batter the state. The incessant rain causes widespread flooding and damage to roads and crops. Houses are submerged and roads blocked, cutting off access to several villages.
- Lok Sabha speaker admits Congress motion seeking no-trust vote over the ongoing ethnic-clashes in Manipur. The speaker is yet to announce a date for the vote. The violence in Manipur has been a key reason for the continuous logjam in both the Houses of Parliament since the Monsoon Session began on 20 July. 2. Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge writes to Union Home Minister Amit Shah saying the latter's letter to some Opposition leaders on the Manipur issue shows the difference between the government's words and actions. 3. As violence unfolded in Manipur's capital Imphal in early May, several people tried to escape from troubled localities. A 19-year-old tribal woman alleges that as she was planning her escape and went to an ATM, she was kidnapped by a group of men. She narrates her trauma to NDTV. 4. Seeking a stay on the survey by Archaeological Survey of India, the management committee of Varanasi's Gyanvapi Mosque tells Allahabad High Court that it fears that the historic structure might fall. This prompts a sharp response from the court, which asks the petitioners how they will trust the court's ruling that if they cannot trust the ASI's assurances that there will no damage to the structure. 5. Prime Minister Narendra Modi performs a havan and participates in the puja ceremony prior to the inauguration of the International Exhibition-cum-Convention Centre complex at ITPO complex in Delhi. 6. India Meteorological Department issues an orange alert for rain in four states including Delhi and Himachal Pradesh. 7. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh speaks at the Kargil War Memorial on the occasion of the 24th Kargil Vijay Diwas. He says that India is ready to cross the Line of Control to maintain its honour and dignity, and calls upon civilians to be ready to support the soldiers in such a situation. 7. Days after the Supreme Court ruled that the third extension given to Enforcement Directorate chief Sanjay Kumar Mishra was illegal, the Centre approaches the court seeking an amendment of the July 31 deadline set by it for Mr Mishra's removal.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi slams the opposition as 'directionless' and cites the 'Indian Mujahideen' and 'Popular Front of India' as he derided the opposition alliance for its new name, INDIA. 'I have never seen such a directionless opposition,' BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad quotes the Prime Minister as saying at the weekly meeting of the BJP parliamentary party. 2. Opposition alliance INDIA plans to move a no-confidence motion against the government in the Lok Sabha, sources have said. A proposal to submit the notice was discussed at a meeting of the constituents of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) this morning. 3. The Rouse Avenue Court of Delhi acquits former Haryana Minister Gopal Goyal Kanda and one other in air hostess Geetika Sharma's suicide case. The court says that the possibility of Geetika Sharma committing suicide due to other reasons also cannot be ruled out. 4. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval holds a meeting with top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi in Johannesburg. He emphasises the need for continuing efforts to restore peace and tranquillity in the border areas to remove the 'impediments' to normalcy in bilateral relations. 5. A seventh accused has been arrested in connection with the horrific video that surfaced online showing two women being paraded naked by a mob in Manipur, police says. 6. Israel's parliament Knesset passes the 'Reasonableness' bill, the first major legislation in the government's plan to weaken the judiciary, CNN has reported. The bill was passed despite six months of protest against the shakeup of the court system since the country's founding.
- A survey of the Gyanvapi complex to ascertain if the mosque located next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi was built upon a temple was stopped by the Archaeological Survey of India today following a Supreme Court order. 2. Amid Opposition protests over the horrifying video of a mob parading two Manipur women naked, Union Home Minister Amit Shah says he is ready for a discussion and asked why the Opposition is not cooperating. Ever since the Monsoon Session of Parliament began on a stormy note over the shocking video from the northeastern state, the Opposition has been demanding a discussion. The centre has maintained that it is ready to discuss the matter. 3. AAP MP Sanjay Singh suspended from the Rajya Sabha for the remaining duration of the Monsoon session for repeatedly 'violating' the directives of the chair. Leader of the House Piyush Goyal moved the motion to suspend him, which was adopted by the House by voice vote. 4. A fierce gunfight takes place between suspected militants and security forces in Manipur's Churachandpur district for 48 hours during which one woman gets injured and at least 10 abandoned houses and one school are burnt. 5. NDTV speaks to the family of murdered women in Manipur. 5. Very heavy rain warning issued for Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana. Heavy-very heavy rain alert for Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Karnataka. 6. Rajasthan assembly adjourned after sacked minister Rajendra Gudha, aided by BJP MLAs, create unruly scenes in the House during Zero Hour today.
- On the same day two tribal women were stripped, paraded and allegedly gang raped by a mob in Manipur in an incident that has triggered massive outrage, two other young women from the state's Kangpokpi district were brutally assaulted and murdered amidst a wave of ethnic violence that is yet to abate, a police complaint has said. The victims, aged 21 and 24, were working at a car wash in the Konung Mamang area of the Imphal East district, around 40 kilometres away from the site of the other incident, when they were targeted by a mob on May 4, the family of one of the women said. 2. Aam Aadmi Party leader Raghav Chadha writes to Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar opposing even the introduction in the Parliament of the controversial Ordinance passed by the Centre which snatched control over bureaucracy from the Delhi government. Calling it 'blatantly unconstitutional', Mr Chadha lists three reasons why he believes the introduction of the Ordinance is 'impermissible'. 3. The water level in the Yamuna has crossed the danger mark in Delhi again following heavy discharge from Hatnhnikund barrage in Haryana. At 3 pm today, the river was flowing at 206.26 metres. This is expected to rise to 206.70 metres by the evening. The Delhi government is on high alert after over 2 lakh cusecs of water was released from Haryana. Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi has said the Arvind Kejriwal government is monitoring the developments closely. 4. Floods in parts of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Uttarakhand. In Maharashtra 27 dead and over 50 still missing. Four days after a landslide hit Raigad. In Gujarat's Junagadh, vehicle washed away due to waterlogging. In Uttarakhand parts of the Badrinath-Kedarnath highway shut due to flooding in. 4. Elon Musk, Twitter owner, drops a bombshell saying that he plans to rebrand the platform, reflecting the billionaire's vision to create a super app like China's WeChat. And soon we shall bid adieu to the twitter brand and, gradually, all the birds, Mr Musk tweets. 5. The biopic of Robert Oppenheimer, the mind behind the world's first atomic bomb, released on Friday. While the film has set the box office ringing, one scene in the Christopher Nolan epic hasn't gone down well with some Indian movie-goers.'One is perplexed as to how the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) could approve the movie with this scene', has said Uday Mahurkar, Information Commissioner with the government of India, sharing a press release by the 'Save Culture Save India Foundation'.
- Following a public call by former Mizoram insurgents to people from the Meitei community to leave the state, the government of Mizoram has arranged for security cover for Meiteis in the capital Aizawl. In a statement issued from Aizawl, Peace Accord MNF Returnees' Association has said, Meiteis should leave Mizoram for their 'own safety' as there is 'anger among Mizo youth' over the incident of two women being paraded naked in the neighbouring ethnic strife-torn state. 2. Fighting with its back against the wall on crime against women after a horrific video of two women being paraded naked in Manipur went viral, the BJP today pointed towards Congress-ruled Rajasthan and demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot over recent incidents of crime against women in the western state. Union minister Anurag Thakur, quoting official data, says, Rajasthan ranks highest in rape cases. He adds, 22 per cent of women's rape cases in a year happened in Rajasthan. 3. Politics over the horrific Manipur video and crimes against women continues to heat up, with Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and saying that his statements have hurt the self-respect of the people of his state. Mr Gehlot's comments comes minutes after his own party's MLA, who was sacked as a minister, steps up his attack on the Rajasthan government and says the chief minister should hand over the home portfolio to someone who is capable. 4. Uttar Pradesh's Bijnor a bus with 25 passengers gets stuck as river overflows. 2 passenger are still stuck but others have been rescued in the operations.
- Second day of the Monsoon session of the Parliament witnesses unruly scenes amid sloganeering by the Opposition over Manipur violence. Both houses of Parliament adjourned till Monday. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh feels that the Opposition is not serious about the discussion on the Manipur issue. 2. Another man has been arrested in connection with the horrific case of two women being paraded naked in Manipur, Chief Minister N Biren Singh says amid nationwide outrage. The state police says two others have been arrested as well, taking the total number of arrests to four. 3. The rescue and search operation at Irshalwadi hamlet in Maharashtra's Raigad district, where a massive landslide buried several houses and claimed the lives of at least 16 people so far, resumed today. 4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe in Delhi for talks during which the two leaders discuss issues of mutual interest. In a joint press statement, PM Modi also announced that the two nations have decided to start a ferry service from Tamil Nadu to Sri Lanka.
- The Manipur violence rocks proceedings in both Houses of Parliament on the first day of the Monsoon session, with the opposition demanding a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a discussion on the situation in the northeastern state. Both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha fail to transact any business as opposition members create uproar over the situation in Manipur despite the government's assurance that it is ready to discuss the issue in both Houses. 2. Chief Minister N Biren Singh says 'Manipur Police has made its first arrest in the case registered in connection with the video of the incident in May this year in which two women being paraded naked in Manipur.' 3. Observing that it was 'deeply disturbed' by the video of two women being paraded naked in strife-torn Manipur, the Supreme Court says using women as instruments for perpetrating violence is 'simply unacceptable in a constitutional democracy'. The next hearing in the case has been posted for July 28. 4. The Supreme Court has referred to the five-judge Constitution bench plea of the Delhi government challenging the constitutional validity of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023 issued by the Centre relating to control over bureaucrats. 5. As many as 10 people died, and 75 evacuated, after the landslide at Irshalwadi village in Khalapur tehsil in Maharashtra's Raigad district, police has said. 6. A 24-year-old manager of a multi-national company dies of electrocution while using a treadmill at a gym in Delhi's Rohini's Sector-15 area, police has said. The gym owner has been arrested.
- In a crime haunting in its brutality, four members of a family, including a six-month old baby girl, have been murdered and their bodies have been set on fire in the courtyard of their home in a village in Rajasthan's Osian, about 50 km from Jodhpur city. Police say that a 19-year-old man, who is related to the family, is suspected to be behind the murders and has been detained. 2. At least 16 people, including a policeman and three Home Guards, die after the railing of a bridge gets electrified in Uttarakhand. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visits the spot and orders a magisterial inquiry. 3. Shiv Sena UBT leader Uddhav Thackeray meets former ally and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar for the first time since the NCP leader joined the Eknath Shinde government. The meeting comes on the sidelines of Mr Thackeray, a member of the state legislative council, attending the house proceedings and a day after the former Chief Minister attended a key meeting with other opposition parties in Bengaluru. 4. A day after the Opposition front of 26 parties chooses INDIA as its name, 'Jeetega Bharat' has been finalised as the tagline of the coalition that aims to take on the BJP in the 2024 general election. 5. As the name INDIA was discussed for the opposition front at the Bengaluru conclave, one leader who needed some convincing was Nitish Kumar. During the discussions, Nitish Kumar reportedly questioned how an opposition alliance could be named INDIA. He also expressed reservations about an acronym with the letters 'NDA' in it and about both names sounding similar. 6. Gujarat hit by heavy rainfall, causing flooding in several areas. Torrential rain causes severe waterlogging in Rajkot, Surat and Gir Somnath districts after the state receives 300 mm of rainfall in the last few hours, forcing evacuation of 70 people.
- In one of his strongest attack on the Opposition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says that their focus is only family and not the nation. While inaugurating a new terminal at Veer Savarkar airport in Andaman and Nicobar's Port Blair, the PM says, 'For them, family is first, nation is nothing. Corruption is their motivation. The bigger the scam, the more corrupt the person, the higher their seat at the table.' 2. The name I-N-D-I-A has been considered to band the 26 opposition parties that are meeting in Bengaluru to streamline a strategy and pose a united front to take on the BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections. Meanwhile, leaders of 38 parties will attend the meeting of BJP-led National Democratic Alliance in Delhi today. 3. Opposition parties gather for the second day of the joint meeting in Bengaluru. According to sources, former UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi is set to be named as the President of the Front with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as the Convenor. 4. The Australian state of Victoria pulls out of hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games citing major cost blow-outs, leaving organisers fuming as they scramble to keep the multi-sport event afloat. 5. Senior Congress leader Oommen Chandy, who served as the chief minister of Kerala twice, dies in Bengaluru. He was 79. Kerala government announces a public holiday in the state today and two days' mourning as a mark of respect to the late former chief minister. 6. Sensex crosses the 67,000-mark for the first time while Nifty hits an all-time high of 19,819. Both benchmark indices open at new record highs after closing at all-time highs on Monday. 7. Four terrorists killed in an encounter with the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district. The gunfight broke out at Sindarah in Surankote area of Poonch last evening after a joint operation of the army and police in the area.
- Top leaders of 24 opposition parties are expected to attend the meeting called by Congress to chalk out a plan for the upcoming Monsoon Session of parliament and the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The opposition leaders are expected to hold talks on ironing out their differences and project a united front in next year's general elections. 2. Enforcement Directorate conducts raids at the premises of DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy and his MP son Gautham Sigamani in a money laundering case. The ruling DMK dubs the action 'political vendetta'. 3. Fifteen days after lifting of the blockade on the Imphal-Dimapur National Highway NH-2, the life line of Manipur has been blocked again as the Committee on Tribal Unity Sadar Hills, Kangpokpi decides to impose a 72-hour total shutdown on it in protest against the attacks, torching of houses, and killing of Kuki-Zo people. 4. A 17-year-old boy who arrived in Kota last week to prepare for medical entrance exam NEET died by suicide, pushing up the number of student suicides in the education hub this year to 16. The teenager, Pushpendra Singh, was from Jalore, nearly 500 km away. A week back, he came to Kota and enrolled with a coaching centre to prepare for NEET. Police have not found any suicide note so far and a probe into the matter is on.
- Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who along with several loyalist MLAs recently rebelled against his uncle and Nationalist Congress Party patriarch Sharad Pawar to join the BJP-led government in Maharashtra, pays a surprise visit to the latter along with all NCP ministers a day before the commencement of monsoon session of the Maharashtra Assembly. 2. Aam Aadmi Party to attend the key opposition meeting in Karnataka's Bengaluru to decide on a united strategy to fight against BJP in the national election next year. AAP confirmes its Bengaluru attendance after a meeting of its key political committee and hours after Congress comes out in support of the AAP's campaign against a contentious central order that wrests back control of Delhi's bureaucracy. 3. OP Rajbhar, the chief of Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, declares that he is joining NDA, alleging that the opposition push in Uttar Pradesh has no steam in it. The buzz is that the 60-year-old, who had quit the Yogi Adityanath government ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha election, is also set to rejoin the state cabinet. 4. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal visits the Mori Gate flood relief camp and takes stock of the situation. He says, 'The level of water has reached 205.9 m. Water has receded from most areas, the other areas will also see normalcy return soon.' 5. Centre to sell tomatoes at Rs 80 per kg now, as against Rs 90 per kg earlier, to provide relief to people from high prices of the key kitchen item in retail markets.
- India and the UAE agree to start trade settlement in their currencies and link their fast payment systems to make international financial interactions simpler and open a campus of IIT-Delhi in the Gulf nation during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's day-long visit. 2. Top negotiators of G20 nations complimented New Delhi's efforts to deliver "strong outcomes" at the grouping's upcoming summit to deal with key global challenges such as addressing financing gaps, pushing economic growth and ensuring sustainable development, India's G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant says. 3. A day after the Delhi Lieutenant Governor and Chief Minister made public declarations of working together as a team and not indulging in a blame game during the crisis, the AAP and the BJP have stepped up attacks on each other over the flood-like situation in Delhi. The AAP has alleged a conspiracy against the people of Delhi and blamed the BJP governments in Haryana and at the Centre. 4. Thousands of actors join screenwriters at the picket lines in Hollywood's biggest strike.
- India's Chandrayaan-3 lifted off from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh, carrying the hopes of an entire nation. If successful, the mission will make India the fourth country to achieve a controlled landing on the moon, after Russia, the United States, and China. The moon lander Vikram is perched on a Mark 3 heavy-lift launch vehicle, dubbed the Bahubali rocket. The journey from Earth to the moon for the spacecraft is estimated to take about a month and the landing is expected on August 23. Upon landing, it will operate for one lunar day, which is approximately 14 Earth days. One day on the Moon is equal to 14 days on Earth. The Chandrayaan-3 will have three major components, a lander, a rover, and a propulsion model. It will be using the Orbiter from Chandrayaan-2 which still exists in the lunar atmosphere. In a first, India's mooncraft 'Vikram' will land in the South Pole of the moon, where water molecules have been found. The finding, made during India's first moon mission in 2008, had startled the world. 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the guest of honour at the Bastille Day celebrations in Paris, which began around 1.40 pm Indian time and saw four Rafale fighter jets and two C-17 Globemasters participate in the flypast. 3. Ajit Pawar, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader who spearheaded a mutiny against his uncle and party chief Sharad Pawar last month, joining the Shiv Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra as Deputy Chief Minister, has been rewarded with the keys to the state's treasury. 4. The Madras High Court holds legal the Enforcement Directorate's arrest of Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji and subsequent judicial custody granted by a lower court. 5. The Indraprastha water regulator was breached due to strong flow of the Yamuna river and is likely to be repaired in the next three-four hours, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said today. Water started entering the city after the regulator was breached and many areas around ITO and Rajghat were submerged. Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena and Chief Minister Kejriwal inspected the repair work on the breached regulator.
- The water level in the swollen Yamuna in Delhi rises further during the night, flooding homes, affecting public transport and prompting emergency measures. The Arvind Kejriwal government has urged the Centre to step in and stop the water discharge but the Centre replies that excess water from the barrage has to be released. 2. Waterlogging has disrupted traffic movement on several roads in Delhi including in parts of the arterial Outer Ring Road. Traffic has been diverted to alternate routes leading to massive traffic jams. Compounding challenges for those taking public transport, Metro services have also been affected. 3. NDTV travels a distance of 20 km from Kullu-Manali, bringing you the ground realities of rain-hit Himachal and the destruction and devastation it has caused. 4. Raman Singh, three-time Chhattisgarh Chief Minister, won't be BJP's face for the state elections due later this year, with the party opting to fight polls 'under collective leadership'. BJP has decided to fight the Chhattisgarh state assembly elections without a Chief Ministerial candidate, a move unprecedented in the party's history in the state. 5. Prime Minister Narendra Modi to focus on strengthening India-France ties in various domains including defence and space during his two-day visit to Paris. Before departing for France, PM Modi said he will hold wide-ranging discussions with the French President on taking forward the longstanding and time-tested partnership. 6. Prime Minister Narendra Modi says India, now the most populous country, 'needs to regain its rightful place', in a strong push for permanent membership of the country in the UN Security Council. He adds, 'The issue is not just of credibility but something much larger. How can the UN Security Council claim to speak for the world when its most populous country and its largest democracy is not a permanent member.'
- Rains for a fourth consecutive day lead to several deaths, landslides, and destruction across north India. Himachal Pradesh has been the worst hit with the torrential rains turning roads to rivers and rivers to angry seas washing away everything on its path. The death count in Himachal Pradesh has gone up to thirty-one. 2. Kedarnath Yatra stopped at Uttarakhand's Sonprayag and Gaurikund due to continuous heavy rains. Four state roads and 10 link roads are closed due to debris. Due to heavy rains, Mandakini and Alaknanda rivers are in spate. 3. Yamuna's water level in Delhi is now at an all-time high amid a monsoon fury across north India. The rising water mark has led to flooding in several riverside areas. The river is now flowing at 207.55 metres after it crossed the record level of 207.49 that it had touched 45 years back. 4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will make a stopover at Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates following his state visit to France which begins tomorrow. PM Modi will meet top leaders including President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. This is the second time since 2022 that PM Modi has made a stopover in the UAE. 5. Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi will attend the next meeting of opposition parties in Bengaluru on July 18. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar says, 'We will welcome all leaders who want to join this great movement for change in this country.'
- A private commercial helicopter with six people aboard, including five Mexican nationals, went missing near the Mount Everest area in Nepal today, aviation authorities say. The Manang Air chopper 9N-AMV departed from Surke Airport in Solukhumbu district at 10:04 am for Kathmandu. However, it suddenly lost contact at an altitude above 12,000 feet at 10:13 am, says Gyanendra Bhul, Manager at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). 2. Petitions challenging the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and the state's bifurcation into two Union Territories will be heard on a day-to-day basis from August 2, the Supreme Court says. The petitions were last heard in March 2020. 3. Heavy rain continues to batter Himachal Pradesh, leading to the deaths of 30 people and causing damage worth Rs 3,000 crore. The state capital Shimla reported the highest number of casualties with 11 dead. According to the police, 29 of the 30 dead have been identified. 4. Four people were killed and seven others injured in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi when boulders tumbling down the hills amid heavy rain crushed three vehicles. 5. The counting of votes for the three-tier panchayat polls to nearly 74,000 seats in West Bengal is underway. 6. Turkey agrees to allow Sweden to join the NATO alliance, setting the stage for the allies to showcase their unity at a summit focused on securing support for Ukraine's battle against Russia's invasion.
- Himachal Pradesh is bracing for another day of downpour with the meteorological department issuing a 'red' alert for 'extremely heavy rain' today, a day after heavy rain pounded the state, triggering landslides, damaging houses and leaving several people deal. 2. Incessant rains and landslides in Uttarakhand claimed six lives on Sunday and authorities in the hill state have sounded a red alert as water level rose in all major rivers, including the Ganga, amid a forecast of more heavy showers in the next two days. 3. Trinamool Congress announces Derek O'Brien, Dola Sen, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, Samirul Islam, Prakash Chik Baraik and Saket Gokhale will be its nominees for the biennial elections to Rajya Sabha. 4. The death count in the violence during panchayat elections in West Bengal rose to 18 after a person was found dead in South 24 Parganas, and two others succumbed to their injuries, officials say. 5. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar files his nomination papers for elections to the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat.
- At least 11 people have been killed as rural West Bengal votes for the crucial three-tier panchayat polls today, which serves as a litmus test for the 2024 parliamentary elections and could reshape the state's political landscape. Among those killed were six Trinamool members, and one worker each of the BJP, Left, Congress and ISF, and another person whose political identity could not be known, officials tell news agency PTI. 2. Amid a boycott by the ruling BRS in poll-bound Telangana, PM Modi lays foundation stone for several infrastructure development projects worth around Rs 6100 crore during his visit to the southern state. Addressing the gathering at the event, PM Modi said today the whole world was coming forward to invest in India. Today's India is young and filled with lot of energy. 3. Eknath Shinde attends a public event in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli along with both his deputies - Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar. This is the first time the trio has shared the stage after Pawar junior's big switch last Sunday. 4. Amid a power struggle with his nephew Ajit Pawar, who revolted against his leadership and joined Shiv Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra, NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar launches statewide tour from Nashik today to shore up support. 5. A fresh spell of rain drenches Delhi with the Met office predicting heavy showers during the day.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi flags off two Vande Bharat Express trains in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, increasing the number of semi-high speed trains in the country to 25. At the same time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also inaugurated and laid foundation stones of eight projects worth around Rs 7,600 crore in Chhattisgarh capital Raipur. During an event held at the Science College ground in Raipur, PM Modi also virtually flagged off a new train between Antagarh in Kanker district of the state and Raipur. He kickstarted the distribution of cards of the Centre's Ayushman Bharat scheme to beneficiaries in the state. 2. Ramping up its preparations for the assembly elections in four crucial states that are set to vote later this year, and the all-important Lok Sabha polls next year, the BJP has announces election in-charges for Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi has been appointed the election in-charge for Rajasthan with former Gujarat deputy chief minister Nitin Patel and Kuldeep Bishnoi from Haryana as co- in-charges. Two Union Ministers have been put in charge of Madhya Pradesh. Bhupender Yadav has been made the in-charge, with Ashwini Vaishnaw as the co-in-charge. In Chhattisgarh, the BJP has put senior party leader Om Prakash Mathur in charge and he will be assisted by Union minister Mansukh Mandaviya. Former Union minister Prakash Javadekar has been put in charge of Telangana and national general secretary Sunil Bansal has been appointed be the co-in-charge. 3. As per sources, top MVA leaders will meet next week amid the Ajit Pawar coup.
- Sharad Pawar, silent so far on his nephew's age barb, declares that effectiveness is the bottom-line whatever anyone's age. 'I am still effective, whether I am 82 or 92,' says 83-year-old NCP chief in Delhi, where he had called a national executive meet of the party and formally expelled 12 rebels, including his nephew and former top aide Praful Patel. 2. Having two-thirds majority is not relevant before the Election Commission in the NCP split case, says former chief election commissioner SY Quraishi. He explains, 'They will go by a majority which could be simple majority. The two-thirds majority is in the context of merger of a party. A breakaway faction is a defector, and this defection is decided by the Speaker, not the EC.' 3. With assembly elections in Rajasthan now less than six months away, the Congress party is grappling with a make-or-break leadership tussle between current Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot, former Deputy Chief Minister. The senior Congress leaders convenes to discuss potential strategies for the election, while also attempting to resolve the ongoing leadership dispute. According to sources, Mr Pilot has expressed his desire for a respectable position within the party as a condition for his continued role in the Congress campaign in Rajasthan. Mr Gehlot, however, while nursing fractures in both toes, remains reluctant to share power, aiming to lead the party firmly and under the banner of his social welfare pitch. 4. A tribal man in Madhya Pradesh who was urinated upon by another man in an incident that provoked massive outrage in the state, receives special attention from Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who washed his feet, apologized to him and call him his friend. A video shows the Chief Minister conversing with Dasmat Ravat, a 36-year-old tribal from Karaundi, before washing his feet in a gesture of respect. 5. Canada has always taken serious action against terrorism, says Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau rebutting criticisms that his government has been lax on pro-Khalistan activists within the country. His remarks were in response to accusations from India, which on Monday summoned the Canadian ambassador in New Delhi, expressing concern over escalating activities by pro-Khalistan elements in Canada. 6. More than 10 million people have signed up to Threads, Meta's rival to Twitter, within the first few hours of its launch, says Facebook parent's CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Threads is the biggest challenger yet to Elon Musk-owned Twitter, which has seen a series of potential competitors emerge but not yet replace one of social media's most iconic companies, despite its epic struggles.
- The Maharashtra cabinet meets for the first time after Sunday's political developments wherein nine MLAs of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Ajit Pawar joined the government, which completed one year in office on June 30. The newly sworn in NCP ministers led by Deputy CM Ajit Pawar came to the state secretariat 'Mantralaya' for the first time after the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, comprising the Shiv Sena (then undivided), NCP and Congress, collapsed in June last year. 2. In a veiled reference to Pakistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tells leaders of the SCO nations that 'there must not be any double standards in combating terrorist activities' and the 'bloc must not hesitate to criticise countries that support cross-border terrorism as part of state policy'. 3. At least nine people were killed and more than 20 injured after a truck barreled down a highway in Maharashtra's Dhule district on Tuesday, plowing into four vehicles and a dhaba, say police. 4. The Indian consulate in San Francisco was allegedly vandalised by Khalistani separatists on Sunday, drawing sharp condemnation from the United States State Department. 5. Prime Minister Modi to visit 4 states over 2 days. On Friday the PM will be touring states like Rajasthan, Telangana, Chhattisgarh.
- The rebel group of Nationalist Congress Party followed the template set by the breakaway Shiv Sena faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, declaring its own 'group' and 'state unit' leaders and 'sacking' Jayant Patil, the state chief of the faction led by Sharad Pawar. Calling it 'structural changes', Praful Patel, sacked from the NCP a short while ago by Sharad Pawar, declared that Ajit Pawar has been appointed the 'Group Leader' of the party. Asked who the party's national president is, the 'Group Leader' responded 'Sharad Pawar is the national president', a statement bound to add to the row. Meanwhile, Sharad Pawar has removed three party leaders for attending the oath ceremony of his nephew Ajit Pawar as Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister on Sunday. The party's Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule has also demanded the disqualification of MPs Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare for allegedly engineering 'secretive' defections. 2. In a major setback for the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the CBI files a chargesheet against Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and his parents and former chief ministers Lalu Yadav and Rabri Devi in the land-for-jobs scam. Tejashwi and Lalu Yadav have been at the forefront of efforts to unite the opposition and played a key role in organising the mega meet of 16 opposition parties that was held in Patna on June 23. The land-for-jobs scam involves people allegedly being given employment in the Indian Railways from 2004 to 2009 - when Lalu Yadav was the railway minister - in return for land parcels being gifted or sold at cheap rates to the Yadav family.
- Nationalist Congress Party's Ajit Pawar, along with eight party leaders, join the Maharashtra government. Mr Pawar will share the Deputy Chief Minister post with BJP's Devendra Fadnavis. Ajit Pawar, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse Patil, Aditi Tatkare, Dhananjay Munde, Hasan Mushrif, Dharmaraj Babarao Atram, Sanjay Bansode and Anil Bhaidas Patil took oath today, the fourth swearing-in ceremony Maharashtra has seen in as many years. Welcoming Ajit Pawar into the fold, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said, 'Now we have 1 Chief Minister and 2 Deputy Chief Ministers. The double-engine government has now become triple engine. For the development of Maharashtra, I welcome Ajit Pawar and his leaders. Ajit Pawar's experience will help.' According to sources, Ajit Pawar has the support of 43 out of the 53 NCP MLAs. The move comes just days after Mr Pawar publicly expressed his desire to step down as Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly. Meanwhile, Sharad Pawar, deeply humiliated by his nephew's claim that the Nationalist Congress Party, the party he founded and nurtured for over two decades, is backing Ajit Pawar, today said the truth 'will be out soon'.
- Twenty-five people have died after a bus travelling from Maharashtra's Yavatmal to Pune caught fire in Buldhana on the Samruddhi Mahamarg Expressway. The incident happened around 2 am on Saturday. '25 bodies are extracted from the bus. A total of 32 people were travelling in the bus. 6-8 people are injured. Injured are being shifted to Buldhana Civil Hospital,' says Buldhana Police Deputy SP Baburao Mahamuni. 2. Parliament's Monsoon Session will start on July 20 and continue till August 11, says Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi. Though it may start in the old Parliament building, it is likely to shift to the new Parliament building mid-way, sources told Press Trust of India. Once it does, it will be the first session to be held in the new Parliament since its opening. The session is expected to be a stormy one as the Opposition parties were closing ranks to put up a united front against the Narendra Modi-led BJP in view of the Lok Sabha elections next year. 3. In another setback for Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), Aaditya Thackeray's close aide Rahul Kanal is set to join the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday. 4. In what is being called the biggest transaction in the history of India Inc, HDFC Bank takes over its parent, housing finance major HDFC. 5. Several cities across France have witnessed sporadic violence and looting in the fourth straight night of protests after the police shooting of 17-year-old Nahel, who was shot dead on Tuesday during a traffic stop in the Paris suburb of Nanterre. The French government said the violence had 'lessened', but the interior ministry still reported 1,311 arrests last night, the highest on any night since the protests began on Tuesday.
- Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, under fire over his handling of ethnic violence in the state for almost two months, was on the verge of resigning today but changed his mind under public pressure, a senior minister claims. Biren Singh started out for the Governor's House but turned around after a huge show of support outside his Imphal residence, the minister says. 2. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, who has steadfastly backed his jailed Minister V Senthil Balaji amid a massive row following a corruption case against him, will disregard both the letters sent by the Governor, say sources. 3. The draft of the proposed Uniform Civil Code for Uttarakhand is complete and the report of the expert Committee along with the draft code would soon be printed and submitted to the Government of Uttarakhand. 4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends the Valedictory Ceremony of the Centenary celebrations of Delhi University and lays the foundation stone of three buildings of the University. 5. The High Court of Karnataka dismisses a petition filed by Twitter, challenging several blocking and take-down orders issued by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, saying the company's plea was devoid of merits. 6. The US Supreme Court bans the use of race and ethnicity in university admissions, dealing a major blow to a decades-old practice that boosted educational opportunities for African-Americans and other minorities. 7. A third consecutive night of violent protests sparked by the killing of a teenager by a policeman has left 249 cops injured. President Emmanuel Macron has cut short a trip to Brussels and will hold a crisis meeting today.
- Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reaches Churachandpur, one of the worst-hit districts in Manipur ethnic violence by chopper after his convoy gets stopped by the police. Police says that Rahul Gandhi's convoy was stopped at Bishnupur, 20 kilometres from Imphal, over security concerns. The Congress leader then headed back to Imphal and took a helicopter instead of travelling to Churachandpur by road. 2. Chhattisgarh Congress to put up a united fight and Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel to lead it, says his arch rival and the state's new Deputy Chief Minister TS Singh Deo. Mr Singh Deo, who holds the state health portfolio, has been elevated as Chhattisgarh's Deputy Chief Minister, the first since the state was formed in 2000. The move has been seen as the Congress leadership's attempt to ensure that the bitter rivalry between the Singh Deo and Baghel camps does not tank its prospects in state polls due later this year. 3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi to chair a meeting of the Union Council of Ministers on July 3 amid talk of a possible Union Cabinet reshuffle ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The July 3 meeting is likely to be held at the newly-built convention centre at Pragati Maidan in the national capital, which will host the G20 summit in September. 4. A landslide triggered by heavy rain washes away part of a key highway in Uttarakhand's Chamoli, leaving tourists stranded. A portion of National Highway 7, which leads to Badrinath, is covered in debris near Chhinka in Chamoli district.
- Central Bureau of Investigation registers case to probe alleged irregularities in the recruitment of teachers for schools aided by Delhi government and run by Vedic Sanskrit Agricultural Education Society. According to CBI sources, Vedic Sanskrit Agriculture Senior Secondary School recently recruited 16 teachers against 18 vacancies. Six of these appointments, the CBI alleges, were made on the basis of forged documents and with the involvement of Krishan Rana, then chairman of the school's management committee. 2. Congress lodges complaint against BJP's IT cell chief Amit Malviya for allegedly mocking Rahul Gandhi in a tweet. The case has been filed in Bengaluru by Congress leader Ramesh Babu for malicious posts against senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. 3. Board of Control for Cricket in India Vice President Rajeev Shukla says a lot of centres and zones have been accommodated in the recently-released ICC Cricket World Cup schedule and Mohali, Punjab not getting a single match in the tournament is because the current stadium in Mohali did not meet the standards of ICC, whose consent is extremely important in finalising the venues for the tournament. Shukla's statement comes after Punjab Sports Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer had raised objections to the exclusion of Mohali from the WC schedule. 4. Businessman robbed of Rs 3 lakh and his two-wheeler at gunpoint by two men in Delhi's Kashmiri Gate area. This comes days after four armed men robbed a delivery agent and his associate of Rs 2 lakh in broad daylight inside the Pragati Maidan tunnel. The daring robbery was caught on CCTV cameras. 5. Canada Immigration Minister Sean Fraser announces that the government will create an open work-permit stream to allow 10,000 American H-1B visa holders to come and work in the country. In an official release, Canada's Ministry of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship says the program will also provide for study or work permits for the family members of H-1B visa holders.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi flags off two Vande Bharat trains, Bhopal to Indore and Bhopal to Jabalpur, from Bhopal's Rani Kamlapati railway station in Madhya Pradesh, where Assembly polls are due by the year-end. Three more Vande Bharat trains, Madgaon-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express, Dharwad-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express, and Hatia-Patna Vande Bharat Express, also virtually flagged off. 2. Man held in Delhi for allegedly defecating and urinating on the floor of a Mumbai-Delhi Air India flight mid-air. The incident took place onboard flight AIC 866 on 24 June, say police. According to the FIR, Ram Singh, a passenger on seat number 17F, defecated, urinated, and spat in row 9 of the aircraft. 3. Schedule of ICC World Cup 2023 announced. World Cup will start on 5 October, while India-Pakistan will play each other in Ahmedabad on 15 October and the final match of the World Cup will be held on 19 October. 4. Cinema often becomes a canvas for striking realities. And sometimes, a beautiful story inspires a heart-touching recreation in real life. This has come true in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr district when a woman office of the Indian Police Service lived the 'Swades' movement of her life. Cop Anukriti Sharma shares on social media how police's efforts to bring electricity to the home of a 70-year-old woman bore fruit.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived in Delhi last night after concluding his US and Egypt state visits, chairs a cabinet meeting in the national capital. Union Ministers Amit Shah, Nirmala Sitharaman, Hardeep Singh Puri along with senior officials attended the meeting. 2. Calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visits to the US and Egypt an 'important milestone' in India's diplomacy, Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw says the grand welcome that he received in the two countries was a recognition of his efforts to take the country to a 'greater height' in geopolitics. 3. Hundreds of commuters stranded in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi district as the Chandigarh-Manali national highway was blocked following flash floods and landslides, officials have said. The 70-km Mandi-Pandoh-Kullu stretch has been badly affected. 4. A delivery agent and his associate were allegedly robbed of Rs 2 lakh at gunpoint by four unidentified men inside the Pragati Maidan tunnel in Delhi, Police have said. Following the incident, the Aam Aadmi Party attacks Delhi LG V K Saxena over the law and order situation in the national capital. 5. Union Minister Amit Shah meets PM Modi and briefs him on the developments in Manipur.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi receives Egypt's highest state honour, 'Order of the Nile', from Egypt President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. This is the 13th such highest state honour that various countries across the world have conferred upon PM Modi.PM Modi visits Egypt's historic 11th century al-Hakim Mosque and the Heliopolis Commonwealth War Cemetery in Cairo. PM Modi also holds talks with the Egypt President, who had invited him to visit the nation. This is the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Egypt in 26 years. 2. Mutinous Russian mercenary fighters who surged most of the way to Moscow have agreed to turn back to avoid bloodshed, their leader has said, in a de-escalation of what had become a major challenge to President Vladimir Putin's grip on power. 3. After a stand-off between a mob led by women and security forces that had cordoned off Itham village in Imphal East where a dozen members of militant group KYKL were hiding, the Army took a mature decision to not risk civilian lives and left with seized weapons and ammunition, officials has said. The Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL), a Meitei militant group, was involved in a number of attacks, including the ambush of a 6 Dogra unit in 2015. 4. The big weather concern two workers drown in an overflowing drain. The two people died after heavy rain in Mumbai's Govandi. 5. A woman have died at the New Delhi railway station after getting electrocuted amid waterlogging due to incessant rains in the national capital. Sakshi Ahuja, a resident of Preet Vihar in East Delhi, reached the railway station around 5:30 in the morning along with two women and three children. She held on to an electric pole to avoid puddles when she suffered a massive jolt of power, causing her death.
- 16 Opposition parties are meeting in Patna today to chalk out a roadmap for the ambitious anti-BJP front ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar, who is hosting the meeting along with his deputy and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav, received Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, general secretary in charge of organisation, KC Venugopal, and party leader Rahul Gandhi at the airport. 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's second day in the US sees several big ticket announcements aimed at boosting ties between the two countries, ranging from the areas of defence cooperation to space expeditions to visa rules. In a massive push to the Narendra Modi government's Make In India pitch, General Electric's aerospace arm has announced that it has teamed up with the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to make fighter jet engines for Indian Air Force in India. 3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's nearly hour-long address to the US Congress evokes multiple standing ovations, applauses and cheers from American lawmakers and chants of 'Modi, Modi' from members of the diaspora community sitting in the grand House Chamber at the US Capitol. 4. Nearly 4.96 lakh people have been severely affected in 22 districts of Assam as the flood situation deteriorated on Thursday. One person died in Tamulpur after drowning in flood waters. 5. Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur successfully conducted a test flight for cloud seeding, says a statement issued by the premier institution.
- In a landmark announcement, GE Aerospace has said it has inked a pact with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to jointly produce fighter jet engines for Indian Air Force's Light Combat Aircraft (LCA)-Mk-II - Tejas. The announcement came during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first state visit to the US at the invitation of President Joe Biden. 2. The AAP will walk out of Friday's meeting of opposition leaders in Patna if the Congress does not promise its support against the Centre's ordinance on the control of administrative services in Delhi, party sources has said. 3. In Washington, PM Modi will be heading bilateral talks in and address the Congress in a state dinner on the third day of his visit to the US. The PM will also take questions from the press according to the White House. 4. After Ajit Pawar's sudden appeal to be relieved of the responsibility as Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly, the party's working president Supriya Sule says it will be an organisational decision. 5. A large group of people gathered near a temple in east Delhi's Mandawali to protest against the removal of a grill, a part of the temple, during an encroachment drive carried out by Public Works Department in Delhi, police has said.
- The Enforcement Directorate conducts raids at 15 locations in Mumbai in connection with a money laundering case against businessman Sujit Patkar, who is said to be a close associate of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, an official has said. Mr Patkar and his three partners allegedly bagged Mumbai civic body contracts fraudulently for managing COVID-19 field hospitals during the pandemic, the official has said. 2. India hits out at China for blocking a move to designate Pakistan-based LeT leader Sajid Mir as a 'global terrorist' by the UN, saying it shows a lack of genuine political will to fight the scourge of terrorism. 3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will celebrate the International Day of Yoga on June 21 at the United Nations Headquarters with the UN leadership and members of the international community. Arrangements have also been made in different parts of the country to celebrate the occasion and spread awareness of the benefits of ancient Indian practice. 4. India celebrates International Yoga Day. Top ministers, Army, police all showcase yoga asanas. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh joins hundreds of Navy personnel on board INS Vikrant, India's first indigenously built aircraft carrier in Kochi, to participate in the yoga celebrations on the occasion of the International Day of Yoga. 5. Two transgenders were brutally murdered in Hyderabad's Daibagh area on Tuesday night, police has said. Cops said that they were killed with stones and a knife when they were on their way back home on a scooter. The victims have been identified as Yusuf alias Dali (25) and Riaz alias Sophia (30). 6. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya to review heatwave preparedness with the affected states over a video conference today, informed health department sources.
- The Supreme Court has refused to interfere with the Calcutta High Court's order regarding the deployment of central forces in West Bengal for the upcoming panchayat elections and dismissed the plea challenging it. A vacation bench comprising Justice BV Nagarathna and Justice Manoj Misra rejected the plea filed by the West Bengal State Election Commission and WB State. 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has left for the US on a state visit that is being projected as a milestone in ties between the two countries that would deepen and diversify their partnership. The visit is expected to see the two countries expand cooperation in defence industry and high technology sectors, with India getting access to critical American technologies that Washington rarely shares with non-allies. During his visit to New York, PM Modi will meet a galaxy of leaders from various walks of life, including Tesla co-founder Elon Musk, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, and American investor Ray Dalio among others. 3. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya chairs a high-level meeting to review public health preparedness to deal with heatwave conditions prevailing in parts of the country, said that a team of officers will be sent to states experiencing heatwaves to assist the state governments. 4. Soon after the World Health Organisation flags seven India-made syrups during a probe on contaminated medicines and syrups linked to over 300 deaths globally, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya asserts that India follows a zero-tolerance policy on spurious medicines. 5. Rescuers are racing against time to find a submarine that took tourists to the site of the Titanic shipwreck. Titan went missing less than two hours after it began diving on Sunday. It has a range of 96 hours, out of which 70 hours of oxygen remains.
- Five people were killed and at least 80 were injured as two buses collided head-on in Tamil Nadu's Cuddalore district. The impact of the collision was so severe that the front portions of both vehicles were damaged. Immediately after the crash, members of the public and police rushed the injured to the hospital. The front portion of the two vehicles were completely damaged in the accident that took place at Melpattampakkam in Panruti, Cuddalore district. 2. Gita Press said it was a matter of great honour to be conferred the Gandhi Peace Prize, but the publisher would not accept the cash component of the award keeping with its tradition of not receiving any kind of donations. The trustee board of the press met in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, on Sunday after the award was announced and decided not to receive the cash component of Rs 1 crore. 3. All Hindi films, including 'Adipurush', have been banned in Nepal following a controversy over its dialogues, including the mention of Sita as 'India's daughter'. According to reports, the screening of Om Raut-directed 'Adipurush' has been halted nationwide, after the movie, a retelling of epic Ramayana, was banned in Kathmandu and Pokhara.
- Fifty-four people have died and around 400 hospitalised in Uttar Pradesh's Ballia in the last three days amid soaring temperatures in the district, with officials offering divergent explanations for the deaths. 23 patients died on June 15, 20 the next day, and 11 yesterday. After government doctors posted at the eastern Uttar Pradesh district said on record the deaths could be linked to a heatwave, a senior government doctor from Lucknow, incharge of a probe committee formed to look into the matter, today dismissed heat as the reason. 2. Two women died after being shot by unidentified shooters in Delhi's RK Puram police station area during the early morning hours of Sunday, say police. According to Manoj C, Deputy Commissioner of Police South West Delhi, police had received a call at 4:40 am in RK Puram police station stating that some people had shot the caller's sisters at Ambedkar Basti. 3. After devastation in Gujarat, Cyclone Biparjoy has led to a flood-like situation in Rajasthan's Barmer. Chauhtan area of Barmer district has recorded maximum rainfall in the last 24 hours. Heavy rain has led to a flood-like situation in the desert areas of Rajasthan. 4. A day ahead of Shiv Sena's foundation day, the Uddhav Thackeray's faction holds a key meet of its office bearers in Mumbai. 5. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives in China on the highest-level trip by a US official in nearly five years, with the rival powers looking to lower the temperature after soaring tensions.
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah visits Mandvi Civil Hospital and meets the people admitted there after being affected by Cyclone Biparjoy. Meanwhile, Amit Shah also met the people of Kathda village in Mandvi district. Earlier today, Union Home Minister conducted an aerial survey of areas affected due to Cyclone Biparjoy in Gujarat's Kutch. Later during the day, the Home Minister is scheduled to hold a review meeting with Patel and other senior officers. 2. More than 2,400 tourists, including 60 college students were stranded in Lachen and Lachung area of North Sikkim district due to road blockades following incessant rainfall since the last three days, say officials. 3. Two civilians were injured as mobs clashed with security forces overnight in Imphal town and attempts were made to torch the houses of BJP leaders, say officials. 4. BJP's Tamil Nadu State secretary SG Suryah was arrested by the Madurai district cyber crime police on Friday in Chennai in connection with his recent tweet on Madurai MP Su Venkatesan, say police. 5. The BJP will lose all 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh in the 2024 Lok Sabha Polls if opposition parties support the Samajwadi Party with a 'big heart', Akhilesh Yadav says at an NDTV Conclave in Lucknow. He says all parties that are opposed to the BJP have a responsibility to do so. 6. BJP respects the wrestlers and nobody is being shielded, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya says at an NDTV conclave when asked about the party's alleged silence on the sexual harassment case against BJP MP and Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Cyclone Biparjoy has started making much awaited landfall near Jakhau Port in Gujarat's Kutch district after churning across the Arabian Sea for over 10 days as multi-agency response teams remain alert for relief and rescue efforts, while about one lakh people have been moved to safer places in the state. The landfall process will be completed by midnight, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said. Strong winds and heavy rains batter Kutch and Saurashtra coasts as hundreds of personnel from disaster management agencies and other departments remain on high alert for relief and rescue operations. Three persons have been injured in Devbhoomi Dwarka district after a tree fell on them.
- At least nine people were killed and 10 injured when suspected miscreants attacked a village in the Khamenlok area of ethnic strife-hit Manipur, officials have said. The armed miscreants surrounded the Kuki village of Khamenlok area bordering Imphal East district and Kangpoki district and launched the attack, officials said. The Manipur government extends the ban on the internet in the state till June 15 in view of the prevailing situation. 2. Tamil Nadu minister and DMK leader V Senthil Balaji, who had a heart episode hours after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate, has been remanded in judicial custody till June 28. He has been advised a CABG-bypass surgery 'at the earliest' after undergoing an angiogram test. 3. Triggered by Cyclone Biparjoy, rainfall is expected in Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, New Delhi and Uttar Pradesh in the next four days, weather forecasting agency Skymet has told NDTV. Cyclone Biparjoy, after making landfall, will lose its intensity and move as a depression over south-southwest Rajasthan before moving northeast. 4. Former President Donald Trump pleads not guilty in a Miami courtroom to federal charges he mishandled state secrets and immediately resumed rallying supporters behind his 2024 presidential bid. 5. The Calcutta High Court constitutes a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the death of IIT Kharagpur student Faizan Ahmed. This comes after the second autopsy of Faizan Ahmed's body, sources say, referred to injuries sustained before death which were homicidal in nature. The court also allowed a narco test on anyone that the SIT suspects could be involved in the case.
- The three-day G20 development ministers' meeting kicked off in Varanasi on Sunday. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a special video message asks G20 members to study India's 'aspirational district' model of development. 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds a review meeting as cyclone Biparjoy intensifies into an 'extremely severe cyclonic storm'. It is likely to make landfall between Gujarat's Kutch and Karachi in Pakistan on Thursday afternoon. Officials in the Kutch district have started shifting people from low-lying areas to temporary shelters. 3. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis dismisses allegations from the Opposition that the police used lathicharge to disperse devotees at a Pune temple ahead of a ceremonial procession. While Opposition parties demand a high-level probe and strict action, Mr Fadnavis claims it was 'only a little altercation'. 4. Union Home Minister Amit Shah takes a swipe at Congress and DMK over dynasty politics and alleged corruption, calling them '2G, 3G, 4G' parties and says the time has come in Tamil Nadu to throw away these and give the power to a 'son of the soil'. 5. The Governor-led committee announced by Centre to restore peace in Manipur, which has been roiled by ethnic clashes, comprises 51 members including those from the warring Meitei and Kuki communities. Several representatives of Kuki groups say they are not happy that they have been appointed to the committee without their consent.
- Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal hits out at Centre over its ordinance on control of services in the national capital, says Delhi is the first to be 'attacked' and similar ordinances will also be brought for other states. At Aam Aadmi Party's 'Maha Rally' at Ramlila Maidan, the party's national convener says Centre's ordinance is an insult to the people of the city. 2. Bharatiya Janata Party launches a 'poster attack' on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, both online and offline. The official account of BJP tweets a poster, based on the poster of a recent movie 'Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai', taking a jibe at AAP chief. 3. Rajasthan Congress leader Sachin Pilot disappoints pundits angling for him to launch a political outfit or dramatically escalate his feud with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, as he leads a mega event to mark the death anniversary of his father, Rajesh Pilot, in his home turf of Dausa. The 45-year-old, however, strives to hard sell his credentials as a crusader against corruption and for helping the disadvantaged, even at the cost of putting his own party's government in the crosshairs. 4. Delhi Police asks women wrestlers who filed a harassment case against Wrestling Federation of India chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh to produce pictures, videos, or WhatsApp chat messages to support their allegations. The police have tried to gather evidence on their own as well. 5. The weather office says that cyclone Biparjoy has intensified into an 'extremely severe cyclonic storm'. According to forecasting agencies, the storm has been undergoing 'rapid intensification'. 6. Indian student Lovepreet Singh, who was scheduled to be deported from Canada on Tuesday, gets some relief after the Canadian government puts the move on hold. He is among 700 Indian students who face deportation over fake 'admission offer' letters.
- Sharad Pawar announces Supriya Sule and Praful Patel working presidents of the Nationalist Congress Party. Mr Pawar made the announcement at the 25th anniversary of the party, founded by him and P A Sangma in 1999. The announcement was made in presence of Ajit Pawar, a key player in NCP. 2. Wrestlers hold Khap Panchayat in Sonipat. Olympian Sakshee Malikkh says decision on resuming protest will be taken after June 15. She says, 'Don't trust Delhi Police's probe'. 3. The Centre constitutes a committee in Manipur headed by the governor to facilitate the peace-making process among various ethnic groups and initiate dialogue between conflicting parties. 4. Cyclone Biparjoy: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa and other coastal regions on alert after meteorologists warn that a cyclonic storm over the Arabian sea would intensify over the next 24 hours.
- A man armed with a knife attacked a group of pre-school children playing by a lake in the French Alps, wounding four as well as an adult and sending shockwaves through the country. A video of the attack shows the suspect running at the park and zeroing on a child in a pram. A woman tries to block him, however, he dashes from the side and stabs the child multiple times. The suspect is a Syrian in his early 30s who was granted refugee status in Sweden in April, news agency AFP reports. Witnesses describe the suspected knifeman running around in a frenzy, apparently attacking people at random, before he was shot by police near the banks of Lake Annecy. 2. Decomposing body parts carried out of a home near Mumbai in plastic bags and bedsheets brought back memories of the grisly Shraddha Walkar murder case, as police arrested a man for killing his live-in partner and chopping up her corpse and even boiling some pieces in a pressure cooker. The victim, identified as 32-year-old Saraswati Vaidya, was found in her apartment on the seventh floor of a residential building in Geeta Nagar area of Mira Road, late Wednesday, according to a senior official at the Naya Nagar police station. 3. The Reserve Bank of India leaves its key interest rate unchanged for a second straight policy meeting but signalled that it wants to see inflation moderate more while preserving the growth momentum. The monetary policy committee (MPC), which has three members from RBI and an equal number of external experts, voted unanimously to keep the benchmark repurchase, or repo rate unchanged at 6.50 per cent.
- Hours after Olympian wrestler Bajrang Punia tells NDTV that protests against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, BJP MP and Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief, would continue unless action was taken on sexual harassment charges against him, Union Home Minister Amit Shah invited the protesters for a second round of talks, sources say. In his interview with NDTV, Bajrang Punia says the protesters were asked by the government to keep their Saturday meeting with Amit Shah a secret. He also denies any setting with the Home Minister and says the protesters would not back down on their demands. 2. With placards and appeals to stop the ethnic violence in Manipur, women from the state's Kuki tribe protest outside Union Home Minister Amit Shah's residence in New Delhi. Despite his assurance that peace will be restored, attacks on our community have continued in Manipur. Lives are at stake here. Only the Home Minister and Prime Minister Narendra Modi can help us, one protester tells NDTV. 3. A relief aircraft will depart from Mumbai at 1 pm for Russia's Magadan to take stranded Air India passengers to San Francisco, Air India sources say. An Air India flight which was headed to San Francisco from New Delhi, was diverted to Magadan on Tuesday after it developed an engine issue. 4. Odisha death toll rises to 288 but there are over 80 unclaimed bodies. The CBI probe is on, the bodies decompose as the government orders DNA tests. 5. Ukraine evacuates thousands of people from flooded areas after an attack on a major Russian-held dam unleashed a torrent of water, inundating two dozen villages and sparking fears of a humanitarian disaster. 6. India take on Australia in World Test Championship final. ICC prepares back-up pitch for the World Test Championship final.
- The Railway Board today details the events leading to the catastrophic triple train accident in Odisha's Balasore on Friday night that killed at least 288 people and left over 1,000 injured. Railways Minister Ahswini Vaishnaw has said the accident was caused due to an issue with the 'electronic interlocking system'. The Bahanaga Bazar station in Balasore, where the horrific crash took place, is a four-line station, the railways explained, adding that there are two main lines in the middle and two loop lines on either side. There were goods trains loaded with iron ore on both the loop lines. The Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express was travelling from Chennai to Howrah and Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express was coming from Howrah. The signal was green on both the main lines. Coromandel Express was going at 128 kmph and the other passenger train was at a speed of 126 kmph. The limit is 130 kmph, hence none of them was overspeeding, Jaya Verma Sinha, Member, Operations and BD, Railway Board, said. 2. Asserting that the then Union Railway Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri tendered his resignation when an accident took place, Nationalist Congress Party Chief Sharad Pawar demands Ashwini Vaishnaw's resignation after a tragic accident in Odisha that occurred on Friday. 3. India's top auditing body, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, in a 2022 report on derailments in Indian Railways sought to find out whether measures to prevent derailments and collisions were clearly laid down and implemented by the rail ministry. It flagged severe shortfalls in inspections, failure to submit or accept inquiry reports after accidents, not utilising a dedicated railway fund on priority tasks, declining trend in funding track renewal, and inadequate staffing in safety operations as serious concerns.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi says strong action would be taken against anyone found guilty in the train crash in Odisha that killed 288 people. Speaking to reporters after visiting the accident site and meeting the injured persons at a hospital in Balasore district, Modi said he was unable to find words to express his pain. Meanwhile, 'The Indian Navy is working in close coordination with Odisha State Administration to provide medical relief and support at the site of the Coromandel Express accident near Balasore on Friday, said an official release. At the same time, around 48 trains were cancelled, mostly in the Southern and South Eastern Railway Zones, while 39 were diverted and 10 short-terminated following the tragedy. According to the latest data released by the two zones, the South Eastern Railway cancelled trains such as the Chennai-Howrah Mail, the Darbhanga-Kanniyakumari Express and the Kamakhya-LTT Express journey commencing on June 3. It has also cancelled the Patna-Puri Special train with journey commencing on June 4. In the midst of all this, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has advised airline companies to keep an eye on the unusual surge in fares of flights coming to and from Bhubaneswar. The Ministry of civil aviation (MoCA) has issued an advisory to all airline companies not to increase fares.
- BJP MP and Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh allegedly groped women athletes, asked inappropriate personal questions, demanded sexual favours to back their careers, brushed his hands across a minor's breast and stalked her, two First Information Reports, or FIRs, against him say. Mr Singh is also accused of creating problems for, and denying professional opportunities to, those who rejected his alleged sexual advances. 2. Amid the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's alleged studied silence on escalating protests demanding the immediate arrest of Wrestling Federation of India chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, BJP's Maharashtra MP Pritam Munde today says cognisance should be taken of a complaint made by any woman. 3. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi expresses confidence in an united opposition's potential to remove the BJP from power after next year's national elections. Mr Gandhi, who is currently on a US tour, was interacting with journalists at the National Press Club in Washington yesterday. 4. The Law Commission strongly backs the sedition law and says it should be retained with changes linked to the circumstances of its use. Repealing the law - Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code - would be to 'turn a blind eye to the glaring ground realities existing in India,' the Commission says in its report to the government. 5. US senators voted to suspend the federal debt limit Thursday, capping weeks of fraught negotiations to eliminate the threat of a disastrous credit default just four days ahead of the deadline set by the Treasury.
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah warns of strict action against those who did not surrender arms in violence-hit Manipur. He also announces a probe into the violence and a peace committee as part of a plan to restore stability in the state. 2. Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait says the final decision on the issue of wrestlers' protest will be taken at a meeting in Haryana tomorrow. The farmers and the khaps of Haryana have been extending support to the wrestlers and what remains to be decided is the strategy to pursue. Mr Tikait, who had persuaded the wrestlers not to consign their medals to the Ganga on Monday, made it clear that they will leave no stone unturned. 3. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal sends third message to Congress seeking support against Centre's proposed law to restore Lieutenant Governor's control over transfer and postings of bureaucrats in the national capital. Congress has so far been on the fence of Centre's executive order last month which nullified a Supreme Court order that upheld the elected government's control over bureaucrats.
- A 20-year-old man arrested for the chilling murder of a girl on a Delhi street confesses to committing the crime in a fit of rage and says he has no regrets. The 16-year-old girl died after she was stabbed 22 times and crushed with a rock, in a brutal attack witnessed by dozens. Sahil, an AC repairman, was arrested from Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh yesterday. He has been sent to police custody. During his overnight interrogation, he said he had no regrets, the police said today. 2. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who is on a mission to restore peace in strife-torn Manipur, will hold a series of meetings with political and civil society leaders from both the Meitei and Kuki communities and visit Churachandpur, the site of some of the worst violence earlier this month. 3. The Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government completes nine years today. PM Modi, terming it as nine years of seva, says every decision taken in the past nine years was meant to 'improve the lives of people'. 'Today, as we complete 9 years in service to the nation, I am filled with humility and gratitude. Every decision made, every action taken, has been guided by the desire to improve the lives of people. We will keep working even harder to build a developed India. hashtag 9YearsOfSeva,' he tweeted. 4. Ten people died after an overcrowded bus carrying pilgrims to the Vaishno Devi shrine skidded off a bridge and fell into a gorge in Jammu and Kashmir this morning, say police. As many as 55 were injured and have been taken to the hospital. Some of them are said to be critically injured. A distressing video has surfaced on Twitter that shows garbage, abandoned tents, and plastic waste thrown at a camp on Mount Everest.
- This is not just a complex but a symbol of the aspirations of 140 crore Indians, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said about the new parliament building, which he inaugurated in a grand ceremony that saw attendance from 25 parties. 20 opposition parties are boycotting the event, accusing the PM of completely sidelining President Droupadi Murmu. PM Modi has said as India surges ahead, the new parliament building will also contribute to the world's progress. 2. Less than two kilometres away from the grand inauguration of the country's new parliament, chaos has unfolded in the heart of the capital as top wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia, has been detained by Delhi Police while attempting to march towards the new parliament building. The Olympics and Commonwealth Games medal-winning champions seen being shoved, pushed and dragged into buses in scenes that stoked widespread outrage. 3. Commandos of the Manipur Police have been engaging insurgents for over eight hours today in several areas of the state hit by ethnic violence, sources have told NDTV. Chief Minister N Biren Singh tells reporters today they have got reports that '40 terrorists' have been shot dead.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi has chaired the eighth governing council meeting of the Niti Aayog. Themed on 'Viksit Bharat 2047: Role of Team India', the meeting was held at the new Convention Centre in the national capital's Pragati Maidan. Eight Chief Ministers skips the NITI Aayog Council meeting presides over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi. Rajasthan's Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has cited health reasons for not attending, and Kerala's Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has not given any specific reason for his absence. The BJP lashes out at chief ministers who boycotted the governing council meeting of the NITI Aayog, calling their decision anti-people and irresponsible. 2. Amid the row over the Centre's ordinance on control of administrative services in the national capital, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal meets his Telangana counterpart K Chandrashekhar Rao in Hyderabad. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor seeks the support of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) against the Centre's ordinance which the party claims circumvent the Supreme Court order. 3. The Congress government in Karnataka expands its cabinet by inducting 24 ministers thereby filling all the 34 ministerial positions a week after assuming power in the state. Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot administers the oath of office and secrecy to these 24 ministers. 4. A special Rs 75 coin will be launched to commemorate the inauguration of the new parliament building, the Ministry of Finance says. The commemorative coin will serve as a tribute to India celebrating 75 years of independence and will be unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday. 5. 12 killed in Rajasthan's tonk after thunderstorm. Unexpected thunderstorm. Thunderstorm's cross North India after heatwave like conditions. Unusual weather conditions continue to persist across the country.
- Row over the Parliament inauguration escalates. Top BJP leaders attack opposition parties over boycott. Congress says false narrative by BJP on the new Parliament. 2. Congress leaders held discussions with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar over expansion of the state Cabinet, sources say. Both the leaders met Congress general secretary in-charge for Karnataka Randeep Surjewala and the party's general secretary, organisation, K C Venugopal. They then held meetings with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge separately at his residence. 3. The Supreme Court grants interim bail to former Delhi minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Satyendar Jain for six weeks in a money laundering case. The court also imposes various conditions including neither talking with the media nor leaving Delhi without permission. 4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair the Niti Aayog Governing Council meeting. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will not attend the Niti Aayog meeting in the national capital on Saturday to protest the alleged discrimination against the state by the Centre over the issue of grant of funds, a party leader says. 5. Meta Platforms Inc, owner of Facebook, slash jobs across its business and operations units as it carries out its last batch of a three-part round of layoffs, part of a plan announced in March to eliminate 10,000 roles. Dozens of employees working in teams such as marketing, site security, enterprise engineering, program management, content strategy and corporate communications took to LinkedIn to announce that they were laid off.
- Four people are sentenced to 7 years in prison by a Rajasthan court for killing a farmer over the suspicion of cattle smuggling in 2018. Rakbar Khan and his friend Aslam were attacked by a mob of cow vigilantes in Rajasthan's Alwar in July 2018, when they were taking their two cow's home. Rakbar was beaten with sticks and stones while his friend managed to escape. 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi takes a veiled swipe at the opposition for their decision to boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament building. The PM arrives in Delhi after concluding a three-nation visit to Japan, Papua New Guinea and Australia. Referring to his community event in Sydney recently that saw a crowd of over 20,000 people turn up to hear him, PM Modi says that not only the Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, was in the audience, but also the country's former PM and opposition MPs who were together for the sake of their nation. 3. Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that senior leaders were being pressured into resigning from his party amid a crackdown, as a former cabinet minister became the latest to quit. Rights monitors has said authorities have detained thousands of supporters of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party since days of street violence erupted over his brief arrest earlier this month. 4. Tina Turner, the American-born singer who left a hardscrabble farming community and abusive relationship to become one of the top recording artists of all time, dies at the age of 83. She died peacefully after a long illness in her home in Kusnacht near Zurich, Switzerland, her representative says.
- In a show of unity, 19 opposition parties, including the Congress, Left and TMC has announced their decision to boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament building by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying they find no value in a new building when the soul of democracy has been sucked out. Noting that the inauguration of the Parliament building is a momentous occasion, the opposition parties in a joint statement has said, 'Despite our belief that the government is threatening democracy, and our disapproval of the autocratic manner in which the new Parliament was built, we were open to sinking our differences and marking this occasion'. 2. As a major cultural symbol of India's independence, a historic sceptre, 'Sengol', which marked the transfer of power from the Britishers in 1947, will be placed in the new Parliament building, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said. 'Sengol' is a symbol of historic legacy, which was used by former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on August 14, 1947, when the transfer of power took place from the British. 3. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal meets Shiv Sena (UBT) head Uddhav Thackeray at the latter's residence in Mumbai to seek support for the AAP's fight against the Centre's ordinance on control of services in Delhi. 4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has raised with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese India's concerns over incidents of attacks on temples and activities of pro-Khalistani elements in Australia, even as the two sides aimed to firm up a comprehensive trade pact by the end of the year. 5. Siddaramaiah and DK Shivkumar will head to Delhi this evening. The Karnataka CM and his deputy will meet the congress high command amid protest. The Karnataka cabinet portfolios will be discussed later today. 5. The inflation has moderated, but the central bank cannot be complacent towards easing price pressures yet as potential weather-related uncertainties linger, the governor of the Reserve Bank of India has said. 'The war on inflation is not over; we have to remain alert' Shaktikanta Das has said at an event in New Delhi. 6. An impressive track record, no risk says GQG partners chairman Rajeev Jain raising stake in Adani Group Companies.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi is 'The Boss', his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese says at a grand community event in Sydney for the Indian diaspora. In his introductory remarks, Mr Albanese refers to the vast audience and compares PM Modi's popularity to that of legendary rockstar Bruce Springsteen, who is also known by fans as 'The Boss'. The last time I saw someone on this stage was Bruce Springsteen and he did not get the welcome that Prime Minister Modi has got. Prime Minister Modi is The Boss, says the Australian PM, drawing a grin from the Prime Minister and cheering and applause from the tens of thousands gathered at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney. 2. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) tells the Delhi High Court that withdrawal of Rs 2000 notes is not demonetisation but a statutory exercise, and the decision to enable their exchange was taken for operational convenience. The court was hearing a plea by lawyer Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay that the notifications by the RBI and SBI enabling exchange of Rs 2000 banknotes without proof were arbitrary and against the laws enacted to curb corruption. 3. As part of a nationwide tour to garner support for his fight against the Centre's ordinance on control of services in Delhi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will be meeting his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata on Tuesday afternoon, an official says. Mr Kejriwal will be accompanied by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to take on the Central ordinance setting up a National Capital Civil Service Authority which essentially overturns a Supreme Court order last week giving control of services, excluding those related to police, public order and land, to the elected government in Delhi. 4. Cough syrup exporters will have to undertake testing of their products at specified government laboratories from June 1 before getting permission for the outbound shipments. The direction has come after quality concerns were raised globally for cough syrups exported by Indian firms. 5. Four-time Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) continues their largely consistent run in the league with yet another playoffs qualification following a win over Delhi Capitals (DC) in their last league match on Saturday, with openers Devon Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad playing a massive role in their side's success this year.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in Sydney for the third and final leg of his three-nation tour during which he will hold talks with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese and attend a community event to celebrate the country's dynamic, diverse Indian diaspora. The PM is visiting Australia from May 22-24 as a guest of the Australian government. 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi conferred with highest honours by Fiji and Papua New Guinea. The PM has been conferred with the island nations' highest civilian awards during his recent visit to Papua New Guinea to attend the third India-Pacific Islands Cooperation Summit. He has been conferred with the 'The Companion of the Order of Fiji' by his Fijian counterpart Sitiveni Rabuka for his global leadership, in a rare honour for a non-Fijian. 3. Reserve Bank of India does not have a plan to reintroduce Rs 1,000 bank notes to ease the impact following the withdrawal of Rs 2,000 notes, says RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das, calling reports on the subject 'speculative'. Mr Das also says that no one should rush to return or exchange their Rs 2,000 notes. 4. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who volunteered to act as the interlocutor for opposition unity ahead of the 2024 general elections, meets Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi in Delhi. The meeting, coming on the heels of one with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, was meant to fix a date for a big opposition meeting, which was being planned since before the Karnataka assembly election.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi receives a special welcome at Papua New Guinea when he arrives to host the third summit of the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation. Welcoming PM Modi, who is the first Indian Prime Minister to visit the Pacific Island nation, his counterpart James Marape touches his feet before according him a ceremonial welcome. 2. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, on a mission to unite opposition parties against BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, flies to Delhi and meets Arvind Kejriwal, who has proposed a Rajya Sabha plan that could be a semi-final before the general elections. Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav also attends the meeting. 3. Putting to rest speculations regarding whether any form or slip would be required while exchanging or depositing Rs 2,000 notes, the State Bank of India issues a guideline to all its branches saying it will be allowed 'without obtaining any requisition slip'.
- Siddaramaiah has been sworn in as Chief Minister of Karnataka for the second term today, along with the Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar as the Deputy Chief Minister. The oath ceremony took place at 12.30 PM at Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru, where Mr Siddaramaiah took oath in 2013, when he became Chief Minister for the first time. Among the opposition leaders invited to the event were Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the first time after Russia invaded Ukraine 15 months back and conveyed to him that India will do whatever is possible to find a solution to the conflict. In the meeting that took place on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Hiroshima, the prime minister has said that the war in Ukraine is a 'very big issue' for the whole world and that it has had many different impacts on the globe. 3. The Centre has approached the Supreme Court seeking review of May 11 Constitution bench judgement in which the apex court held that Delhi government has 'legislative and executive power over services' in the national capital. The Centre said in the petition, suffers from errors apparent on the face of the record and fails to consider the case. 4. The Central Bureau of Investigation has filed a chargesheet against Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in the 39-year-old anti-Sikh riots case. In its chargesheet filed before a special court in Delhi, the probe agency has said Jagdish Tytler 'incited, instigated and provoked the mob assembled' at the national capital's Pul Bangash area on November 1, 1984 that resulted in the killing of three Sikhs.
- The Supreme Court has asked the Bihar government to release the records on the early release of gangster-politician Anand Mohan, who was in jail for abetting the murder of an IAS officer. The request challenging the release has been filed by the wife of G Krishnaiah, the wife of the officer who was lynched by a mob led by former Bihar MP Anand Mohan in 1994. Mr Krishnaiah, who hailed from Telangana, was beaten to death by a mob in 1994 when his vehicle tried to overtake the funeral procession of gangster Chhotan Shukla in Muzaffarpur district. 2. Karnataka leader Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar both in Delhi today as lobbying for cabinet states intensifies. Meanwhile for the swearing-in ceremony tomorrow West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee says she will have to miss it due to tight schedule. 3. A third-year Sociology student allegedly shot himself dead after shooting his friend today after a dispute with her at a university campus in Uttar Pradesh's Noida, the police say. The incident occurred on the campus of Shiv Nadar University in Noida when Anuj, a third-year Sociology student, argued with his friend outside the dining hall on the university campus, the police add.
- Ending five days of suspense, Congress announces that Siddaramaiah will be the next Chief Minister of Karnataka and Mr Shivakumar his 'only deputy'. They will be sworn in on Saturday. 2. Kiren Rijiju removed as Union Law Minister and replaced by Arjun Ram Meghwal in a stunning move just a year before the national election. Mr Rijiju, known to be one of the government's most high-profile ministers and a troubleshooter, has been moved to the relatively low-key Ministry of Earth Sciences, less than a year after he was promoted to the Law Ministry with cabinet status. 3. Supreme Court upholds amendments made by Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Maharashtra to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, to allow the traditional bull-taming sports of Jallikattu and Kambala, and bullock-cart racing. A five-judge Constitution bench presided by Justice K M Joseph holds that the state amendments do not violate the Constitution and the Supreme Court's 2014 ruling banning Jallikattu. 4. Imprisoned Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman Tahawwur Rana, who is sought for his involvement in 2008 Mumbai terror attack, can be extradited to India, rules a US court in California. 5. Prince Harry and his wife Meghan were 'pretty nervous' as they were chased by paparazzi in New York, according to an Indian-American cab driver who drove them for about 10 minutes after picking them up at a police station in Manhattan. Sukhcharn Singh, the driver who drove the Duke and Duchess of Sussex briefly on Tuesday night as they were trailed in their car by photographers says he instantly recognised his passengers. 6. US President Joe Biden says he is confident a deal can be reached with Republicans leaders to avert a potentially catastrophic US debt default as early as June 1. In brief remarks at the White House, Biden says, 'The leaders have all agreed we will not default.'
- A MiG-21 fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed on a house in Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan on Monday, leaving three women dead and as many others injured on the ground, say officials. The pilot sustained minor injuries in the crash that took place at around 9:45 am, says the IAF. The plane was on a routine training sortie from the Air Force Station at Suratgarh in Ganganagar district, which is close to Hanumangarh. 2. At least 22 people, including seven children, were killed when a double-decker boat overturned and sank near a beach in Kerala's Malappuram district Sunday evening, the state government informs. 3. Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra holds a road-show in Vijayanagar Assembly segment, as part of the campaign for the May 10 Assembly elections in Karnataka. She was accompanied by Vijayanagar MLA M Krishnappa, who is seeking re-election from the segment, and his son Priya Krishna, the Congress candidate in the neighbouring Govindarajanagar constituency. 4. Several farmers break through police barricades to join the wrestlers' protest against Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh here even as Delhi Police denied any untoward incident at the site. 5. Wintry conditions revive in mid and higher hills of Himachal Pradesh as high-altitude tribal areas received fresh snowfall while moderate intermittent rains accompanied by thunderstorms lashed several parts of the state.
- A day after a massive three-hour roadshow in Karnataka's Bengaluru on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds a shorter roadshow on a different route today. The PM's party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, had said a mega eight-hour roadshow was planned earlier, but they decided to split it into two -- 26 km on Saturday and 10 km on Sunday, keeping the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) in mind, and to avoid inconvenience to the public. With just three days to go for the polls, the BJP's Assembly election campaign is in its last leg, and the party is going all-in to leverage the PM for the last push to retain power in what is expected to be a very closely contested election. 2. Day 15 of wrestlers protest against WFI Chief Brij Bhushan Singh. Farmer bodies have extended their support and have started reaching Jantar mantar demanding arrest of Brij Bhushan Singh. 3. The Government of Manipur partially relaxes the curfew from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM today to allow people to buy essential items. The decision was taken after the law and order situation improved in the Churachandpur district and after talks were held between the state government and various stakeholders, a notification stated. 4. Over 20 lakh students to appear for less than 2 lakh MBBS, BDS seats today. 5. A gunman opened fire at a crowded mall in the US state of Texas, killing at least eight people before being shot dead by a police officer, officials have said, in the latest in a relentless series of gun violence across the country.
- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reaches Jammu to take stock of the security situation in the border districts of Rajouri and Poonch, where terrorists have killed 35 people, including 26 soldiers, in eight attacks since October 2021. Soon after arriving, Mr Singh, accompanied by Army chief General Manoj Pande, left for Rajouri, where an anti-terrorist operation is underway in the forested Kandi area, say officials. Five army personnel were killed and a major-rank officer was injured during a combing operation, 'Operation Trinetra' in the Kandi area on Friday. A holed up terrorist was killed and one more is believed to be injured this morning. 2. Following the violence in Manipur, the Indian army and Assam Rifles have so far evacuated more than 16,000 people from the violence-hit areas of the North Eastern state. Several violent incidents took place in Churachandpur district on Friday night. Sources say that Churachandpur has witnessed a fresh round of violence after remaining peaceful for 18 hours. 3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds a mega roadshow in Bengaluru during the last leg of the campaigning for the Karnataka Assembly polls. Karnataka will go to polls on May 10 and the votes will be counted on May 13. During the roadshow panning nearly 26 km and covering nearly 13 constituencies, the people are queued up on both sides of the road where the Prime Minister's cavalcade is passing. While riding on the top of a truck, PM Modi waved his hands and acknowledged the crowd cheering for him. People also showered flower petals on him.
- The Nationalist Congress Party passes a resolution rejecting Sharad Pawar's resignation as party chief and requests him to continue to lead the party that he founded. According to sources, the decision was taken after a party's core committee met this morning to decide on the new national president of the NCP, following Sharad Pawar's decision to step down from the post. NCP leaders Ajit Pawar and Supriya Sule along were seen arriving at the party office in Mumbai to attend the meeting. Several top leaders of the party will attend the meeting, which sources said will decide the future of Maharashtra politics and the NCP. 2. Minutes after he welcomed Pakistan's Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari at the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) meeting in Goa, Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar makes a strong statement on the 'menace of terrorism', including cross-border terrorism. Pointing out that combatting terrorism is one of the original mandates of the SCO, Mr Jaishankar said the channel of finances for terrorist activities 'must be seized and blocked without distinction'. 3. In the wake of clashes in parts of Manipur, the Indian Army says that the situation in Moreh and Kangpokpi areas was brought under control and is stable. 4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Karnataka for the next three days to give the final mega push ahead of the elections in the state.
- An Advanced Light Helicopter Dhruv with three people on board crashes in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district. According to reports, at least two crew members have been injured. This is the third serious incident involving an ALH Dhruv in the last two months. 2. The Army holds a flag march in violence-hit areas in Manipur amid an ongoing protest by tribal groups over a court order on Scheduled Tribe status. Curfew was imposed in eight districts of Manipur last night after violence erupted in Imphal, Churachandpur and Kangpokpi. The Manipur government has also suspended mobile internet in the state. 3. Senior BJP leader K S Eshwarappa burns a copy of the election manifesto of the Congress and attacks the party for its proposal to ban Bajrang Dal if it came to power in Karnataka. Describing the outfit as a 'patriotic organisation', the former Deputy Chief Minister asks, 'How dare they (Congress) have courage to talk about banning Bajrang Dal'. 4. Wrestlers protesting at Delhi's Jantar Mantar allege they were manhandled by drunk policemen late Wednesday night. The wrestlers claim that they were assaulted by cops when they wanted to bring in folding beds to the protest site. 5. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrives at Goa's Dabolim airport to attend the two-day-long meeting of foreign ministers of the member states of the Shangai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) which begins today in the coastal State. 6. A committee formed by Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar to decide on his successor to meet on Friday, a senior NCP leader says. 7. Delhi sees an unusual episode of shallow fog much to the bemusement of its residents, who are used to a less-happening, sultry weather this time of the year. May has historically been the hottest month of the year in the city with a mean maximum temperature of 39.5 degrees Celsius.
- A day after Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar's shock announcement that he is stepping down from his position, the resistance to his move swells. Senior party leader Jitendra Ahwad offers to resign from his position in the party, while his colleague, Anil Patil, offers to quit as MLA. The resignations have not been accepted yet. 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi takes a jibe at Congress while saying that the royal family sitting in Delhi wants to make Karnataka its number one ATM. He adds says that BJP's resolve is to make Karnataka number one in the country, to strengthen the modern infrastructure in Karnataka, and to make Karnataka a 'manufacturing super power'. 3. It was the decision of the manifesto committee to include the ban on Bajrang Dal in its poll promises, says Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. 4. Congress leader Siddaramaiah is the most popular choice for the next Karnataka Chief Minister and incumbent Basavaraj Bommai of BJP ranks second, reveals 'Public Opinion', a special NDTV survey in partnership with Lokniti-Centre for the Study of Developing Societies. 5. Centre tells Supreme Court that a committee headed by the cabinet secretary will be constituted to explore administrative steps for addressing concerns of LGBTQIA community. 6. Days after critisising the MeToo protest against the federation chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, Indian Olympic Association president PT Usha meets the wrestlers at Delhi's Jantar Mantar. She leaves the protest site without talking to the media gathered there, however, wrestler Bajrang Punia says she has assured help to the players.
- Senior Maharashtra politician Sharad Pawar drops a bombshell as he announces his resignation as chief of the Nationalist Congress Party, redoubling speculation about his nephew Ajit Pawar drifting towards BJP. 'After a long period of public life from May 1, 1960, to May 1, 2023, it is necessary to take a step back,' says 82-year-old Sharad Pawar, who has played a pivotal role in bringing together opposition parties ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. 2. In its manifesto for the May 10 assembly elections in Karnataka, Congress equates banned Islamic outfit Popular Front of India with Bajrang Dal, the youth wing of the Sangh-affiliated Vishwa Hindu Parishad, saying it will ban such organisations that promote 'enmity or hatred, whether among majority or minority communities'. 3. In a sharp riposte hours after Congress releases its manifesto for Karnataka assembly elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says that the grand old party earlier had a problem with 'Lord Ram' and now it has vowed to lock those who chant 'Jai Bajrang Bali'. 4. Jailed gangster Tillu Tajpuriya killed in an attack by rival gang members inside Delhi's Tihar Jail. The preliminary autopsy report says the body had 92 wound marks. Tillu Tajpuriya, alias Sunil Mann, was thrashed with sharp-edged weapons allegedly by gangster Yogesh Tunda and his aides in the high-security prison.
- Implementation of Uniform Civil Code, 10 lakh jobs in the manufacturing sector and a State Capital Region tag for Bengaluru are among the top promises made by BJP in its manifesto for the May 10 Karnataka Assembly election. The document, named BJP Praja Pranalike, has been released in Bengaluru today by the party's national president JP Nadda. 2. Delhi Police begins questioning wrestlers who filed complaints against Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The police may also call Singh soon for questioning in the case. 3. Maha Vikas Aghadi to hold a rally at Mumbai's Bandra Kurla Complex today, which will be attended by leaders of Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress. In this rally of MVA, Uddhav Thackeray can directly attack the government of faction leader Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde. 4. In a big crackdown on terrorist activities, Centre bans 14 mobile messaging applications which were allegedly being used by terror groups, largely in Jammu and Kashmir, to communicate with their supporters and Over Ground Workers and also receive instructions from Pakistan. 5. Petroleum and oil marketing companies slash the price of commercial LPG cylinders by Rs 171.50. After the move, the latest retail price of a 19 kg LPG cylinder in Delhi now stands at Rs 1,856.50. 6. After the eighth flight of A C-130 Indian Airforce plane carrying 40 Indians reaches India, the number of evacuated Indians reaches the mark of 2,300, says External Affairs Minister Jaishankar. The number has reached the 2300 mark on the 8th flight however, following it, three more flights have carried 229, 288 and 135 passengers respectively, taking the number of evacuees to more than 2500.
- 1 people have died after they fell unconscious due to a gas leak incident at a factory in the Giaspura area of Ludhiana in Punjab. Four more people, who were taken ill, are undergoing treatment at a hospital, police say. A rescue team was rushed to the spot, and doctors, an ambulance, and a fire brigade team have also been stationed at the spot. A 50-member team of the National Disaster Response Force has also reached the site. The affected area has been cordoned off. 2. PM Modi's 'Mann Ki Baat' hits a century. 'Mann Ki Baat' 100th episode goes global gets aired live in London, New Jersery and New York. 3. Wrestlers given security after lodging FIR. 1 week of wrestlers protest demand action against the WFI Chief. Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, says will resign if it is needed to end the wrestlers protest. 4. Police were searching for a gunman believed to have shot dead five Hondurans including an eight-year-old child at a house in Texas, the local sheriff says, in the latest mass shooting to hit the United States. Investigators believe the gunman had been firing his AR-15 style gun in a neighboring yard when the victims asked him to stop, as they were trying to get a baby to sleep, US media reports.
- BJP's mega show of strength in Karnataka with the PM Modi, Amit Shah, JP Nadda, Rajnath Singh all holding rallies today in poll Karnataka with the PM Modi saying double engine government needed to make Karnataka number 1. 2. Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, facing serious allegations of sexual harassment by women athletes, says resigning from his post, as demanded by protesting wrestlers, wasn't a big deal for him, but he won't do it 'as a criminal'. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra meets protesting wrestlers at Delhi's Jantar Mantar to express solidarity with their demand. The Congress general secretary hit out at the Delhi Police for not providing a copy of the FIR filed against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. 3. Nine students have died by suicide in Andhra Pradesh after results of class 11 and 12 exams were declared by the Andhra Pradesh Board of Intermediate Examination. Two other students are said to have attempted suicide. As many as 10 lakh students appeared for the exam. The pass percentage in class 11 was 61, and it was 72 per cent in class 12. Reports say a 17-year-old boy killed himself in Srikakulam district by jumping in front of a train. The student of the intermediate first year, hailing from Dandu Gopalapuram village of the district, was said to be disheartened after failing in most of the papers. 4. Manipur remains tense arson continues and government properties set on fine on another day. This is as large gatherings are continued to be banned, mobile services continued to be suspended in Manipur's Churachandpur district. 5. Commander Abhilash Tomy, a retired Indian Navy officer, has become the first Indian to complete the prestigious Golden Globe Race. He has finished second in the race, a solo around-the-world sailing race, which started on September 4, 2022 from Les Sables-d'Olonne in France.
- Almost a decade after actor Jiah Khan's death by suicide, a special CBI court in Mumbai has acquitted her boyfriend and film star Sooraj Pancholi of abetment charges. Jiah Khan, 25, was found hanging at her Juhu home in Mumbai on June 3, 2013. Police later arrested Sooraj Pancholi on the basis of a six-page letter, purportedly written by Jiah, and booked him for abetment of suicide. Jiah's mother Rabia Khan had claimed that she was killed. 2. The Supreme Court will today hear a request by the country's top wrestlers against alleged sexual misconduct by the wrestling body chief, days after they renewed their protest in the national capital. 3. Large gatherings have been banned and mobile internet services suspended in Manipur's Churachandpur following violence ahead of Chief Minister N Biren Singh's visit to the district today. On Thursday, a mob vandalised and set on fire the venue of an event to be attended by the Chief Minister allegedly over the BJP government's survey of reserved and protected forests and areas like wetlands. 4. India sends out a strong message to China on border issue saying violation of existing agreements has eroded the entire basis off bilateral relations. China response, want 'Normalised Management' of border differences.
- A day after a blast carried out by Maoists left 10 police personnel dead in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada, NDTV has accessed an exclusive video that captures the moments right after the explosion. The video shows a policeman crawling into position before firing back at the rebels behind the blast that killed his colleagues. The short video, shot by another policeman who had taken cover under a vehicle after the blast, also shows the site of the explosion. In the video, a voice is heard saying amid gunshots, 'ud gaya, pura ud gaya' meaning 'the whole vehicle has blown up'. One can also see the margins of the crater, about 10 ft deep, left behind by the blast. Towards the end of the clip, gunshots can be heard. 2. The Calcutta High Court orders a probe by the National Investigation Agency into the violence that broke out during Ram Navami celebrations in West Bengal. Acting on a petition filed by BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, the high court orders the transfer of investigation to the anti-terror agency from the West police. 3. Congress leaders Randeep Singh Surjewala, Dr Parmeshwar and Chief of Karnataka Congress DK Shivakumar filed a police complaint against Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other BJP leaders, according to the complaint copy. In the complaint filed at Bengaluru's High Grounds police station, Amit Shah was alleged of making provocative statements, promoting enmity and hatred and maligning opposition during his recent rallies in the poll-bound Karnataka. 4. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will chair the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Defence Ministers Meeting on April 28 in New Delhi. Defence Ministers of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan will participate in the meeting. India has invited Belarus and Iran, currently observers in SCO, to participate in the SCO Defence Ministers' Meeting.
- Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal spent more than Rs 45 crore on renovating his residence, BJP says, accusing him of extravagant hypocrisy, and prompting emphatic rebuttals involving videos of crumbling ceilings by the ruling Aam Aadmi Party. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra says Mr Kejriwal, who leads the AAP, had betrayed his promise of promoting honesty and simplicity when he entered politics. He calls him a 'Maharaja' or king, and says he had a 'lust for luxury and comfort'. 2. Aamir Khan and Raveena Tandon along with Padma Awardees grace 'Mann Ki Baat 100' inaugural session chaired by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar. 3. Star campaigners in battleground Karnataka with Rajnath Singh, Nirmala Sitharaman, Yogi Adityanath and Shivraj Singh Chouhan all there in Karnataka today with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also leading the Congress charge in Karnataka on day 2 of her visit. 4. Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai has released a second audio clip, where his party claims state finance minister PTR Palanivel Thiaga Rajan is heard denigrating the ruling DMK and accusing Chief Minister MK Stalin's family of corruption. 5. The body of an IIT-Kharagpur student, who was found dead in his hostel room in October, must be exhumed and a fresh autopsy should be conducted, the Calcutta High Court has ordered. Faizan Ahmed, 23, was found dead in the hostel room on October 14 last year. The college authorities had said it was a case of suicide, but the family had alleged that he had been killed. 6. A formal meeting between Foreign Minister S Jaishankar of India and his Pakistani counterpart Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is unlikely to take place when the latter visits India next month for a meeting of a regional bloc, sources say. Two days ago, Mr Jaishankar indirectly criticised the country while speaking at a joint press conference with Panama's Foreign Minister Janaina Tewaney Mencomo in Panama City.
- Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut today says that Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is in depression as he is forced to work under his junior Eknath Shinde. This latest attack from the Rajya Sabha MP comes just a day after Mr Fadnavis took a "high at 9 am" swipe at him for his prediction that the Eknath Shinde-led government would collapse soon. 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi flags off Kerala's first Vande Bharat Express train from Thiruvananthapuram. The PM also inaugurated the Kochi Water Metro, a one-of-its-kind project that connects 10 islands through electric hybrid boats. The Vande Bharat train will cover 11 districts namely Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Pathanamthitta, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod. 3. Two days after some top Indian wrestlers resumed their protest against the wrestling federation chief's alleged sexual misconduct, the Supreme Court today issues notice to Delhi Police on the complainants' request seeking an urgent hearing on the petition seeking registration of a police case against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP MP Brijbhushan Sharan Singh. The court also ordered the redaction of the names of the seven complainant wrestlers from judicial records to suppress identities in the sexual harassment case, and fixed April 28 as the date for a hearing. 4. Union Home Minister Amit Shah today strongly hits out at Congress and alleges that fighting the elections by depending on leaders who joined their party after leaving BJP goes on to show 'bankruptcy' of Congress. 5. The Bihar government is facing a huge backlash for its decision to tweak prison rules, allowing the release of 27 convicts, including gangster-turned-politician Anand Mohan Singh who faces life in prison for the murder of a Dalit IAS officer.
- Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar meets West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata as they seek to cobble up a coalition of opposition parties, with the two regional satraps stressing on the need to 'prepare together' for the next Lok Sabha polls in 2024. The meeting between the two leaders, which was also attended by Bihar's deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav, was described as 'positive'. 2. Union Home Minister Amit Shah holds a roadshow in the Chamarajanagar district. Amit Shah is on a three-day visit to Karnataka that started on Sunday. Earlier in the day, he offered prayers at Sri Chamundeshwari Devi Temple in Karnataka's Mysuru. Ahead of the Assembly elections in Karnataka, Bharatiya Janata Party which is in power in the only southern state, seems to throw all its efforts into the poll campaign aiming for the second consecutive term. 3. The protesting wrestlers threaten to approach the top court of the country if an FIR is not lodged against WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and also sought to mobilise nationwide support by appealing to 'khaps', 'panchayats' and several other organisations to back their cause. On a day when the sports ministry stalled the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) election on May 7 and asked the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to form an ad-hoc committee to run day-to-day affairs of the federation, the protesting wrestlers said they have nothing to do with the polls and would continue to press for a proper investigation into the allegations that Singh sexually harassed women athletes.
- Amritpal Singh, a radical preacher who had been on the run since March 18, has been arrested by the police and taken to the central jail in Assam's Dibrugarh. Confirming the arrest, Punjab Police asked people to maintain peace and not spread fake news. 'Amritpal Singh arrested in Moga, Punjab. Further details will be shared by Punjab Police. Urge citizens to maintain peace and harmony, Don't share any fake news, always verify and share,' police tweeted. 2. Fresh violence has been reported from Kaliyaganj in West Bengal amidst anger over the alleged rape and murder of a teenager whose body was found on Friday morning. The police had to use force and fire tear gas shells again to bring the situation under control, and more forces have been deployed in the area to maintain calm. 3. The Assam Police asks Indian Youth Congress president Srinivas B V to appear before it by May 2 for questioning in connection with allegations of harassment and gender discrimination against him by now-expelled party leader Angkita Dutta. 4. The US military evacuated American embassy staff from Khartoum, President Joe Biden says, calling for an end to the 'unconscionable' fighting in Sudan's capital between the army and a paramilitary group.
- The Assam Congress suspends its former youth wing chief, who accused the Indian Youth Congress president Srinivas BV of harassment and discrimination. She has been expelled for six years for 'anti-party' activities. According to sources, the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) found the woman's allegations 'baseless and politically motivated' and took disciplinary action against her for tarnishing the image of the party and its leaders. 2. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi vacates his official residence in central Delhi today, the last day of the deadline following his disqualification as an MP of the lower house of the Parliament. Rahul Gandhi, and his sister and Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, have visited the bungalow twice since the morning. The Lok Sabha Housing Committee, headed by BJP MP CR Patil, had sent him a letter asking him to vacate his 12 Tughlaq Lane bungalow, which he has been occupying since 2005, by April 22. Though he is required to move out according to protocol, Congress leaders have accused the Centre of political vendetta. 3. 'No one has time for me, all are busy,' the 20-year-old student who was found dead at the Indian Institute of Technology in Chennai yesterday, would tell his friends often, an investigating officer tells NDTV. The second-year student from Maharashtra was pursuing Chemical Engineering, In an undated, unsigned note recovered from his room, the student, police say, has thanked his friends for being nice to him. 4. The US Supreme Court temporarily preserves access to a widely used abortion pill, freezing rulings by lower courts that would have banned or severely restricted availability of the drug.
- A 24-year-old man from Andhra Pradesh, who was pursuing his Masters degree in the United States, died of gunshot wounds in a reported shooting there at a fuel station where the victim was working, according to police in the US state of Ohio. The student was identified as Saiesh Veera and the incident happened in Columbus division of the state on Thursday, they say. According to media reports, Veera was a native of Andhra Pradesh. 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds a high-level meeting today to review the security situation in Sudan via video-conferencing, asking officials to prepare contingency evacuation plans for Indians stranded in the country. PM Modi assessed the most recent developments in Sudan and received a first-hand report of the conditions on the ground, with specific focus on the safety of over 3,000 Indian citizens presently located throughout the country, a government statement says. 3. Denied a ticket to contest next month's Karnataka assembly election, KS Eshwarappa, a senior leader of the BJP, gets a call from Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself. 4. The Election Commission accepts the nomination of Congress state president DK Shivakumar for the Kanakapura assembly constituency, clearing the way for a high-profile contest between him and Revenue Minister R Ashoka of the BJP. 5. India has recorded 11,692 new coronavirus infections, while the active cases have increased to 66,170, according to the Union Health Ministry data.
- In a massive setback for Rahul Gandhi, a court in Gujarat rejects his request to pause his conviction in defamation case over his 2019 'Modi surname' remark. This means Rahul cannot be reinstated as Member of Parliament for now. 2. Tamil Nadu police transfers the case of custodial torture against former Assistant Superintendent of Police Balveer Singh to Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department. Singh has been accused of committing the offence during his tenure as Assistant Superintendent of Police at Ambasamudram. 3. After big exits from BJP in Karnataka by sulking Lingayat leaders like Jagadish Shettar, former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa says the community remains '101 per cent' with his party. The veteran leader, who quit electoral politics but remains BJP's tallest leader in Karnataka as the party preps for May 10 election, also says that Jagadish Shettar, his one-time loyalist, has 'made a mistake' by quitting BJP. 4. India reports over 12,000 Covid infections, an increase of nearly 2,000 cases. The country's active caseload currently stands at 65,286. 5. Days after a Class 3 student urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a video message to ensure basic facilities at her school in Kathua district, the Jammu and Kashmir administration starts work to give it a facelift. Seerat Naaz's video appeal to the PM last week, which was shared widely on social media, prompts Director of School Education, Jammu, Ravi Shankar Sharma to visit the government school located in the remote Lohai-Malhar block. 6. Scores of people queue up at Delhi's Select Citywalk Mall in Saket to witness the opening of India's second Apple Store by the tech giant's CEO Tim Cook. Mr Cook welcomes customers and clicks photographs with the fans.
- Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai holds a massive roadshow along with BJP national President J P Nadda and Kannada film star Kichcha Sudeep in his constituency of Shiggaon, ahead of filing nomination for the May 10 Assembly polls. 2. NDTV speaks to B S Yediyurappa whose son B Y Vijayendra has filed his nomination from the Shikaripura constituency in Shivamogga district for the May 10 Karnataka Assembly elections. The BJP strongman says Jagdish Shettar made a mistake by leaving the BJP. 3. The Centre urges the Supreme Court that all states and Union Territories be made parties to the proceedings on the pleas seeking legal validation for same-sex marriages, saying any decision on the issue without obtaining their view would render the present 'adversarial exercise incomplete and truncated'. 4. Heatwave conditions continue unabated in Eastern and Northern India as temperatures hover between the ranage of 40-43 degrees Celsius. A spell of light rain is predicted to provide some relief from the heat in Delhi and bring down the maximum temperature by two to three degrees Celsius. 5. Facebook parent company Meta is all set to commence the companywide new job cuts as part of reorganising teams and management hierarchies, The Washington Post reported.
- Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar dismisses speculation about his nephew and senior party leader Ajit Pawar's next political move and says no meeting of NCP MLAs has been called by anyone. Earlier on Monday, Ajit Pawar also dismissed as false the reports that he has called a meeting of MLAs on Tuesday, amid intense speculation in Maharashtra's political circles about his growing proximity with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). 2. The three jailed shooters who killed gangster Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were inspired by gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, sources have said. The three killers were identified by the police as Lavlesh Tiwari, Sunny Singh, and Arun Maurya. 3. The Supreme Court begins hearing a batch of requests seeking legal recognition of same-sex marriages, a day after the government reiterated its opposition to any such legal move. Arguing against legal sanction to gay marriages, the centre yesterday termed such requests as 'mere urban elitist views for social acceptance'. 4. Parts of West Bengal and Bihar may not get much relief from the scorching heat over the next three days, the weather office predicts. The Indian Meteorological Department said this morning that heat wave conditions are very likely in some pockets of Gangetic West Bengal, areas to the south of the Ganges and Bihar over the next three days. 5. Four migrant labourers from Bihar were killed while 20 others injured after a three-storey rice mill building collapsed in Taraori in Haryana's Karnal district early Tuesday, say police. 6. A beaming Apple CEO Tim Cook welcomes his customers to India's first Apple retail store in Mumbai's Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC), amid loud cheers and clap.
- Former Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar joins the Congress after being dropped by the BJP as a candidate for next month's election, becoming the second prominent leader to switch sides since last week. Mr Shettar, a prominent Lingayat leader, resigned as an MLA and quit the BJP yesterday. He met with senior Congress leaders late last night, flying from Hubballi to Bengaluru in a special chopper. 2. Eleven people who sat in the open at the Maharashtra Bhushan award event on Sunday died due to heat stroke, says Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also went to a hospital where some 50 people have been admitted with heat-related health issues. Home Minister Amit Shah presented the award, instituted by the Maharashtra government, to social activist Appasaheb Dharmadhikari. The event was held at Navi Mumbai, where the day temperature was recorded at a maximum of 38 degree Celsius. 3. A soldier was today arrested from Punjab's Bathinda Military Station in connection with the recent firing incident in which four army personnel were killed in their sleep, say Punjab Police sources. 4. Calling marriage an 'exclusively heterogenous institution', the Centre today again opposes granting legal sanction to same-sex marriage, and says the question of considering it equal to the existing concept of marriage 'seriously affects the interests of every citizen'.
- Atiq Ahmed, the Uttar Pradesh gangster who faced at least 100 criminal cases, and his brother Ashraf Ahmed were shot dead on camera while they were being taken for a medical check-up in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj on Saturday. As many as three people were arrested, informs police.Moments before their killing, both criminals, who were accused in the Umesh Pal murder case, were speaking to the media while being taken for a medical and their murder was captured on camera. 2. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appears before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the liquor policy case. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann accompanied him to the CBI office. In a major development in the Delhi excise policy case, the CBI summoned Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for questioning in connection with the liquor policy case, on April 16. 3. Former Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar resigns from the state assembly, capping a days-long saga of sulk after being denied a ticket by his party BJP to contest next month's assembly election. 4. Indians in Sudan have been asked to take shelter by the country's mission in the African nation following explosions and gunfire in the capital city as paramilitaries and the regular army traded attacks on each other's bases.
- Courts are being lied to, those arrested are being tortured and there's not a shred of proof of any wrongdoing, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal says, a day after being summoned by the CBI in the capital's liquor policy case. Launching a blistering attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, Mr Kejriwal said agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) were going to extraordinary lengths to target their fiercest political opponents. 2. Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai files his nominations as BJP's candidate from Shiggaon segment for the May 10 Assembly polls and expresses confidence of getting elected again with the highest number of votes. 3. At least 12 persons were killed and 27 others injured after the bus they were travelling in fell into a gorge on the old Mumbai-Pune highway in Raigad district of Maharashtra early on Saturday, say police. 4. The body of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed's son, Asad Ahmed, has been buried at the Kasari Masari graveyard in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi today dedicates the first AIIMS in the Northeast in Assam's Guwahai, built at a cost of Rs 1,123 crore, to the nation. The super-speciality hospital will provide healthcare not only to people in Assam but also to other northeastern states. He also virtually inaugurated three medical colleges at Nalbari, Nagaon and Kokrajhar. The 500-bed tertiary care teaching hospitals with 24 undergraduate departments in the three medical colleges will start with 100 annual MBBS student intake, taking the total MBBS student intake to 1500 in Assam. 2. The Centre has denied sanction to prosecute 30 army personnel allegedly involved in a botched counter-insurgency operation in Nagaland in December 2021, in which 14 young men were killed, according to the state police. 3. Releasing what he calls the 'DMK files', Tamil Nadu BJP Chief K Annamalai today makes public a long list of assets worth Rs 1.34 lakh crore which he claims are owned by key DMK leaders including Chief Minister MK Stalin's son and Sports Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, and other ministers including Durai Murugan, EV Velu, K Ponmudy, V Senthil Balaji, and former Union Minister S Jagathrakshakan. 4. Rajasthan Police has arrested two accused involved in the alleged abduction and murder of two men from Bharatpur in Haryana by suspected cow vigilantes, says an official.
- The BBC in India has been asked to provide financial details in a new probe linked to alleged foreign exchange violations. Britain's public broadcaster had faced a tax investigation earlier this year. The BBC's foreign remittances are being scrutinised by the Enforcement Directorate, sources say. The Enforcement Directorate has registered a case against BBC India under the Foreign Exchange Management Act. 2. A soldier has been reported dead in a military station in Punjab's Bathinda, the Army say, adding that the incident has 'no connection' with yesterday's shooting at the same army base that left four soldiers dead. The soldier, who was in his 20s, appears to have died by suicide, they say. Army sources indicate that he was part of a different unit stationed at the Bathinda military station. 3. The Karnataka BJP has released its second list of 23 candidates for the assembly election to be held next month. The BJP yesterday released the names of candidates for 189 seats in the 224-member assembly, which means 12 more candidates are yet to be announced. 4. Right-wing organisations in Chhattisgarh have called for an 'economic boycott' of Muslims and Christians following the communal violence in Bemetara district on April 8. The decision was taken during a protest event in Jagdalpur. 5. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on a mission opposition unity. A day after meeting with the Congress and AAP, He meets left leaders today. Sharad Pawar to meet opposition leaders tomorrow.
- Four soldiers were killed in an incident of firing inside Bathinda military station in Punjab early this morning. The jawans belonged to an artillery unit of the Army. The area has been sealed off and quick response teams are conducting a search, the Army's South Western Command has said. 2. In another attempt to stitch together a united Opposition front ahead of the 2024 general election, top leaders of the Congress, Janata Dal (United) (JDU) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) meet in Delhi today to explore the possibility of putting up a united fight against the ruling BJP. The meeting was attended by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Bihar Chief Minister and JDU leader Nitish Kumar, and Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister and RJD chairperson Tejashwi Yadav. JDU president Rajiv Ranjan Singh, RJD's Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Kumar Jha and Congress leader Salman Khursheed were present at the meeting too. 3. The BJP's turmoil continues in Karnataka after the party announced its first list of candidates for next month's election. Senior leader Laxman Savadi quits the party today after being dropped as a candidate. 'I have made my decision. I am not the one who goes around with a begging bowl. I am a self-respecting politician. I am not acting under the influence of anyone' the upset leader tells reporters. 4. Students of a south Delhi school were evacuated after the school received a bomb threat via email. The premises were searched twice but nothing suspicious has been found so far, police say. According to police, an email was sent to Indian Public School in Sadiq Nagar at 10:49 am, claiming that a bomb has been planted on its premises. The school was evacuated as a precaution, they added.
- India will witness normal rainfall pattern during the monsoon season this year, says the centre. There is a 67-per cent probability of normal to above-normal rainfall, says the India Meteorological Department (IMD). 'India to see normal rainfall during the southwest monsoon season (from June to September). It is likely to be 96 per cent of the long-period average of roughly 87 cm,' says, M Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences. The government forecast comes as a relief for the agricultural sector, which heavily relies on monsoon rains for crop production. On Monday, Skymet, a private weather agency, predicted below-normal monsoon rain this year due to the end of La Nina conditions and the potential for El Nino to take hold. 2. Congress leader Sachin Pilot today went ahead with his protest fast in Jaipur targeting his own government, defying his seniors who had warned last night that his move would be seen as an 'anti-party activity'. 3. Radical preacher Amritpal Singh's close aide Pappalpreet Singh was on Tuesday sent to a prison in Assam's Dibrugarh, say police. Pappalpreet Singh, who is considered to be Amritpal's mentor, was caught in Amritsar district on Monday and detained under the National Security Act. 4. India recorded 5,676 new coronavirus infections, while the active cases increased to 37,093, according to the Union Health Ministry data. 5. Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party or AAP, an offshoot of the Anna Hazare-led anti-corruption movement in 2012, has been elevated to national party status. The party is currently in power in two states - Delhi and Punjab.
- Just months before elections in Rajasthan, the fault lines in the state's Congress unit comes to the fore, as party leader Sachin Pilot opened a fresh line of attack on his rival, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, announcing that he will sit on a one-day fast against corruption on Tuesday. The 45-year-old leader has demanded that the Gehlot government act against the alleged corruption of the previous BJP government led by Vasundhara Raje. Mr Pilot said that it was necessary to assure people that the Congress government was acting on its statements and promises made before the 2018 assembly elections. He said that the government had failed to act against the excise mafia, illegal mining, land encroachment and the Lalit Modi affidavit case. 2. Union minister for Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari is visiting Zojila pass and Sonmarg in Kashmir to take stock of work on strategically important tunnels that will provide all weather connectivity to Ladakh. While work on 6.5 km Z- MORAH Tunnel, coming up at a cost of 2300 Crore rupees, will be completed by year end. The work on 13 km long Zojila tunnel - the longest road tunnel in India is being carried out at fast pace. Rs 4900 Crore project is expected to be completed by 2026. The closure of Srinagar- Ladakh road during winter months is badly impacting normal life and supplies for civilian population and the army in Ladakh. Once completed, Zojila tunnel will be a game changer for the region which is witnessing a protracted standoff between army and Chines PLA since June 2020. 3. With the DMK government moving a fresh resolution against Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi for allegedly not clearing Bills passed by the State Assembly, Chief Minister MK Stalin today says the Governor is functioning against the welfare of the people. 4. Congress Karnataka chief DK Shivakumar visits a Nandini Milk parlour in the Hassan amid the ongoing charges and counter-charges between the ruling BJP and the Opposition Congress and JD(S) over Amul's announcement of foraying into the Karnataka market. Mr Shivakumar expressed support for Karnataka's homegrown milk brand Nandini, which he claimed is better than that of the Gujarat-based dairy cooperative Amul. 5. Fugitive radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh's close aide Pappalpreet Singh has been arrested by the counter-intelligence unit of Punjab police from Punjab's Hoshiarpur. The two were constantly together after their dramatic escape from a police dragnet in Jalandhar last month. They had taken different routes to escape after reaching Hoshiarpur.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits the Bandipore Tiger Reserve in Karnataka for a 20-km safari as part of programmes to mark 50 years of 'Project Tiger'. He was shown habitat improvements, water holes, and elephant camps. He also interacted with frontline field staff and self-help groups involved in conservation activities later. PM Modi visited the Theppakadu Elephant Camp of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu, where the Oscar-winning documentary 'The Elephant Whisperers' was shot. PM Modi met Raghu, the orphaned elephant featured in the documentary, and also Bomman and Bellie, who raised the little jumbo. The couple is the key star of the documentary. 2. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde reaches on a day-long visit to Ayodhya to pay obeisance to Lord Ram at the Ram temple. Thousands of his supporters called ‘Shiv Sainiks' accompanied him. 3. A Dalit woman who was allegedly raped and set afire by a man in Rajasthan's Barmer district died during treatment at a government hospital in Jodhpur, say police. According to a complaint lodged by the woman's husband, Shakoor Khan broke into their home on Thursday and raped his wife when she was alone. He then poured an acid-like chemical on her and set her on fire. 4. Ahead of the assembly elections in Rajasthan, Congress leader Sachin Pilot says he will observe a day-long fast demanding action against alleged corruption in the previous BJP government. The former deputy chief minister said he and other Congress leaders had raised the issue of corruption by the then BJP government when they were in Opposition and had promised to take action after the grand old party is voted to power. 5. ndia logged 5,357 new coronavirus cases, while the active cases rose to 32,814, according to the Union Health Ministry data.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi launches a scathing attack on Telangana's ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi and its chief K Chandrashekar Rao, popularly known as KCR, accusing them of obstructing Centre's development projects and indulging in family rule and corruption. Addressing a public rally in Hyderabad, PM Modi says that the state government is not cooperating with the Centre in implementing various schemes and initiatives that would benefit the people of Telangana, which will hold elections later this year. 2. A day before a meeting to finalise candidates for the Karnataka Assembly polls, BJP president JP Nadda holds discussions with key state leaders, including Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and BS Yediyurappa, on probable names. BJP's parliamentary board meets today to finalise candidates for the May 10 elections to the 224-member Karnataka Assembly. 3. President Droupadi Murmu takes her maiden fighter jet flight. She is seen wearing an anti-gravity suit before stepping into a Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter aircraft at the Tezpur Air Force Station in Assam, a strategic air base. 4. India records 6,155 fresh COVID-19 infections, while the number of active cases increase to 31,194. India's COVID-19 tally now stands at 4.47 crore. The death count climbs to 5,30,954 with 11 deaths, including two reconciled by Kerala. 5. The relocation of cheetahs from Africa into Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh is one of the biggest achievements of the decade, says Union Minister Bhupinder Yadav in an exclusive interview to NDTV. Eight Namibian cheetahs, comprising five females and three males, were brought to KNP as part of an ambitious reintroduction programme of the species in September. A set of 12 cheetahs, comprising seven males and five females, were brought in from South Africa on February 18 this year.
- Amid a nationwide upward trend in the COVID cases, Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya chairs a review meeting with health ministers of all states and Union Territories through video conferencing. Earlier in the day, before attending the meeting Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar said the Centre has been regularly issuing guidelines to the states and Union Territories amid a nationwide upward spiral in the Covid-19 cases. 2. Anil Antony, son of former Defence Minister A K Antony, joins the BJP and slams a section of the Congress leadership for 'serving the interests of a single family' instead of working for the country. Anil Antony headed the Kerala Congress' digital media cell before quitting the party earlier this year. 3. Telangana BJP president and MP Bandi Sanjay released from Karimnagar jail after he was granted bail in the SSC paper leak case. Sanjay was detained by police late Wednesday night from his Karimnagar residence. He was granted bail by a magistrate court in the paper leak case on Thursday. 4. Punjab police has cancelled the leaves of all cops in the state till April 14 in view of a meeting sought by radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh, according to sources. 5. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) co-owner Shah Rukh Khan cheered from the stands during his side's match against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Eden Gardens on Thursday. Star all-rounder Shardul Thakur produced a spell bounding innings, scoring the joint-fastest fifty of IPL 2023 to rescue KKR from a tricky position.
- Opposition parties only talk about social justice but it is BJP that toils for helping each Indian, claims Prime Minister Narendra Modi, setting the tone for the party's 2024 national election campaign at an event to mark the party's 44th foundation day. He says, 'Despite being world's biggest political party, we don't have to be complacent. People have already started saying that no one can defeat BJP in 2024. This is true, but as BJP workers we have to win the heart of every citizen of the country.' 2. Several opposition parties, including Congress, take out 'Tricolour March' from Parliament House to Vijay Chowk, alleging that 'democracy is under attack' from BJP. Holding the national flag, MPs of like-minded Opposition parties such as DMK, Samajwadi Party, RJD, Shiv Sena UBT, AAP and NCP, and from the Left, besides Congress, start the march from Parliament House and walk up to Vijay Chowk. 3. Hanuman Jayanti celebration at northwest Delhi's Jahangirpuri, which was hit by communal violence during the festival last year, is being regulated in consultation with its organisers. Police say the organisers had applied for permission to take out a Hanuman Jayanti procession in the area, and the route has been regulated.
- Bihar MLA and BJP leader Jibesh Kumar was escorted out of the state assembly for allegedly creating ruckus during a discussion over the violence which broke out in parts of Bihar following Ram Navami celebrations. Visuals from outside the assembly show Mr Kumar being carried by four marshalls. He can be heard saying, 'This is how they are treating Opposition leaders.' 2. Bandi Sanjay Kumar, the president of the BJP in Telangana, was taken into custody by the police on Tuesday night, setting off a political firestorm and drawing criticism from the party's top leadership in New Delhi. Mr Kumar, a member of parliament from Karimnagar district, was taken into custody from his home without any explanation, according to his party colleagues. He was later moved to various police stations in different districts, raising questions about his whereabouts and safety. 3. The Supreme Court sets aside the Kerala High Court order upholding the decision of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to revoke the license of news channel Media One, stating that independent press is necessary for a robust democracy and critical views of the channel against the government policies cannot be termed as anti-establishment. 4. The man suspected of starting a fire onboard a train in Kerala, which left three dead, was apprehended from Ratnagiri in Maharashtra by the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and would be brought to the southern state soon, says Kerala Police Chief Anil Kant. 5. The US has recognised Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India and strongly opposes any unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims by renaming localities, says the White House. 6. A delegation of Muslim religious leaders called on Union Home Minister Amit Shah late last night and flagged incidents of communal violence after Ram Navami and hate speeches.
- Congress Central Election Committee meets to finalise 2nd list of candidates for Karnataka Assembly polls in Delhi. The Congress had on March 25 announced its first list of 124 candidates for the polls, which included names of former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and State party president DK Shivakumar. Elections are slated to be held in Karnataka in a single phase on May 10, and counting of votes will take place on May 13. 2. Covid is a virus that keeps mutating, and 214 different variants have been found in India so far, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya says in an exclusive interview with NDTV, assuring that the government is prepared to deal with the recent spike in infections. ICU beds, oxygen supply, and other critical care arrangements are in place, he says, adding that there's a weekly review of preparedness. It's impossible to predict how Covid will behave, but sub-variants, which are driving the surge now, are not as dangerous as to cause catastrophe, the minister explains. 3. Donald Trump, former US president, will today appear in a New York court where he will be criminally charged in a case involving hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels. Ahead of his court visit, Trump has said that he is innocent and plans to plead not guilty. 4. Stone-pelting near a level crossing in Rishra last night led to suspension of train services on the Howrah-Bandel section for about 3 hours last night. The movement of trains resumed post midnight. Several long distance trains were delayed. This morning, tension gripped the town. Most shops remained closed and people stayed indoors after police clamped prohibitory orders. 5. The health ministry found the samples of eye drops manufactured by Chennai-based Global Pharma Healthcare to be of 'standard quality', sources have said. 6. A video has emerged on social media, where Dhoni seemed to have confronted Tushar Deshpande after he bowled 3 no-balls and 4 wides during the match. While handshakes were taking place between players after the conclusion of the match, Dhoni was busy speaking to Deshpande. 'They'll have to bowl no no-balls and less wides. We are bowling too many extra deliveries and need to cut them out otherwise they'll be playing under a new captain,' Dhoni said bluntly at the post-match presentation.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi says that corruption is the biggest roadblock to democracy and justice. Speaking at the diamond jubilee celebrations of the Central Bureau of Investigation, PM Modi added that the probe agency will a key role in the country's development. He said that freeing India from corruption is the prime task that CBI needs to achieve. PM Modi told the gathering that the BJP government has already started a war against black money and benami properties. 2. The Bengal BJP alleges a conspiracy by Trinamool Congress in the Ram Navami violence. 3. The BJP, eager to avoid any misstep in Karnataka, launches mini polls across the state to identify the most winnable candidates for the May 10 election. The ruling party is yet to name its Karnataka candidates, and sources say it is planned. The BJP's Central Election Committee, which takes decisions on elections, is scheduled to meet in the second week of April. The party is likely to announce its candidates closer to the nomination process. Sources say this is to deny disgruntled ticket-seekers a chance to switch sides in case they are not chosen. For the BJP, these polls are crucial as the party looks to defy the trend of the incumbent government being voted out. In its 'wait-and-watch' strategy, the BJP is keeping tabs on the Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) candidates' lists. Until then, the BJP has set its 'micro process' in motion to finalise candidates, sources say. This involves internal surveys and polls in each constituency - a model last used in Himachal Pradesh.
- Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, recently disqualified from the Parliament after being sentenced to two years in prison over a 2019 defamation case, will challenge his conviction and sentencing in the Surat sessions court tomorrow, say sources. The former Congress president has, in his plea, asked the sessions court to set aside the Magistrate order convicting him in the defamation case. He also asked for an interim stay on the conviction till the matter is disposed of. 2. In yet another opposition unity spearheaded by the DMK ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha polls, non BJP leaders will get together in Delhi for the second national conference on social justice on Monday as part of the All India Federation for Social Justice. Key attendees will include Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav would attend. 3. Nobody can ignore late Hindutva ideologue VD Savarkar's sacrifice for the country's independence struggle but disagreements over him cannot be made a national issue today as there are many pressing matters to focus on, says Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar. Defending Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is being targeted by the Bharatiya Janata Party for speaking about issues in India on foreign soil, he said this is not the first time an Indian has spoken about issues in the country while abroad. 4. Five people were injured in a bomb blast in Sasaram town of Bihar after fresh violence erupted in the state on Saturday evening, say the police. The injured people have been taken to a hospital, and a forensic team was rushed to the spot, officials said. 5. India reported 3,823 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, a 27 per cent jump from yesterday, according to the health ministry data.
- After spending about 10 months in Patiala's central jail, Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu will walk free today. Several Congress leaders and supporters have assembled outside the prison to accord the 59-year-old former cricketer a grand welcome upon his release and are chanting 'Navjot Sidhu zindabad'. 'Dhol' players have also been arranged by his supporters standing outside the jail to welcome the cricketer-turned-politician. 2. The Chennai police have filed a case against an assistant professor of Chennai's Kalakshetra, a prestigious institution for classical arts, on a complaint of sexual harassment filed by a survivor, a former woman student. A case was filed against Hari Padman today, days after around 200 students, both women and men, started protesting, alleging sexual harassment, body-shaming and verbal abuse by this faculty member and three repertory artists. Earlier, the national commission for women had called these allegations a disinformation campaign. 3. Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh says his government has set up a State Population Commission to identify 'illegal immigrants', adding the government was ready to implement the National Register Of Citizens (NRC) once it gets the approval from the central government. 4. Eleven people were killed in a stampede during the distribution of food aid in Pakistan's Karachi, says a health official, one of several such incidents in recent weeks as the country's economic crisis bites. The dead included five women and three children, police say, while five other people were hospitalised following the incident, which occurred at a charity-run distribution site set up at a local factory.
- Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal says that residents of the national capital don't need to worry about the recent surge in Covid cases, as the government is prepared for any eventuality. 7,986 beds for Covid patients are ready in Delhi hospitals, he said, adding that the government has sufficient oxygen cylinders. 2. As many as 36 people have been killed after the roof of a stepwell collapsed at a temple in Madhya Pradesh's Indore on Thursday. The stepwell roof at the Beleshwar Mahadev temple could not sustain the weight of a large crowd on Ram Navami. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan meets the people who got injured in the collapse incident. CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and his cabinet ministers also inspected the rescue operation at the site of the incident. He said that a magisterial inquiry has been ordered into the incident and action will be taken against those found responsible. 3. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin promises action on any complaint about sexual harassment at Kalakshetra Foundation, a top arts and cultural academy in Chennai, where around 200 students held a protest a day ago over the issue. 4. An Uttar Pradesh MLA was seen reprimanding a road contractor over the poor quality of a freshly paved road in his constituency in a video that has been widely shared online. 'Is this road. Can a car run on this road,' the lawmaker, seemingly outraged, is heard saying as he scrapes off the asphalt with his shoes. Bediram, a lawmaker from the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, said he was inspecting roads in his Ghazipur constituency after receiving complaints from residents. 5. Former US President Donald Trump has been indicted by a grand jury in a case where hush money was paid to porn star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 campaign. He is the first former US President to face criminal charge. Mr Trump slammed the prosecutors and his political opponents, calling it a 'witch-hunt'. Stormy Daniels, meanwhile, welcomed the verdict saying this proves no one is above the law. Later, on Twitter, she thanked people for the 'support and love' extended to her.
- Large Ram Navami procession held in Delhi's Jahangirpuri amid heavy police deployment. Police and riot control force was deployed in the area ahead of the rally. Visuals showed hundreds of people, flanked by security officials, marching in Jahangirpuri. 2. More than 30 people fall into a stepwell at an Indore temple after the roof over it collapses amid heavy footfall on the occasion of Ram Navami. Nine devotees, including two children, rescued and rushed to a hospital. About 25 people can still be trapped inside. Police and rescue teams are at work and at least 12 ambulances are at the spot to shift people to hospitals when they are rescued. 3. Former CM BS Yediyurappa, who is spearheading BJP's election campaign in Karnataka, hints that his son may contest against Congress veteran Siddaramaiah. Siddaramaiah, also a former chief minister, has been fielded from Varuna seat in Mysuru, currently represented by his son Yathindra. 4. India records 3,016 new Covid cases in past 24 hours. The daily positivity rate has been recorded at 2.7 per cent and the weekly positivity rate at 1.71 per cent. Thursday's infection count is the highest in nearly six months. India had reported 3,375 cases on October 2 last year. 5. Aam Aadmi Party to launch posters against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 11 languages across the country. 'AAP will display posters in states across the country on March 30. All state units of the party have been asked to paste posters in their respective states. The posters have been printed in 11 languages,' says AAP leader and Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai. The latest poster war comes just days after 'Modi Hatao, Desh Bachao' posters appeared on walls and electricity poles across Delhi, resulting in 49 FIRs and the arrest of six people. 6. At Mamata Banerjee's protest in Kolkata, an outsized washing machine takes centre stage. As Trinamool Congress leaders shout slogans, the Bengal Chief Minister puts in black cloth, which symbolically 'turned white'. 7. In a fresh turn to the hunt for fugitive Amritpal Singh, the separatist sympathizer for the first time since his escape from the law enforcers releases his video on social media in which he gives a call for community gathering on the occasion of Baisakhi and appeals Sikh organizations from home and abroad to gather and discuss issues related to the community.
- Election Commission announces that Karnataka will vote on May 10 to elect a new government and members to its 224-seat assembly. The results will be declared on May 13. The announcement comes amid a high-stakes political battle between the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress and Janata Dal-Secular. 2. In the middle of a huge political row over Rahul Gandhi's disqualification after Gujarat court sentenced him to two years in jail, Lok Sabha membership of Lakshadweep MP Mohammed Faizal is restored after his conviction in a criminal case is put on hold. Mohammed Faizal, an MP of Nationalist Congress Party of Sharad Pawar, was sentenced to 10 years in prison in case of attempt to murder. He was automatically disqualified from parliament after his conviction. 3. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on two-day dharna in Kolkata as Trinamool Congress sharpens its attack on BJP ahead of the panchayat polls in the state. During the protest at Ambedkar statue, Ms Banerjee is likely to target BJP-led Centre for allegedly withholding funds to the state. 4. Radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh, who is on the run from the police for over a week after fleeing from Punjab, spotted in CCTV footage in Delhi. He is seen without his turban in the footage, in an apparent attempt at disguise to evade the police. His aide Papalpreet Singh also appears in the CCTV clip. Both are seen in masks to conceal their identities. 5. India logs 2,151 new coronavirus cases, the highest in five months, while active cases increase to 11,903. The death count increases to 5,30,848 with seven deaths. 6. Fresh clashes erupt in France between protesters and police as tens of thousands take to the streets to show their anger against President Emmanuel Macron's pension reform that has sparked major domestic crisis.
- An MP-MLA court in Prayagraj sentences mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed to rigorous life imprisonment in the Umesh Pal abduction case. The Court pronounced life sentences to Atiq Ahmed, Dinesh Pasi and Khan Saulat Hanif in the case and has also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on each of the three. All the other seven accused in the case, including Ashraf, the brother of Atiq Ahmed have been acquitted. 2. Bharatiya Janata Party's OBC MPs hold a protest in front of the Gandhi statue at the Parliament premise, demanding an apology from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his 'Modi surname' remark. The BJP has been demanding an apology from Rahul Gandhi over his remark for which the Congress leader was convicted by a Surat court in a defamation case last week. Earlier today, the Bharatiya Janata Party launched a fresh attack on Rahul Gandhi stating that the Congress leader was 'pretending not to be a coward' after apologising to the Supreme Court of India for his previous remarks. 3. Rahul Gandhi, asked to vacate his bungalow in Delhi after his disqualification as an MP, writes back today saying he would abide by the eviction notice. The Congress leader was yesterday given notice to vacate his 12 Tughlaq Lane bungalow by April 23. 'As an elected Member of the Lok Sabha over the last four terms, it is the mandate of the people to which I owe the happy memories of my time spent here,' Rahul Gandhi writes back today to the Lok Sabha secretariat.
- Within minutes of the commencement of proceedings of both Houses, Rajya Sabha has been adjourned till 2 pm and Lok Sabha till 4 pm, amid Opposition MPs' protest in the second phase of the Budget Session. The opposition parties which participated in the meeting include DMK, Samajwadi Party, JD(U), Bharat Rashtra Samithi, CPI(M), RJD, Nationalist Congress Party, CPI, IUML, MDMK, Kerala Congress, TMC, RSP, AAP, J-K NC and Shiv Sena (Uddhav faction). Trinamool Congress MPs also participated in the meeting which came as a huge development following Rahul Gandhi's suspension as MP from Lok Sabha. 2. China skipped a confidential G20 meeting held in India on Sunday, say sources. The meeting was held in Itanagar, the capital city of Arunachal Pradesh, a northeastern state that China claims is a part of Tibet. India has rejected such claims in the past and maintains Arunachal is its integral part. 3. Soon after stepping out of the Sabarmati central jail before being taken to Prayagraj by the Uttar Pradesh police, gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed alleged that the police personnel want to kill him under the pretext of court appearance in his home state. 4. One of the 11 men, who gangraped Bilkis Bano during the 2002 Gujarat riots and were released prematurely, was seen sharing stage with a BJP MP and an MLA at a government programme in Gujarat yesterday. The release of the men has been challenged in the Supreme Court and the case will be heard today. 5. The Supreme Court hears a plea by K Kavitha, Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader and daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, seeking protection from arrest and challenging the summons by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case arising out of the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.
- Congress workers across the country have organised 'Sankalp Satyagraha' to protest against disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from Lok Sabha, with party president Mallikarjun Kharge lashing out at the ruling BJP and asking why it is pained if fugitives such as Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi are criticised. While in Delhi, the police denied permission to the Congress to hold its protest programme at Rajghat, the police in Gujarat detained several party functionaries for holding the stir. In the national capital, the Congress put up a stage outside Mahatma Gandhi's memorial for its day-long protest programme after the permission was denied. 2. The Indian space agency launches a rocket carrying 36 satellites from the Sriharikota spaceport near Chennai. The Launch Vehicle Mark-III rocket lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre as part of the OneWeb India-2 mission. The satellites belonging to the OneWeb group of the UK will be deployed in the low earth orbit and help the company launch global services later this year. 3. India logged 1,890 new coronavirus cases, the highest in 149 days, while the active cases increased to 9,433, according to the Union Health Ministry data. The country had recorded 2,208 cases in a single day on October 28 last year. 4. US President Joe Biden vows to provide emergency support for victims of a devastating tornado that tore through several Mississippi towns, killing at least 25 people. The emergency management body cautioned the number of dead could rise. 5. Nitu Ghanghas (48kg) and the seasoned Saweety Boora (81kg) etch their names in history as they were crowned world champions after notching contrasting wins at the marquee tournament in New Delhi.
- The Congress announces its first list of 124 candidates for the upcoming assembly elections in Karnataka with former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah being fielded from his Varuna seat. Pradesh Congress Committee chief DK Shivakumar will contest the elections from his Kanakapura assembly constituency, according to the list. The party has fielded former deputy chief minister G Parameshwara from the Koratagere (SC) constituency. Former ministers KH Muniappa and Priyanka Kharge will contest from Devanahalli and Chitapur (SC), respectively. Priyanka is the son of Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge. The party's central election committee cleared the first list of candidates after a meeting in Delhi on March 17. The committee is chaired by Congress chief Kharge. Rahul Gandhi was also present at the meeting. 2. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tears into Prime Minister Narendra Modi a day after he was disqualified from parliament. His disqualification came following his conviction and jail sentence in a defamation case stemming from a 2019 remark implying PM Modi was a criminal. Mr Gandhi's Wayanad seat has also fell vacant after his disqualification. He has been granted bail and his sentence suspended for 30 days to let him appeal his conviction. 3. While attacking Rahul Gandhi, BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad clarifies, 'No attempts have been made to seek stay on Surat court verdict to encash Rahul's conviction in Karnataka assembly polls.
- Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is no longer a member of parliament following his conviction and sentencing in a 2019 defamation case by a court in Gujarat court, announces the Lok Sabha secretariat. While some legal experts had said the MP from Kerala's Wayanad stood 'automatically' disqualified with the conviction, others had said the action can be staved off if he manages to get the conviction overturned. Though Mr Gandhi was granted bail and his sentence was suspended for 30 days to let him appeal the decision, the court's order put him at risk of automatic disqualification as a member of parliament under the law, say some legal experts. Section 8(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, says that the moment a member of parliament is convicted of any offence and sentenced for at least two years, she or he attracts disqualification. Based on the Surat court order, the Lok Sabha Secretariat has disqualified Rahul Gandhi and declared his constituency vacant. The Election Commission can now announce a special election for the seat. Mr Gandhi can also be asked to vacate his government bungalow in central Delhi. 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, interactes with the beneficiaries of the winners of 'Saansad Khel Pratiyogita' in Varanasi. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister had addressed the 'One World TB Summit' in Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.
- Congress leader Rahul Gandhi finds guilty and sentenced to two years in prison in a 2019 criminal defamation case over his remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surname by a court in Gujarat's Surat. However, he was granted bail and his sentence was suspended for 30 days to let him appeal the decision. The case was filed against Mr Gandhi by BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi for saying, How come all thieves have the common surname Modi. The Lok Sabha MP from Wayanad made the remarks while addressing a rally at Kolar in Karnataka ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, targetting PM Modi over his last name which he shares with fugitive businessmen Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi. In his first comment after the verdict, Mr Gandhi quotes Mahatma Gandhi, tweeting in Hindi, My religion is based on truth and non-violence. Truth is my God, non-violence the means to get it. 2. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh says that Congress MP Rahul Gandhi should take the Surat Court judgement as a learning that words are deadlier than weapons. Rajnath Singh tells ANI, Rahul Gandhi should accept that the harm or injury through words is deeper than those made by a sword. I would say we all should learn from this incident make sure we don't cross the line while speaking in public. 3. Two days after the police crackdown on posters targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, similar posters calling for the ouster of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal emerges in Delhi. Thousands of posters carrying the slogan, Modi hatao, desh bachao (remove Modi, save the country) were removed by the cops in a massive operation. Six people, including two owners of a printing press, were arrested and several cases were filed following the incident. The latest posters that emerges slams Mr Kejriwal as a dishonest, corrupt dictator, and carries the slogan remove Arvind Kejriwal, save Delhi.
- Delhi government tables an Rs 78,800 crore budget, with a major push on infrastructure, education, and health. The presentation, which was scheduled for Tuesday, was delayed due to a tussle between the Centre and the AAP government. With an aim of a clean, beautiful and modern Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party government allocates Rs 19,466 crore for the upgradation of roads. Under this plan, nearly 1,400 kilometres of Delhi roads would be upgraded in the next 10 years. 2. Thousands of posters targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, put up in various parts of Delhi, have triggered a police crackdown in which 36 cases have been filed and six people have been arrested. Two of the arrested men own a printing press. In a massive operation, the police takes down nearly 2,000 posters from several places in Delhi. Most of these posters had the slogan, Modi hatao, desh bachao. 3. India recorded 1,134 new coronavirus cases, while the active cases increased to 7,026, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday. The death toll climbed to 5,30,813 with five deaths with one each reported by Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat and Maharashtra and one reconciled by Kerala, the data updated at 8 am stated. 4. The motorcycle on which Khalistani leader Amritpal Singh fled has been found by the Punjab Police, sources say, as the massive manhunt for the self-styled preacher enters Day 5. The Bajaj Platina bike was found abandoned near a canal in the Darapur area of Jalandhar, which is 45 km away from Jalandhar city, police sources say. 5. The Supreme Court agrees to constitute a special bench to hear a plea by Bilkis Bano, who was gang-raped during the 2002 Gujarat riots, against the remission of sentence of 11 convicts in the case. A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala assures Ms Bano, represented through her lawyer Shobha Gupta, that the new bench will be formed. 6. New York police tighten security ahead of a possible historic indictment of Donald Trump over hush money paid to a porn actress, with the ex-president calling for mass demonstrations if he is charged.
- K Kavitha, Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader and daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, is being quizzed by the Enforcement Directorate for a second consecutive day. While on her way to the probe agency's office, the BRS leader showed her supporters and the media a bag of phones which she claims is the proof she is going to present today. The probe agency, in one of their earlier reports, had alleged that K Kavitha destroyed 10 phones. 2. Arvind Kejriwal writes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to 'not stall the Delhi Budget', shortly before its scheduled announcement, after the latest clash between his government and the Centre erupted. The Delhi Budget was reportedly cleared by Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena at around 10.30 pm last night, after a back-and-forth with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, and sent for President Droupadi Murmu's sign-off. It has apparently not returned to the city government. 3. Three more associates of radical preacher Amritpal Singh, including his uncle Harjit Singh, have been brought to the high security Dibrugarh jail, says an Assam Police official. Altogether seven members linked to Amritpal Singh's 'Waris Punjab De' (WPD) have been brought here since March 19, including Harjit Singh who was brought in the early hours of Tuesday. 4. The withdrawal of the Interpol Red Notice against fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi, accused of defrauding the Punjab National Bank of over Rs 20,000 crore, enables him to freely fly to any country, making it difficult for India to locate and initiate further extradition proceedings from that country. A Red Notice issued through the Lyon-headquartered agency enables India to locate the fugitive and initiate extradition proceedings. Sources say the Central Bureau of Investigation will formally file an appeal challenging the Interpol decision. 5. A viral video showing Tesla cars performing a light show on the beats of the Oscar-winning song 'Naatu Naatu' has prompted a reaction from Tesla chief Elon Musk. The short clip was shared by the official Twitter handle of RRR Movie. It showed hundreds of Tesla cars in the parking lot putting up a light show to the beats of the peppy number in New Jersey, US. On Monday, reacting to the clip, Mr Musk dropped two heart emojis.
- Mumbai Police on Monday arrested suspected bookie Anil Jaisinghani from Gujarat, days after his daughter Aniksha Jaisinghani was arrested for allegedly trying to blackmail and bribe the wife of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, says an official. A crime branch official confirms that Anil Jaisinghani, who has 14 to 15 cases pending against him, was arrested from Gujarat but refuses to divulge details. 2. With a fresh FIR citing the Arms Act against Khalistan supporter Amritpal Singh, who is being chased by the Punjab police, the Centre seems to be moving in to take over the case as a terror investigation. Top anti-terror body National Investigation Agency (NIA) may probe Amritpal Singh and seven of his aides over the charge of possessing illegal arms - Arms Act cases are included in the NIA Act. The Khalistani leader has been named 'Accused Number one' in the new case. Meanwhile, Four of Amritpal Singh's top aides, arrested and flown to Dibrugarh in upper Assam, have been charged under the stringent National Security Act (NSA), which allows the police to detain suspects in any prison across the country. 3. The UK government will take the security of the Indian High Commission 'seriously', top British officials have said as they condemned as 'disgraceful' and 'completely unacceptable' the vandalism at the mission by a group of protesters waving separatist Khalistani flags. The tricolour flying atop the Indian High Commission was grabbed at by the protesters chanting pro-Khalistani slogans on Sunday, leading to an arrest related to the violent disorder. 4. Untimely rain, stormy winds and hailstorm damage crops in many parts of the country. 5. Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds wide-ranging talks with his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida to expand India-Japan strategic partnership for a peaceful, stable and prosperous post-Covid world.
- In a highly unusual development amid the massive co-ordinated action between the Centre, Punjab, and Assam governments, against Khalistani separatist leader Amritpal Singh, who is still on the run, four of his top arrested aides have been flown to Dibrugarh in upper Assam by a special air force aircraft, top police sources say. They will likely to be kept in the high-security Dibrugarh Central Jail. 2. Top officers of the Delhi Police reaches Rahul Gandhi's residence in connection with his women are still being sexually assaulted remark during the pan-India foot march 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'. The police had issued a notice to the Congress leader on March 16 asking him for details of the women who had approached him regarding sexual harassment. The police team headed by Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Sagar Preet Hooda stood outside Mr Gandhi's 12, Tughlaq Lane residence, for over an hour before the Wayanad MP met them. The police team then left, and Mr Gandhi was seen leaving his house, driving a car, soon after. 3. At a Parliamentary panel meet on Saturday, Rahul Gandhi spoke at length about his speech in London amid the BJP's allegation that he insulted the country abroad by questioning the state of democracy. The Wayanad MP said that he only raised questions about India's democracy, and could not be labelled anti-national for that, according to sources. 4. Women's body chopped into pieces found in the national capital's Sarai Kale Khan Area. Pieces of the women's body thrown in plastic bags. The police registered a murder case. The body is yet to be identified. 5. Former US President Donald Trump says, he expects to be arrested over hush money allegedly paid to a porn star before the 2016 election, calling on his supporters to protest. Citing a leak from the Manhattan district attorney's office, Trump writes on his Truth Social platform morning, Leading Republican candidate and former President of the United States of America will be arrested on Tuesday of next week. Protest, take our nation back.
- Daily Covid cases recorded in India are at the highest in over four months, with over 800 cases recorded in the last 24 hours. With 841 fresh infections, active caseload has now climbed to 5,389, according to Union health ministry data. 2. AAP hits out at the BJP over snooping case. Raghav Chadha says, it is a piece of fiction and highly fabricated. AAP alleges BJP trying to bring down the Delhi govt. BJP counters, slams AAP saying why is AAP govt rattled by a no confidence motion in Delhi. 3. Rajasthan government announces it will create 19 new districts and three more divisional headquarters to serve the needs of people who live far away from the divisional headquarters. The ruling Congress government's move in an election year, however, receives criticism from the BJP, which alleges the real intention behind the decision by the Ashok Gehlot government is to meet personal political ends. 4. Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway water logged after cracks. Now water logging at the new Expressway. 5. The International Criminal Court in The Hague has issued a warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of being responsible for war crimes in Ukraine, which was attacked by Moscow in February last year. The charges also include unlawful deportation of children for which the court has issued an arrest warrant against Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova, Commissioner for Children's Rights in the Russian President's office. The Kremlin has denied the allegations and said the arrest warrant was legally void since Moscow does not recognise ICC's jurisdiction. 6. Indian pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand continues their impressive run, dishing out another superlative performance to advance to their second successive semifinals at the All England Championships.
- Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena says that lines have been crossed in remarks made amidst the tussle between his office and the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government, but relationships between the two can't break down as it is his own government. Mr Saxena adds, I would like to say something that a tree has said for the wind, it makes my leaves fall every day but my relationship with it never ends. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, responding to Mr Saxena's remark, says he understands that these are minor issues, but democracy should be respected. 2. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav slams the BJP-led government at the Centre for misusing central agencies to harass leaders and public representatives of opposition parties, who pose a threat to the Bharatiya Janata Party. Akhilesh Yadav, who is in Kolkata to chair his party's two-day national executive, is scheduled to meet West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee this evening. 3. In a surprise leadership change at India's largest software services firm Tata Consultancy Services, it announces that Rajesh Gopinathan, who has been the CEO and MD of the company for six years, is stepping down four years before his tenure ends, to pursue other interests. It adds, Mr Gopinathan will continue with the company till 15th September 2023 to provide transition and support to his successor. 4. Naatu Naatu is a song of people of India, says RRR star Ram Charan as he returns to the country post the Oscar win of the track from the SS Rajamouli directorial. The 37-year-old actor, who was accompanied by his wife, entrepreneur Upasana Kamineni Konidela, was greeted by scores of elated fans at the Delhi airport.
- The Central Bureau of Investigation registers a case against jailed Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia over alleged corruption in the Delhi government's Feedback Unit. The Feedback Unit was formed by the AAP after coming to power in Delhi in 2015. The CBI claims, the unlawful manner of creation and working of the Feedback Unit has caused wrongful loss to the government exchequer to the tune of approximate Rs 36 Lakhs. 2. In a dramatic turn of events, K Kavitha, Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader and daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, decides not to appear before the Enforcement Directorate. She sent BRS general secretary Soma Bharath Kumar to the ED office to inform them about her decision. The ED issues fresh summons to K Kavitha to appear in person on March 20. 3. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi arrives in Parliament House after his return from abroad and meets Speaker Om Birla urging him to allow him to speak in Lok Sabha. 4. Cracked soles, swollen feet and many companions hospitalised farmers marching from Nashik to Mumbai are braving all odds to continue their agitation for relief to onion growers and several other demands. As the 200-km march enters its fifth day today, NDTV speaks to some of the farmers during a short break in their long, arduous journey. 5. A bulldozer was used to raze standing crops belonging to a group of men accused of murder in Madhya Pradesh. Jahar Singh, Umaid Singh, Makhan Singh, Arjun Singh were accused of a double murder which took place two weeks ago. The men are on the run. 6. Credit Suisse says it was taking decisive action to strengthen its liquidity by borrowing up to USD 54 billion from the Swiss central bank after a slump in its shares intensified fears about a broader bank deposit crisis.
- Former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi and their daughter Misa Bharti get bail by a CBI court in a corruption case. The case will be heard next on March 29. 2. K Kavitha, Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader and daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, has approached the Supreme Court against her questioning by the Enforcement Directorate in the Delhi liquor policy case. 3. Union Minister Smriti Irani hits out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and says that he defamed the nation on foreign soil. Addressing the press conference Ms Irani says, 'Rahul Gandhi defamed the nation on foreign soil. He disrespected the institutions like SC and EC. Is humiliating India a democracy, Is disrespecting the chairman of the House a democracy, India demands an apology from Rahul Gandhi'. 4. A heavy contingent of Punjab Rangers join the police personnel near Imran Khan's Zaman Park residence to launch a fresh attempt at arresting the ousted Pakistani premier for failing to appear in court on graft charges.
- The Youth Congress protests outside the house of Lieutenant Governor of Delhi over the Adani issue. 2. YSR Telangana Party chief YS Sharmila conducts a march from Jantar Mantar to the Parliament in the national capital demanding action against alleged corruption in the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project in the state. The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project or KLIP is a multi-purpose irrigation project on the Godavari River in Kaleshwaram, Bhupalpally, Telangana. She is detained by the police. 3. The Supreme Court dismisses the Centre's curative plea for enhanced compensation for the victims of the 1984 Bhopal Gas tragedy from US-based firm Union Carbide Corporation, now owned by Dow Chemicals. 'The sum of Rs 50 crores lying with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) shall be utilized by the Government of India to satisfy pending claims,' Supreme Court says while dismissing Centre's curative plea for enhanced compensation for the victims of the 1984 Bhopal Gas tragedy. 4. Women folk dancers were tested for HIV/AIDS by health department officials before they attended a fair at a temple for Goddess Sita in Madhya Pradesh's Ashoknagar district on Sunday. Following NDTV's report, the Chief Medical Health Officer (CMHO) of Ashoknagar was transferred to Bhopal while the district administration constituted a three-member committee to probe the matter. 5. US President Joe Biden is known to leave press meets midway but a video showing him ducking out of a briefing on the Silicon Valley Bank collapse, mid-question, has sparked criticism.
- Day One of the second phase of Budget Session witnessed ruckus leading to adjournment of the Rajya Sabha till 2 pm as the government cornered the Congress seeking apology from its leader Rahul Gandhi's over his recent remarks in London on democracy in India. 2. An IndiGo plane from New Delhi to Doha was diverted to Karachi airport after a passenger fell ill onboard and was later declared dead on arrival, according to officials. Abdullah, a Nigerian national who was around 60 years old, was declared dead on arrival, the officials said. 3. Heatwave warnings across the country, especially for Mumbai and Konkan region by India Meteorological Department. 4. The Centre has opposed in the Supreme Court a batch of pleas seeking legal validation of same-sex marriage, saying it would cause a complete havoc with the delicate balance of personal laws and in accepted societal values.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds a mega road show in the Mandyan district of Karnataka. A huge crowd gathers to give the Prime Minister a grand welcome as he arrives in Mandya to lay the foundation stone of multiple projects and inaugurate the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway. 2. A couple and their three children were killed when a fire broke out in their hut in Haramau village here early Sunday, police say. A woman also sustained serious burns in the blaze. 3. A police case has been registered against former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palaniswami and AIADMK MLA PR Senthilnathan for allegedly attacking a protesting passenger at Madurai airport. The passenger allegedly shares a Facebook live stream in which he can be heard accusing EPS of betraying VK Sasikala, a close confidante of ex Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalitha.
- K Kavitha, Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader and daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, is being questioned by the Enforcement Directorate in the Delhi liquor policy case. Manish Sisodia has been arrested in the same case. 2. Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, has been summoned by the CBI to appear for questioning in connection with the alleged land-for-jobs scam, has written to the probe agency to seeking deferment, citing his wife's health. Mr Yadav's wife is reportedly pregnant Mr Yadav was earlier called for questioning on March 4, but he had not appeared before the CBI, following which a fresh date was given for Saturday, officials say. 3. Three people have been taken into custody in connection with the harassment and manhandling of a woman from Japan in Delhi on Holi, the police say. The woman has not filed a complaint so far and she left for Bangladesh yesterday, they add. The young tourist was staying in Paharganj in central Delhi and that the three accused, one of who is a juvenile, are also from the same area. 4. A seven-year-old girl was raped by a drunk man on Holi in a Bihar school toilet while her friend was injured as she resisted the rape bid, the police say. The two girls were returning from the market at their village in Begusarai district when they decided to stop at a school to enjoy a swing ride. The man approached them and took them to the school toilet where he raped the seven-year-old, officials say. 5. Silicon Valley Bank, known for lending money to some of the biggest technology startups, collapses sending investors and depositors into a frenzy. Global markets also fall sharply with bank shares hit the hardest.
- Enforcement Directorate asks the court to extend Manish Sisodia's custody by 10 days in the Delhi liquor policy case.The Aam Aadmi Party leader, who is being probed over the now-scrapped Delhi liquor sales policy, had applied for bail. He is currently being kept in Tihar Jail. 2. BJP vs Congress showdown over Pulwama in Rajasthan. Widows of killed CRPF jawans removed from protest site. BJP Rajya Sabha MP Kirodi Lal Meena detained by Rajasthan police. 3. Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav's Delhi house is being searched in connection with the land-for-jobs case, days after the CBI questioned his parents, former Bihar Chief Ministers Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi, on consecutive days. The Enforcement Directorate is carrying out searches at over 15 locations in a case of alleged money laundering involving Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family members. The searches are also covering the premises linked to Mr Yadav's daughters Ragini Yadav, Chanda Yadav, and Hema Yadav, and former RJD MLA Abu Dojana in Patna, Phulwari Sharif, Delhi-NCR, Ranchi, and Mumbai. 4. Two persons have died of influenza caused by the H3N2 virus, government say. One person has died in Haryana and the other in Karnataka. 5. K Kavitha, senior leader of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi holds a hunger strike in New Delhi to demand the introduction of Women's Reservation Bill in Parliament. 6. Silvergate Capital Corp's abrupt shutdown and SVB Financial Group's hasty fundraising have sent US bank stocks diving and tongues wagging across the industry could this be the start of a much bigger problem. Indeed, amid deposit withdrawals at SVB, its chief executive officer urges customers to stay calm.
- The American intelligence community has told lawmakers that it apprehends increased tension between India and Pakistan and India and China with the possibility of a conflict between them. It has also noted that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is more likely than in the past to respond with military force to perceived or real provocations from Pakistan. 2. ED will question BRS Kavitha on March 11. Do remember K Kavitha had sought deferment of today's summons a sure of a full cooperation. 3. The Tamil Nadu Police have flagged a video about alleged attacks on migrant workers tweeted by a Bihar journalist as fake and warned of legal action against him. The police's warning comes on a day they issued guidelines on how to bust fake news about migrant workers being attacked in Tamil Nadu, which had created panic and forced some workers, mostly from Bihar, to leave the southern state.
- Manik Saha takes oath for the second time as Tripura Chief Minister after BJP clinches victory in February 16 Assembly polls. Eight other ministers swear in.Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP chief JP Nadda attend the oath ceremony in Agartala. 2. K Kavitha, daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, is to be questioned by Enforcement Directorate in Delhi liquor policy case tomorrow. The Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader was questioned by the CBI in Hyderabad for over seven hours on December 12 in connection with the case. 3. Kerala High Court raps the Pollution Control Board for the failure to carry out its responsibilities. Initiating suo motu proceedings regarding the fire at Brahmapuram dumping yard, the court asks Ernakulam district collector, the chairman of the pollution control board and the Kochi Corporation to appear before it. 4. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell cautions that interest rates are likely to head higher than central bank policymakers had expected. Citing data earlier this year showing that inflation has reversed the deceleration it showed in late 2022, the central bank leader warns of tighter monetary policy ahead to slow a growing economy. 5. Nation celebrates Holi with full fervour.
- A day after Central Bureau of Investigation questioned former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi at her home in Patna in connection with an alleged land-for-jobs scam, the probe agency today reaches her daughter Misa Bharti's Pandara Road house to question former union railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav in the same case. 2. Enforcement Directorate questions and records the statement of former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia in connection with Delhi excise policy scam case. ED investigators reach Tihar jail to record his statement under Prevention of Money Laundering Act. 3. Arvind Kejriwal announces that he will pray for the country during Holi celebrations, slamming Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the arrests of two of his top ministers, Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain. In a video message, the Delhi Chief Minister says he is worried about the state of affairs in the country. 4. Rahul Gandhi's comment in London that India's democracy 'has come undone' provokes a backlash with BJP accusing him of 'shaming the country' on foreign soil by 'seeking foreign intervention'. BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad says, 'BJP would like to emphatically state with great agony that Rahul Gandhi, in his speeches, has sought to shame India's democracy, polity, parliament, political system and judicial system.' 5. NDPP leader Neiphiu Rio takes oath as the Nagaland CM for the fifth term. The 72-year-old politician is administered the oath of secrecy by Governor La Ganesan. T R Zeliang and Y Patton are sworn-in as the deputy chief ministers of the state, while other members of the Rio cabinet also take oath. 6. Reaching out to the migrant workers community in Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister M K Stalin interacts with a group of labourers at a latex unit. The Chief Minister's move comes in the wake of apprehensions among the migrant workforce over alleged fake videos of attacks on some of them in the state, which had even prompted the Bihar government to depute an official delegation to take stock of the situation.
- Maharashtra's onion farmers suffer after the prices crash to as low as Rs 2 a kilogram. 2. Officials of the Central Bureau Of Investigation question former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi at her residence in Patna in connection with the land-for-jobs scam. The questioning comes a day after eight Opposition parties shot off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging misuse of central agencies for the BJP's political motives. Among the signatories was Rabri Devi's son and Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav. 3. An IPS officer born in Uttar Pradesh and serving in Chennai reassures migrant workers in the state after rumours of attack. He says they have nothing to fear. 4. Megastar Amitabh Bachchan says he injured himself on the Hyderabad set of his upcoming film 'Project K' while filming an action sequence and he is recovering at his home in Mumbai. In a post on his personal blog, the 80-year-old actor said his 'rib cartilage popped broke' and there is a 'muscle tear to the right rib cage'. 5. Intensifying its attack on the ruling AAP, the BJP today burnt effigies of 'corruption' and 'liquor scam' near Hanuman Mandir in New Delhi, as it reiterated its demand for resignation of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over alleged -corruption in the now-scrapped liquor policy for 2021-22.
- Eight opposition parties have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging misuse of central investigation agencies to go after them, amid the political war over the arrest of Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia. The Congress has stayed away from the letter signed by opposition leaders, including Chief Ministers K Chandrashekar Rao, Mamata Banerjee, Bhagwant Mann and Arvind Kejriwal. The DMK, Nitish Kumar's JDU and HD Kumaraswamy's JDS have also not joined the move. 2. The Delhi Police has filed a case against the installation of a banner saying 'I Love Manish Sisodia' at the gate of a Delhi government school in northeast Delhi's Shastri Park area. 3. A day after Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party chief K Annamalai held the ruling DMK party responsible for the ongoing stir over alleged attacks on migrant labourers in the state, the police have filed a case against him on charges of inciting violence and promoting enmity between groups. 4. Iran has agreed to reconnect surveillance cameras at several nuclear sites and increase the pace of inspections, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency says. UN nuclear watchdog Chief Rafael Grossi hails a marked improvement in his discussions with the Iranian government.
- Manish Sisodia, former Delhi deputy chief minister, has produced before a CBI court. The Aam Aadmi Party leader, who is in CBI custody and being probed in the Delhi liquor policy, has applied for bail. Delhi Police, Rapid Action Force, and Central Reserve Police Force have been deployed outside the CBI headquarters in Delhi as the agency gears up to produce Manish Sisodia before court at the end of his 5-day remand. 2. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin vows to protect migrant workers from other states, amid efforts to tackle reports of targeted attacks on people from Bihar that officials have dismissed as fake. Mr Stalin says in a statement, Migrant workers need not fear. If anyone threatens you, call on the helpline. Tamil Nadu government and people will stand to protect our migrant brothers. 3. As Rajasthan gears up for the assembly elections at the end of this year, the BJP finds itself in the midst of a power play. On one hand, former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje celebrates her birthday in a grand manner with a big-ticket bash at the Salasar temple in the Churu district. On the other, the BJP's youth wing, the Yuva Morcha, led by a leader widely seen as her rival, launches a simultaneous program to picket Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's residence on the issue of exam paper leaks.
- Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov hits out at the west for what he calls double standards. Mr Lavrov says that shame meet only focused on Ukraine and questions the west did G-20 ever focus on Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan. Mr Lavrov says, that it's Ukraine and the west tolling negotiations in the war and not Russia adds that Ukraine singed a degree to not negotiate with Putin. On India and China he says we have excellent relations. 2. The foreign ministers of Quad countries reaffirm the grouping's commitment for a free and open Indo-Pacific, and say it strongly supports the principles of rule of law, sovereignty and territorial integrity and peaceful settlement of disputes. 3. JP leader Madal Virupakshappa's son was caught accepting a Rs 40 lakh bribe to clear a deal for raw materials needed to manufacture soaps and detergents. A day later, over Rs 6 crore cash was found at the residence of the Karnataka BJP MLA's son. 4. NPP chief Conrad K Sangma meets Meghalaya Governor Phagu Chauhan and stakes claim to form the government in the northeastern state. Mr Sangma, the outgoing chief minister, claims that he has an absolute majority with 32 MLAs on his side in the 60-member assembly but refused to give details of supporting parties. 5. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launchs a scathing attack at the Centre during a lecture at Cambridge University, alleges that an attack has been unleashed on the basic structure of Indian democracy while also claiming that Israeli spyware Pegasus was being used to snoop into his phone.
- The ruling BJP-IPFT alliance is leading in 34 seats in Tripura while the Left-Congress alliance is ahead in 14 seats, just two seats ahead of Pradyot Manikya Debbarma's Tipra Motha. The BJP has also attained a comfortable lead in Nagaland where it is part of an alliance with NDPP. The alliance is ahead in 39 seats. In Meghalaya, Conrad Sangma's NPP is ahead in 26 seats while the BJP is ahead in 7 seats, as per trends. The voting on 178 seats across the three states was held on February 16 and 27 marking the first round of polls in an electorally-crucial year. While there are 60 seats in Nagaland, polls were held in 59 seats as one constituency (Akuluto) has been won uncontested by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In Meghalaya too, the total number come down from 60 to 59 as election on one seat has been countermanded. 2. As the G20 foreign ministers met under the shadow of fractured East-West relations over the Ukraine conflict, Prime Minister Narendra Modi calls for building consensus on pressing global challenges and not allowing differences on geopolitical tensions to affect overall cooperation in the grouping. In his video message at the meeting, PM Modi also invokes Mahatma Gandhi and Buddha to urge the delegates to draw inspiration from India's civilisational ethos and focus not on what divides us, but on what unites us.
- Days after the sensational daylight killing of a murder witness in Uttar Pradesh, bulldozers shows up at the home of a close relative of gangster Atiq Ahmed, who is accused of plotting the killing. On Friday, a witness to the 2005 killing of a politician, lawyer Umesh Pal, was killed in a shootout just outside his home in Prayagraj. His security guard was also killed in the shooting by five men. The killing was planned by gangster-turned-politician and former Samajwadi Party leader Atiq Ahmed, according to the police. 2. Top US diplomat Antony Blinken was due in New Delhi on Wednesday alongside Russia's Sergei Lavrov for a G20 meeting, with Ukraine and tensions with China set to overshadow attempts by host India to forge unity among the world's top economies. A meeting was seen as unlikely between the two men, who have not been in the same room since a G20 meeting in Bali in July when, according to Western officials, the Russian foreign minister walks out. 3. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has forwarded the names of AAP MLAs Atishi and Saurabh Bhardwaj to the Lieutenant Governor for their appointment to the cabinet, sources claim. The development comes after the resignation of AAP ministers Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain, the key faces of the city government, who were instrumental in steering the national capital through the coronavirus crisis.
- A terrorist involved in the killing of a Kashmiri Pandit in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama was among two shot dead by the security forces today, the police said. 2. A political slugfest has broken out between the Bharatiya Janata Party and Samajwadi Party over the public killing of a witness in a murder case last week. Umesh Pal, a witness in the murder case of a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA, was shot dead in Prayagraj on Friday. 3. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia today challenged his arrest by the CBI in the Supreme Court. Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, after hearing Mr Sisodia's lawyer Abhishek Singhvi, asked why they did not go to the high court instead before coming to the Supreme Court directly. 4. Nationalist Congress Party MLAs wearing garland of onions staged a protest at the Maharashtra assembly this morning as the wholesale prices of the key kitchen staple witnessed a steep fall yesterday. The MLAs reached the assembly with baskets full of onions on their heads a day after the farmers stopped the auction at Asia's biggest onion market in Nashik district due to the falling prices. 5. India is a global strategic partner of the US which has a wide, broad, deep relationship with the US, the Biden administration said, as Secretary of State Antony Blinken left for New Delhi to attend a host of key conferences including the G20 foreign ministers' meeting. Blinken will also attend a Quad ministerial meeting and hold a bilateral talk with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the Shivamogga airport with a lotus-shaped terminal. Shivamogga is the home district of Mr Yediyurappa, a four-time Chief Minister. The new airport has been developed at a cost of around Rs 450 crore. The passenger terminal building of the airport can handle 300 passengers per hour. The airport is expected to improve connectivity and accessibility from Shivamogga and other neighbouring areas in the Malnad region of Karnataka, officials said This is Modi's fifth visit this year to poll-bound Karnataka, where Assembly elections are due by May. 'Hawai Chappal-wearing common citizens should be able to travel in Hawai Jahaj. I am seeing it happening,' Prime Minister Narendra Modi said as he highlighted that India's aviation market is growing rapidly. 2. The CBI produces Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia before a court and seeks his five-day custody, a day after arresting him in the excise policy scam case. The counsel for the probe agency submitted that the arrested minister's custody was required for effective interrogation in the case. Mr Sisodia claimed that he had no role in the case but the probe showed he personally took decisions, the CBI submitted. Earlier, the CBI brought Mr Sisodia to the Rouse Avenue court amid high security presence. There was a heavy security presence in and outside the Rouse Avenue Courts premises. The CBI on Sunday evening arrested Mr Sisodia in connection with alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped liquor policy for 2021-22.
- Terrorists have shot dead a Hindu civilian in a targeted attack in the Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir, police say. The victim was identified as Sanjay Sharma, a Kashmiri Hindu resident of Achan, who was critically injured after terrorists fired at him while he was on his way to the local market. 2. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia arrives at the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) headquarters for questioning in the liquor policy case after an impassioned send-off by AAP supporters. 3. Addressing the Congress conclave Rahul Gandhi hits out at the PM Modi says, the Bharat Jodo Yatra got grater support in Kashmir than the PM Modi. 4. Ahead of Monday's Assembly elections, as many as 900 polling stations across the state have been identified as vulnerable and critical, the state's chief electoral officer says. Speaking to ANI, FR Kharkongor, CEO, Meghalaya says, These 900 polling stations have had some past records (of violence). The Election Commission has deployed 119 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) in Meghalaya to ensure a smooth conduct of the Assembly polls in the state.
- Congress leader Sonia Gandhi alludes to her retirement from politics, saying she was happy that her 'innings could conclude with the Bharat Jodo Yatra' which she describes as 'a turning point' for the party. Calling the current period a 'particularly challenging time' for the Congress and the country, Ms Gandhi says, Prime Minister and the BJP-RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) regime has relentlessly captured and subverted every single institution. 2. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath lashes out at opposition leader Akhilesh Yadav in the state assembly, even referencing his feud with his father, following tough questions over the public killing of a witness in a murder case a day ago. 3. Bihar will witness a major show of strength between the ruling Mahagathbandhan and opposition NDA today as Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the BJP's principal strategist, criss-cross the state as they campaign for their respective political fronts. 4. Last day of campaigning for Meghalaya as well as Nagaland assembly polls in two states on Monday.
- As hundreds of armed followers of a self-styled religious preacher overran a police station in Punjab's Amritsar in dramatic scenes of lawlessness, the police exercised restraint because they did not want to let the situation get out of hand, a senior official tells NDTV. The police stood down because the attackers, armed with guns and swords and demanding the release of one of their arrested associates, were also carrying a Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of the Sikhs, says Senior Superintendent of Punjab Police Harpal Singh Randhawa. 2. The Congress' 85th plenary session begins here with the meeting of the party's steering committee, which will decide on whether there will be elections to the working committee. The meeting starts under the presidency of Mallikarjun Kharge but former presidents Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were yet to arrive and are unlikely to attend the steering committee meeting. 3. The financial viability of many countries is being threatened by unsustainable debt, says Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as he calls for the Group of 20 to focus on the world's most vulnerable citizens. 4. Amid political slugfest, the voting process to elect six members of the Standing Committee of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi is underway at the Civic Center in the national capital. Ahead of the election of six members of the MCD Standing Committee, Delhi MCD House witnesses sloganeering by Bharatiya Janata Party councillors. 4. India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ruchira Kamboj, says India remains committed to multilateralism while reiterating calls for dialogue and diplomacy. She makes the statement after India abstained from voting on a resolution in the United Nations General Assembly on the need to reach a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine.
- Congress leader Pawan Khera has been arrested at the Delhi airport, after being taken off a flight to Chhattisgarh capital Raipur, over an alleged insult to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Nearly 50 Congress leaders launch a rare protest on the tarmac, refusing to let the flight leave. The opposition party also approaches the Supreme Court against the arrest. Pawan Khera, a senior Congress spokesperson, was forced to exit the IndiGo flight after he boarded it as part of a Congress group heading to Raipur for a meeting of the All India Congress Committee. 2. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's personal secretary Bibhav Kumar has been questioned by the Enforcement Directorate as part of its investigation into the capital's now-scrapped liquor sales policy. 3. The BJP holds the protest march towards the AAP's office. The protest is actually against Manish Sisodia over the snooping scandal. 4. Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami or EPS will remain at the helm of the state's opposition AIADMK party, the Supreme Court rules, in a major blow for his rival O Panneerselvam or OPS. 5. Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman meets US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen ahead of the first G20 Finance Minister and Central Bank Governors meeting to be held in Bengaluru, starting Friday.
- The Congress will lead an opposition coalition that will unseat the BJP in the 2024 national elections, says party chief Mallikarjun Kharge announcing that the 137-year-old outfit was in talks with ‘every' other party to realise it. 2. These are all conspiracy theories of a failed government. The same media organisations were hailed by PM Narendra Modi himself when he was the Gujarat CM, Jothimani, Lok Sabha MP, Congress says when asked for her views on the comments made by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. 3. Supreme Court says, it will take a call on listing a plea to allow girls to sit for exams in Karnataka government schools while wearing the hijab. 4. The Centre has given a go-ahead to the CBI to launch a probe against Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in an alleged case of snooping on rival parties. 5. A popular Bhojpuri singer has been served notice by the Uttar Pradesh Police for a satirical song that taunted the Yogi Adityanath government for its eviction drive in the state's Kanpur, which led to the deaths of a mother and a daughter. 6. Braving sub-zero temperatures at 13,000 feet, 75 runners has created history by participating in the world's highest frozen lake half marathon at the Pangong Lake in Ladakh.
- The Supreme Court agrees to hear tomorrow the petition filed by Uddhav Thackeray challenging the decision of Election Commission of India to recognise Eknath Shinde as the official Shiv Sena. Alleging that the office and bank accounts were being taken over Kapil Sibal appearing on behalf of Udhav Thackeray faction before Chief Justice Chandrachud urged for an urgent hearing. The Chief Justice wanted time to read the matter and has listed it for hearing tomorrow afternoon to decide on the issue. Mahesh Jethamalani appearing for Eknath Shinde faction had already filed a caveat, said it would argue tomorrow to explain that this matter had already been rejected in the High court and why the Supreme Court should not intervene in this matter. 2. Celebrated writer and poet Javed Akhtar's blunt comments in Pakistan on 26/11 terrorists 'roaming free' in the country and the bitterness in the hearts of Indians, have gone viral on social media. Javed Akhtar visited Pakistan last week for a festival in Lahore in memory of legendary Urdu poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz. The renowned lyricist, during an interaction, spoke about defusing tension between the two countries and said Pakistan couldn't blame Indians for being angry. 3. A pack of stray dogs surrounded a five-year-old boy and mauled him to death in Hyderabad on Sunday. Spine-chilling visuals of the incident were captured by a CCTV camera at the premises in Amberpet where the boy's father worked as a security guard. 4. Singer Sonu Nigam was manhandled and one of his aides was thrown off the stage allegedly when fans clamoured for selfies at a music festival in Mumbai last night. The incident took place at 11 pm in Chembur when Sonu Nigam was climbing down the stage after his live performance. 5. Delhi appears to have skipped spring entirely, going from a freezing cold winter to hot days in just a few weeks as it saw the warmest February day in 17 years today. The maximum temperature of 33.6 degrees is the highest for the month since 2006, shows data from the weather department.
- The Uddhav Thackeray faction approaches the Supreme Court challenging the decision of the Election Commission recognising the Eknath Shinde-led faction as the real Shiv Sena and ordering allocation of the 'bow and arrow' poll symbol to it. The Election Commission on Friday had recognised the Eknath Shinde-led faction as the real Shiv Sena and ordered the allocation of the 'bow and arrow' poll symbol to it. 2. The Enforcement Directorate conducts searches at multiple locations in Chhattisgarh, including premises linked to Congress leaders, as part of an ongoing investigation into the coal levy money laundering case. The raids come ahead of the three-day plenary session of the Congress from February 24-26 in the state capital Raipur. The state is ruled by the party under Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. 3. A Rajasthan court seds one accused to police remand for five days in connection with the alleged abduction and murder of two men by cow vigilantes, while Haryana authorities move to cancel the arms licence of Bajrang Dal member Monu Manesar who is among the four evading an arrest in the case. 4. The minimum and maximum temperature in Delhi is above normal for this season, a senior scientist at the India Meteorological Department (IMD) tells NDTV. The temperature in the national capital is likely to rise up to 33 degree Celsius in the coming days, much before the spring festival of Holi in early March, says IMD senior scientist Naresh Kumar.
- The Central Bureau of Investigation, after hours of suspense, accepts Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia's request to defer his questioning in a case linked to alleged corruption in the scrapped liquor sales policy. Fresh summons will soon be issued, officials say. Mr Sisodia requested the probe agency to give him till end of February as he was busy in preparing Delhi's budget. 2. Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut says, he is confident that ‘deals and transactions worth Rs 2000 crore' have been done so far, in six months, to get the Shiv Sena party name and symbol. Mr Raut says, 40 MLAs who defected from the party last year, amid huge chaos that resulted in a regime change, were given Rs 50 crore each. 3. Telangana Police detains Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Telangana Party (YSRTP) chief YS Sharmila for allegedly making inappropriate remarks against the Mahabubabad MLA and BRS leader Shankar Naik.
- Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's deputy Manish Sisodia says, he has been called for questioning over the liquor policy case again, alleging that the ‘full power' of agencies under the BJP-led central government had been unleashed to hound him. The Deputy Chief Minister tweets in Hindi, CBI has called me again tomorrow. They have unleashed the full power of CBI, ED against me, raided my house, searched my bank locker, and yet found nothing against me. 2. Nikki Yadav, the 23-year-old Delhi woman who was strangled to death by her boyfriend with a charging cable and stuffed in a fridge, was married to the accused since 2020, police sources say in a major development in the case. A picture from their wedding ceremony has also surfaced. Earlier, it was reported that the man, 24-year-old Sahil Gehlot, had murdered her on the day of his wedding to another woman after a three-hour fight over the issue. Sahil had hidden his plans to marry another woman from Nikki Yadav. 3. Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will approach the Supreme Court tomorrow challenging the Election Commission's decision to recognise the Eknath Shinde camp as the real Shiv Sena, sources have said. 4. Twelve cheetahs from South Africa arrives in Madhya Pradesh, months after eight big cats had been ferried from Namibia.
- The members of Delhi's civic body appointed by Lieutenant Governor cannot vote in the election to choose a mayor, says the Supreme Court, in what could possibly end the tussle between the Aam Aadmi Party and the BJP over choosing a mayor for the national capital. 2. The burnt bodies of two men hailing from Rajasthan were found in a vehicle in Haryana's Bhiwani district, police say. The dead were identified as Nasir and Junaid alias Juna, both residents of Ghatmeeka village of Pahari tehsil in Bharatpur district of Rajasthan, says Jagat Singh, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Loharu (Bhiwani), over the phone. 3. Investigations into the Yeti Airlines crash in Nepal that killed 71 people last month indicate the strong possibility of a startling error by one of the pilots. Five Indians were also killed in the crash. The Yeti Airlines flight 691, which took off from Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport on January 15, crashed on the Seti River gorge between the old airport and the new airport in the resort city of Pokhara. The preliminary crash report reveals that instead of using the flaps lever in the cockpit to configure the aircraft for landing, one of the pilots operated levers which 'feathered' the engines bringing engine power to zero.
- A 29-year-old soldier is dead after he was allegedly attacked by a DMK councillor in Tamil Nadu's Krishnagiri district. The soldier, Prabhu, served in Jammu and Kashmir. The police say, there was an argument between the soldier and the DMK councillor, Chinnnasamy, over washing clothes at a public tank. The soldier's brother, Prabhakaran, was also injured in the attack, the police say. 2. A total of 32.12 per cent of 28.13 lakh voters have exercised their franchise in the Tripura assembly elections till 11 am, with the polling process largely being peaceful, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Gitte Kirankumar Dinakarrao says. The exercise began at 7 am and is scheduled to continue till 4 pm. 3. Sometime between his engagement and wedding, Sahil Gehlot killed his girlfriend of four years, hid her body, and resumed business as usual, the Delhi police say, revealing more shockers in the chilling re-run of last year's Aaftab Poonawalla and Shraddha Walkar case. 4. Hours after unleashing a tax-loaded mini-budget, Pakistan hikes up the prices of petrol and gas to a historic high in a bid to appease the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for unlocking the critical loan tranche, reports Geo News. The petrol price has been increased to 272 rupees per litre after an increase of 22.20 rupees, a press release from the Finance Division reads, noting that the surge has taken place due to the rupee's devaluation against the dollar.
- The Delhi woman whose body was found in a fridge at a roadside restaurant was strangled with a data cable by her live-in boyfriend, police sources say. Sahil Gehlot, 24, has been arrested for allegedly murdering his girlfriend and trying to hide it, in an incident similar to the Shraddha Walkar murder case. He allegedly killed Nikki Yadav, 23, after an argument and decided to stuff her body in the fridge at the dhaba owned by his family. 2. A 37-year-old woman was allegedly killed by her live-in partner who hid her body in the storage area of the bed at their rented house near Mumbai, police say. Hardik Shah then tried to flee Palghar district of Maharashtra but was arrested by the railway police. 3. Assam's massive crackdown on child marriages has invited piercing questions from the Gauhati High Court, which has red-flagged the inclusion of charges under the tough law to protect children from sexual crimes. More than 3,000 people allegedly linked with child marriages have been taken into custody so far across Assam, and lodged in temporary jails, sparking protests by women who decried the arrest of sole breadwinners of their families. 4. Searches at the BBC's offices in Delhi and Mumbai continues for the second straight day as Income Tax officials investigates UK's national broadcaster, weeks after it airs a controversial documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the deadly Gujarat riots in 2002.
Income Tax officials search the BBC's Delhi and Mumbai offices today and seize phones and laptops, weeks after a massive controversy over the UK national broadcaster's documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the deadly sectarian riots in Gujarat in 2002. The taxmen sealed off the offices for a 'survey' linked to alleged diversion of profits and irregularities in transfer pricing involving the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation). The officials used the keyword 'tax' to search for information on the desktops after asking employees to log in, a BBC journalist tells NDTV. BBC, in a memo to staff, asks those not in office to stay away. It has also asked its staff to avoid commenting on social media on the searches. Meanwhile, the opposition accuses the government of targeting the BBC for airing a documentary critical of PM Modi over the riots that swept Gujarat in 2002, when he was Chief Minister. The Editors Guild of India says the raids were part of a wider 'trend of using government agencies to intimidate or harass press organisations that are critical of government policies'. The two-part series, 'India: The Modi Question', was taken down from public platforms last month. The Centre used emergency powers under IT Rules to block YouTube videos and Twitter posts sharing links to the documentary. The government slammed the documentary as 'hostile propaganda and anti-India garbage'.
- The protest by locals against the Demolition Drive by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) is underway in Mehrauli. The agitated protestors could be heard sloganeering against the government and the DDA with slogans of 'DDA haaye haaye', 'Taanashahi nahi chalegi, nahi chalegi'. It has also been claimed from the site that the raging protestors threw red chilli powder on the security personnel deployed at the protest site. An official statement from the DDA on Saturday said that the drive is intended to clear the unauthorised encroachments on the government's land that houses protected monuments of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) among others was started by the DDA on Friday in co-ordination with Delhi Police at Lado Sarai Village falling in Mehrauli Archaeological Park. 2. The first part of the budget session of Rajya Sabha has been adjourned till March 13 after continued disruptions by Opposition MPs. 3. The Supreme Court dismisses a plea challenging the government's decision to constitute the delimitation commission for redrawing the legislative assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. 4. The 14th edition of India's largest aerospace and defence exhibition, Aero India, takes off in Bengaluru with inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi bolstering the 'Make in India' campaign and giving a fresh impetus to the domestic aviation sector.
- Rashtrapati Bhavan announces the names for appointment on the post of 12 Governors for states and one Lieutenant Governor in the Union Territory of Ladakh. The statement from Rashtrapati Bhavan states that President Droupadi Murmu has accepted the resignations of Bhagat Singh Koshyari as Governor of Maharashtra and Radha Krishnan Mathur as Lt. Governor of Ladakh. Ramesh Bais, the Governor of Jharkhand has now been appointed as Governor of Maharashtra. The elevation of Gulab Chand Kataria, leader of the opposition in the Rajasthan Assembly, as the Governor of Assam effectively retires him from active politics in the state, and his area of influence, the Mewar-Wagad region of south Rajasthan. 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Rajasthan's Dausa district to inaugurate the Delhi-Dausa-Lalsot section of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. PM Modi will also lay the foundation stone and dedicate to the nation road development projects worth over Rs 18,100 crore. 3. The election for mayor, deputy mayor, and six members of the standing committee of Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) can finally take place, as the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi VK Saxena has approved the proposal of convening the adjourned meeting on February 16. 4. The death count from a massive earthquake in Turkey and Syria will ‘double or more' from its current level of 28,000, UN relief chief Martin Griffiths says. Griffiths arrives in Turkey's southern city of Kahramanmaras, the epicentre of the first 7.8-magnitude tremor that upturned millions of lives in the pre-dawn hours of Monday. 5. A US fighter jet shoot down an unidentified object over Canada in a joint operation by the North American neighbors and the second such take-down in their skies since the dramatic downing of a suspected Chinese spy balloon a week ago. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says, he ordered the takedown of the object, the latest of a series of mysterious air intrusions.
- National Disaster Response Force personnel rescued an 8-year-old girl from a collapsed structure in earthquake-hit Turkiye, an official spokesperson says. The operation was undertaken in Nurdagi town of Gaziantep province along with Turkish army personnel, the NDRF spokesperson says. Over 24,000 people have been killed since Monday's 7.8-magnitude tremor and ceaseless aftershocks in Turkey and Syria. 2. The northeast states of Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland go to polls this month with elections due in Tripura on February 16 followed by Meghalaya and Nagaland on February 27, with results on March 2. PM Modi kickstarts BJP's campaign in Tripura targeting the Left and Congress. PM says, Tripurs is no more known for violence. 3. In a major setback for the Aam Aadmi Party, Delhi's Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena removes two nominees backed by it from the boards of private power distribution companies. Mr Saxena removes AAP spokesperson Jasmine Shah, and Naveen ND Gupta, son of AAP MP ND Gupta, saying they had been illegally appointed as 'government nominees' on the boards of privately owner discoms BYPL, BRPL (Anil Ambani), and NDPDCL (Tata). AAP nominees have been replaced by senior government officers. 4. The Indian government announces that large reserve of lithium has been found for the first time in the country. The Geological Survey of India says that 5.9 million tonnes of lithium reserves have been found in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir. 5. A US fighter shot down an unidentified object drifting high over Alaska, the White House says, just six days after the downing of an alleged Chinese spy balloon sparked a fresh diplomatic rift with Beijing. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby says it was unclear what the purpose or origin of the new object was, but said that it was taken down because, floating at 40,000 feet, it was a threat to civil aviation.
- Opposition BJP members protest in the Rajasthan Assembly soon after Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot starts presenting the state budget, alleges that he was reading from the old budget. BJP further says the budget has technically leaked, as state government officials rushes to get the budget copy. Nobody else but the Chief Minister should bring the budget copy, but this one went through four-five hands, BJP's Pratap Singh Singhvi, MLA from Chhabra, says, demanding the Chief Minister bring a new budget. 2. More than 21,000 people have died in Syria and Turkey and thousands are injured after a massive quake on Monday. Round-the-clock rescue operations are on but snow and rain are adding to the difficulties of the survivors. The death count in the Turkey-Syria earthquake has crossed 21,000. Officials say 17,674 people have died in Turkey and 3,377 in Syria, bringing the confirmed total to 21,051. 3. Road to 2024, NDTV reports from India's longest expressway. The first leg of the Delhi-Mumbai expressway will be inaugurated soon. 4. In Tripura political foes turn friends. NDTV reports from the campaign of Left-Congress. 5. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Inaugurates 3-Day Global Investors Summit In UP. PM says Uttar Pradesh, earlier known as a 'BIMARU' state, is today known for good governance. 6. Continuing his superlative from ODIs, Rohit Sharma brings the long-awaited wait for a Test hundred to an end as he scored his 9th century in the longest format of the game in the 1st Test against Australia in Nagpur.
- More than 21,000 people have died in Syria and Turkey and thousands are injured after a massive quake on Monday. Round-the-clock rescue operations are on but snow and rain are adding to the difficulties of the survivors. The death count in the Turkey-Syria earthquake has crossed 21,000. Officials say 17,674 people have died in Turkey and 3,377 in Syria, bringing the confirmed total to 21,051. 2. She was wrapped in a blanket. Her neck was firmly secured with a support device as a doctor checked her condition. People in yellow helmets carried her on a stretcher gently. This is how a six-year-old girl is brought out to safety from the rubble of a collapsed building by a team of the National Disaster Response Force deployed in Turkey, where large parts of the country has been devastated by a series of strong earthquakes. 3. Launching a scathing attack on Congress and other opposition parties who have been targeting him, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says 'one person is proving too much for so many' and that more muck is raised by the parties opposed to BJP, the more the party's symbol lotus will bloom. 4. Supreme Court will soon have its full strength of 34 judges with the stage having been set for the elevation of two high court judges, confirm top government sources to NDTV. The notices for appointment are expected to be issued in the next few days, say sources. The top had its full strength last when Ranjan Gogoi was the Chief Justice of India.
- Prime Minister's reply to the president's address in the Rajya Sabha todays big focus the more mud you fling the more lotus will bloom he says. He also defines what he says is true secularism when people receive 100 per cent benefits with no discrimination. The opposition shouts slogan throughout in the Prime Minister's reply. 2. India sets up 30 bed hospital in 5 hours in Turkey. 6 relief flights from India have now reached Turkey. Over 19,000 people have been killed in Turkey and Syria, say latest reports. NDTV reports from turkey on the scale of this human tragedy. 3. The Supreme Court will soon have its full strength of 34 judges with the stage having been set for the elevation of two high court judges, top government sources have confirmed to NDTV. The notices for appointment are expected to be issued in the next few days, sources say. 4. Bharatiya Janata Party President JP Nadda along with Chief Minister Manik Saha releases the party's manifesto for the Tripura Assembly elections. While addressing the Public meeting, Mr Nadda says, Tripura was once known for blockades and insurgency. The state is now known for peace, prosperity and development. 5. Alphabet Inc lost USD 100 billion in market value after its new chatbot shares inaccurate information in a promotional video and a company event fails to dazzle, feeding worries that the Google parent is losing ground to rival Microsoft Corp. 6. Rohit Sharma leads with an unbeaten 56 after India bowls out Australia for 177 runs at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur. 7. Its cow hug day coming up this valentine's NDTV reporter does a reality check.
- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan concedes shortcomings after criticism of his government's response to the massive earthquake that has killed over 15,000 people in Turkey and Syria. The sprawling scale of the disaster that flattened thousands of buildings, trapping an unknown number of people, has swamped relief operations already hampered by freezing weather. 2. BJP stage a protest near Delhi Secretariat, demanding the removal of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia from his post over ‘snooping' by the Feedback Unit, or FBU, allegedly created by the party after it came to power in 2015. Lt Governor has forwarded a recommendation of CBI to the President through the Ministry of Home Affairs for registration of a case against Sisodia after an enquiry in the creation and working of the FBU, sources say. 3. 7 workers while cleaning an oil tanker at a private company in Kakinada district of Andhra Pradesh have suffocated to death. 4. Alphabet Inc lost USD 100 billion in market value after its new chatbot shares inaccurate information in a promotional video and a company event fails to dazzle, feeding worries that the Google parent is losing ground to rival Microsoft Corp. 5. Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith counterattack brings up an unbeaten 74 runs stand after Siraj and Shami struck early in the Nagpur test.
- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan concedes shortcomings after criticism of his government's response to the massive earthquake that has killed over 15,000 people in Turkey and Syria. The sprawling scale of the disaster that flattened thousands of buildings, trapping an unknown number of people, has swamped relief operations already hampered by freezing weather. 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reply to motion of thanks to the President's address at 2 pm in Rajya Sabha today. The PM replied to the motion of thanks in Lok Sabha yesterday. He lashed out at Congress and 10-year UPA government by saying that 2004 to 2014 was the decade of scams and violence, and the UPA's trademark was to turn every opportunity into crisis. 3. There will be no traffic restrictions in Gurugram today when President Droupadi Murmu goes to an official event on the outskirts, says the administration of the city in Haryana. President Murmu is going to Om Shanti Retreat Centre, off the Delhi-Jaipur highway, to attend a national convention for women. The Brahma Kumaris, a women-led spiritual organization, runs the 28-acre retreat about 40 km from the city centre in Gurugram.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking in Lok Sabha a day after Congress's Rahul Gandhi's attack on his government, lashes out at the 10 years of UPA rule, saying it had ‘bled the country dry'. Replying to the motion of thanks to the President's address in parliament, he says, ‘2004 to 2014 was the decade of scams and violence and the UPA's trademark was to turn every opportunity into crisis'. And while the Congress might feel the way to go is to ‘abuse Modi', the 140 crore people of the country were his ‘shield'. 2. India's ‘Dost' diplomacy in Erdogan's Turkey facing one of its worst natural disasters. India sends in army, NDRF, medical help, supplies. The death toll could cross 10,000 in Turkey and Syria. 3. The Reserve Bank of India slows the pace of interest-rate increases for the second straight time expectedly increases borrowing cost by 25 basis points but hints more to come as core inflation remained high. The RBI's six-member Monetary Policy Committee votes 4-2 to raise the benchmark repurchase or repo rate to 6.50 per cent and retain its stance of withdrawing accommodation, which was adopted early last year. 4. Traffic on the Delhi-Jaipur Highway is likely to be affected on Thursday due to President Droupadi Murmu's visit to the Om Shanti Retreat Centre in Gurugram's Bhora Kalan. Adequate arrangements have been made so that no inconvenience is caused to commuters taking the route, Delhi Police officials say. 5. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia hasn't even begun, and accusations of the Nagpur pitch, where the first Test is to take place, being ‘doctored' have been made. Some Australian journalists and former cricketers feel India are preparing the pitch differently in different segments.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking in Lok Sabha a day after Congress's Rahul Gandhi's attack on his government, lashes out at the 10 years of UPA rule, saying it had ‘bled the country dry'. Replying to the motion of thanks to the President's address in parliament, he says, ‘2004 to 2014 was the decade of scams and violence and the UPA's trademark was to turn every opportunity into crisis'. And while the Congress might feel the way to go is to ‘abuse Modi', the 140 crore people of the country were his ‘shield'. 2. India's ‘Dost' diplomacy in Erdogan's Turkey facing one of its worst natural disasters. India sends in army, NDRF, medical help, supplies. The death toll could cross 10,000 in Turkey and Syria. 3. The Reserve Bank of India slows the pace of interest-rate increases for the second straight time expectedly increases borrowing cost by 25 basis points but hints more to come as core inflation remained high. The RBI's six-member Monetary Policy Committee votes 4-2 to raise the benchmark repurchase or repo rate to 6.50 per cent and retain its stance of withdrawing accommodation, which was adopted early last year. 4. Traffic on the Delhi-Jaipur Highway is likely to be affected on Thursday due to President Droupadi Murmu's visit to the Om Shanti Retreat Centre in Gurugram's Bhora Kalan. Adequate arrangements have been made so that no inconvenience is caused to commuters taking the route, Delhi Police officials say. 5. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia hasn't even begun, and accusations of the Nagpur pitch, where the first Test is to take place, being ‘doctored' have been made. Some Australian journalists and former cricketers feel India are preparing the pitch differently in different segments.
- The Reserve Bank of India slows the pace of interest-rate increases for the second straight time expectedly increases borrowing cost by 25 basis points but hints more to come as core inflation remained high. The RBI's six-member Monetary Policy Committee votes 4-2 to raise the benchmark repurchase or repo rate to 6.50 per cent and retain its stance of withdrawing accommodation, which was adopted early last year. 2. Rescuers in Turkey and Syria battle bitter cold in a race against time to find survivors under buildings flattened by an earthquake that killed more than 7,800 people. Tremors that inflicted more suffering on a border area, already plagued by conflict, left people on the streets burning debris to try to stay warm as international aid began to arrive. 3. A Hyderabad-based Chartered Accountant named Butchibabu Gorantla arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy case. CBI informs in a statement, that the accused CA has been arrested for his alleged role in formulating and implementing the Delhi Excise Policy and causing wrongful gain to Hyderabad-based wholesale and retail licensees and their beneficial owners. 4. A 13-year-old domestic help was rescued from her employer's house in Gurugram where she suffered horrific abuse over the last few months, the police say. The girl, who is from Jharkhand, was found with wounds all over her body, officials say, adding she has been admitted to a hospital for treatment. Doctors are also conducting her medical examination to ascertain if she was sexually assaulted. 5. America is in a much better shape than it was two years ago when its economy was ‘reeling', President Joe Biden has asserted, touting his administration's economic accomplishments in his State of the Union address as he lays the groundwork for his 2024 White House run.
- GV Sanjay Reddy, Vice Chairman of the conglomerate GVK, strongly denies Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's comments that Modi government arm-twisted GVK and hijacked Mumbai airport from the conglomerate and handed it to the Adani group. Mr Reddy says, 'There was absolutely no pressure from the Adani group or anyone else to sell Mumbai airport.' 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reply to the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's address today at 3 pm in the Lok Sabha. 3. Rescuers in Turkey and Syria battle bitter cold in a race against time to find survivors under buildings flattened by an earthquake that killed more than 7,800 people. Tremors that inflicted more suffering on a border area, already plagued by conflict, left people on the streets burning debris to try to stay warm as international aid began to arrive. 4. Communications technology firm Zoom to lay off some 1,300 employees or 15 per cent of its workforce, says chief executive Eric Yuan in the company's official blog. Calling the affected employees 'hard-working, talented colleagues', Mr Yuan says they will get an email if they are based in the US and all non-US staff will be informed following local requirements. 5. Kiara Adani and Sidharth Malhotra get married in Rajasthan. They share their wedding album on Instagram. They post three adorable pictures. The caption the newlyweds pick is blockbuster, they borrow from Shershaah, the 2021 film they co-starred in and where it all began. 'Now we are permanently booked', reads the caption, continuing, 'We seek your blessings and love on our journey ahead'.
- Rahul Gandhi launches a sharp attack in parliament on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and billionaire Gautam Adani, whose companies are in the spotlight after US-based short-seller Hindenburg Research alleged stocks manipulation and accounting fraud by the group. The Congress leader, who recently completed a 3,500-km Bharat Jodo Yatra, accused PM Modi of helping Gautam Adani's business empire across sectors, prompting emphatic rebuttals from the ruling BJP, which called his allegations wild and reckless. 2. A day after he conveyed to the party's central leadership that he cannot work with Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole due to his 'anger' towards him, senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat today resigns from the post of Maharashtra Congress legislature party leader. Sources say he is firm on his stand, and is unlikely to take back his decision. 3. The AAP stages a protest near the BJP headquarters, a day after the presiding officer of the Delhi municipal House announced that members nominated by the LG will be allowed to vote in the mayoral election. Security around the BJP headquarters is stepped up with heavy police presence seen in the area and multiple barricades erected at Rouse Avenue road. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) House failed to elect a mayor even in the third attempt following a ruckus on Monday after Presiding Officer Satya Sharma said that the aldermen nominated by Lieutenant Governor (LG) will vote in the elections. 4. A body was dragged under a car in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura for over 10 km in the early hours of Tuesday in a horrific replay of a young woman's death in Delhi after being run over on New Year's Day. In the latest suspected case of hit-and-drag, the body was caught in the undercarriage of the car and dragged for over 10 km, according to the police. 5. Rescuers in Turkey and Syria brave freezing darkness, aftershocks and collapsing buildings, as they dig for survivors buried by a string of earthquakes that killed at least 4,800 people. 6. Aaftab Poonawala had used a stone grinder on the bones of live-in partner Shraddha Walkar and disposed of the powder. Her head was one of the last pieces, which he threw away after three months, the Delhi Police have claimed. The 6,600-page chargesheet of Delhi's notorious fridge murder lists a series of gruesome details. Among other things, it also mentions that on May 18, after killing Shraddha, Poonawala had dined on a chicken roll brought from Zomato.
- A day after he conveyed to the party's central leadership that he cannot work with Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole due to his 'anger' towards him, senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat today resigns from the post of Maharashtra Congress legislature party leader. Sources say he is firm on his stand, and is unlikely to take back his decision. 2. After disruptions and protests by the opposition, finally today the motion of thanks to the President's address in the Lok Sabha. 3. The AAP stages a protest near the BJP headquarters, a day after the presiding officer of the Delhi municipal House announced that members nominated by the LG will be allowed to vote in the mayoral election. Security around the BJP headquarters is stepped up with heavy police presence seen in the area and multiple barricades erected at Rouse Avenue road. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) House failed to elect a mayor even in the third attempt following a ruckus on Monday after Presiding Officer Satya Sharma said that the aldermen nominated by Lieutenant Governor (LG) will vote in the elections. 4. Even as the crack down against child marriage continues in Assam with about 2500 people behind the bars, now the state government has decided to convert the Matia transit camp which was meant to keep people who have been declared as foreigners and a major stadium in Silchar of southern Assam into temporary jails to keep the arrestees of child marriage cases. 5. Rescuers in Turkey and Syria brave freezing darkness, aftershocks and collapsing buildings, as they dig for survivors buried by a string of earthquakes that killed at least 4,800 people. Adani ports report highest ever revenue and ebitda over a 9-month period.
- Hours after the announcement made by Prime Minister's Office, India dispatches the first batch of earthquake relief material to Turkey aboard an Indian Air Force aircraft. The shipment consists of an expert National Disaster Response Force search and rescue team, including both male and female personnel, highly-skilled dog squads, an array of medical supplies, advanced drilling equipment, and other crucial tools required for aid efforts. 2. Now Mumbai is also suffocating like Delhi. Mumbai becomes the fifth most polluted city in the world. Toxic air, falling temperature is making people sick. There is a pile up of patients with respiratory problems in hospitals. 3. A third attempt to elect a Delhi Mayor fails as protests erupt after major change in rules that Aam Aadmi Party alleges will favour BJP, which recently lost control of the civic body after 15 years. The municipal corporation meeting is called off until further notice amid huge protests by BJP and AAP after 10 councillors nominated by Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena are allowed to vote. The Delhi Municipal Corporation Act says nominated members, or aldermen, cannot vote in house meetings. 4. In a significant development that could consolidate the position of Edappadi K Palaniswami in AIADMK, the rival faction led by O Panneerselvam announces to opt out of the race in the February 27 by-election in Erode East Assembly constituency. 5. Google to launch an Artificial Intelligence powered chatbot called Bard to rival ChatGPT. Bard is built on Google's existing large language model Lamda, which one engineer describes as being so human-like in its responses that he believes it is sentient.
- India's latest aircraft carrier INS Vikrant crosses a milestone with the first landing of a fixed-wing aircraft on its flight deck. A naval version of India's home-grown Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas landed successfully on INS Vikrant as part of sea trials. 'A Historical milestone achieved towards Aatma Nirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) by Indian Navy as naval pilots carry out landing of LCA (Navy) on board the INS Vikrant. It demonstrates India's capability to design, develop, construct and operate an indigenous aircraft carrier with an indigenous fighter aircraft,' the Indian Navy says in a statement. 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi targets the opposition at an official event in Karnataka, during his visit to the state ahead of assembly elections. Inaugurating India's largest helicopter manufacturing facility in Tumakuru, a city around 70 km from state capital Bengaluru, PM Modi cites the opposition allegations that the deal for Rafale fighter jets was benefitting Reliance Defence Ltd of Anil Ambani and destroying state-run aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Limited or HAL. 3. After the Delhi municipal House was adjourned for the third time in a month without electing a mayor, AAP leader Atishi says the party will move the Supreme Court so that the polls can be held in a 'court-monitored manner'. The municipal House failed to elect a mayor after a ruckus erupted over the nominated members being allowed to vote in the election to the post.
- A third attempt to elect a Delhi Mayor fails as protests erupted after a major change in rules that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) alleges will favour the BJP, which recently lost control of the civic body after 15 years. AAP says it will approach the Supreme Court for court-monitored mayoral polls within 10 days. Though AAP has a majority in the corporation after its big win in the December civic polls, a secret ballot and cross-voting could change the outcome. 'We want the election and we want Delhi to have a mayor,' said AAP's Atishi, accusing the BJP of deliberately stalling the process with their protests. 2. A 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit Turkey and Syria early on Monday, killing hundreds of people as they slept, levelling buildings, and sending tremors that were felt as far away as the island of Cyprus and Egypt. One of the largest to strike Turkey in at least a century wiped out entire sections of major cities in a region filled with millions of people who have fled the civil war in Syria and other conflicts. At least 245 people died in government-controlled parts of Syria, as well as the northern areas held by pro-Turkish factions, according to the health ministry and a local hospital. At least 284 people died in Turkey, Vice President Fuat Oktay says, adding that more than 2,300 people had been injured and that search and rescue work was continuing in several major cities. 3. The rupee depreciates 42 paise to 82.50 against the US dollar in early trade, weighed down by a strong American currency and a muted trend in domestic equities. Sustained foreign fund outflows and firm crude oil prices further dented investor sentiments, say forex traders. 4. Opposition MPs hold a protest in front of Gandhi statue in Parliament complex and stalled proceedings in both houses while demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe or a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into the Adani issue. 5. Music composer Ricky Kej, based out of Bengaluru, wins his third Grammy Award for the album 'Divine Tides' and dedicates the honour to his home country, India. The US-born musician shared the award with Stewart Copeland, the drummer of the iconic British rock band The Police, who collaborated with Kej on the album.
- A third attempt to pick the Mayor of Delhi and six standing committee members is expected today. Two earlier attempts had failed amid clashes between BJP, which controlled the civic body for 15 years, and AAP, which has dislodged them. The election was stalled twice, on January 6 over the question whether the 10 members nominated by the Lieutenant Governor are allowed to vote and on January 24 due to sudden adjournment by presiding officer claiming non order of house. 2. Supreme Court is all set to get five new judges today, taking its strength to 32 against the sanctioned strength of 34, when three chief justices, Justice Pankaj Mithal, Justice Sanjay Karol and P V Sanjay Kumar, of high courts of Rajasthan, Patna and Manipur respectively will take oath alongside two other senior high court judges. 3. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to hit the campaign trail in Tripura this week. Tripura will see a multi-cornered contest, with the ruling BJP tying up with Indigenous People's Front of Tripura, an old ally. The Left, which ruled the state for 25 years at a stretch before BJP came to power in 2018, has formed an alliance with Indian National Congress. 4. Assam Chief Minister Himata Biswa Sarma reports more than 4,000 cases of men marrying underage girls in the Indian state of Assam with over 1,800 arrests. 'Assam government is firm in its resolve to end the menace of child marriage in the state,' says Sarma. 5. Beyonce breaks the record for the most Grammy wins of any artist, scoring her 32nd prize ever and fourth of the night to resounding applause. She clinches the title by winning the Grammy for Best Dance, Electronic Music Album for her smash 'Renaissance', thus surpassing the late classical conductor Georg Solti, who had 31 awards.
- Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who has renamed his party for his national ambitions, starts the journey today with a rally across the border in Maharashtra's Nanded and an appeal to farmers. While no election is due in the area, Nanded has a chunk of Telugu-speaking population. Earlier, some villages in the area had demanded that they be allowed to merge with Telangana in view of the schemes in the neighbouring state. 2. U.S. military fighter aircraft shoots down a suspected Chinese spy balloon as it floated off the coast of South Carolina on Saturday, drawing to a close a dramatic saga that shone a spotlight on worsening Sino-U.S. relations. 'We successfully took it down, and I want to compliment our aviators who did it,' says President Joe Biden. President Biden says he had issued an order on Wednesday to take down the balloon, but the Pentagon had recommended waiting until it could be done over open water to safeguard civilians from debris crashing down to Earth from thousands of feet (meters) above commercial air traffic. 3. After a long bout of serious illness, former Pakistan President and chief of Army staff Pervez Musharraf dies at the American Hospital in UAE's Dubai after spending years in self-imposed exile. He was 79. There's no official communication if his body will be brought back to Pakistan, though his family has been trying to bring him back home since last year. 4. wenty thousand government jobs, a resolution against contentious citizenship law, and a drugs-free state are some of the big-ticket promises made by the Tipra Motha party, led by former Congress leader and erstwhile royal Pradyot Manikya Debburman ahead of the Tripura polls. The party, which plans to crowdfund its campaign, is contesting 42 out of 60 seats in the state and aims to emerge as a potential kingmaker.
- After a long bout of serious illness, former Pakistan President and chief of Army staff Pervez Musharraf dies at the American Hospital in UAE's Dubai after spending years in self-imposed exile. He was 79. There's no official communication if his body will be brought back to Pakistan, though his family has been trying to bring him back home since last year. 2. Twenty thousand government jobs, a resolution against contentious citizenship law, and a drugs-free state are some of the big-ticket promises made by the Tipra Motha party, led by former Congress leader and erstwhile royal Pradyot Manikya Debburman ahead of the Tripura polls. The party, which plans to crowdfund its campaign, is contesting 42 out of 60 seats in the state and aims to emerge as a potential kingmaker. 3. U.S. military fighter aircraft shoots down a suspected Chinese spy balloon as it floated off the coast of South Carolina on Saturday, drawing to a close a dramatic saga that shone a spotlight on worsening Sino-U.S. relations. 'We successfully took it down, and I want to compliment our aviators who did it,' says President Joe Biden. President Biden says he had issued an order on Wednesday to take down the balloon, but the Pentagon had recommended waiting until it could be done over open water to safeguard civilians from debris crashing down to Earth from thousands of feet (meters) above commercial air traffic.
- Names of five judges for Supreme Court cleared by Centre, nearly two months after they were recommended, amid a protracted tussle between the executive and the judiciary over the process of appointments. Rajasthan High Court Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal, Patna High Court Chief Justice Sanjay Karol, Manipur High Court Chief Justice PV Sanjay Kumar, Patna High Court judge Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Allahabad High Court judge Manoj Misra will now be Supreme Court judges. 2. Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance Tipra Motha chief Maharaj Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barman hits out at the previous governments of the state and says people of Tripura have not progressed due to lack of interest of Congress and misgovernance of BJP. He says, 'We have not said that we will change the whole world but which are 15 realistic things like health, education, women's safety, CAA, minorities rights, tribal rights, women empowerment, jobs, the problem of drinking water, we will solve it within the first 150 days, we will take action if we come to power.' 3. Biden administration lauds Pentagon for shooting down an alleged Chinese spy balloon off the US Atlantic coast but China angrily voices its strong dissatisfaction at the move and says it may make necessary responses. The craft spent several days flying over North America before it was targeted off the coast of the southeastern state of South Carolina with a missile fired from an F-22 plane, say Pentagon officials, falling into relatively shallow water just 47 feet deep. 4. Capital markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India says it has observed unusual price movement in stocks of a business conglomerate in the past week amid Adani stocks rout. The statement says, 'SEBI is committed to ensuring market integrity and to ensuring that the markets continue to have the appropriate structural strength to function in an uninterrupted, transparent and efficient manner as has been the case so far.'
- Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says, the government will let the regulators do their job when it comes to allegations of fraud against the Adani Group that have triggered an unprecedented sell-off in the stock market. Ms Sitharaman says at a news briefing in Mumbai, ‘Regulators will do their job. You've had the Reserve Bank comment on it yesterday. And prior to that, the banks and the LIC have themselves come out to say what their level of exposure is. So, the regulators will do their job'. 2. A court has discharged student activists Sharjeel Imam and Asif Iqbal Tanha in the Jamia violence case. 3. BJP organises a huge protest outside the Aam Aadmi Party's offices in Delhi, demanding Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's resignation over allegations of corruption linked to the now-scrapped liquor sales policy. 4. After days of protest across Sikkim, the state government files a review petition in the Supreme Court's for rectification of the court's observation that Sikkimese Nepalis were people of foreign origin. The protesters had set a deadline of seven days for the state government to act. The main opposition party, Pawan Kumar Chamling's Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), has called for a 48-hour bandh starting today. Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang has also called for an emergency session of the Assembly on February 9. 5. In a shocker from Madhya Pradesh, a three-month-old girl suffering from pneumonia was poked 51 times on the stomach with a hot iron rod as part of 'treatment' by a quack. The child, who had breathing difficulties, died 15 days later at a hospital. The incident took place in a tribal-dominated area in Shahdol district. 6. Handing a 21-month ban for failing a dope test, Indian gymnastics ace Dipa Karmakar says, she accepts provisional suspension after returning positive for a banned drug to swiftly resolve her case with the international federation. Karmakar, however, claims that she ‘unknowingly ingested' the prohibited substance Higenamine S3 Beta-2 Agonists as per WADA prohibited list which was found in her dope sample.
- After days of protest across Sikkim, the state government files a review petition in the Supreme Court's for rectification of the court's observation that Sikkimese Nepalis were people of foreign origin. The protesters had set a deadline of seven days for the state government to act. The main opposition party, Pawan Kumar Chamling's Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), has called for a 48-hour bandh starting today. Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang has also called for an emergency session of the Assembly on February 9. 2. The BJP organises a huge protest outside the Aam Aadmi Party's offices in Delhi, demanding Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's resignation over allegations of corruption linked to the now-scrapped liquor sales policy. 3. Two teams from the central and state drug regulatory bodies will inspect Global Pharma Healthcare's manufacturing plant near Chennai after the company recalled its eye drop linked to vision loss in the US, say official sources. They say the specific eye drop is not sold in India. The US Food and Drug Administration has said in a statement that the Chennai-based company is recalling all lots of Artificial Tears lubricant eye drops distributed by EzriCare, LLC and Delsam Pharma to the consumer level due to possible contamination. 4. In a shocker from Madhya Pradesh, a three-month-old girl suffering from pneumonia was poked 51 times on the stomach with a hot iron rod as part of 'treatment' by a quack. The child, who had breathing difficulties, died 15 days later at a hospital. The incident took place in a tribal-dominated area in Shahdol district.
- Two teams from the central and state drug regulatory bodies will inspect Global Pharma Healthcare's manufacturing plant near Chennai after the company recalled its eye drop linked to vision loss in the US, say official sources. They say the specific eye drop is not sold in India. The US Food and Drug Administration has said in a statement that the Chennai-based company is recalling all lots of Artificial Tears lubricant eye drops distributed by EzriCare, LLC and Delsam Pharma to the consumer level due to possible contamination. 2. Nineteen families were evacuated after their homes developed cracks at a village in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district, say officials. The authorities also declared unsafe a mosque and a religious school for girls at Nai Basti village in Thathri, 35 kilometres from Doda town along the Kishtwar-Batote National Highway. A few structures in the village started developing cracks a couple of days ago but the situation was exacerbated by a landslide on Thursday with the number of buildings damaged reaching 21. 3. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi writes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking protection for Kashmiri Pandits who are working in Kashmir valley amid recent targeted killings by terrorists. Mr Gandhi says he met a Kashmiri Pandit delegation during the recent Bharat Jodo Yatra when it entered Jammu and Kashmir. 4. In a shocker from Madhya Pradesh, a three-month-old girl suffering from pneumonia was poked 51 times on the stomach with a hot iron rod as part of 'treatment' by a quack. The child, who had breathing difficulties, died 15 days later at a hospital. The incident took place in a tribal-dominated area in Shahdol district. 5. In an exclusive interview with NDTV, Sania Mirza reveales that receiving p' and 'special' moment for her.
- It's a Joshimath-like crisis in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district, where a village is sinking and more than 20 houses and a mosque have developed cracks, triggering panic among residents. Officials say the families are being shifted to a safer place and experts have been sent to the village to investigate the cause of the soil shifting, which has led to cracks in buildings. 2. An Indian company has recalled a line of eye drops from the US market after the country's health protection agency says they could be contaminated with a drug-resistant bacteria that have been linked to reports of permanent vision loss and one death from a bloodstream infection. 3. Proceedings in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have been adjourned again amid ruckus. The Opposition members have been demanding a discussion on the Hindenburg report and the massive decline in share prices of Adani Group companies. 4. More than 1,800 people have been arrested in a massive crackdown on child marriage in Assam so far, says Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. The Chief Minister says, he has asked the Assam police to act against the menace with a ‘spirit of zero tolerance'. 5. The government assures the Supreme Court that the collegium's recommendations for the appointment of five judges will be cleared soon. The collegium had in December recommended the names of three high court chief justices and two judges for elevation to the Supreme Court.
- Proceedings in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have been adjourned as ruckus erupted again over the Adani row. The Opposition members have been demanding a discussion on the Hindenburg report and the massive decline in share prices of Adani Group companies. 2. More than 1,800 people have been arrested in a massive crackdown on child marriage in Assam so far, says Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. The Chief Minister says, he has asked the Assam police to act against the menace with a ‘spirit of zero tolerance'. 3. Governor is expected to address the joint houses in Telangana. KCR government had avoided the Governor's address. 4. The Pentagon says it was tracking a Chinese spy balloon flying high over the United States, reviving tensions between the two countries just days ahead of a rare visit to Beijing by the top US diplomat. 5. The US House of Representatives voted to oust a controversial Democrat from a powerful committee over anti-Semitic comments, in a move seen by her party chiefs as revenge for their previous removal of far-right Republicans. 6. A rain holiday has been declared in schools for two Tamil Nadu districts. Thanjavur and Thiruvarur districts of Tamil Nadu will have a rain holiday.
- Parliament witnesses repeated adjournment, as the opposition demanded a JPC or a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the allegations of fraud and manipulation against billionaire Gautam Adani's companies that have triggered an unprecedented stock crash. The chair in both the upper and lower house rejected the notices, prompting opposition leaders to question the presiding officers on procedures and asking what could be more serious than demanding a discussion involving hard-earned money of Indians in LIC and SBI invested in the Adani group stocks. Adani Group stocks have taken a beating on the bourses after the US short-seller Hindenburg Research made a litany of allegations last week in its report, including fraudulent transactions and share price manipulation at the Gautam Adani-led group, which has denied the charges. 2. A phone call from an unidentified man, threatening to blow up the Ram Janmabhoomi complex was received by an Ayodhya resident, say police. The call was received by Manoj, who lives in the Ramkot area of this Uttar Pradesh district. He alerted police about the call received on his mobile phone. According to police, the caller threatened to blow up the temple area at 10 am on Thursday. 3. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal alleges that the Enforcement Directorate is used to poach MLAs and make and break governments after the ED filed a supplementary charge sheet in the scrapped excise policy case. 4. In a major electoral setback for the BJP in one of its most significant bastions, the candidate for the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition defeats the party's contender in polls to a Maharashtra Legislative Council seat in Nagpur. What makes the results a huge blow for the BJP is that the constituency houses the headquarters of its ideological parent Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and is the home turf of prominent leaders like Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
- Both Houses of the Parliament have been adjourned till tomorrow amid ruckus by Opposition members who are demanding a discussion on the Hindenburg report and a massive decline in share prices of the Adani Group. 2. Billionaire Gautam Adani says the 'interest of my investors is paramount and everything is secondary' as he explains the decision to call off India's biggest FPO, which was fully subscribed. Mr Adani says considering the volatility of the markets, the Adani Board strongly felt it would not have been morally correct to proceed with the FPO. 3. Siddique Kappan, a journalist from Kerala arrested in Uttar Pradesh more than two years ago while reporting on the alleged rape of a young woman whose death sparked nationwide protests, walks out of the jail. 4. What began as a row over Visva Bharati University's allegation that Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen had illegally occupied land has now turned into a full-blown political battle, with the university issuing a statement against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. 5. A senior IAS officer in-charge of Bihar's crucial prohibition department appears to losses cool during an official meeting on a rant against rule breakers.
- Both Houses of the Parliament adjourned till 2 pm within minutes of their resumption. The adjournment was due to a ruckus by Opposition members demanding a discussion on the Hindenburg report and a massive decline in share prices of the conglomerate. The Opposition is also expected to raise the issue of Chinese transgressions at the border. 2. Billionaire Gautam Adani says the 'interest of my investors is paramount and everything is secondary' as he explains the decision to call off India's biggest FPO, which was fully subscribed. Mr Adani says considering the volatility of the markets, the Adani Board strongly felt it would not have been morally correct to proceed with the FPO. 3. Siddique Kappan, a journalist from Kerala arrested in Uttar Pradesh more than two years ago while reporting on the alleged rape of a young woman whose death sparked nationwide protests, walks out of the jail. He had been in jail for over a month after he got bail in the two cases against him. 4. What began as a row over Visva Bharati University's allegation that Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen had illegally occupied land has now turned into a full-blown political battle, with the university issuing a statement against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. 5. A senior IAS officer in-charge of Bihar's crucial prohibition department appears to losses cool during an official meeting on a rant against rule breakers.
- Billionaire Gautam Adani says the 'interest of my investors is paramount and everything is secondary' as he explains the decision to call off India's biggest FPO, which was fully subscribed. Mr Adani says considering the volatility of the markets, the Adani Board strongly felt it would not have been morally correct to proceed with the FPO. 2. Kerala journalist Siddique Kappan, arrested on terror charges, to be released today. A Special court in Lucknow signs his release order more than a month after he got bail in the two cases against him. His lawyer says the formalities have all been completed. 3. Congress's Rahul Gandhi alleges that the latest Union budget proves the government has 'no roadmap to build India's future'. Mr Gandhi's party calls the budget 'big on announcements and short on delivery'. Former Union finance minister P Chidambaram says Nirmala Sitharaman 'has not mentioned the words unemployment, poverty, inequality or equity anywhere in her speech. Mercifully, she has mentioned the word poor twice'. 4. The first Union budget of Amrit Kaal, or the 25 years in the run-up to 2047 when independent India turns 100, will build a strong foundation for a developed India and fulfil the dreams of an aspirational society including the poor, the middle-class, and farmers, says Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a televised speech soon after Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presents the budget in parliament, the PM says the provisions prioritise the deprived sections, including craftspersons, who he dubs as creators of the nation. 5. Federal Reserve raises its key short-term interest rate by a quarter percentage point, throttling back from a half-point hike in December and acknowledging that a historic inflation spike is slowing. 'Inflation has eased somewhat but remains elevated,' says the Fed in a statement after a two-day meeting.
Central government makes much-awaited mega announcement on increasing the earnings level up to which no income tax is payable to Rs 7 lakh a year from the 2023-24 financial year. It was Rs 5 lakh so far. But there is a caveat. This change is only for those who choose the New Tax Regime, introduced in 2020, under which the usual exemptions on insurance premium, mutual funds and other such benefits are not available when calculating the final taxable income. Under the five-slab structure of the new regime now, those making even a rupee above Rs 7 lakh will have to pay tax on the entire income. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also announces that the 10-digit Permanent Account Number, popularly known as PAN, will be used as a common business identifier. PAN is allotted by the income tax department to a person, firm or entity. On the need for separate submission of same information to different government agencies, a system of 'Unified Filing Process' will be set-up. Meanwhile, India's budget sees a 12.95 per cent hike for the 2023-24 financial year, with a total allocation of Rs 5.93 lakh crore. The capital outlay has also increased by Rs 10,000 crore, reaching Rs 1.62 lakh crore. Fiscal deficit would be brought down to below 4.5 per cent by 2025-26, says Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. She adds that tax receipts for the next fiscal are budgeted at Rs 23.3 lakh crore and states would be allowed 3.5 per cent of GDP as fiscal deficit.
Central government makes much-awaited mega announcement on increasing the earnings level up to which no income tax is payable to Rs 7 lakh a year from the 2023-24 financial year. It was Rs 5 lakh so far. But there is a caveat. This change is only for those who choose the New Tax Regime, introduced in 2020, under which the usual exemptions on insurance premium, mutual funds and other such benefits are not available when calculating the final taxable income. Under the five-slab structure of the new regime now, those making even a rupee above Rs 7 lakh will have to pay tax on the entire income. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also announces that the 10-digit Permanent Account Number, popularly known as PAN, will be used as a common business identifier. PAN is allotted by the income tax department to a person, firm or entity. On the need for separate submission of same information to different government agencies, a system of 'Unified Filing Process' will be set-up. Meanwhile, India's budget sees a 12.95 per cent hike for the 2023-24 financial year, with a total allocation of Rs 5.93 lakh crore. The capital outlay has also increased by Rs 10,000 crore, reaching Rs 1.62 lakh crore.
- Union Budget for fiscal 2024, to be presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today, will set the foundation for taking India's economic growth to the forecast rate of 6.8 per cent. This is Ms Sitharaman's fifth Budget presentation since 2019. Predictably, India's middle class is looking for some form of income-tax relief. Though the tax slab wasn't changed and no new deduction was announced last year, inflation has eaten into people's earnings. They haven't seen a change in tax rate since 2017-18 and in tax slab since July 2014. 2. BJP will start 12-day nationwide campaign today to make people aware of the 'pro-people' measures announced in the Union Budget, say party leaders. The campaign will be coordinated by senior BJP leader Sushil Modi and it will conclude on 12 February. 3. India's economic growth is forecast to be 6.5 per cent in fiscal 2024 compared to 7 per cent in the current fiscal, according to the Economic Survey released by government a day ahead of the Union Budget presentation. The Economic Survey forecasts a baseline gross domestic product, or GDP, growth of 6.5 per cent in real terms in fiscal 2024. Despite the lower growth forecast for next fiscal compared to the current one, the pace would still make India's growth the fastest among big economies. 4. GST collection in January surges to over Rs 1.55 lakh crore, the second highest-ever mop-up. Finance Ministry says, 'The gross GST revenue collected in the month of January 2023 till 5 pm on 31.01.2023 is Rs 1,55,922 crore of which CGST is Rs 28,963 crore, SGST is Rs 36,730 crore, IGST is Rs 79,599 crore including Rs 37,118 crore collected on import of goods and cess is Rs 10,630 crore including Rs 768 crore collected on import of goods. 5. Kerala journalist Siddique Kappan, arrested on terror charges, has not been released even a month after he got bail due to bureaucratic lapses. Sources say he cannot be released since the District Judge of the Special Court on Prevention of Money Laundering is busy with Bar Council election. He was expected to walk out on January 31 evening after his sureties were verified. 6. Former Union law minister and eminent jurist Shanti Bhushan, who represented politician Raj Narain in the historic case that led to the annulment of then prime minister Indira Gandhi's election in 1975, dies in New Delhi following brief illness. He was 97. A source close to his family says he was not keeping well for some time.
- India's economic growth is forecast to be 6.5 per cent in fiscal 2024 compared to 7 per cent in the current fiscal, according to the Economic Survey released by the government a day ahead of the Union Budget presentation. The Economic Survey forecasts a baseline gross domestic product, or GDP, growth of 6.5 per cent in real terms in fiscal 2024. Despite the lower growth forecast for next fiscal compared to the current one, the pace would still make India's growth the fastest among big economies. 2. The Budget session of Parliament begins today with the maiden address of President Droupadi Murmu to the joint sitting of both Houses. President Droupadi Murmu says India has a 'fearless, decisive government today' as she addressed parliament on the opening of the Budget session this morning. President Murmu says in her debut address, 'In almost nine years of my government's term, the people of India have witnessed many positive changes for the first time. The biggest change is that today every Indian's confidence is at its peak and the world's outlook towards India has changed. India which once looked at others for solutions to most of its problems, is today emerging as a provider of solutions for the issues faced by the world'. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says amid global economic turmoil, India's budget will attempt to meet the hopes and aspirations of common citizens and be a ray of hope for the world. 3. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says it is expecting some slowdown in the Indian economy next fiscal year and projects the growth to 6.1 percent from 6.8 percent during the current fiscal ending March 31. 4. Visakhapatnam will be Andhra Pradesh's capital, and Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy will shift there 'in the months to come', he announces, apparently sticking to the three-capital plan, other two being Kurnool and the existing capital Amaravati, despite the High Court having ruled last year that it can't make a law for that. 5. Fresh snowfall throws life out of gear in many parts of Himachal Pradesh as 476 roads including three national highways are still closed while working of 697 power and 20 water supply stations across the state has also been hampered.
India's economic growth is forecast to be 6.5 per cent in fiscal 2024 compared to 7 per cent in the current fiscal, according to the Economic Survey released by the government a day ahead of the Union Budget presentation. The Economic Survey forecasts a baseline gross domestic product growth of 6.5 per cent in real terms in fiscal 2024. Despite the lower growth forecast for next fiscal compared to the current one, the pace would still make India's growth the fastest among big economies. The Economic Survey says, 'The projection is broadly comparable to the estimates provided by multilateral agencies such as the World Bank, the IMF, and the ADB and by RBI, domestically. The actual outcome for real GDP growth will probably lie in the range of 6 per cent to 6.8 per cent, depending on the trajectory of economic and political developments globally.' The government hopes India's GDP growth in the 6-6.8 per cent range, which is still less than the 7 per cent forecast for the current fiscal, would be possible due to certain advantages the country has over other nations amid the economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Budget session of Parliament begins today with the maiden address of President Droupadi Murmu to the joint sitting of both Houses. While the government's priority will be to seek approval on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address and the Finance Bill, the Opposition is raring to corner it on a range of issues, including the Adani-Hindenburg row, a nationwide caste-based economic census and the women's reservation bill. 2. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to present the Economic Survey in the Parliament today after President Droupadi Murmu's address to the joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. The pre-Budget document is prepared by the Economic Division of the Finance Ministry's Department of Economic Affairs under the supervision of Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran. 3. International Monetary Fund says it is expecting some slowdown in the Indian economy next fiscal year and projects the growth to 6.1 per cent from 6.8 per cent during the current fiscal ending March 31. IMF releases the January update of its World Economic Outlook, according to which the global growth is projected to fall from an estimated 3.4 per cent in 2022 to 2.9 per cent in 2023, then rise to 3.1 per cent in 2024. 4. A Taliban suicide bomber blows himself up in a mosque packed with worshippers during afternoon prayers in the high-security zone in Pakistan's restive northwestern Peshawar city, killing at least 61 people and wounding more than 150 others, mostly policemen. The powerful blast occurs inside the mosque in the Police Lines area when worshippers, which included personnel of the police, army and bomb disposal squad, were offering the afternoon prayers. 5. Shah Rukh Khan likens himself and his Pathaan co-stars Deepika Padukone and John Abraham to 'Amar Akbar Anthony', the characters from Manmohan Desai's 1977 hit, stressing the message of unity. He says, 'This is Deepika Padukone, she is Amar. I am Shah Rukh Khan, Akbar. This is John Abraham, he is Anthony. And this is what makes cinema. Amar Akbar and Anthony.'
- The Congress's Bharat Jodo Yatra's closing ceremony began with a flag-hoisting ceremony at the party's office in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar today amid inclement weather. A rally at a stadium followed soon. Top Kashmiri leaders, National Conference's Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti from People's Democratic Party, spoke at the event amid heavy snowfall. Speeches by the Congress leadership, including Rahul Gandhi, who has led the march, followed. 'I have not done this (yatra) for myself or for the Congress, but for the people of the country. Our aim is to stand against the ideology that wants to destroy the foundation of this country,' Rahul Gandhi says at the culmination rally. Meanwhile, The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) says that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has created such a situation in Kashmir that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi could raise the national flag at Lal Chowk in Srinagar. Speaking to ANI, BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad says Mr Gandhi could raise the flag because PM Modi abrogated Article 370. 2. Ladakh's top environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk alleges that he has been detained by the Union Territory's administration after his protest fast demanding special status for Leh. Authorities, however, deny any detention. Mr Wangchuk had yesterday said the administration wants to 'silence him' for the protest against the destruction of the region's ecology and unsustainable development. The Union Territory administration says he wanted to protest in Khardung La, permission for which was denied. The Ladakh administration wants Mr Wangchuk to sign a bond promising not to make any statements for a month over the recent happenings in Leh. He is not to participate in any public gatherings, for a month, over the recent developments in Leh, now bristling with protests demanding special status under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, the bond adds.
- Congress's Bharat Jodo Yatra's closing ceremony begins with a flag-hoisting ceremony at the party's office in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar amid inclement weather. A rally at a stadium follows soon. Top Kashmiri leaders, National Conference's Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti from People's Democratic Party, speak at the event amid heavy snowfall. Speeches by the Congress leadership, including Rahul Gandhi, who has led the march, follow. 2. Supreme Court will next Monday hear requests challenging the use of emergency powers to block the controversial BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and allegations linked to the 2002 Gujarat riots. A bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala take note of the submissions of serial litigant Advocate ML Sharma and senior advocate CU Singh seeking urgent listing of their separate Public Interest Litigations on the issue. 3. News Broadcasters and Digital Association warns news broadcasters that it will closely monitor complaince of hate speech guidelines. 4. In a historic move, over 200 people from a community of Scheduled Castes in Tamil Nadu, who were denied entry into a temple for around eight decades, are taken into the temple for worship by the police and district administration in the Tiruvannamalai district. Manimekalai, a young woman, tells NDTV, 'It's a dream come true. I've never seen the Goddess inside this temple. We were only allowed to stand outside and worship.' 5. Richest Indian Gautam Adani's group likens the damning allegations made by short seller Hindenburg Research to a 'calculated attack' on India, its institutions and growth story, saying the allegations are 'nothing but a lie'. In a 413-page response, Adani Group says the report is driven by 'an ulterior motive' to 'create a false market' to allow the US firm to make financial gains. 6. Singer Kailash Kher faces heckling at a concert in Karnataka's Hampi allegedly for not singing any Kannada song. A bottle is thrown at him from the crowd that was angry with the singer for singing only Hindi songs during the closing ceremony of the Hampi Utsav.
- Twelve opposition parties to attend the concluding function of Bharat Jodo Yatra today. 21 parties were invited for the function, but some are not attending due to security concerns. Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party, and TDP are among the parties to skip the function. 2. Odisha Health Minister Naba Kisore Das shot dead by an assistant sub-inspector at Gandhi Chowk near Brajarajnagar in Jharsuguda district. He was on his way to attend a programme when he was shot in the chest. The police officer shot two rounds, critically injuring the minister, who was rushed to a hospital. He was later airlifted to Bhubaneswar. 3. Government calls an all-party meeting today, a day ahead of the start of the Budget Session of Parliament. The customary meeting, called by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, is to be held at noon in Parliament Annexe Building. 4. Economists predict lower food subsidy bills for the central government in the upcoming year as Center withdraws free foodgrain scheme PMGKAY. The scheme was brought during Covid pandemic and costs close to Rs 4 lakh crore over and above the regular food subsidy bill under National Food Security Act. Several economists say that the government has set the stage for lowering its food subsidy outgo in the next financial year. 5. Richest Indian Gautam Adani's group likens the damning allegations made by short seller Hindenburg Research to a 'calculated attack' on India, its institutions and growth story, saying the allegations are 'nothing but a lie'. In a 413-page response, Adani Group says the report is driven by 'an ulterior motive' to 'create a false market' to allow the US firm to make financial gains.
- Congress's Rahul Gandhi hits out at Union home minister Amit Shah over the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, days after his Bharat Jodo Yatra had to temporarily stop over an alleged security lapse. While the police deny any lapse, the BJP has made jibes at the Congress leader, alleging that he was making baseless claims. Pointing out that targeted killings and bomb blasts have become a regular occurrence in Jammu and Kashmir, Mr Gandhi says, ‘If the situation is so good why don't the BJP people walk from Jammu to Lal Chowk'. 2. Foreign Minister S Jaishankar claims the land that opposition leaders say has been occupied by China ‘was in fact occupied in 1962', in a reference to the war when Jawaharlal Nehru was prime minister. He also takes a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who recently spoke about an official report on loss of territory in Ladakh. 3. The National Investigating Agency attached the separatist Hurriyat Conference's office in the Rajbagh area here on the orders of a Delhi court in a terror funding case, officials say. A team of the federal agency arrived at the Hurriyat office and pasted an attachment notice on the building's outer wall, say officials. 4. Naba Kisore Das, Odisha health minister who was critically injured after being shot at by a police officer, dies in hospital. The minister was shot by an assistant sub-inspector, who has been arrested. The reason of the attack is not clear. Naba Kisore Das was shot in the chest when he was on his way to attend a programme.
- 2 opposition parties will attend the concluding function of Bharat Jodo Yatra on Monday, sources say. 21 parties were invited for the function, but some are not attending due to security concerns, say sources. Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party, and TDP are among the parties to skip the function. 2. The National Investigating Agency attached the separatist Hurriyat Conference's office in the Rajbagh area here on the orders of a Delhi court in a terror funding case, officials say. A team of the federal agency arrived at the Hurriyat office and pasted an attachment notice on the building's outer wall, say officials. 3. Foreign Minister S Jaishankar claims the land that opposition leaders say has been occupied by China ‘was in fact occupied in 1962', in a reference to the war when Jawaharlal Nehru was prime minister. He also takes a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who recently spoke about an official report on loss of territory in Ladakh. 4. The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad arrested 15 accused from Vadodara with question papers after the Panchayat Junior Clerk recruitment exam which was scheduled for 11 am today was postponed due to a paper leak in Jamnagar, say police. Superintendent of Police Gujarat ATS Sunil Joshi says, ‘Gujarat ATS was continuously keeping a watch on people who were related to previous paper leak incidents. 15 accused have been arrested from Vadodara with question papers. It is a very organised inter-state gang. The government decided to cancel the exam. Further investigation is underway'.
- The Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra enters its last lap as the Rahul Gandhi-led march was joined by his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, who termed the initiative 'a breath of fresh air'. Meanwhile, 12 like-minded opposition parties will attend the concluding function of Bharat Jodo Yatra on Monday, sources say. 21 parties were invited for the function, but some are not attending due to security concerns, they say. 2. PM has called a Council of Ministers meeting today at 10:30 am. While, the government has convened an all party meeting (of Floor Leaders) on 30th January at 12 Noon. 3. Two Indian Air Force fighter jets, a Sukhoi Su-30 and a Mirage 2000 - crashed during a training exercise earlier today, officials say, resulting in the death of one pilot. While one aircraft crashed in Morena in Madhya Pradesh, the other went down 100 km away in Rajasthan's Bharatpur. The Sukhoi had two pilots, while the Mirage had one pilot, defence sources say. Both aircraft are used on the frontlines by the Indian Air Force. The two pilots on the Sukhoi managed to eject and were taken to the hospital in a helicopter. 4. Despite a warning against public screening of a controversial BBC documentary about PM Narendra Modi, a group of students at Mumbai's Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) gathered and watched it on laptops and phones. The institute had issued advisories to students and the management of its branches, besides the main one campus in Mumbai, against any such mass event. Not heeding to the 'advisory' would be 'dealt with strictly as per the rules', warns the advisory accessed by NDTV. It says the screening was an attempt to 'trigger' students. 5. The gardens at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi have been renamed Amrit Udyan Gardens. The Amrit Udyan Gardens are spread over 15 acres and have been often portrayed as the soul of the President's official residence, according to Rashtrapati Bhavan's website. It includes the Herbal Garden, Central Lawn, Circular Garden, Long Garden, and Bonsai Garden.
- Two Indian Air Force fighter jets a Sukhoi Su-30 and a Mirage 2000 crashed during a training exercise, officials say, resulting in the death of one pilot. While one aircraft crashed in Morena in Madhya Pradesh, the other is believed to have gone down 100 km away in Rajasthan's Bharatpur. 2. The gardens at the President's official home, Rashtrapati Bhavan, have been given a common name as part of the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' celebrations. On the occasion of the celebrations of 75 years of Independence as Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the President of India has given a common name to the Rashtrapati Bhavan gardens as Amrit Udyan, says, Deputy Press Secretary to the President Navika Gupta. 3. With 10 months to go for the crucial Rajasthan Assembly elections, two main contenders in the state Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress can be seen ramping up outreach to the electorally significant Gujjar community in the state. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Malaseri in Rajasthan's Bhilwara today on the 1111th birth anniversary of Bhagwan Dev Narayan, a folk deity revered by the Gujjar community. 4. People Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti joins the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra that resumed from the Chersoo village in Awantipora after being cancelled on Friday. 5. Shah Rukh Khan's Pathaan is having a record-smashing run at the box office. On the third day of the release, the movie has become the fastest Hindi film to breach the Rs 300 crore mark in just three days, as per trade analyst Taran Adarsh.
- Two Indian Air Force fighter jets, a Sukhoi Su-30 and a Mirage 2000 crashed during a training exercise earlier today, officials say, resulting in the death of one pilot. While one aircraft crashed in Morena in Madhya Pradesh, the other is believed to have gone down 100 km away in Rajasthan's Bharatpur. The Sukhoi had two pilots, while the Mirage had one pilot, defence sources say. Both aircraft are used on the frontlines by the Indian Air Force. The two pilots on the Sukhoi managed to eject and were taken to the hospital in a helicopter. Both the fighter jets had taken off from the Gwalior Air Force base which has squadrons of both the Russian-designed Sukhoi and the French Mirage 2000. Videos from the scene, shot by locals in Morena, shows smouldering debris of the aircraft strewn on the ground. The Air Force has launched a probe to examine if a mid-air collision led to the crash, defence sources tell NDTV. IAF court of inquiry has been launched to establish whether there was a mid-air collision or not. The Su-30 had two pilots while Mirage 2000 had one pilot during the crash. Initial reports suggest two pilots are safe while an IAF chopper reaching the location of the third pilot soon, sources say. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has been briefed by the Indian Air Force chief on the crash of two aircraft, reports news agency PTI.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Malaseri in Rajasthan's Bhilwara today on the 1111th birth anniversary of Bhagwan Dev Narayan.Though this visit has been organised by the culture ministry, it comes 10 months before the assembly election in Rajasthan. Malaseri is the birthplace of Bhagwan Dev Narayan, greatly revered in the area, especially among the Gujjars, who are now an important source of support for the election for both the BJP and the Congress. 2. Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra was scrapped yesterday in Jammu and Kashmir with the Congress alleging 'very serious security lapses' as the march entered the Kashmir Valley. Rahul Gandhi was to walk 20 km in Kashmir but had to stop after about a km. Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, the leader of the National Conference, was with him. As Rahul Gandhi crossed the Banihal Tunnel on his way to Srinagar, a large, unexpected crowd was waiting for him, say Congress leaders. 3. Hemant Soren on Friday became the first Jharkhand Chief Minister to visit the ‘Budha Pahad', once a Maoist hotbed that was freed by security forces after over three decades, situated near the border with Chhattisgarh, say officials. Mr Soren arrived at the hilltop a little after noon, where the CRPF has now set up a camp, they say. 4. Cash-strapped Pakistan's currency depreciates to its lowest against the US dollar in the interbank and open market and closes at Rs 262.6. The Pakistani rupee's value has devalued by Rs 34 since Thursday in the interbank, the largest depreciation in both absolute and percentage terms since the new exchange rate system was introduced in 1999. 5. Shah Rukh Khan's new release Pathaan makes history on its second day at the box office, setting another record with earnings of Rs 68 crore. This sum, reported by trade analyst Taran Adarsh, is the total collected by the Hindi version of the film in ticket sales at home. On Day 2, Pathaan made nearly Rs 70 crore, the first Hindi film to approach this number in a single day's takings. Added to the Rs 55 crore earned on its opening day, Pathaan's India business now totals Rs 123 crore. The Tamil and Telugu dubs added another Rs 4.5 crore over two days. The worldwide ticket sales for two days add up to over Rs 200 crore.
- Cash-strapped Pakistan's currency depreciates to its lowest against the US dollar in the interbank and open market and closes at 262.6 rupees. At one stage the currency depreciates to 265 rupees in the open market and 266 rupees in the interbank before making a slight recovery by the end of the day. 2. Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra scraps in Jammu and Kashmir with the Congress alleging ‘very serious security lapses' as the march entered the Kashmir Valley. Rahul Gandhi was to walk 20 km in Kashmir today but had to stop after about a km. Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, the leader of the National Conference, was with him. 3. Pariksha Pe Charcha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with scores of students at 'Pariksha Pe Charcha' event and addresses their queries ahead of board examinations. PM says, I urge the parents not to pressurise their children. But at the same time, students should also not underestimate their capabilities. Expectations from family are natural, but if the family is looking at social status, then it's not healthy. Do not be suppressed by pressures. Stay focused. 4. Delhi University's Arts Faculty campus saw police action as students sought to screen a BBC documentary on PM Narendra Modi even as the government has imposed restrictions. 5. The Students Federation of India organises the screening of the controversial BBC documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots at the University of Hyderabad here even as the RSS' student wing, ABVP shows the controversial film 'The Kashmir Files', on the campus. 6. AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann launches 400 more 'Aam Aadmi' clinics in the state, calling the event here the fulfilment of another 'Kejriwal ki guarantee'. The 400 new 'Aam Aadmi' clinics take the total number of these neighbourhood health centres in the state to 500. 7. Trailblazing Indian tennis star Sania Mirza caps off her glorious Grand Slam career with runners-up finish alongside 'best friend' Rohan Bopanna in the Australian Open mixed doubles final. 8. Shah Rukh Khan's new release Pathaan make history on its second day at the box office, setting another record with earnings of Rs 68 crore. This sum, reported by trade analyst Taran Adarsh, is the total collected by the Hindi version of the film in ticket sales at home. On Day 2, Pathaan makes nearly Rs 70 crore the first Hindi film to approach this number in a single day's takings. Adding to the Rs 55 crore earned on its opening day, Pathaan's India business now totals Rs 123 crore.
- India had, on January 25, issued a notice to Pakistan for modification of the Indus Waters Treaty of September 1960 following Pakistani ‘intransigence' on its implementation, sources say. The notice was sent to Islamabad through respective Commissioners for Indus Waters, as per provisions of the treaty. The action was necessitated as Pakistan has refused to discuss and resolve the issue of India's Kishenganga and Ratle Hydro Electric Projects for the last five years, despite India's efforts, sources say. 2. Pakistan's currency falls to a record low of Rs 255 against the US dollar, according to local media reports. The tumble comes after the cash-strapped government relaxed its grip on the exchange rate to win much-needed loans from the International Monetary Fund. 3. The Students Federation of India has organised the screening of the controversial BBC documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots at the University of Hyderabad here even as the RSS' student wing, ABVP has showed the controversial film 'The Kashmir Files', on the campus. 4. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is going to inaugurate 500 'Aam Aadmi Clinics' (Mohalla Clinics) across Amritsar on January 27. AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal will be present as the chief guest on the occassion. 5. Trailblazing Indian tennis star Sania Mirza caps off her glorious Grand Slam career with runners-up finish alongside 'best friend' Rohan Bopanna in the Australian Open mixed doubles final.
- The Congress unit in Kerala screens the controversial BBC documentary on PM Narendra Modi in Thiruvananthapuram even though the central government has banned it in India saying it's false and motivated 'propaganda'. The public showing of the series - the two-part documentary speaks about the 2002 Gujarat riots and PM Modi's politics - was one of many such events organised by several Opposition parties and free-speech activists across the country. The Students Federation of India (SFI) also screens the documentary on the campus of Jadavpur University in Kolkata, without any interference from the police. 2. Cash-strapped Pakistan's currency plummeted to a record low of Rs 255.43 against the dollar in the interbank market on Thursday, an indication of the government buckling under the pressure of the IMF to lift an artificial cap on the exchange rate. 3. In a significant development, the Gauhati High Court orders the Assam government to resettle 100 families evicted during a drive in Dhalpur's Gorukhuti. The order comes on a petition filed by Assam's Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia. They were evicted in 2021. It had turned violent and two people, including a boy, were killed in police firing. 4. Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya and Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh launches the world's first COVID-19 intranasal vaccine, iNCOVACC. Developed by India's Bharat Biotech, the vaccine will be available to the government for Rs 325 per dose, while it will cost Rs 800 to private hospitals. 5. Nine Palestinians, including an elderly woman, killed by Israeli forces during clashes in the refugee camp of Jenin, CNN reports, referring to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
- The 74th Republic Day parade in Delhi took place at Kartavya Path, the revamped ceremonial boulevard from the British period once known as the Rajpath, for the first time. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi was the Chief Guest this year. 2. After Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao skips the Republic Day celebrations held at Raj Bhavan in Hyderabad on, Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party president Bandi Sanjay Kumar says, KCR has no right to live in this nation. 3. The Congress unit in Kerala has screened the controversial BBC documentary on PM Narendra Modi in Thiruvananthapuram even though the central government has banned it in India saying it's false and motivated ‘propaganda'. 4. Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya and Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh launches the world's first COVID-19 intranasal vaccine, iNCOVACC. Developed by India's Bharat Biotech, the vaccine will be available to the government for Rs 325 per dose, while it will cost Rs 800 to private hospitals. 5. A month after Devendra Fadnavis said the Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra has no plans to restore the Old Pension Scheme, Deputy Chief Minister speaks of a possible rethink. Mr Fadnavis says, ‘Let me be clear, we are not negative about it (OPS). We will discuss it with finance and other departments. But whatever be the solution, it has to be long-term, not short-term'. 6. Aam Aadmi Party's mayoral candidate Shelly Oberoi moved the Supreme Court demanding the mayoral election be conducted in a time-bound manner, party officials say. The Delhi mayor election was stalled on Tuesday for the second time this month as the House was adjourned indefinitely by the LG-appointed presiding officer following a ruckus by some councillors. 7. Famous in the 90's for kidnapping and murders West Champaran turns the new leaf. Migrant labour that were forced to go head back home during lockdown find a new location in start-up zones in chanpatia. This is an NDTV special report. 8. Pakistan's currency has fallen to a record low of Rs 255 against the US dollar, according to local media reports. The tumble comes after the cash-strapped government relaxed its grip on the exchange rate to win much-needed loans from the International Monetary Fund.
- The 74th Republic Day parade in Delhi took place at Kartavya Path, the revamped ceremonial boulevard from the British period once known as the Rajpath, for the first time. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi was the Chief Guest this year. President Droupadi Murmu, who arrived at the venue accompanied by Chief Guest Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, flagged off the parade to celebrate Republic Day from the Kartavya Path. The grand parade was a mix of the country's military strength and cultural diversity. Earlier, PM Modi, flanked by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and the chiefs of the tri-services, paid homage at the National War Memorial. 2. A month after Devendra Fadnavis said the Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra has no plans to restore the Old Pension Scheme, Deputy Chief Minister speaks of a possible rethink. Mr Fadnavis says, ‘Let me be clear, we are not negative about it (OPS). We will discuss it with finance and other departments. But whatever be the solution, it has to be long-term, not short-term'. 3. Researchers at CSIR's Advanced Materials and Process Research Institute in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal have successfully converted stubble into eco-friendly hybrid wood. This breakthrough might signal some hope for the issue of rampant stubble burning in and around Delhi during winters, which is considered a major factor in the national capital region being covered in thick smog every year. 4. Aam Aadmi Party's mayoral candidate Shelly Oberoi moved the Supreme Court demanding the mayoral election be conducted in a time-bound manner, party officials say. The Delhi mayor election was stalled on Tuesday for the second time this month as the House was adjourned indefinitely by the LG-appointed presiding officer following a ruckus by some councillors. 5. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urges the West to send tanks quickly and in sufficient numbers to help repel Russian troops. Mr Zelensky says, ‘Speed and volume are key now'.
- Extending greetings to people of the 74th Republic Day, President Droupadi Murmu says that India's journey has inspired many other nations and every citizen has reason to be proud of the Indian story. In her address to the nation, President Murmu says the celebration of Republic Day is a celebration of what the people of the country have achieved together as a nation. 2. India and Egypt decide to elevate their ties to the level of strategic partnership with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi vowing to broadbase the relations in a time-bound manner in areas of defence and security, trade, counter-terror cooperation and culture. The two leaders also discuss the cascading impact of Russia-Ukraine conflict on availability of food, energy and fertiliser, and call for a coordinated and concerted approach to deal with terrorism, including cross-border terrorist activities. 3. To take Prime Minister Narendra Modi's message to marginalised and minority communities, BJP Minority Morcha identifies around 60 Lok Sabha constituencies in 10 states and a Union Territory, where minorities comprise more than 30 per cent of the population. The party will launch a four-month outreach programme in these seats, among which is Congress leader's Rahul Gandhi constituency Wayanad. 4. Congress veteran AK Antony's son Anil K Antony quits party alleging 'intolerant calls to retract a tweet' in which he had defied his party's stand and denounced a BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a 'dangerous precedent'. Anil Antony, who was part of Congress's social media cell in Kerala, shares his resignation letter on Twitter and cites 'abuses by ones supporting a trek to promote love' in a caustic reference to Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra. 5. Former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo writes in a book published Tuesday that India and Pakistan came close to nuclear war in 2019 and that US intervention prevented escalation. 'I do not think the world properly knows just how close the India-Pakistan rivalry came to spilling over into a nuclear conflagration in February 2019,' the likely future presidential contender writes in 'Never Give an Inch', his memoir of his time as Donald Trump's top diplomat and earlier CIA chief.
- Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says, he never saw his counterpart Sushma Swaraj as an ‘important political player' but got along famously with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, hitting it off with him in their first meeting itself. In his latest book 'Never Give an Inch, Fighting for the America I Love' that hit the stores, Pompeo describes Sushma Swaraj somewhat disparagingly, using the American slang words ‘goofball' and ‘heartland political hack' for her. 2. India and Egypt has decided to elevate their ties to the level of strategic partnership with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi vowing to broadbase the relations in a time-bound manner in areas of defence and security, trade, counter-terror cooperation and culture. 3. BJP's 'Mission 60' turns focus on minorities after PM's outreach in the National Executive meet. 60 seats across 10 states are the target, including a focus on Rahul Gandhi's seat in Kerala's Wayanad. 4. Congress veteran AK Antony's son Anil K Antony quits party alleging 'intolerant calls to retract a tweet' in which he had defied his party's stand and denounced a BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a 'dangerous precedent'. Anil Antony, who was part of Congress's social media cell in Kerala, shares his resignation letter on Twitter and cites 'abuses by ones supporting a trek to promote love' in a caustic reference to Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra. 5. From Republic Day, a big change now judicial verdicts will be translated into 4 different languages. CJI says, English verdicts incomprehensive to 99.99 pc of the population. The judgments will be translated in Hindi, Tamil, Gujarati and Odia. 6. Nearly Rs 4,700 crores for 5 women's IPL teams. They are behind the men, but that's still a major achievement. Women's IPL is now the second biggest T-20 league. The cities include Ahmedabad, Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai. 7. it's officially Pathaan day as Shah Rukh Khan's highly-anticipated film has finally been released, with the first shows starting at 6 am in different cities across the country. Backed by Yash Raj Films and directed by Siddharth Anand, Pathaan stars SRK, Deepika Padukone, and John Abraham in the lead. The buzz of the film has been massive, with advance bookings shattering records.
- Congress veteran AK Antony's son Anil K Antony quits party alleging 'intolerant calls to retract a tweet' in which he had defied his party's stand and denounced a BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a 'dangerous precedent'. Anil Antony, who was part of Congress's social media cell in Kerala, shares his resignation letter on Twitter and cites 'abuses by ones supporting a trek to promote love' in a caustic reference to Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra. 2. Supreme Court grants bail for eight weeks to Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni's son Ashish Mishra, accused of killing protesting farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh in 2021. Ashish Mishra cannot live in Uttar Pradesh or Delhi and its nearby areas while he is out on bail. He has been ordered to leave Uttar Pradesh within one week. 3. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi arrives in New Delhi and is accorded a warm welcome. He will be the chief guest at 74th Republic Day parade. He is accompanied by a high-level delegation, including five ministers and senior officials for his official visit from January 24-27. 4. It's officially Pathaan day as Shah Rukh Khan's highly-anticipated film has finally been released, with the first shows starting at 6 am in different cities across the country. Backed by Yash Raj Films and directed by Siddharth Anand, Pathaan stars SRK, Deepika Padukone, and John Abraham in the lead. The buzz of the film has been massive, with advance bookings shattering records. 5. BCCI and Women Cricket in India will get richer by few thousand crores today. Out of 33 parties who had picked the tender document, 17 have submitted the technical bida. As per info available, out of these 17, 15 have got clearance from the BCCI to submit financial bids today. This includes seven IPL Teams. 6. Helicopter carrying spiritual leader and Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar makes an emergency landing in Tamil Nadu's Erode district due to bad weather. There are no reports of any injuries.
- Plans of some students to screen the controversial BBC series on PM Narendra Modi at Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University goes awry as power and internet are cut off. Stones are thrown at those watching it on phones, allegedly by ABVP. Left wing supporters catch two students, who, they claim, threw the stones. The two, they say, belong to ABVP, the students' wing of BJP's ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. 2. Delhi Police files 6,629-page charge sheet against Aaftab Amin Poonawala in Mehrauli murder case in Delhi's Saket court, which has extended his judicial custody by two weeks to February 7. Poonawala is accused of strangling his live-in partner Shraddha Walkar and chopping her body into pieces before dumping them in different parts of the city across several days. 3. The promise of blockbuster crores brought in by Pathaan, releasing today, resurrects 25 single screen cinemas across the country. Half a day before the opening of his film, Pathaan star Shah Rukh Khan shares list of these 25 theatres that are re-opening. 4. Nominations for 95th Academy Awards have been announced and, no surprises, RRR has been nominated for an Oscar, one of three nods for Indian cinema, Best Original Song for Naatu Naatu which also won the Golden Globe in the same category. Naatu Naatu will compete against four other nominated songs, Applause from Tell It Like A Woman, Lady Gaga's Hold My Hand from Top Gun Maverick, Rihanna's Lift Me Up from Black Panther Wakanda Forever and This Is A Life from Everything Everywhere All At Once. A notable omission is Taylor Swift's Carolina from Where The Crawdads Sing, which was nominated for a Golden Globe. 5. Five people are still feared trapped under rubble and rescue efforts are on after a four-storey residential building collapses in Uttar Pradesh's capital Lucknow. Fourteen people have been rescued during the last 14 hours. Those trapped are being supplied oxygen and the cause behind the collapse is yet to be ascertained. No deaths have been reported yet.
- Air India has been fined Rs 10 lakh by the aviation regulator DGCA for not reporting an incident last month when a man allegedly peed on a blanket on the vacant seat of a woman in a Paris-Delhi flight. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation, or DGCA, says the Tata-run airline delayed in referring the December 6 incident to its internal committee. This was the second incident of a man peeing on a passenger's seat on board an Air India flight, after another man allegedly peed on a woman co-passenger in a New York-Delhi flight on November 26. 2. The high-stakes battle for Delhi's main municipal body, now hinging on the election of a mayor, is stalled for the second time in weeks after a fresh clash between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the BJP. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) House is adjourned indefinitely once again amid the face-off as councillors assembled to elect the mayor and a deputy mayor of Delhi, more than a month after the AAP won the civic body polls. 3. Currently out on parole, Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim is seen 'celebrating' by cutting a cake with a sword. The Sirsa-Dera chief, who is serving a 20-year jail term for rape and murder, walked out on a 40 day parole from the Sunaria Jail in Haryana's Rohtak district on Saturday and arrived at his Barnawa Ashram in Uttar Pradesh's Baghpat. A video of the celebration by Ram Rahim with the giant cake has gone viral on social media. 4. The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) asks a group of students to cancel the screening of the controversial BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 5. A day after the sports ministry formed an Oversight Committee, to probe allegations of sexual misconduct against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) officials and to run the day-to-day affairs of the body, top wrestlers including Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia tweet that they were not consulted before forming the committee. Boxing great Mary Kom was named as the head of the five-member Oversight Committee that will probe the sexual harassment allegations against WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The government-appointed committee will also run the day-to-day affairs of WFI for the next one month. 6. Aaftab Poonawala murdered his girlfriend Shraddha Walkar in anger after she went to meet a friend, the police says in the chargesheet into the macabre murder case. In the 6,629-page chargesheet, the Delhi Police says Aaftab Poonawala became extremely violent when he came to know his girlfriend had gone out to meet the friend. 7. In a spiraling conflict over judicial appointments, Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju today objects strongly to the Supreme Court making public the government's objections to candidates recommended for judges.
- The high-stakes battle for Delhi's main municipal body will conclude in the election of a mayor today, weeks after a clash between AAP and BJP stalled the poll. Councillors of Municipal Corporation of Delhi will elect the mayor and a deputy mayor of Delhi, more than a month after AAP won the civic body polls. 2. A students group at Hyderabad Central University organises a BBC documentary screening on Prime Minister Narendra Modi inside the campus. More than 50 students from these groups attend the screening. Earlier last week, India denounced the controversial BBC documentary series on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, described as a 'propaganda piece' designed to push a discredited narrative. 3. Jawaharlal Nehru University asks a group of students to cancel the screening of the controversial BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The students allegedly planned to screen 'India: The Modi Question' tomorrow at 9 PM. 'No prior permission for this event has been taken from the JNU administration,' says the university administration. 4. Electricity is being restored in Pakistan after nationwide blackout and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif orders an investigation into the grid failure that's added to the country's struggle with surging energy costs. A vast swath of 220 million population were left without power after the national grid failed on Monday morning, forcing hospitals to switch to back-up generators and causing major disruption to mobile and internet services. 5. It's potentially a big day for India in the context of nominations for the 95th Academy Awards, to be announced later today. Indian films with Oscar chances number four, official entry Chhello Show, documentaries All That Breathes and The Elephant Whisperers, and global juggernaut RRR which won a Golden Globe recently. The first three films are on the Oscar shortlist for their categories, Best International Feature Film, Best Documentary Feature and Best Documentary Short. The real excitement, however, may be generated by RRR which has swept across the world gathering adoring fans in its wake. 6. Pathaan is about to be released, and the advance booking numbers for the same are fantastic, which definitely made history. I am wholeheartedly pleased about this and I tell everyone that we should be very very happy about this, says Ajay Devgn.
- LG-nominated members and 10 aldermen to take oath first today as the Municipal Corporation of Delhi will meet to elect the Mayor days after the proceedings of the house derailed and ended in a ruckus over not administrating oath to elected councillors first. Presiding Officer Satya Sharma expresses hope that the House this time will go without any untoward incident. 2. Jawaharlal Nehru University asks a group of students to cancel the screening of the controversial BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The students allegedly planned to screen 'India: The Modi Question' tomorrow at 9 PM. 'No prior permission for this event has been taken from the JNU administration,' says the university administration. 3. Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, whose controversial decisions since his appointment in 2019 made headlines, informs Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he wishes to step down from post. 'Governor Koshyari has expressed his desire to spend the rest of his life in reading, writing and other leisurely activities,' reads the statement issued by the Raj Bhavan. 4. Thousands of Indian IT professionals in the US, who have lost their jobs due to the series of recent layoffs at companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, are now struggling to find new employment within the stipulated period under their work visas following the termination of their employment to stay in the country. According to The Washington Post, nearly 200,000 IT workers have been laid off since November last year, including some record numbers in companies like Google, Microsoft, Facebook and Amazon. 5. Amid the ongoing controversy between the executive and the judiciary, Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju says that judges do not have to contest elections or public face scrutiny after they become judges. Though the public cannot change the judges, Mr Rijiju asserts that judges are under being watched by the public for their judgments, delivery of justice and their conduct.
- Almost three months after the bridge collapse in Gujarat's Morbi that killed 135 people, the police have issued an arrest warrant against the promoter of Oreva Group and Ajanta Manufacturing Limited's managing director Jaysukh Patel. Mr Patel has been missing since the incident and has been named as an accused in the soon-to-be-filed charge sheet in the case. For reasons that have since come into question, Oreva Group, a company known for making wall clocks under the Ajanta brand, had been awarded the contract for renovation, operation and maintenance of the 100-year-old suspension bridge over the Machchhu River. It collapsed on October 30, four days after it reopened. 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi names 21 largest unnamed islands of Andaman and Nicobar Islands after Param Vir Chakra awardees in a ceremony today on the occasion of Parakram Diwas. The PM also unveils the model of the National Memorial dedicated to Netaji to be built on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep, earlier known as Ross Islands. Home Minister Amit Shah was also present at the ceremony. 3. The 126th birth anniversary of Subhas Chandra Bose sees a battle of ideologies between Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Trinamool Congress as both organize programmes to commemorate the day. RSS for the first time in its history holds a mega-rally to commemorate his birth anniversary at the iconic Shahid Minar, a scene for many protest rallies before and after India's Independence, including some addressed by Bose himself. 4. Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announces an alliance with Prakash Ambedkar's Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) as he preps for the upcoming Mumbai civic polls, the first major election since his Shiv Sena split last year, bringing down his government.
- Almost three months after the bridge collapse in Gujarat's Morbi that killed 135 people, police issues an arrest warrant against the promoter of Oreva Group and Ajanta Manufacturing Limited's Managing Director Jaysukh Patel. Patel has been missing since the incident and has been named as an accused in the soon-to-be-filed charge sheet in the case. 2. INS Vagir, fifth submarine of Kalvari Class submarines, is commissioned into the Indian Navy, giving a boost to the force's prowess. INS Vagir, which has been built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited in Mumbai with technology transfer from France, is commissioned in a ceremony attended by Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar. 3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi names 21 largest unnamed islands of Andaman and Nicobar Islands after Param Vir Chakra awardees in a ceremony today on the occasion of Parakram Diwas. The PM also unveils the model of the National Memorial dedicated to Netaji to be built on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep, earlier known as Ross Islands. Home Minister Amit Shah was also present at the ceremony. 4. The 126th birth anniversary of Subhas Chandra Bose sees a battle of ideologies between Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Trinamool Congress as both organize programmes to commemorate the day. RSS for the first time in its history holds a mega-rally to commemorate his birth anniversary at the iconic Shahid Minar, a scene for many protest rallies before and after India's Independence, including some addressed by Bose himself. 5. Four people killed and at least five others injured after a crane crashes at a temple festival in Tamil Nadu. The incident has been reported from Draupathi temple at Tamil Nadu's Ranipet. Around eight people were on the crane to receive garlands from the devotees when the incident occurred.
- The manhunt for the suspect in the Los Angeles mass shooting that left 10 dead and at least 10 others injured comes to an end after Huu Can Tran is found dead inside a van. Police say he apparently shot himself after he was surrounded. The 72-year-old opened fire at a Chinese Lunar New Year party at Monterey Park in California's Los Angeles. Police tracked him down to a van and surrounded it. As the officers approached the vehicle, they heard a gunshot. 2. Opposition leaders rip into the Centre over the removal of the controversial BBC series on Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Twitter and YouTube. Some of them tweet alternative links where the first of the two-part series can be watched. Calling it 'censorshipc, Trinamool Congress's Derek O'Brien says Twitter has taken down his earlier post which had received lakhs of views. 3. The friction between the government and the judiciary over the appointment of judges and which parts of the constitution can be changed by parliament takes a sharp turn with Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju citing comments by a former judge to underscore which view he considered 'sane'. 'The Supreme Court has hijacked the constitution for the first time. They said we will appoint judges ourselves. The government will have no role in this,' said retired Delhi High Court judge RS Sodhi in an interview with LawStreet Bharat YouTube channel. 4. RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat is in Kolkata to attend a series of organisational events of the social service organisation. The key event in the RSS Chief's itinerary during his West Bengal visit, however, will take place today on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's birth anniversary. The RSS has organising a programme called 'Netaji Loho Pronam' to offer tribute to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, one of Bengal's most revered icons, in an attempt to show the Sangh's connections to the revered revolutionary. 5. Sonam Wangchuk, the social reformist from Ladakh whose life story inspired the Bollywood film 3 Idiots, urges Prime Minister Narendra Modi for ensuring the safety and protection of Ladakh as studies suggest the extinction of glaciers in the Union Territory.
- Union Minister Kiren Rijiju takes on the ‘malicious campaigns' inside and outside India in connection to the UK's British Broadcasting Corporation documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and says that some people ‘consider the BBC above the Supreme Court of India'. The Union Minister alleges that they ‘lower' the country's dignity and image to any extent to ‘please their moral masters'. 2. Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud calls the basic structure doctrine a North Star that guides and gives certain direction to the interpreters and implementers of the Constitution when the path ahead is convoluted. 3. Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath stokes a fresh controversy for allegedly threatening officers of the police administration ahead of the state assembly elections to be held this year. The former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister was addressing a public rally, where he said ‘Acha Hisab Liya Jaaega' within eight months as elections are approaching. 4. Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi resumes from Hiranagar in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district amid heightened security in the wake of twin blasts in Jammu.
- Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath stokes fresh controversy for allegedly threatening officers of police administration ahead of state assembly elections to be held this year. He says, 'Elections will be held in eight months and I want to tell everyone not to be aggressive or fearful. All the police officers should listen with their ears open that everybody's account will be taken in the upcoming elections.' 2. The friction between the government and the judiciary over the appointment of judges and which parts of the constitution can be changed by parliament takes a sharp turn, with Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju citing comments by a former judge to underscore which view he considers 'sane'. Retired Delhi High Court judge RS Sodhi says in an interview with LawStreet Bharat YouTube channel, 'The Supreme Court has hijacked the constitution for the first time. They said we will appoint judges ourselves. The government will have no role in this.' 3. India's domestic passenger traffic grows 13.69 per cent year-on-year to 127.35 lakh in December. The number of passengers flown by the Indian airlines in December 2021 was recorded at 112.02 lakh. 4. Sports Ministry suspends Wrestling Federation of India's assistant secretary Vinod Tomar, a fallout of the grapplers' allegations of harassment and corruption against the sports body's chief, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The ministry says it has also directed the WFI to suspend all ongoing activities, including the Ranking Tournament in Gonda, UP, Sharan's stronghold. 5. Man who impersonated as an official of the government of the United Arab Emirates has been arrested for allegedly duping a hotel in the national capital by fleeing without paying his outstanding bill worth over Rs 23 lakhs. The man identified as Mahamed Sharif, hailing from Karnataka's Dakshin Kannada, presented fake business card and stayed at Leela Palace Hotel for nearly three months last year. 6. Enforcement Directorate arrests Trinamool Congress youth leader Kuntal Ghosh for his alleged involvement in teachers' recruitment scam. Mr Ghosh was first detained on Saturday morning by ED officials following overnight search operations at his apartment in Chinar Park area and then arrested. 7. Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi resumes from Hiranagar in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district amid heightened security in the wake of twin blasts in Jammu. After a day-long break, the foot march started as per schedule around 7 am from Hiranagar near the International Border along the Jammu-Pathankot highway which was sealed by police and other security forces.
- Sports Ministry suspends Wrestling Federation of India's assistant secretary Vinod Tomar, a fallout of the grapplers' allegations of harassment and corruption against the sports body's chief, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The ministry says it has also directed the WFI to suspend all ongoing activities, including the Ranking Tournament in Gonda, UP, Sharan's stronghold. 2. An elderly cyclist who skids and falls on the road is hit several times with batons by two constables for not picking up the cycle quickly. A video of the assault in broad daylight in Bihar's Kaimur district is shared widely on social media. 3. Homegrown vaccine maker Bharat Biotech to launch its intranasal COVID-19 vaccine iNCOVACC, the first of its kind in India, on January 26, says the company's chairman and managing director Krishna Ella. 4. Enforcement Directorate arrests Trinamool Congress youth leader Kuntal Ghosh for his alleged involvement in teachers' recruitment scam. Mr Ghosh was first detained on Saturday morning by ED officials following overnight search operations at his apartment in Chinar Park area and then arrested. 5. Seven people injured in twin blasts in Jammu with the terror attack raising security concerns over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir. The blasts at an industrial area in Narwal area of Jammu occurr at a time when the Union Territory is under a heavy security blanket in view of the footmarch. Mr Gandhi's yatra is currently on a break at Chadwal, over 60 km from Jammu.
- In a shocking case of medical negligence, an eye each from two dead bodies went mysteriously missing from a mortuary in Madhya Pradesh's Sagar district within 15 days, say sources. 2. Seven people injured in twin blasts in Jammu, say police, with the terror attack raising security concerns over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha condemns the blasts and announces Rs 50,000 financial assistance to the injured. 3. The Wrestlers' protest, which has been continuing at the Jantar Mantar in the national capital has finally been called off today with the Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur announcing Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh to 'step aside' till the investigation by the 'oversight committee' against the levelled allegations completes. 4. Big tech companies that profit by funnelling news into their search results and feeds must give a ‘fair share of revenues' to publishers, the Indian government has said, citing a need to address the ‘imbalance' in the relationship between the two. 5. With less than a month to go for the Tripura Assembly polls, erstwhile royal and tribal leader Pradyot Manikya Debbarman has said his party is confident of a good show and stressed that it not compromise with its ‘core ideology' of a 'Greater Tipraland' to forge any alliance.
- Six people were injured in twin car blasts near the Jammu railway station this morning, say police, raising concerns over the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir in view of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra. The blast occurred in the Narwal area of Jammu, says Additional Director General of Police (Jammu) Mukesh Singh. Mr Gandhi's yatra is currently on a break at Chadwal, over 60 km from Jammu. 2. The Wrestlers' protest, which has been continuing at the Jantar Mantar in the national capital has finally been called off today with the Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur announcing Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh to 'step aside' till the investigation by the 'oversight committee' against the levelled allegations completes. 3. With less than a month to go for the Tripura Assembly polls, erstwhile royal and tribal leader Pradyot Manikya Debbarman says his party is confident of a good show and stresses that it will not compromise with its 'core ideology' of a 'Greater Tipraland' to forge any alliance. The Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance or TIPRA, which has been voicing tribals' issues and demanding a separate state or Union Territory for the indigenous population, has emerged as a key player in this election in the Northeastern state. 4. Wipro lays off 452 freshers for poor performance. After Meta, Twitter, Google, another round of tech layoffs. 5. New Zealand's former COVID-19 response minister Chris Hipkins will replace Jacinda Ardern as prime minister after receiving the only nomination from fellow MPs, says the ruling Labour Party. The 44-year-old senior politician must be formally backed by Labour members of parliament on Sunday to take over as the country's 41st prime minister, following Ardern's shock resignation on Thursday.
- The Wrestlers' protest, which has been continuing at the Jantar Mantar in the national capital has finally been called off today with the Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur announcing Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh to 'step aside' till the investigation by the 'oversight committee" against the levelled allegations completes. 2. Now to Northeast where among the three states that would go to crucial polls next month, the most keenly contested would be Tripura where all national parties, be it the ruling BJP, or opposition Left or even the Congress is trying to woo a new regional party for alliance. Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance or TIPRA is seen as a key factor with its huge influence on particularly tribal voters. Party's chief and Triya royal scion Pradyot Manikya Debburman speaks on his party's core demand of a creation of a Greater Tipraland to the agendas for the polls campaign and alliance possibility in this exclusive interview to NDTV's Ratnadip Choudhury. 3. Congress' Jairam Ramesh says, 'A substantial part of the Bharat Jodo Yatra from Jammu to Kashmir will certainly be bypassed for obvious reasons. 27-29th we will do at least 3 days of padyatra in Kashmir, about 35-40 kms.' He adds, 'Because of the topography, cold, security considerations a good part of the Jammu to Srinagar part will be done by bus.' 4. Just a week after China and Bhutan held a meeting and decided to push forward boundary negotiations, India's Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra makes a two-day visit to the Buddhist kingdom. A tweet by India's ambassador to Bhutan, Sudhakar Dalela, says that there were 'engaging conversations, positive outcomes, expanding partnership.' 5. Air India has been fined Rs 30 lakh and the licence of the pilot-in-charge of its New York-Delhi flight on which a drunk passenger peed on a woman has been suspended for three months by the aviation regulator Director General of Civil Aviation.
- The rancour between the Congress's two top leaders in Rajasthan is deepening in an election year. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot appears to refer to Sachin Pilot as the coronavirus. Sachin Pilot, in response, says at a rally, ‘It is important to maintain restraint in politics. If you give respect, you will get it'. 2. Delhi government resends plan for teachers' training in Finland after Lt Governor VK Saxena returned it with questions. Delhi govt says, Lt Governor should not become an obstacle in teachers' training. He must clear the proposal immediately. 3. Air India has been fined Rs 30 lakh and the licence of the pilot-in-charge of its New York-Delhi flight on which a drunk passenger peed on a woman has been suspended for three months by the aviation regulator Director General of Civil Aviation. 4. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, who is leading a pan-India foot march 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', enters Jammu from Punjab for the last leg of his yatra.
- The protesting wrestlers are insistent that the wrestling body chief be sacked immediately in the wake of MeToo allegations, saying they 'fear for their lives'. However, the chief doubles down and denies all charges, adding he won't resign. 'There is no question of resigning. I have not spoken with the Prime Minister's Office and Home Minister,' says Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, adding he will address a press conference at 4 PM today. 2. Congress's Rahul Gandhi leads his Bharat Jodo Yatra into Jammu and Kashmir today, underscoring that it is a 'homecoming' for him. 'I am going back to my roots, I know the suffering of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and come to you with a bowed head,' he says, addressing the people. 3. In the ongoing power tussle involving two constitutional functionaries of Delhi, L-G V K Saxena writes to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal accusing him of making 'misleading and derogatory remarks' and resorting to a 'low level of discourse'. He also accuses CM Kejriwal of adopting 'political posturing' during his march to Raj Niwas on January 16 along with his deputy Manish Sisodia and AAP MLAs. 4. Just a week after China and Bhutan held a meeting and decided to push forward boundary negotiations, India's Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra makes a two-day visit to the Buddhist kingdom. A tweet by India's ambassador to Bhutan, Sudhakar Dalela, says that there were 'engaging conversations, positive outcomes, expanding partnership.' The boundary negotiations between Bhutan and China remain important for India, as they involve talks over Doklam. This area in Bhutan overlooks India's 'chicken neck' - the stretch connecting the north-east with the rest of India. In 2017, the Indian and Chinese armies engaged in a face-off in Doklam for two months.
- Top Indian wrestlers' meeting with Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur remains inconclusive as they refused to back down from their demand that the government immediately disband the Wrestling Federation of India. Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia, Ravi Dahiya, Sakshi Malik and world championship medallist Vinesh Phogat were part of the meeting. The wrestlers will meet the Sports minister again today, according to government officials. The ministry cannot force Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh to resign unless it receives a written reply from the WFI since the government itself has asked the wrestling body for an explanation. 2. Delhi Commission for Women chairperson Swati Maliwal alleges that she was molested by an inebriated man and dragged by his car for 10-15 metres outside AIIMS with her hand stuck in the vehicle's window as he drove on. A 47-year-old man living in south Delhi's Sangam Vihar has been arrested following the incident. The DCW chief says she was out in the night to inspect the state of women security in Delhi along with her team, in the wake of the Kanjhawla hit-and-drag incident in which a 20-year-old woman was dragged to death while trapped under a car in the national capital. 3. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi walks into Jammu and Kashmir, the final phase of his Bharat Jodo Yatra that started in Kanyakumari in September and will end on January 30 in Srinagar. 4. The Supreme Court Collegium reiterates the names of two advocates, Amitesh Banerjee and Sakya Sen for appointment as judges in the Calcutta High Court, remarking that it is 'not open for the government to repeatedly send back the proposal'. The Collegium also reiterates the names of three other senior lawyers for elevation, among them openly gay lawyer Saurabh Kirpal. 5. The government strongly condemns a BBC series on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the 2002 Gujarat riots as a 'propaganda piece designed to push a discredited narrative' that shouldn't be 'dignified' with a response. 6. A below-par India beats tournament debutants Wales 4-2 in their final pool match but fails to qualify directly for the quarterfinals of the FIH Men's World Cup in Bhubaneswar.
- With 'a message from the government', Olympian Babita Phogat meets a group of fellow wrestlers, nearly 200 of whom are on protest in Delhi over harassment allegations against the federation chief and several coaches. Ms Phogat, a member of BJP and part of the Haryana government, says on the second day of the protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, 'I'm a wrestler first. The BJP government is with the wrestlers. I will make sure that action is taken today itself. I'm a wrestler, and I'm in the government as well, so it is my responsibility to mediate. I have heard instances of abuse in my career as well. There is no smoke without fire. These voices are important.' Meanwhile, the country's Sports Ministry asks the Wrestling Federation of India to respond to the allegations within 72 hours after triple Commonwealth Games gold medallist Vinesh Phogat, one of India's most decorated women wrestlers and Babita Phogat's cousin, goes public with the charges. 2. Swati Maliwal, the chief of the Delhi Commission for Women, shares what she calls a horrific run-in with a drunk driver who dragged her after harassing her on the road at a prominent spot in Delhi. 'If my team had not intervened, I would have been the next Anjali,' DCW chief tells NDTV, referring to the young woman who died on New Year's Day after being dragged 13 km by a car. 3. Supreme Court, in a first, makes public the reasons for government's objections to the elevation of three senior advocates and its own response in the matter. The court uploads the letters to the Centre on its website, publicly refuting its objections to the elevation of Saurabh Kirpal to the Delhi High Court, Somasekhar Sundaresan to the Bombay High Court and R John Sathyan to the Madras High Court. Refuting all objections, the court makes the recommendations for a second time. Under the rules, the government has to accept a name that is sent by the Supreme Court Collegium for a second time.
- Uttar Pradesh government opposes in Supreme Court the bail plea of Union Minister Ajay Kumar Mishra's son, who is one of the accused in Lakhimpur Kheri violence case. Additional Advocate General for Uttar Pradesh Garima Prashad tells a bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice JK Maheshwari that the crime is grave. 2. With 'a message from the government', Olympian Babita Phogat meets a group of fellow wrestlers, nearly 200 of whom are on protest in Delhi over harassment allegations against the federation chief and several coaches. Ms Phogat, a member of BJP and part of the Haryana government, says on the second day of the protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, 'I'm a wrestler first. The BJP government is with the wrestlers. I will make sure that action is taken today itself. I'm a wrestler, and I'm in the government as well, so it is my responsibility to mediate. I have heard instances of abuse in my career as well. There is no smoke without fire. These voices are important.' Meanwhile, the country's Sports Ministry asks the Wrestling Federation of India to respond to the allegations within 72 hours after triple Commonwealth Games gold medallist Vinesh Phogat, one of India's most decorated women wrestlers and Babita Phogat's cousin, goes public with the charges. 3. Editors Guild of India urges the government to 'expunge' the draft amendment to the IT Rules asking social media companies to take down news articles that have been deemed 'fake' by the Press Information Bureau. It says that already multiple laws exist to deal with content that is found to be factually incorrect. 4. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, a global figurehead of progressive politics, shocks the country by announcing that she will resign from office in a matter of weeks. The 42-year-old, who steered the country through natural disasters, Covid pandemic, and its worst-ever terror attack, says she no longer has 'enough in the tank'. 5. Unbeaten India seeks to address penalty-corner woes to post a big win against bottom-placed debutants Wales in the final pool match and qualify directly for the quarter-finals of FIH Men's Hockey World Cup today. India and England are on four points each after two matches with the latter ahead on goal difference, plus five as against the hosts' plus three. 6. Water security is essential for the development of India in the 21st century, says Prime Minister Narendra Modi after inaugurating and laying the foundation stone for projects worth Rs 10,863 crore in Kodekal under Karnataka's Yadgir district.
- Sports Ministry seeks response from Wrestling Federation of India within 72 hours after top wrestlers including Olympian Vinesh Phogat, Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik allege gross misconduct by the sports body's coaches and president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Top Indian wrestlers sit on a massive protest at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. 2. Several people get injured in a clash between BJP and Congress supporters in Tripura's Majlishpur. The clash takes place just half an hour after the Election Commission announces the dates for the assembly election in the state. Congress leader Dr Ajay Kumar is among those who have got injured. 3. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra is set to enter Jammu and Kashmir today via Lakhanpur. Rahul will attend a gathering in Lakhanpur where he will be joined by NC president Farooq Abdullah, his son Omar Abdullah, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, CPI-M leader MY Tarigami, Awami National Conference leader Muzaffar Shah and others. 4. Shubman Gill slams his maiden double century off just 145 balls during the first ODI encounter between India and New Zealand in Hyderabad. He becomes the fifth Indian cricketer ever to achieve the feat and his innings was adorned with 19 boundaries and eight massive sixes. Earlier, the feat was achieved by Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan. He also becomes the youngest cricketer to hit a double century in ODIs, a record previously held by Kishan. 5. Unbeaten India to seek to address penalty-corner woes to post a big win against bottom-placed debutants Wales in the final pool match and qualify directly for the quarter-finals of FIH Men's Hockey World Cup today. India and England are on four points each after two matches with the latter ahead on goal difference, plus five as against the hosts' plus three. 6. Karnataka State Contractor Association stages one-day protest at Freedom Park in Bengaluru against corruption. They demand clearance of bills and resolution of other issues from the government. Thousands of people participate in the protest and raise slogans against the government.
- Taking a dig at Prime Minister Modi's comment in the national executive meeting that there are only 400 days left for 2024 elections, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav says that the ruling BJP has started counting its days and will not last a day more in power. Speaking at the first public meeting of Bharat Rashtra Samithi, Mr Yadav says, 'BJP will be out of power after 399 days and a new government will be in place on the 400th day'. 2. Tripura will vote for a new government on February 16, Meghalaya and Nagaland on February 27, results on March 2, announces Election Commission. The terms of all three state assemblies, each with a strength of 60 members, end in March, Nagaland on March 12, Meghalaya on March 15 and Tripura on March 22. The poll schedule of the three states is chalked out keeping in mind high school examinations and the movement of security forces, say reports. 3. BJP leader Tejasvi Surya opened the emergency exit of an IndiGo plane last month 'by mistake' and apologised for it, says Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, confirming an incident that has spurred opposition derision and attacks on the Karnataka MP. IndiGo said on December 10 that a passenger accidentally opened the emergency exit of its flight 6E 7339 at the Chennai airport during the boarding process, when the plane was on the tarmac. The passenger apologised, said the airline. The passenger was Tejasvi Surya, the Aviation Minister now confirms, over a month after the incident. 4. BJP received more than half of all electoral bonds, the controversial financial tool that helps companies donate unlimited amounts of money to political parties anonymously, bought between March 2018 and 2022, shows Election Commission data. According to disclosures by political parties, BJP received Rs 5,270 crore out of a total of Rs 9,208 crore or 57 per cent of all total electoral bonds sold till 2022.
- Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi says it is erroneous and far-fetched to say that he suggested changing the name of the state with his recent comments on 'Tamizhagam'. Clarifying on the controversial comment that led to a fiery 'Tamil Nadu versus Tamizhagam' debate, Mr Ravi says those who have made the inference have done so 'without understanding' the basis of his speech. 2. Ruling AAP MLA Mahender Goyal creates flutter in Delhi Assembly, shows wads of cash inside the House and claims that a private contractor at a city government hospital tried to bribe him. Complaining about irregularities in the hiring of temporary staff at the Babasaheb Ambedkar Hospital in Rohini, Mr Goyal claims there is a threat to his life from 'powerful' people trying to silence him. 3. First public rally by Telangana's ruling Bharat Rashtra Samiti today in Khammam town. Slew of leaders including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to take part in it. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, his Kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan, CPI General Secretary D Raja and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav to also attend the BRS meet. 4. Election Commission to announce the schedule of assembly elections in Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland this afternoon. The Election Commission convenes a press conference in Delhi for the purpose. The term of the three assemblies is ending on different dates in March. 5. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured new industry will come to Maharashtra, says Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to NDTV. 6. Microsoft Corp to cut jobs in a number of engineering divisions today joining the ranks of technology giants that are scaling back as the industry prepares for a prolonged slump in demand. The magnitude of the cuts cannot be learned, but the person, who asked not to be identified discussing confidential matters, says the reduction will be significantly larger than other rounds at Microsoft in the past year. 7. Defending champion Rafael Nadal out of Australian Open, loses in straight sets in the second round. USA's Mackenzie McDonald advances to the third round after knocking out Nadal 6-4, 6-4, 7-5.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi issues a heads-up about 2024 general elections at BJP National Executive and urges party leaders to increase their outreach to voters. Senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis quotes the PM as saying in the valedictorian's session at the two-day meeting, 'We have 400 days until the big Lok Sabha elections and we have to do everything to serve the people. We have to create history. We must pay attention to people in the 18-25 age group.' 2. Chief Ministers Arvind Kejriwal, Bhagwant Singh Mann and Pinarayi Vijayan, along with Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav and others, receive warm welcome from BRS leaders including ministers, upon their arrival at Shamshabad airport. They are all scheduled to participate in the BRS public meeting to be held in Khammam today. 3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured new industry will come to Maharashtra, says Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to NDTV. 3. Serum Institute of India working to market its two key vaccines for Covid, Covovax and Covishield, in China, which is seeing a resurgence of the pandemic. 'It is very important for the world to get back to its supply chain issues and investment so it is better for the world that China recovers from this,' says SII chief Adar Poonawalla to NDTV in an exclusive interview. 4. BJP leader seen hitting a policeman with slippers in a video that has emerged from Madhya Pradesh. Some of her supporters are also seen arguing with the police officers, one of whom snaps back, asking, 'Do you want us to take you to the police station. We will begin our investigation from there.' 5. Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg hauled away and detained during a protest at a German village being razed to make way for a coal mine expansion. 'The group is in the custody of the police,' says a police spokeswoman when asked about the arrest of Thunberg and other activists in the western village of Luetzerath. 6. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva removes 40 troops guarding the presidential residence after expressing distrust in the military for failing to act against demonstrators that ransacked government buildings on Jan 8. His decision is published in the government's official gazette.
- JP Nadda's term as the national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been extended till June 2024, informs Union Home Minister Amit Shah at the National Executive Meeting. He says, 'The tenure of JP Nadda as national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party has been extended till June 2024'. The decision is taken at the National Executive Meeting of the BJP in the national capital. According to sources, the proposal for Naddda's extension was mooted by the Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and was agreed upon unanimously by the members of the National Executive. 2. Delhi's Rohini court grants bail to Ashutosh Bhardwaj, an accused in the Kanjhawala hit and drag case. The court while granting bail, says his role started after the commission of the offence. Additional Sessions Judge Sushil Bagla Dagar allows the bail plea of Ashutosh Bhardwaj on furnishing bail bond of Rs 50,000. 3. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) lists Pakistan-based terrorist Abdul Rehman Makki as a global terrorist under its ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee. 4. A proposal by the Yogi Adityanath government to build a corridor around the famous Banke Bihari temple in Vrindavan, in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura district, on the lines of Kashi Vishwanath Temple Corridor project in Varanasi, is facing strong opposition from local residents who say they will be displaced, and their daily lives disrupted by the proposed project. Priests and shopkeepers are writing letters to the Chief Minister with their blood, requesting him to shelve the project.
- A man in Punjab's Hoshiarpur today ran towards Congress MP Rahul Gandhi while he was walking during his pan-India foot march, the Bharat Jodo Yatra, and hugged him, raising concerns over his security cordon. A video clip of the incident shows a man lunging towards Mr Gandhi, who appears taken aback, and hugging him from the front, while security personnel and Congress workers pull the intruder away. Mr Gandhi then continues walking without pause. The incident comes weeks after Congress flagged concerns over Mr Gandhi's security, alleging that there were several breaches. 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a 15-minute meeting with Karnataka's former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Monday on the sidelines of the BJP national executive. Karnataka is one of the states going to polls this year. Poll strategy for these nine states is the key agenda of the ongoing two-day executive meet in New Delhi, which is being attended by PM Modi and the key leaders and ministers of the party. 3. A proposal by the Yogi Adityanath government to build a corridor around the famous Banke Bihari temple in Vrindavan, in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura district, on the lines of Kashi Vishwanath Temple Corridor project in Varanasi, is facing strong opposition from local residents who say they will be displaced, and their daily lives disrupted by the proposed project. Priests and shopkeepers are writing letters to the Chief Minister with their blood, requesting him to shelve the project. 4. The India Meteorological Department predicts intense cold wave conditions to continue in northwest India and parts of central India till tomorrow, after which, the temperatures will marginally increase by 4 to 5 degrees Celsius from Thursday. 5. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) lists Pakistan-based terrorist Abdul Rehman Makki as a global terrorist under its ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee. 6. China saw its population fall by roughly 850,000 last year, its first drop in six decades that marks the start of an expected long-term decline in citizen numbers with major economic consequences.
- It is Day 2 of the BJP's National Executive meeting in the national capital. The party to brainstorm on the Lok Sabha 2024 and the 2023 state polls. 2. Law Minister Kiren Rijiju writes to the Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud for the inclusion of government nominees in the collegium system on appointments to the higher judiciary and defends it as a 'precise follow-up action' suggested by the apex court while striking down the NJAC Act. 3. Rahul Gandhi has been advised by security agencies to not walk certain stretches during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Kashmir, NDTV has learnt. 'A detailed plan has been put in place to secure him and it has been advised that he should avoid travelling certain stretches on foot and instead travel in car,' a senior official tells NDTV. The 52-year-old Congress leader is set to hoist the national flag in Banihal on January 25 and would enter Srinagar via Anantnag two days later - on January 27. 4. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal asks Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena to give in writing that he had never rejected the proposal for sending government teachers for training to Finland as the two sides continue to lock horns over the matter. 5. Two Western Disturbances in quick succession are likely to affect northwest India on January 18 and another on January 20, says the India Meteorological Department. As a result, cold wave conditions over northwest India are likely to abate from Thursday. 6. World Economic Forum President tells NDTV at Davos that they are expecting India to be the fastest growing of largest economies.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds a grand roadshow in Delhi today. Starting from Patel Chowk, the roadshow headed towards Parliament Street in the national capital. The mega roadshow is being held in the backdrop of the two-day national executive meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) being held at NDMC Convention Centre starting today. 2. Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju writes to the Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud, that the Supreme Court collegium that decides on judges' appointments should include government representatives. This will 'infuse transparency and public accountability', the Law Minister writes in the letter that vastly escalates a back-and-forth between the government and judiciary since last year. 3. All MLAs of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi, led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, today march to Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena's residence soon after the state Assembly was adjourned for the day after loud protest over Mr Saxena's alleged interference in Delhi government's decision to send state school teachers to Finland for training. The Lieutenant Governor's office, however, denies that it rejected any proposal for the training of primary teachers, saying it only advised the state to record the cost-benefit-analysis to assess the effectiveness of such programs in the past. 4. A Swiggy delivery agent dies in Hyderabad after falling from the third floor of a building where he was chased by a pet dog while delivering food. 23-year-old Mohd Rizwan fell from the third floor of the Lumbini Rock Castle apartments in Banjara Hills on January 11 when he was running from the customer's pet German Shepherd. He died on Sunday. 5. The Congress in Karnataka promises Rs 2,000 a month to every woman head of households if the party is voted to power in the State. The announcement is made at a convention attended by Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who says Rs 24,000 a year would be directly credited to their bank accounts under 'Gruha Lakshmi Yojana', an 'unconditional universal basic income'. 6. People in Delhi and its adjoining areas wake up to a chilly morning with the minimum temperature in the national capital dropping to 1.4 degrees Celsius - the lowest so far this season - as another cold wave sweeps northwest India.
- Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju writes to the Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud, that the Supreme Court collegium that decides on judges' appointments should include government representatives. This will 'infuse transparency and public accountability', the Law Minister writes in the letter that vastly escalates a back-and-forth between the government and judiciary since last year. 2. The BJP will hold a grand roadshow led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today in the national capital. The two-day national executive meeting of the BJP will be held at NDMC Convention Centre starting today. BJP's national president JP Nadda along with Union Ministers, including Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states and other senior party leaders will participate in the event. Prime Minister Modi will hold a roadshow from Patel Chowk to Parliament Street. The roadshow was previously planned for Tuesday before a change in the party's schedule. 3. All MLAs of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi, led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, today march to Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena's residence soon after the state Assembly was adjourned for the day after loud protest over Mr Saxena's alleged interference in Delhi government's decision to send state school teachers to Finland for training. The Lieutenant Governor's office, however, denies that it rejected any proposal for the training of primary teachers, saying it only advised the state to record the cost-benefit-analysis to assess the effectiveness of such programs in the past. 4. A Swiggy delivery agent dies in Hyderabad after falling from the third floor of a building where he was chased by a pet dog while delivering food. 23-year-old Mohd Rizwan fell from the third floor of the Lumbini Rock Castle apartments in Banjara Hills on January 11 when he was running from the customer's pet German Shepherd. He died on Sunday. 5. Congress's Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will visit Karnataka today to announce the party's second big promise for the assembly elections due in May. The women-centric promise will be announced at a mega convention for women, which comes ahead of her 'Haat se haat jodo' rallies that are meant to firm up the message of Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'. 6. People in Delhi and its adjoining areas wake up to a chilly morning with the minimum temperature in the national capital dropping to 1.4 degrees Celsius - the lowest so far this season - as another cold wave sweeps northwest India.
- Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will hold a grand roadshow of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national capital today. The two-day national executive meeting of the BJP will be held at NDMC Convention Centre in Delhi. BJP's national president JP Nadda along with Union Ministers including Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Ministers of BJP ruled States and other senior party leaders will participate in the event. 2. Days after the face-off between the Aam Aadmi Party and Bharatiya Janata Party in the Mayoral election of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, both the rival parties are going to meet today at the first day of the winter session of the Delhi Legislative Assembly. The sitting of the Legislative Assembly has been tentatively fixed for January 16, 17 and 18. 3. Rajasthan Congress leader Sachin Pilot will be on a mass public outreach from today until the 20th of January. 4. Nepal Army says they have not rescued anyone alive from the site of the plane crash that occurred on Sunday in the central resort city of Pokhara. A Yeti Airlines passenger plane crashed into a river gorge while landing at the newly-opened airport in Nepal's Pokhara. 68 people, including five Indians, on board, are dead. 5. Cold wave to severe cold wave conditions likely to hold sway over parts of north India, including the national capital, till Wednesday, the weather department has said. According to the India Meteorological Department, the mercury will continue to settle at 3 degrees Celsius today and tomorrow in Delhi-NCR.
- At least 68 people died today in Nepal after a plane carrying about 72 people from capital Kathmandu crashed in Pokhara this morning, news agency AFP says, quoting the police. There were 68 passengers and four crew members on board the plane that crashed between the old and new airports in the city, located in western Nepal. The twin-engine ATR 72 aircraft operated by Yeti Airlines was en route from Nepal's capital Kathmandu. 15 foreign nationals, and six children, were on board. 53 Nepali, 5 Indian, 4 Russian, 2 Koreans, 1 Argentinian, and one each from Ireland, Australia, and France were in the plane, the airlines says in a statement. 2. The Delhi Police probes ISI link in Jahangirpuri murder. 3. India's central agencies and the authorities in Mizoram are investigating reports of bombings by Myanmar military jets along the Tiau river, which forms the border between the two countries, according to official sources. The Champhai district Deputy Commissioner, James Lalrinchhana, has sent a magistrate to verify claims made by locals in border villages, sources tell NDTV. The Indian army, however, has denied any such bombing on Indian soil. 4. Cold wave conditions prevailed in parts of Rajasthan where Fatehpur and Churu were recorded the coldest with minus 4.7 degrees Celsius and minus 2.7 degrees Celsius today, according to a senior MeT department official. Severe cold wave with ground frost occurred at many places in West Rajasthan due to which minimum temperature dropped appreciably in Ajmer, Kota and Udaipur divisions, says the spokesperson of Met department. According to MeT department, Chittorgarh recorded minus 1.4 degrees followed by 0.5 degrees in Sikar, 0.6 degrees in Bhilwara, 1.2 degrees in Bikaner, 1.6 degrees in Pilani, 1.7 degrees in Baran and 1.8 degrees in Sangaria. All major cities across the state recorded minimum temperature below 7 degree Celsius on Sunday night. State capital Jaipur recorded maximum and minimum temperature of 19.5 and 5.6 degrees respectively.
- At least 68 people died today in Nepal after a plane carrying about 72 people from capital Kathmandu crashed in Pokhara this morning, news agency AFP says, quoting the police. There were 68 passengers and four crew members on board the plane that crashed between the old and new airports in the city, located in western Nepal. The twin-engine ATR 72 aircraft operated by Yeti Airlines was en route from Nepal's capital Kathmandu. 2. The Delhi Police probes ISI link in Jahangirpuri murder. 3. India's central agencies and the authorities in Mizoram are investigating reports of bombings by Myanmar military jets along the Tiau river, which forms the border between the two countries, according to official sources. The Champhai district Deputy Commissioner, James Lalrinchhana, has sent a magistrate to verify claims made by locals in border villages, sources tell NDTV. The Indian army, however, has denied any such bombing on Indian soil. 4. Cold wave conditions prevailed in parts of Rajasthan where Fatehpur and Churu were recorded the coldest with minus 4.7 degrees Celsius and minus 2.7 degrees Celsius today, according to a senior MeT department official. Severe cold wave with ground frost occurred at many places in West Rajasthan due to which minimum temperature dropped appreciably in Ajmer, Kota and Udaipur divisions, says the spokesperson of Met department. According to MeT department, Chittorgarh recorded minus 1.4 degrees followed by 0.5 degrees in Sikar, 0.6 degrees in Bhilwara, 1.2 degrees in Bikaner, 1.6 degrees in Pilani, 1.7 degrees in Baran and 1.8 degrees in Sangaria. All major cities across the state recorded minimum temperature below 7 degree Celsius on Sunday night. State capital Jaipur recorded maximum and minimum temperature of 19.5 and 5.6 degrees respectively.
- At least 32 people died today in Nepal after a plane carrying about 72 people from capital Kathmandu crashed in Pokhara this morning, several reports say. 16 dead bodies have so far been recovered from the wreckage, a Nepal Army spokesperson said. There were 68 passengers and four crew members on board the plane that crashed between the old and new airports in the city, located in western Nepal. The twin-engine ATR 72 aircraft operated by Yeti Airlines was en route from Nepal's capital Kathmandu. 2. The Delhi Police probes ISI link in Jahangirpuri murder. 3. India's central agencies and the authorities in Mizoram are investigating reports of bombings by Myanmar military jets along the Tiau river, which forms the border between the two countries, according to official sources. 4. Cold wave conditions prevailed in parts of Rajasthan where Fatehpur and Churu were recorded the coldest with minus 4.7 degrees Celsius and minus 2.7 degrees Celsius today, according to a senior MeT department official. Severe cold wave with ground frost occurred at many places in West Rajasthan due to which minimum temperature dropped appreciably in Ajmer, Kota and Udaipur divisions, says the spokesperson of Met department. According to MeT department, Chittorgarh recorded minus 1.4 degrees followed by 0.5 degrees in Sikar, 0.6 degrees in Bhilwara, 1.2 degrees in Bikaner, 1.6 degrees in Pilani, 1.7 degrees in Baran and 1.8 degrees in Sangaria. All major cities across the state recorded minimum temperature below 7 degree Celsius on Sunday night. State capital Jaipur recorded maximum and minimum temperature of 19.5 and 5.6 degrees respectively.
- A member of Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK party has been suspended for publicly abusing and threatening Governor RN Ravi amid an ongoing row between the two sides that spiked this week over a speech in the assembly. Speaking at a party gathering, Shivaji Krishnamoorthy had attacked the Governor for skipping parts of the speech, written for him by the state government as is custom, and dropped references to leaders like BR Ambedkar and Periyar. 2. After an Indian Space Research Organisation report revealed that Uttarakhand's Joshimath saw a rapid sinking of 5.4 cm in just 12 days, the National Disaster Management Authority bars government institutions from interacting with the media and sharing data on social media regarding ground subsidence. The NDMA letter says, 'It is observed that various government institutions are releasing data related to the subject matter in social media platform, and also they are interacting with media with their own interpretation of the situation. It is creating confusion not only among affected residents but also among citizens of the country'. 3. India's central agencies and the authorities in Mizoram are investigating reports of bombings by Myanmar military jets along the Tiau river, which forms the border between the two countries, according to official sources. 4. For the first time, the Army Day parade, which used to take place in Delhi, will be moved out of the national capital and will take place in Bengaluru at Parade Ground, MEG and Centre. The 75th Army Day will be a first-of-its-kind event, taking place outside Delhi ever since the celebrations started in 1949. 5. Harvest festivals Pongal and Bihu are being celebrated today in South India and Northeast India.
- A day after an Indian Space Research Organisation report revealed that Uttarakhand's Joshimath saw a rapid sinking of 5.4 cm in just 12 days, the National Disaster Management Authority bars government institutions from interacting with the media and sharing data on social media regarding ground subsidence. The NDMA letter says, ‘It is observed that various government institutions are releasing data related to the subject matter in social media platform, and also they are interacting with media with their own interpretation of the situation. It is creating confusion not only among affected residents but also among citizens of the country'. 2. The Delhi Police arrests two 'suspicious' men and recovers two hand grenades from their house in the Bhalswa Dairy area of Jahangirpuri in the national capital. Amid the interrogation of the suspects, the police says they carried out a raid at their rented house at Shradha Nand Colony in the Bhalswa Dairy police station limits, under relevant sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and recovered the hand grenades. 3. A threat call was received at the office of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari in Maharashtra, says the Nagpur Police. An unknown person called thrice and threatened to kill him. He also threatened to blow up the office. The police are investigating the matter after a complaint from Nitin Gadkari's office. Rahul Madane, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Nagpur, says, ‘Speech analysis of the caller is being done'. 4. Congress MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary dies of a heart attack during Bharat Jodo Yatra in Punjab this morning. He was 76. Santokh Singh Chaudhary, the party's MP from Jalandhar, collapsed during the foot march in Punjab's Phillaur. He was taken to a hospital in Phagwara in an ambulance, where he died later. 5. Amid an ongoing row between Tamil Nadu's ruling party, DMK, and the state Governor, over him skipping a few parts of the state government's approved speech, including names of tall leaders like BR Ambedkar and Periyar, a worker of the ruling DMK has publicly used expletives for Governor RN Ravi, and issued a direct threat. He says, if Governor RN Ravi can't take Ambedkar's name, he should go to Kashmir so that he would be gunned down by extremists.
- A day after an Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) report revealed that Uttarakhand's Joshimath saw a rapid sinking of 5.4 cm in just 12 days, the National Disaster Management Authority bars government institutions from interacting with the media and sharing data on social media regarding ground subsidence. It said the organisations' 'own interpretations' of data are creating confusion. 2. The Delhi Police arrests two 'suspicious' men and recovers two hand grenades from their house in the Bhalswa Dairy area of Jahangirpuri in the national capital. Amid the interrogation of the suspects, the police says they carried out a raid at their rented house at Shradha Nand Colony in the Bhalswa Dairy police station limits, under relevant sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and recovered the hand grenades. 3. A day after the man accused of urinating on a woman on an Air India flight seven weeks ago claimed that he did not do so and that it was his elderly co-passenger who urinated on herself, the woman rubbishes the claim, calling it 'completely false and concocted'. She says, 'The said allegations are also in complete contradiction and a complete volte-face of the statements and the pleaded case of the accused in his bail application'. 4. Congress MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary dies of a heart attack during Bharat Jodo Yatra in Punjab this morning. He was 76. Santokh Singh Chaudhary, the party's MP from Jalandhar, collapsed during the foot march in Punjab's Phillaur. He was taken to a hospital in Phagwara in an ambulance, where he died later. 5. Rajashree Swain, a 26-year-old woman cricketer of Odisha, was found hanging from a tree inside a dense forest in Cuttack district on Friday, say the police. 6. Donald Lu, US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian affairs says, India and the United States are on track to be two of the biggest, most consequential trade partners in the world. On Chinese aggression along the border with India, he says the US has not seen China take good faith steps. 7. The body of Shraddha Walkar, who was allegedly murdered by her live-in-partner Aaftab Poonawala, was cut up into pieces with a saw, reaveals an autopsy of her bones.
- Hate speeches are a 'complete menace', the Supreme Court observes and rues the lack of regulatory control on TV news content, saying it wants 'free and balanced press in India'. The top court says nowadays everything is driven by TRP (television rating point) and channels are competing with each other and creating a division in society. It wondered why can't a TV news anchor, if they become a part of the problem of propagating hate speech, be taken off air. 2. As temperatures in North India blip up briefly this week, January 2023 could still go down in the books as the coldest for the region, a weather expert predicts, with temperatures in the plains dipping as far as -4 degrees Celsius next week. Severe chills are on the horizon between January 14 and 19 and are likely to be at their peak from January 16 to 18, tweets Navdeep Dahiya, the founder of Live Weather of India, an online weather platform. 3. Ahead of the Union Budget, Prime Minister Narendra Modi while interacting with economists at NITI Aayog, says that to seize opportunities arising as a result of the emerging global environment, the public and private sectors need to leverage synergies and think out of the box. 4. The US attorney general names an independent prosecutor to investigate President Joe Biden's handling of classified documents after a furor over secret papers found at his former office exploded with the discovery of a second batch. 5. A commanding India dishes out a superb show of attacking hockey to outplay a tricky Spain 2-0 in their FIH men's World Cup campaign opener. Local boy Amit Rohidas is among the goal scorers as he struck in the 12th minute from a penalty corner to the wild cheer of the packed Birsa Munda Stadium, which made its debut as an international hockey venue.
- A day after the Union Home Ministry directed Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora to suspend all personnel posted in three PCR vans and two pickets along the route where 20-year-old Anjali Singh was dragged and killed in the early hours of the New Year's Day, 11 concerned policemen have been suspended for negligence. All of them are from the Rohini district police, which oversees outer Delhi's Kanjhawala area, where the horrifying incident took place. 2. A Finland tour for some 30 teachers has set up a new clash between Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi and Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena. The Delhi government's plan to send the teachers abroad to train with primary schools has been sent back by the Lieutenant Governor with questions. 3. A sacked banking executive, accused of urinating on a woman on an Air India flight seven weeks ago in an incident that stoked nationwide outrage, has told a Delhi court that he did not do so and that it was his elderly co-passenger who urinated on herself. 4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi flags off MV Ganga Vilas, the world's longest river cruise, in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi through video conferencing. 32 Swiss tourists will take the maiden journey to reach Dibrugarh in Assam via Bangladesh. The cruise's Director Raj Singh has told news agency PTI that this five-star moving hotel has 18 suites with the capacity of 36 tourists. Apart from this, it has accommodation for 40 crew members. The modernist ship is 62 meters in length and 12 meters wide and requires a draft of 1.4 meters. 5. Former Union Minister and one of the country's most prominent socialist leaders, Sharad Yadav, dies. The 75-year-old was ailing for a long time and had collapsed at his home in Delhi on Thursday. A statement from Gurugram's Fortis Memorial Research Institute, where he was taken immediately says, Mr Yadav was brought to the emergency ward in an unconscious and unresponsive state.
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah will today meet the families of those killed in the recent twin terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district. Mr Shah will also review the security situation in the wake of targetted attacks on Hindu families in the region. Seven civilians, including two children, were killed and many more injured in two terror attacks in Rajouri's Upper Dangri village on January 1 and 2. 2. The Karnataka High Court today, on its own, takes note of the metro collapse in Bengaluru that killed a woman and her two-year-old son. Negligence by metro officials caused the reinforcement cage of an under-construction metro pillar to fall on a two-wheeler on Tuesday. The woman and son died during treatment at a hospital nearby, while her husband and daughter were also injured. 3. Row between Governor and the DMK in Tamil Nadu. DMK ally VCK protests outside Governor's residence. 4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi flags off MV Ganga Vilas, the world's longest river cruise, in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi through video conferencing. 32 Swiss tourists will take the maiden journey to reach Dibrugarh in Assam via Bangladesh. 5. Murder charges should be filed against the five men who were involved in Delhi's hit-and-drag case in which a 20-year-old died, the Union Home Ministry has directed, sources tell NDTV. The sources say, the ministry also asked that the policemen who ignored the multiple SOS calls from eye-witnesses that night be suspended immediately. The ministry's instructions comes after it received the report of an investigation it had ordered into the shocking case the nation woke up to on New Year. 6. Former Union Minister and one of the country's most prominent socialist leaders, Sharad Yadav, dies. The 75-year-old was ailing for a long time and had collapsed at his home in Delhi on Thursday. A statement from Gurugram's Fortis Memorial Research Institute, where he was taken immediately says, Mr Yadav was brought to the emergency ward in an unconscious and unresponsive state.
- Murder charges should be filed against the five men who were involved in Delhi's hit-and-drag case in which a 20-year-old died, the Union Home Ministry has directed, sources tell NDTV. The sources say, the ministry also asked that the policemen who ignored the multiple SOS calls from eye-witnesses that night be suspended immediately. The ministry's instructions comes after it received the report of an investigation it had ordered into the shocking case the nation woke up to on New Year. 2. Chief Minister M K Stalin urges President Droupadi Murmu, 'Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi was engaged in a 'political ideological conflict' with the state government, and he should be advised against doing so and asked to abide by Cabinet directions on various matters'. A state government release mentions the key points highlighted by the CM to the President in the letter, which was handed by a Law Minister S Regupathy-led delegation to her in New Delhi earlier in the day. 3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the world's longest river Cruise, MV Ganga Vilas, in Varanasi via video link today and inaugurate and lay foundation stones for several other projects. An official of Port, Shipping and Waterways tells ANI that World's longest River Cruise MV Ganga Vilas is the first-ever cruise vessel to be made in India. This is the symbol of Self-reliant India (Atmanirbhar Bharat) in the River Cruise Sector. 4. Uttarakhand state government announces a relief package of Rs 45 crore to families in Joshimath, where large cracks appeared in homes and on roads.Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami says that the relief package has been released for nearly 3,000 families affected by gradual land subsidence in the Himalayan state. 5. Union Home Minister Amit Shah will visit Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district today to review the security situation. Mr Shah's visit comes in the wake of twin terror attacks in Rajouri which left seven people dead. 6. Former Union Minister and one of the country's most prominent socialist leaders, Sharad Yadav, dies. The 75-year-old was ailing for a long time and had collapsed at his home in Delhi on Thursday. A statement from Gurugram's Fortis Memorial Research Institute, where he was taken immediately says, Mr Yadav was brought to the emergency ward in an unconscious and unresponsive state. 7. A man is injured after a portion of a road caved in Shoolay Circle in central Bengaluru. The man was riding his bike on Brigade Road when the portion of the road caved in the central business area of the city. 8. India will kick off their men's hockey World Cup campaign with a match against Spain on today at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium, Rourkela. The match will kick off at 7 PM IST.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi's security, the highest in the country breached during his roadshow in Karnataka's Hubbali by a teen who jumps onto the road suddenly and manages to get within an arm's length of him. The man with a garland, breaks the security cordon and rushes at the PM. 2. Uttarakhand state government has announced a relief package of Rs 45 crore to families in Joshimath, where large cracks appears in homes and on roads. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has said that the relief package has been released for nearly 3,000 families affected by gradual land subsidence in the Himalayan state. 3. A man gets injured after a portion of a road caves in Shoolay Circle in central Bengaluru. The man was riding his bike on Brigade Road when the portion of the road caved in the central business area of the city. The incident took place near an area where the tunnel boring work for metro construction was taking place.
- Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia accuses the BJP of wielding unconstitutional control over officials in the national capital to target the city government and its ministers. Addressing a press conference, following the issuance of a notice to AAP to pay Rs 163.62 crore for its political advertisements allegedly published in the garb of government advertisements, Mr Sisodia says even advertisements of BJP chief ministers are published in Delhi's newspapers. 2. Amidst the intense tussle between the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu and Governor R N Ravi, the state government apprises President Droupadi Murmu over the issue and submits a memorandum, the content of which was not disclosed immediately. 3. Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar says 'one-upmanship and public posturing' from judicial platforms is not good and these institutions must know how to conduct themselves. Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram refutes that Dhankhar is 'wrong' in stating that Parliament is supreme and his views should warn every Constitution-loving citizen to be alert to the dangers ahead. 4. Two avalanches reported from Sonmarg area of Jammu and Kashmir 5. Rain and snow add to worry in the subsidence-hit Joshimath town of Uttarakhand. CM Pushkar Singh Dhami in Joshimath to finalise relief package. 6. Geneva: The World Health Organization has recommended that two cough syrups made by Noida-based company Marion Biotech should not be used for children in Uzbekistan. In a medical product alert, the WHO says the 'substandard medical products', manufactured by Marion Biotech, 'are products that fail to meet quality standards or specifications and are therefore out of specification.'
- Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visits the subsidence-hit Joshimath town and announces interim assistance for the affected people even as protests by locals, who are demanding compensation on the lines of Badrinath, stalls the demolition of unsafe structures. 'We stand with the people of Joshimath. The prime minister is personally monitoring the situation. I have his full support. Their (affected people) interest will be taken care of,' Mr Dhami tells reporters. 2. A team of DMK MPs will meet President Murmu today over the ongoing row over Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi after he skipped part of an official speech in the Assembly. 3. Geneva: The World Health Organization has recommended that two cough syrups made by Noida-based company Marion Biotech should not be used for children in Uzbekistan. In a medical product alert, the WHO says the 'substandard medical products', manufactured by Marion Biotech, 'are products that fail to meet quality standards or specifications and are therefore out of specification.' 4. NDTV takes a look at the Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link (MTHL) said to be the 'longest sea bridge in the country'. It will be the first to have an Open Road Tolling system. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde says 90 per cent civil work of the MTHL has been completed and the bridge will be open for traffic in November this year. Of the 22-km bridge, 16.5 km-long-stretch is above the sea. Mr Shinde says once the bridge opens for traffic, it will be possible to travel from Sewri in central Mumbai to Chirle in Navi Mumbai in 15 to 20 minutes. 5. California: Thousands of residents have been told to leave their homes as heavy rains cause flooding in various parts of the state, as per a The New York Times report. The continuous storms in California have killed 17 people since late December.
- Flights across the United States have been affected by a technical glitch with a computer system in an unprecedented disruption, say news reports. All flights in the US were grounded following the incident, NBC News has reported, quoting a source. The US Federal Aviation Administration has said, normal air traffic operations are resuming gradually across the country. 2. The sinking town of Joshimath in Uttarakhand is on the brink of disaster with cracks in hundreds of buildings. The scale of damage is most visible at the Jaypee power plant, currently the most dangerous building in town. Because of the extent of destruction at the residential complex of Jaypee, people have been banned from entering the campus. 3. The World Economic Forum's report on the top 10 risks for 2023 has been released and the top 5 risks are all climate-linked. 4. Indians in other countries will soon be able to access the Unified Payments Interface using their international mobile numbers. Non Resident Indians in 10 countries can access UPI services for transactions without having to depend on their India phone number. The countries are Singapore, US, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE and UK. 5. The Congress has invited 21 like-minded parties to participate in the concluding programme of its ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra' in Srinagar on January 30 to strengthen its message of ‘harmony and equality'. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has sent out the invite to presidents of the parties. 6. Electric vehicles hog the limelight on the first day of India's flagship motor show Auto Expo 2023 with the likes of Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Kia, Tata Motors and MG Motor showcasing their futuristic products, while also committing to invest in sustainable mobility. The show returns after three years having been hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. 7. Filmmaker SS Rajamouli's magnum opus 'RRR' bags the Best Original song trophy for its song 'Naatu Naatu' at the 2023 Golden Globes2023 Golden Globes.
- In Uttarakhand's sinking town of Joshimath, hotels and other buildings that have developed wide cracks and are on the brink of collapse will be demolished within a week, says a top official. Senior officer Himanshu Khurana also tells NDTV that every affected family will be given Rs 1.5 lakh as immediate compensation for losing their home. 2. At Uttarakhand's sinking town of Joshimath, where more than 700 homes have developed cracks and residents are being moved to safety, banned drilling activity resumed in the dead of night. At 2 am, an NDTV team caught on camera stone-crushing and drilling in full swing in the mountains just outside Joshimath, near the highway that connects the area to the holy town of Badrinath. 3. A power plant being built in Bihar's Buxar district overrun by angry locals, who also set a police van on fire after a violent crackdown on their protest against it in the middle of the night. In chilling police brutality that would have made the British East India Company proud, dozens of policemen raid homes of farmers and beat them up viciously with canes. 4. An FIR has been registered against unidentified persons in connection with the collapse of an under-construction pillar in Bengaluru, police have said. The collapse of the pillar claimed two lives including a woman and her toddler while left two others injured. According to the FIR, site engineers, metro contractors, site-in-charge officers, BMRCL officers, and others have been included. 5. AIADMK MLAs, led by former chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami reach the Tamil Nadu Assembly in black shirts as a mark of protest against the DMK government and Speaker Appavu. The AIADMK MLAs condemn the DMK government over law and order while slamming Speaker Muthuvelayudha Perumal Appavu over a row over the seating arrangement for Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam. 6. Filmmaker SS Rajamouli's magnum opus 'RRR' bags the Best Original song trophy for its song 'Naatu Naatu' at the 2023 Golden Globes2023 Golden Globes. The song has been composed by veteran music director MM Keeravaani and penned by Kala Bhairavi and Rahul Sipligunj. 'Naatu Naatu' was nominated alongside Taylor Swift's 'Carolina' from 'Where The Crawdads Sing', 'Ciao Papa' from 'Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio', Lady Gaga's 'Hold My Hand' from 'Top Gun: Maverick' and Rihanna's 'Lift Me Up' from 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever'. While accepting the award at the 2023 Golden Globes, Keeravaani expresses gratitude for his team and also thanks N. T. Rama Rao Jr and Ram Charan for their performance on the song.
- Filmmaker SS Rajamouli's magnum opus 'RRR' bags the Best Original song trophy for its song 'Naatu Naatu' at the 2023 Golden Globes2023 Golden Globes. The song has been composed by veteran music director MM Keeravaani and penned by Kala Bhairavi and Rahul Sipligunj. 'Naatu Naatu' was nominated alongside Taylor Swift's 'Carolina' from 'Where The Crawdads Sing', 'Ciao Papa' from 'Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio', Lady Gaga's 'Hold My Hand' from 'Top Gun: Maverick' and Rihanna's 'Lift Me Up' from 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever'. While accepting the award at the 2023 Golden Globes, Keeravaani expresses gratitude for his team and also thanks N. T. Rama Rao Jr and Ram Charan for their performance on the song. 2. Buildings that have developed cracks and are badly damaged in Uttarakhand's Joshimath will be demolished from today. The administration had started preparing for the demolition of two precariously standing hotels in subsidence-hit town on Tuesday, but faced protests from their owners and locals on the issue of compensation, while more families were evacuated from the danger zone as the number of affected houses rose to over 700. 3. An FIR has been registered against unidentified persons in connection with the collapse of an under-construction pillar in Bengaluru, police have said. The collapse of the pillar claimed two lives including a woman and her toddler while left two others injured. According to the FIR, site engineers, metro contractors, site-in-charge officers, BMRCL officers, and others have been included. 4. Severe air pollution in Delhi, Noida and Bihar cities seriously impacts unwell people as well as healthy ones, as per experts.
- A woman and her two-and-a-half year old son died, while her husband and daughter were injured after an under-construction Metro pillar fell on their two-wheeler in Karnataka's Bengaluru, say officials. The incident is reported from Bengaluru's Nagavara area. 2. A day after the Bombay High Court termed her arrest illegal and ordered that she and her husband be freed, former ICICI Bank CEO Chanda Kochhar walks out of jail. She, along with her husband Deepak Kochhar, was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on December 23 in a case linked to alleged irregularities in an over Rs 3,000-crore loan provided to the Videocon Group when she was heading the private sector bank. The relief comes just days before her son's wedding on January 15. 3. Amid talk raging about his wearing a T-shirt despite the winter chill during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi says he decided to wear only T-shirts during the march after meeting three poor girls 'shivering in torn clothes' in Madhya Pradesh. During Uttar Pradesh-leg of the yatra, the Wayanad MP had last week said that the media is highlighting his attire but taking 'no notice of the poor farmers and labourers walking along with him in torn clothes'. 4. In the Tamil Nadu versus Tamizhagam controversy fuelled by Governor RN Ravi's recent remarks about 'a more appropriate name' for the state, an invite from the Governor's House, which uses 'Thamizhaga Aazhunar' instead of Tamil Nadu government, has incensed Tamil Nadu MLAs. 5. Buildings that have developed cracks and are badly damaged in Uttarakhand's Joshimath will be demolished from today to protect adjoining buildings, officials have said. Joshimath has been divided into three zones, 'Danger', 'Buffer', and 'Completely Safe', based on the magnitude of danger from land subsidence or the sinking or settling of the ground surface. A total of 678 buildings in 'sinking Joshimath' have developed cracks, officials say. The ones that are most damaged will be demolished. Besides several houses in the danger zone, two hotels - Mount View and Malari Inn - which are leaning towards each other will also be brought down.
- Buildings that have developed cracks and are badly damaged in Uttarakhand's Joshimath will be demolished from today to protect adjoining buildings, officials have said. Joshimath has been divided into three zones, 'Danger', 'Buffer', and 'Completely Safe', based on the magnitude of danger from land subsidence or the sinking or settling of the ground surface. A total of 678 buildings in 'sinking Joshimath' have developed cracks, officials say. The ones that are most damaged will be demolished. Besides several houses in the danger zone, two hotels - Mount View and Malari Inn - which are leaning towards each other will also be brought down. 2. In the Tamil Nadu versus Tamizhagam controversy fuelled by Governor RN Ravi's recent remarks about 'a more appropriate name' for the state, an invite from the Governor's House, which uses 'Thamizhaga Aazhunar' instead of Tamil Nadu government, has incensed Tamil Nadu MLAs. 3. Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena has granted sanction to prosecute former JNUSU vice president Shehla Rashid Shora for her tweets on the Indian Army, say officials. According to officials at the L-G office, the sanction is related to a 2019 FIR against her, under IPC section 153A, registered at Special Cell police station in New Delhi, on the basis of a complaint by one Alakh Alok Srivastava. They say, the former Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) leader is accused of promoting enmity between different groups and indulging in acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony through her tweets. 4. BJP president J P Nadda chairs a meeting of the party's national general secretaries to deliberate on the agenda for its two-day national executive. Party sources say the leaders took stock of the ongoing organisational and election-related exercises across the country, especially in poll-bound states. 5. SS Rajamouli's recently released film RRR is doing wonders on a global stage. Recently, the filmmaker received a standing ovation for his blockbuster film. The film was recently screened at the Chinese Theater in Los Angeles as a part of the Beyond Fest and reportedly received a great response with many standing in a queue to watch the film. 6. Pathaan trailer is here and it is everything that we hoped for. Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone team up to fight the evil forces represented by John Abraham. The trailer begins with Dimple Kapadia talking about a private terror group, led by John Abraham, whose only mission is to destroy India. She reveals that the group is planning a massive attack on India. John Abraham gives an 'ultimatum.' Enter Pathaan (Shah Rukh Khan), who is all set to carry out the mission with a little help from Deepika Padukone, who reveals that she too is a 'soldier'. Together they set out on a journey, not an easy one at that.
- Amid civilian fears in the wake of land subsidence in the Joshimath area, fresh cracks are seen on some houses in Bahuguna Nagar of Karnaprayag Municipality in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. Meanwhile, the buildings that have developed cracks and are badly damaged in Uttarakhand's Joshimath will be demolished, so they don't harm the nearby buildings, officials have said. The demolition of the damaged buildings will begin today. 2. Nothing suspicious was found on the Moscow-Goa flight, which was diverted to Gujarat's Jamnagar after a bomb threat on Monday, sources have said. The flight, with 244 on board, is expected to leave from Jamnagar to Goa today. The National Security Guard (NSG) carried out an extensive search of the plane and the luggage it was carrying. All passengers are being provided help, the sources have said. 3. TN Assembly: DMK allies call for recall of Governor RN Ravi after Kamal Haasan says 'If the governor doesn't change his behaviour, we will be forced to demand his recall'. 4. SS Rajamouli and Jr NTR on Saturday attended a special screening and reception for their film 'RRR'. The actor-director duo was welcomed with a standing ovation by the Academy Members. The actor-director duo took centre stage after the screening to discuss various parts of the film which yet again gave us an insight into the splendid bond they share.
- Nothing suspicious was found on the Moscow-Goa flight, which was diverted to Gujarat's Jamnagar after a bomb threat on Monday, sources have said. The flight, with 244 on board, is expected to leave from Jamnagar to Goa between 10.30 am to 11 am today. The National Security Guard (NSG) carried out an extensive search of the plane and the luggage it was carrying. All passengers are being provided help, the sources have said. 'NSG has not found anything suspicious. The flight is expected to leave from Jamnagar to Goa, sometime between 10.30 am and 11 am. All the cabin baggage has been thoroughly checked,' says Jamnagar Airport Director, as quoted by news agency ANI. 2. The buildings that have developed cracks and are badly damaged in Uttarakhand's Joshimath will be demolished, so they don't harm the nearby buildings, officials have said. The demolition of the damaged buildings will begin today. Joshimath has been divided into three zones - 'Danger', 'Buffer', and 'Completely Safe' - based on the magnitude of possible danger due to the land subsidence. 3. TN Assembly: DMK allies call for recall of Governor RN Ravi after Kamal Haasan says 'If the governor doesn't change his behaviour, we will be forced to demand his recall'. 4. The government's new scheme for Army gets underway. The first batch of around 40,000 Agniveers begin training from across the country.
- The ongoing face-off between the BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over Delhi's mayoral election plays out on the capital's streets today as both parties organised protest marches against each other. While AAP supporters protested outside the BJP headquarters, BJP workers marched to the residence of Chief Minister and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal. The protests come days after a massive brawl during a meeting to elect a new mayor for the national capital. BJP and AAP councillors were seen fighting and raising slogans as the meeting to elect a mayor was stalled and Delhi's 10-year wait for a mayor continued. 2. The Supreme Court refuses to entertain a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging Gujarat and Uttarakhand's decision to constitute committees to consider the introduction and implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). 3. Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi today walks out of the assembly after Chief Minister MK Stalin moved a resolution asking the Speaker to take on record only the speech prepared by the state government, and remove the portions the Governor added to or skipped from the customary address. The Assembly adopted a resolution to record only the Governor's original speech, which was prepared by the state government and translated by the Speaker. 4. Hundreds of Kashmiri Pandit employees who are part of Prime Ministers special employment package are protesting in Jammu demanding their relocation to Jammu because of fear of terrorist attacks in Kashmir Valley. For last 8 months, most of these employees are not attending their duties and many of them are without salaries. 5. Chanda Kochhar, former ICICI bank CEO, and her husband Deepak Kochhar will be freed after a court today said their arrests last month were illegal. The huge reprieve from the Bombay High Court comes just before the wedding of the Kocchars' son on January 15. 6. Over 260 trains were cancelled due to bad weather conditions today, the railways say. The services were affected as visibility was reduced considerably today morning due to a dense layer of fog that extended from Punjab and adjoining Rajasthan to Bihar through Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.
- Chanda Kochhar, former ICICI bank CEO, and her husband Deepak Kochhar will be freed after a court today said their arrests last month were illegal. The huge reprieve from the Bombay High Court comes just before the wedding of the Kocchars' son on January 15. 2. Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi today walked out of the assembly after Chief Minister MK Stalin moved a resolution asking the Speaker to take on record only the speech prepared by the state government, and remove the portions the Governor added to or skipped from the customary address. The Assembly adopted a resolution to record only the Governor's original speech, which was prepared by the state government and translated by the Speaker. RN Ravi walked off in a huff, without even waiting for the national anthem, sung moments later. 3. The brawl between the Aam Aadmi Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party over the election of a new mayor for Delhi continues. The AAP holds a protest outside the BJP headquarters in Delhi over the aldermen nominated by the Lt Governor to the MCD House being administered oath before the elected representatives and accuses the saffron party of flouting rules. 4. Over 260 trains were cancelled due to bad weather conditions today, the railways say. The services were affected as visibility was reduced considerably today morning due to a dense layer of fog that extended from Punjab and adjoining Rajasthan to Bihar through Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. 5. China braces for a 'new phase' in its battle against COVID-19 and financial markets strengthen after Beijing drops pandemic border controls in the latest easing of curbs that has let the virus loose on its 1.4 billion population. 6. Supreme Court dismisses a PIL that challenged states implementing a uniform civil code panels.
- Dense fog conditions in Delhi and other parts of north India brought visibility down to a minimum this morning, delaying at least 29 trains. In the national capital, visibility was down to 200 metres early this morning. Vehicles were seen moving slowly through the fog cover with hazard lights on. In the early hours, authorities of Delhi airport put out a fog alert, saying low visibility procedures are in progress. The movement of about 40 flights was affected, it is learnt. Some planes had to be diverted, but there are no reports of any major delays yet. Delhi private schools asked to remain closed till Jan 15 over cold wave. 2. Hundreds of supporters of Brazil's far-right ex-president Jair Bolsonaro break through police barricades and storm into Congress, the presidential palace and the Supreme Court, in what President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva condemns as a 'fascist' attack. Bolsonaro responds to the raids by condemning the 'pillaging and invasions' at the National Congress, Presidential palace. 3. Central government agencies and experts are assisting Uttarakhand to prepare plans to deal with the Joshimath situation and the immediate priority is the safety of the people, the Prime Minister's Office says after holding a high-level review meeting. A team of the National Disaster Response Force and four teams of the state disaster force are stationed in Joshimath. It falls under one of the country's most seismically active regions - officially classified as Zone-V (very severe intensity zone). 4. Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran says that the incident where a drunk man urinated on a female passenger on an Air India flight was a matter of personal anguish to him. Air India's response should have been much swifter. On a New York-Delhi Air India flight on November 26, Shankar Mishra allegedly unzipped his pants and urinated on an elderly woman in the business class. He later begged the woman not to report him to the police, saying it would impact his wife and child.
- Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran says, ‘Air India's response should have been much swifter. We fell short of addressing this situation the way it should have been'. Mr Chandrasekaran adds, ‘The Tata Group and Air India stand by the safety and well-being of our passengers and crew with full conviction'. 2. Eyeing for a comeback in the 2023 state elections, the opposition party in Karnataka, Congress, has once again launched an aggressive attack against the BS Bommai-led BJP government, this time for the rejection of the state's tableau by the Centre for the Republic Day parade. After 13 consecutive years of displaying the state's culture on Kartvya Path in the national capital, Karnataka lost its chance to be a part of the Republic Day parade. 3. The Prime Minister's office calls a high-level meeting after hundreds of buildings in Uttarakhand's Joshimath develops cracks due to shifting soil, prompting authorities to move hundreds of people from their homes in the area popular with pilgrims and tourists. 4. Days after Union home ministry forms a committee headed by Nityanand Rai, Minister of State for Home Affairs to end resentment in the region, the leadership spearheading protests in Ladakh have refused to be part of the panel. 5. The four-week old Himachal Pradesh cabinet headed by Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expands with the induction of seven ministers, including Vikramaditya Singh, the son of former chief minister Virbhadra Singh. With the induction of seven members, the strength of the cabinet rose to nine. 6. Around 100 people of African origin surround a police team in the Neb Sarai area of South Delhi, clash with them, and help in escaping Nigerian nationals who had been detained over visa expiration by the anti-drugs force. 7. Nikkei Asia reports, India eclipsed Japan in auto sales last year, according to the latest industry data, making it the third-largest auto market for the first time. Based on preliminary results, India's sales of new vehicles totalled at least 4.25 million units, topping the 4.2 million sold in Japan.
- The Prime Minister's office calls a high-level meeting after hundreds of buildings in Uttarakhand's Joshimath developed cracks due to shifting soil, prompting authorities to move hundreds of people from their homes in the area popular with pilgrims and tourists. An official statement says, PK Mishra, the principal secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will hold the review meeting with the cabinet secretary, other senior officials of the central government and members of the National Disaster Management Authority. 2. Around 100 people of African origin surround a police team in the Neb Sarai area of South Delhi, clash with them, and help in escaping Nigerian nationals who had been detained over visa expiration by the anti-drugs force. 3. The four-week old Himachal Pradesh cabinet headed by Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expands with the induction of seven ministers, including Vikramaditya Singh, the son of former chief minister Virbhadra Singh. With the induction of seven members, the strength of the cabinet rose to nine. 4. Nikkei Asia reports, India eclipsed Japan in auto sales last year, according to the latest industry data, making it the third-largest auto market for the first time. Based on preliminary results, India's sales of new vehicles totalled at least 4.25 million units, topping the 4.2 million sold in Japan. 5. The India Meteorological Department says, amid a cold wave prevailing in parts of northern India, Safdarjung in Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 1.9 degrees Celsius. The IMD adds, meanwhile, Aya Nagar also in Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 2.6 degrees Celsius, while Lodhi Road recorded 2.8 degrees Celsius and Palam 5.2 degrees Celsius. A thick layer of fog covers Delhi and its adjoining areas lowering visibility. The national capital and nearby states continue to witness severe cold and fog conditions.
- China marks the first day of 'chun yun', the 40-day period of Lunar New Year travel known pre-pandemic as the world's largest annual migration of people, bracing for a huge increase in travellers and the spread of COVID-19 infections. This Lunar New Year public holiday, which officially runs from Jan. 21, will be the first since 2020 without domestic travel restrictions. China's Ministry of Transport says that it expects more than 2 billion passengers to take trips over the next 40 days, an increase of 99.5 pc year-on-year and reaching 70.3 pc of 2019 trip numbers. 2. NDTV accesses letters to the Chief Minister by residents of the sinking city of Joshimath informing him about the cracks as well as landslides due to blasts under the NTPC tunnels. The government however never replied to the letters. 3. The much-awaited expansion of the Himachal Pradesh Cabinet will take place today, according to Raj Bhavan sources, reports the Press Trust of India. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu earlier in the day said he has handed over the list of probables for induction in his ministry to the Congress high command for approval. 4. The world's third-richest man, Gautam Adani, tells India TV in an exclusive interview that criticism of his fortune being fuelled by his close links to Prime Minister Narendra Modi stands disproved because he works with a slew of opposition-ruled states. 'We want to make maximum investments in every state. Adani group is really happy that today it is working in 22 states, and all these states are not BJP-ruled. I can say that we do not have any problem with any state government. We are working even in Left-ruled Kerala, in Mamata didi's West Bengal, in Naveen Patnaik ji's Odisha, in Jaganmohan Reddy's state, even KCR's state.'
- Mumbai man Shankar Mishra, who urinated on an elderly woman while drunk on an Air India flight in November, arrested by the Delhi police from Bengaluru and brought back to the national capital, say sources. Delhi court sends him to judicial custody for 14 days, says no police custody required for further investigation. 2. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami orders an immediate evacuation of around 600 families living in houses that have developed huge cracks and are at risk in Joshimath town which is sinking. Meanwhile, central government forms a panel to conduct a ‘rapid study' of the occurrence of land subsidence and its impact in Joshimath in Uttrakhand. 3. A day after chaos and clashes led to the adjournment of the MCD House on the first day of its proceedings, Aam Aadmi Party councillors protest outside Lt. Governor V.K. Saxena's office over illegal appointment of the presiding officer. The protest is led by senior AAP leader Atishi, Meanwhile BJP protests at Raj Ghat. 4. Punjab Horticulture Minister Fauja Singh Sarari resigns from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's cabinet, months after an audio clip surfaced in which he was allegedly heard fixing a deal to extort money. According to sources, Mr Sarari sent his resignation to Mr Mann, who is learnt to have accepted it. 5. Bihar Caste Census begins. Asserting that caste-based census will benefit all sections of the society, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar says, the purpose of the exercise is to carry out developmental work for the people who are deprived.
- A day after chaos and clashes led to the adjournment of the MCD House on the first day of its proceedings, Aam Aadmi Party councillors are protest outside Lt. Governor V.K. Saxena's office over illegal appointment of the presiding officer. The protest is being led by senior AAP leader Ms Atishi. Meanwhile BJP is protesting at Raj Ghat. 2. Mumbai man Shankar Mishra, who urinated on an elderly woman while drunk on an Air India flight in November, was arrested by the Delhi police from Bengaluru and brought back to the national capital, say sources. 3. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami orders an immediate evacuation of around 600 families living in houses that have developed huge cracks and are at risk in Joshimath town which is sinking. Meanwhile, central government forms a panel to conduct a ‘rapid study' of the occurrence of land subsidence and its impact in Joshimath in Uttrakhand. 4. Bihar caste census begins. Meanwhile, asserting that caste-based census will benefit all sections of the society, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar says, the purpose of the exercise is to carry out developmental work for the people who are deprived. 5. According to the India Meteorological Department, Delhi records a minimum temperature of 2.2 degrees Celsius, five degrees below the average and the season's lowest so far. 6. A 15-year-old schoolboy was dragged by a car for a kilometre in Uttar Pradesh's Hardoi in a hit-and-run incident similar to the Delhi car horror. Ketan Kumar, a Class 9 student, was on his way to a coaching class when a white Wagon R rammed into his cycle, say police.
- Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami orders an immediate evacuation of around 600 families living in houses that have developed huge cracks and are at risk in Joshimath town which is sinking. The Chief Minister will visit Joshimath today, meet the affected people and hold a meeting with officials. CM Dhami says, 'Garhwal Commissioner Sushil Kumar and secretary disaster management Ranjit Kumar Sinha along with a team of experts are camping on the ground to constantly monitor the situation'. 2. A meeting to elect a new mayor for Delhi degenerates into a full-blown brawl between newly elected councilors of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the BJP, who attacked each other and shouted slogans for hours. The meeting ended abruptly after the fight and Delhi remained without a mayor. In TV visuals, rival workers of AAP and BJP are seen pushing each other down, hurling tables and chairs and even jumping on desks at the Civic Centre, the headquarters of the powerful body responsible for providing civic amenities to more than 11 million people. 3. According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, Delhi's overall Air Quality Index (AQI) suddenly and unexpectedly spiked and clocked 400. In view of the significant deterioration in the air quality of Delhi-NCR in the last 24 hours, the Sub-Committee for invoking actions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) of the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) meet to review the situation. 4. Mumbai man Shankar Mishra, who unzipped mid-air and urinated on an elderly woman on a Air India flight in November, has been sacked by his company, Wells Fargo. Meanwhile, Air India officials and the crew of the flight have been asked to explain their handling of the incident after widespread shock and disgust. 5. India takes a step toward allowing leading foreign universities such as Yale, Oxford and Stanford to set up campuses and award degrees as part of an overhaul of the South Asian nation's higher education. Regulator the University Grants Commission unveils a draft legislation for public feedback that seeks to facilitate entry and operation of overseas institutions in the country for the first time.
- A massive clash between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the BJP stalls the Delhi Mayor election as rival councilors brawled at the first meeting of the newly elected civic body and shouted slogans targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Arvind Kejriwal. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) meeting abruptly ended and the election was put off until further notice. 2. There were four, not five men, in the car that hit a 20-year-old Delhi woman and dragged her for 13 km on New Year's Day, killing her in the most horrific manner, say police. The man earlier believed to have been driving the car was not even in it during the accident, reveals investigations into the death of Anjali Singh in the early hours of 1st January. 3. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launches a scathing attack on the BJP-led government at the Centre over a host of issues, including the Agnipath scheme and GST. While addressing a public meeting in Haryana's Panipat as part of the Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra, Mr Gandhi says, there are two Indias, one of farmers, labourers, small shopkeepers, and unemployed youth and the second of 200-300 people who hold the country's wealth. 5. The cracks in Joshimath Uttarakhand, has created panic among the people. Joshimath is in the shadow of death due to landslides and house cracks. Meanwhile, the administration swings into action. All work of NTPC has been suspended with immediate effect. Work on the Helang Bypass has also been suspended and all construction activities in the municipal area have been halted with immediate effect.
- Ahead of the oath-taking ceremony at the MCD civic centre, AAP councilors enter the well and clash with BJP members when presiding officer and BJP councillor Satya Sharma starts administering oaths to nominated councillors before AAP's elected members. The house gets adjourned. 2. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who started his yatra to 11 states across as a part of BJP's big focus on key issues ahead of the crucial 2024 general election, was in poll-bound Tripura yesterday to kick start Jan Viswas Yatra that is seen as his party's launch of campaign for the Tripura polls. 3. Centre has decided to deploy more troops in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir after the recent terrorist attack on Hindu families in the region. Sources say, 18 companies of CRPF, around 1,800 personnel, are being rushed to Rajouri, where there is widespread panic following two terror attacks in a span of two weeks. Massive protests have taken place in the district, where many blame the administration for what they call its failure to protect the people. 4. Bharat Jodo Yatra resumes its journey on the first day of the Haryana leg's second phase. Rahul Gandhi, party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and other senior leaders will address a public meeting in Panipat today. 5. There were four, not five men, in the car that hit a 20-year-old Delhi woman and dragged her for 13 km on New Year's Day, killing her in the most horrific manner, say police. The man earlier believed to have been driving the car was not even in it during the accident, reveals investigations into the death of Anjali Singh in the early hours of 1 January. 6. Students welcome the University Grants Commission's draft norms for establishment and operation of foreign universities in the country, saying it will improve the quality of education and research and give aspirants exposure to world-class learning without having to travel abroad. The UGC announces the draft regulations for 'Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India'. The final norms will be notified by the end of the month after considering feedback from all stakeholders.
- A massive combing operation is going on in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district to hunt down terrorists involved in the twin attack in which six people were killed in Dhangri hamlet. Authorities have also re-activated the village defence committee (VDCs) by providing members with new ammunition of .303 rifles to strengthen the self-defence set up in the border district. A cordon and search operation (CASO) is going on in various villages and forest areas in the district, say the officials. 2. Union Home Minister Amit Shah who has started his yatra to 11 States across the country as a part of BJP's big focus on key issues ahead of the the crucial 2024 general election, was in poll bound Tripura yesterday to kick start Jan Viswas Yatra that is seen as his party's launch of campaign for the Tripura polls. Today he is in Manipur and is later slated to visit Nagaland as well. 3. The next Mayor of Delhi will be chosen today amid an escalation of a tussle between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party and Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena. The BJP, which lost the civic polls after three terms in power, claims that they will win the post. Arvind Kejriwal's party has fielded Shelly Oberoi for the top post in the civic body. Challenging her is the BJP's Shalimar Bagh councillor Rekha Gupta. AAP's back-up candidate is Ashu Thakur. The nominees for the post of deputy mayor are AAP's Aaley Muhammad Iqbal and Jalaj Kumar and Kamal Bagri from the BJP. 4. Strongly disapproving of Air India's handling of a Mumbai man urinating on a woman passenger on a flight last year and walking away without facing action, the aviation regulator says the airline's conduct was 'unprofessional' and led to 'systemic failure'. 5. The Delhi Police is on the lookout for two suspects in the Kanjhawala incident, who were allegedly involved in shielding the five accused who dragged a woman under their car, with police stressing that since there is no previous link between the accused and the victim, the charge of murder will be difficult to prove as intention is a key factor in such cases. 6. Russian President Vladimir Putin orders a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine on Orthodox Christmas, celebrated this week by both countries, according to the Kremlin.
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah tells reporters in Tripura that the Ram temple in Ayodhya will be opened on January 1, 2024, penciling a strong beginning to the election year. The general elections are due in 2024 and the opening of the temple is expected to be a milestone for the ruling BJP, which counts the temple movement as the fulcrum for its emergence as a national electoral force in the 1990s. Mr Shah says, the Congress hindered the construction of Ram Temple in courts, after the Supreme Court verdict came. 2. Just before the election of a New Delhi Mayor, the power tussle between Arvind Kejriwal's the Aam Aadmi Party and Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena escalates dramatically. After nominating 10 members to the newly elected Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Mr Saxena names a BJP councilor as temporary Speaker to preside over the Mayor election tomorrow. 3. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee says that stones were thrown at Vande Bharat Express in neighbouring Bihar, and not her state. Ms Banerjee also says, legal action will be taken against media houses that defamed her state. 4. Thousands of people who faced the prospect of being left homeless in the middle of the harsh North Indian winter wins a major reprieve from the Supreme Court as it pauses an eviction drive on railway land in Uttarakhand's Haldwani. The Supreme Court says, ‘There cannot be uprooting of 50 thousand people overnight, it's a human issue, some workable solution needs to be found'. 5. A college student is in hospital with severe brain injury in Greater Noida, unconscious for five days now, after some men in car ran over her when she was walking on the roadside around 9 pm on December 31. Two others also suffered minor injuries, while the men in the car remain untraced so far. The hit-and-run took place near a bus stop in the Beta 2 area of Greater Noida when the car ran into three engineering students from GNIOT College from behind. 6. Two new suspects have emerged in the Delhi car horror in which a 20-year-old woman died after being dragged under a car for 13 km in the early hours of the New Year. The men are Ashutosh, the owner of the car, and Ankush, the brother of one of the accused, say police, asserting that they will be arrested soon. Meanwhile, Investigations have revealed that Amit Khanna was driving the car without the driving license.
- Thousands of people who faced the prospect of being left homeless in the middle of the harsh North Indian winter wins a major reprieve from the Supreme Court as it pauses an eviction drive on railway land in Uttarakhand's Haldwani. The Supreme Court says, ‘There cannot be uprooting of 50 thousand people overnight, it's a human issue, some workable solution needs to be found'. 2. Two new suspects have emerged in the Delhi car horror in which a 20-year-old woman died after being dragged under a car for 13 km in the early hours of the New Year. The men are Ashutosh, the owner of the car, and Ankush, the brother of one of the accused, say police, asserting that they will be arrested soon. Meanwhile, Investigations have revealed that Amit Khanna was driving the car without the driving license. 3. Cracks have reportedly developed in as many as 561 houses in Uttarakhand's Joshimath as a result of continued land subsidence in the town, states the District Disaster Management Department. Chief Minister Dhami will be visiting Joshimath soon to take stock of the situation and initiate necessary actions. 4. Union Home Minister Amit Shah reaches Agartala, Tripura, to flag off Bharatiya Janata Party's Jan Viswas Yatra in the state. Mr Shah will flag off 'Jan Viswas Yatra' from Dhamanagar in North Tripura district and Sabroom in South Tripura district today. 5. A brutal cold wave sweeps Delhi with the minimum temperature dropping to the seasons lowest of three degrees Celsius. The Delhi Airport issues a fog alert for all passengers. According to the authorities, low visibility procedures are in progress at the Delhi Airport. The authorities add, all flight operations are currently normal and the passengers are requested to contact the airline concerned for updated flight information. 6. Amazon is laying off more than 18,000 employees, a significantly bigger number than previously planned, in the latest sign that a technology slump is deepening. Chief Executive Officer Andy Jassy has announced the move in a memo to staff, saying it has followed the company's annual planning process.
- In the horrific death of a 20-year-old Delhi woman dragged by a car for over an hour on January 1, sources claim that nine Police Control Room (PCR) vans chased the car but failed to catch it. Delhi Police personnel, including those from the PCR unit, will be questioned as part of the inquiry to ascertain if there was any laxity on their part in handling the New Year incident. 2. In a hit-and-run case similar to the Delhi car horror, a delivery agent died after a car hit his two-wheeler and dragged him for about 500 meters in Noida on Sunday. Late Mr Kaushal, who worked at Swiggy, was out for a delivery on New Year's night when a car hit his two-wheeler near a flyover in Noida Sector 14, say the police. Eyewitnesses say the driver stopped the car near a temple, about 500 meters away from the accident spot and fled the scene after Kaushal's body came off. 3. The Centre decides to deploy more troops in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir after the recent terrorist attack on Hindu families in the region. Sources say 18 companies of CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force), around 1,800 personnel are being rushed to Rajouri, where there is widespread panic following two terror attacks in a span of two weeks. Massive protests have taken place in the district, where many blame the administration for what they call its failure to protect the people. 4. Keeping an eye on the upcoming Assembly Election in Tripura, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will flag off Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) 'Jan Viswas Yatra' in the state today. Mr Shah will flag off 'Jan Viswas Yatra' from Dhamanagar in North Tripura district and Sabroom in South Tripura district. Tripura BJP will start 'Jan Viswas Yatra programme to strengthen the party support base in the state. 5. The Supreme Court today will hear a batch of petitions challenging the Uttarakhand High Court order based on which evictions were to be carried out on 29 acres of railway land in Haldwani. Bench comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Abhay Shreeniwas Oka will be hearing the matter. 6. The minimum temperature in Delhi is likely to be a 3 degrees Celcius today.
- Indian wicket-keeper batter, Rishabh Pant, who sustained serious injuries during a car crash on December 30, is set to undergo surgery for ligament tears after being shifted to Mumbai, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has confirmed. The BCCI has taken charge of Mr Pant's further treatment. He will be monitored by the BCCI medical team further. Mr Pant was receiving treatment in Dehradun's Max Hospital since his accident but will now be receiving treatment in Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital. 2. The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh gets relief on the issue of local bodies elections, with the Supreme Court putting on freeze the Allahabad High court's order to hold urban bodies elections in the state by January without reservation to Other Backward Classes or OBCs. A bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha asks the state Backward Classes Commission to file a report on political backwardness of OBCs for giving quota in local bodies by March 31. 3. In the horrific death of a 20-year-old Delhi woman dragged by a car for over an hour on January 1, there are more indications that the occupants of the car knew she was caught in the axle but kept driving, crushing her in the most horrific manner. Sources have also told NDTV that nine Police Control Room (PCR) vans chased the car but failed to catch it. 4. The Supreme Court will hear tomorrow a petition challenging the Uttarakhand High Court's order to vacate 29 acres of railway land in Haldwani as residents of the 4,000-odd home continue to protest, pray, and beseech officials not to go ahead with the demolition. 5. A drunk man, who urinated on a woman co-passenger in the business class of an Air India flight in November and left without facing any action, has been banned from the airline for 30 days, the company has said amid growing outrage. Weeks after the incident, Air India has also filed a case and has recommended that the unruly flier be placed on the no-fly list.
- The 20-year-old Delhi woman who was dragged for 13 km under a car had at least 40 external injuries, the severity such that her ribs were exposed from her back as skin peeled away, reveals her autopsy. The base of her skull was fractured and some brain matter was missing, the report adds. She had injuries on the head, spine and lower limbs, caused by the accident and the dragging in the early hours of January 1, when she was returning from a New Year's party on a scooter. Meanwhile, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and AAP leader Manish Sisodia visits the residence of the victim, a resident of Sultanpuri. 2. A drunk man urinated on a woman co-passenger in the business class of an Air India flight in November and left without facing any action. Weeks after the incident, Air India files a case and recommends that the unruly flier be placed on the no-fly list. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation seeks a report from the airline into the incident that was revealed after the woman wrote to the group chairman of Air India, N Chandrasekaran. 3. District administration razes the illegal hotel of suspended Bharatiya Janata Party leader Mishri Chand Gupta in Sagar amid public outrage over Jagdish Yadav murder case. The BJP leader is accused of killing Jagdish Yadav by running his SUV over him on December 22. A special team from Indore blasts 60 dynamites to demolish the hotel. The building turns into rubble within seconds. 4. A 22-year-old woman is run over by a truck after she falls down from her vehicle while trying to avoid a pothole in Chennai. The victim, Shobhana, was working as an engineer with Zoho, a private tech company. Shobhana was reportedly on her way to drop her brother off at an institution for his NEET coaching classes. The brother also suffers injuries from the accident but is alive and being treated. 5. Supreme Court to hear today the plea of Uttar Pradesh government challenging the Allahabad High Court order directing the state poll panel to hold urban local body elections without reservation for the Other Backward Classes. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had on Monday mentioned the matter on behalf of the Uttar Pradesh government before a bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud for an urgent hearing. In its appeal against the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad HC's December 27 order, the UP government says that the HC wrongly quashed the December 5 draft notification which provided for reservation of seats in the urban body polls for OBCs apart from those for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and women. 6. Cristiano Ronaldo describes himself as a 'unique player' and insists his career is not over as he arrives at his new club Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia. The Portuguese forward has signed a huge deal estimated at 200 million euros after glittering spells at Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus. 'I'm a unique player. It's good to come here, I broke all the records in Europe and I want to break a few records here,' says Ronaldo at Al Nassr's Mrsool Park stadium.
- The men who dragged a 20-year-old for 13 km under their car in Delhi on New Year's morning, 'knew she was stuck under', says the victim's friend. Nidhi, who accompanied Anjali Singh to a New Year party, was riding pillion in the same scooty. Nidhi, who apparently had a fight with Anjali, had fallen when the car allegedly hit the scooty and after seeing Anjali being dragged under the car, went home in shock. 2. Several Kashmiri Pandit migrant employees carry out a candle march against the killing of six civilians by terrorists in Rajouri. The National Investigation Agency is investigating the case. Incidentally, four civilians, including a father-son duo, were gunned down by terrorists who barged into their homes in Dhangri village on Sunday night. Hours later, an improvised explosive device went off around 9 am on Monday at the house of one of the victims. The blast killed two minors and injured twelve. 3. China hits out at the countries which have imposed Covid test requirements on passengers travelling abroad from its country and warns that it can take counter measures. Over 12 countries, including the United States, Australia, and Canada, say they are imposing testing restrictions on arrivals among other measures to check the spread of the infection. 4. At least one person is dead, more than 1,000 prison inmates have been evacuated from a county jail, and a levee has broken amid flooding in Northern California. A so-called 'atmospheric river' brought more than five inches of rain to downtown San Francisco on December 31, making it the second wettest day in over 170 years of record keeping in the city. Elsewhere in the Bay Area rainfall totals exceeded four inches.
- Ruling out sexual assault, an autopsy finds 'no injuries to the private parts' of the Delhi woman who was dragged for 13 kilometres by a car in the early hours of January 1. The report of the autopsy, done by a board of doctors at Maulana Azad Medical College, has been submitted to the police today. For further tests, swab samples and shreds of her jeans have been preserved. 2. A 19-year-old woman was stabbed to death by her distant cousin at her college in Karnataka's Bengaluru. Layasmitha was stabbed multiple times by Pawan Kalyan in the corridor of Presidency College where she was studying BTech. Pawan Kalyan, a BCA student at Nrupathunga University in Bengaluru, was Layasmitha's distant cousin and they knew each other well, say officials. 3. Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra enters Uttar Pradesh. Amarjit Singh Dulat, former Chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and former special director of the Indian Intelligence Bureau, joins Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra in the Uttar Pradesh leg of the Yatra. Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also joins Bharat Jodo Yatra with Rahul Gandhi in Seelampur. The yatra covered some parts of Delhi, among them, areas affected by riots in 2020, before it halted at Loni in UP's Ghaziabad district. 4. The ruling BJP is set to amp up its campaign for re-election in 2024 with a nationwide tour by Union Home Minister Amit Shah that will also touch states voting this year. As part of an exercise called the 'Lok Sabha Prawas' to visit parliamentary constituencies, Amit Shah is expected to travel to 11 states in January, say sources. The campaign will begin with the northeastern states of Tripura, Nagaland and Manipur on 5th and 6th January. 5. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who made a veiled attack on Pakistan terming it as 'epicentre of terrorism', in an interview to a popular Austrian TV show says that he could have used much harsher words for India's neighbour for its role in promoting cross-border terrorism even as he criticises Europe for not 'condemning the practices that have been going on for multiple decades'.
- Delhi's Anjali Singh, whose death after being dragged by a car for 13 km has yet again prompted questions on the safety of women in the national capital, was not alone when her scooter met with an accident, say sources. In a new twist to the capital shocker, which took place in the early hours of this New Year, investigators find that 20-year-old Anjali was with a friend, Nidhi, when a Maruti Baleno car hit her scooter. The friend, say sources, fled the scene after the crash. Anjali's leg, say investigators, got stuck in the axle of the car, and she was dragged along with the vehicle. 2. A 19-year-old woman is stabbed to death by her distant cousin at her college in Karnataka's Bengaluru. Layasmitha is stabbed multiple times by Pawan Kalyan in the corridor of Presidency College where she was studying BTech. Pawan Kalyan, a BCA student at Nrupathunga University in Bengaluru, is Layasmitha's distant cousin and they knew each other well, say officials. 3. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurates Siyom bridge in Arunachal Pradesh, along with 27 other infrastructure projects completed by Border Roads Organisation. Built at a cost of 724 crore rupees, these projects will hugely augment India's border infrastructure, mostly along the Chinese border, from Ladakh to Arunachal. The Siyom bridge on the Along-Yinkiong Road will facilitate faster induction of troops, heavy equipment like howitzers and mechanised vehicles to forward areas of the Upper Siang district, Tuting and Yinkiong regions along the Line of Actual Control. 4. A large crowd gathers in Dhangri village to attend the last rites of the six civilians killed in the terror attack in Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir. Four civilians, including a father-son duo, were gunned down by terrorists who barged into their homes in Dhangri village on Sunday night. Hours later an improvised explosive device went off around 9 am on Monday at the house of one of the victims. The blast killed two minors and injured twelve. 5. Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra enters Uttar Pradesh. The chief priest of Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya wishes that the blessings of Lord Rama be always upon the Congress leader. In a letter to Mr Gandhi, the chief priest Acharya Satyendra Das extends his support to the former Congress chief over his move to unite the country. Meanwhile, the yatra covered some parts of Delhi, among them, areas affected by riots in 2020, before it halted at Loni in UP's Ghaziabad district. 6. The ruling BJP is set to amp up its campaign for re-election in 2024 with a nationwide tour by Union Home Minister Amit Shah that will also touch states voting this year. As part of an exercise called the 'Lok Sabha Prawas' to visit parliamentary constituencies, Amit Shah is expected to travel to 11 states in January, say sources. The campaign will begin with the northeastern states of Tripura, Nagaland and Manipur on 5 and 6 January. 7. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who made a veiled attack on Pakistan terming it as 'epicentre of terrorism', in an interview to a popular Austrian TV show says that he could have used much harsher words for India's neighbour for its role in promoting cross border terrorism even as he criticises Europe for not 'condemning the practices that have been going on for multiple decades'.
- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to inaugurate Siyom Bridge in Arunachal Pradesh's Siang district today along with 27 other infrastructure projects constructed by Border Roads Organisation. The 28 projects have been completed at a cost of Rs 724.3 crore to facilitate quick movement of Indian armed forces along sensitive border areas. 2. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra to resume from Uttar Pradesh today after a nine-day break. The Yatra has covered more than 110 days and over 3,000 km so far. The Yatra, which started from Kanyakumari on September 7, has covered parts of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra and Haryana. It will culminate in Jammu and Kashmir. 3. The men who allegedly hit a woman with their car and dragged her for about 13 km through the streets of west Delhi make some new revelations during their interrogation. The man who was driving the car tells police that a few km after hitting Anjali Singh's scooty in the early hours of Sunday, he felt that something was stuck under the car, but the other four occupants asked him to drive on. The five accused, say sources, immediately fled the spot after hitting Anjali because they were panicked. They also confess to being drunk. Official sources say they consumed more than two bottles of liquor inside the car. 4. Two children killed and at least five people get injured in an explosion in Dangri village in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district. The blast happened near the home of a victim of Jan 1's terrorist attack. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha announces Rs 10 lakh compensation and a government job to the relatives of the civilians killed in the incident. Seriously injured will be given Rs 1 lakh. 5. With just days left for the Golden Globe Awards, the excitement is palpable, especially in India as the Indian blockbuster film RRR has fetched two nominations at this year's awards. Organised by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, Golden Globes is considered as a curtain raiser to the Oscars every year, giving an indication of who will win in which category at the Academy Awards that takes place in March.
- Just as Delhi Chief Minster Arvind Kejriwal writes to the Lieutenant Governor demanding 'strictest action', even the death penalty, for the five occupants of a car that hit and killed a 20-year-old woman in Delhi, Aam Aadmi Party workers stage a protest demonstration outside the LG's office, demanding his resignation over the issue. One of the accused is a BJP member, the AAP alleges. Delhi's Rohini court grants the police three days' remand of the accused to investigate the case. Delhi police had requested five days. Locals have also blocked the road at the site of the accident, and flocked to the police station demanding swift action. The police have dispersed the protestors from the Sultanpuri police station, and resumed regular traffic. 2. A church was vandalised and a senior policeman was attacked and injured during a protest by a group of tribals in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district in Bastar today, say police. The injured officer is Narayanpur Superintendent of Police Sadanand Kumar, who was seen clutching his head as blood trickled down his face. He has been shifted to a hopsital. A meeting was called in by an Adivasi group to protest against a clash that took place between two communities over alleged religious conversion in Edka village in Narayanpur district on Sunday, say preliminary reports. 3. Supreme Court backs Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 2016 notes ban in a landmark 4-1 majority judgment and says it is not relevant whether the objective of the overnight ban is achieved. One judge disagrees, calling the move 'unlawful'. A constitution bench says the central government's November 8, 2016 order to ban Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 currency notes is valid and the decision-making process cannot be faulted just because Centre initiated the move.
- Supreme Court backs Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 2016 notes ban in a landmark 4-1 majority judgment and says it is not relevant whether the objective of the overnight ban is achieved. One judge disagrees, calling the move 'unlawful'. A constitution bench says the central government's November 8, 2016 order to ban Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 currency notes is valid and the decision-making process cannot be faulted just because Centre initiated the move. 2. A child dies and at least five people get injured in an explosion in Dangri village in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district. The blast is reported near the home of a victim of yesterday's terrorist attack. Massive protests are taking place in Rajouri against the terrorist attack with slogans against government for its failure to protect lives of the people. 3. New high quality security camera footage confirms a witness account that the 20-year-old woman killed on Sunday early morning after her scooty was allegedly hit by a car, was dragged under the car for over an hour. The new CCTV footage shows the Maruti Baleno car making a U-turn on a road in Kanjhawala in West Delhi, where the eyewitness, Deepak Dahiya, runs a confectionary shop. Mr Dahiya says he saw the car take a U-turn after hitting the scooty. The footage, recorded at 3.34 am, shows the car returning to the spot where the body was found. The body can be clearly seen under the car.
- The death count in the terrorist attack at Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district climbs to four after one of the injured civilians dies in hospital. Nine others injured in the incident are being treated, and doctors at the Government Medical College, Rajouri, say the condition of some of them is very critical. Some of those critically injured have been airlifted to Jammu. 2. Three women die in a stampede at a rally of Telugu Desam president and former Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu in Andhra Pradesh's Guntur district. This is the second incident in a span of four days that people lose their lives at a public event of Mr Naidu's Telugu Desam Party, which has been holding a series of political meetings across the state in preparation for the 2024 assembly elections in the state. 3. Supreme Court is likely to give its verdict today on petitions challenging the Centre's decision of November 2016 to ban currency notes of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 denominations. The move had withdrawn Rs 10 lakh crore from circulation overnight. Fifty-eight petitions were filed in the Supreme Court challenging the notes ban, arguing that it was not a considered decision of the government and should be struck down by the court. 4. Chandigarh police registers harassment and criminal intimidation case against Haryana Sports Minister Sandeep Singh, based on a complaint by a junior athletics coach. The minister hands over his portfolio to the Chief Minister, and dismisses the allegations as an attempt to 'spoil his image'. The woman says the minister harassed her from February to November last year, by repeated messages on social media. He touched her inappropriately and also threatened her in messages, she alleges, adding that she had to quit social media due to the constant harassment.
- The Jharkhand government's plan to designate 'Shri Sammed Shikharji' as a tourist destination and the vandalism of their revered temple in Palitana, Gujarat have sparked protests by members of the Jain community in Mumbai and other parts of the country. Jharkhand's Giridih district hosts the revered Jain shrine of Shikharji, which is also the highest mountain in the state of Jharkhand, Parasnath Hill. 2. One person is killed and 14 others injured in a fire which broke out after a blast in a boiler at a chemical company in Maharashtra's Nashik district on Sunday, say officials. They say, the fire broke out at the factory at Mundegaon village at 11 am after a huge boiler explosion. Mundhegaon is located about 30 km from Nashik and 130 km from Mumbai. Fire engines, police and disaster response force teams rushed to the spot. 3. A 22-year-old Indian student from Tamil Nadu who has been studying medicine in China for the past five years dies of an illness, and his economically weak family requests the foreign ministry for help to bring back his body. Towards the end of his medical education, the Indian student, Abdul Sheikh, had been doing internship in China. He had returned to India recently and gone back to China on December 11. After the mandatory eight-day isolation on reaching China, Mr Sheikh had been interning with Qiqihar Medical University in northeast China's Heilongjiang province. 4. Chandigarh police registers harassment and criminal intimidation case against Haryana Sports Minister Sandeep Singh, based on a complaint by a junior athletics coach. The minister resigns from his post, and dismisses the allegations as an attempt to 'spoil his image'. He says, 'There is an attempt to spoil my image. I hope there will be a thorough investigation into the false allegations levelled against me. I hand over the responsibility of the Sports department to the Chief Minister until the report of the investigation comes out.' 5. The Yo-Yo fitness test is reintroduced in the eligibility criteria for selection in the Indian cricket team following the high-profile review meeting of the BCCI. The meeting, which was pending since India's semi-final exit from the T20 World Cup in November, finally takes place in the presence of BCCI secretary Jay Shah, president Roger Binny, captain Rohit Sharma, coach Rahul Dravid, NCA chief VVS Laxman and selector Chetan Sharma.
- Chandigarh police registers harassment and criminal intimidation case against Haryana Sports Minister Sandeep Singh, based on a complaint by a junior athletics coach. The minister resigns from his post, and dismisses the allegations as an attempt to 'spoil his image'. He says, 'There is an attempt to spoil my image. I hope there will be a thorough investigation into the false allegations levelled against me. I hand over the responsibility of the Sports department to the Chief Minister until the report of the investigation comes out.' 2. Two senior citizens killed after a fire breaks out at an old age home in Delhi. According to the fire department, the third floor of Antara, a hospital cum old age home located in south Delhi's Greater Kailash 2, was engulfed in flames. Five fire engines rushed to the spot to put out the blaze. 3. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar refers to Amruta Fadnavis' 'Father of the Nation of New India' remark to take a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and asks what has the 'new father' of 'new India' done for the nation.' Ms Fadnavis, wife of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, on December 21, had called PM Modi, the 'Father of the Nation' of 'New India'. 4. World rings in 2023 with celebrations and parties all around. India ushers in the new year with countdown celebrations and fireworks as thousands of revelers step out to celebrate the occasion after two years of Covid disruptions.
- World rings in 2023 with celebrations and parties all around. India ushers in the new year with countdown celebrations and fireworks as thousands of revelers step out to celebrate the occasion after two years of Covid disruptions. 2. Assam cabinet approves administrative merger of four newly formed districts with existing districts. Biswanath district will be merged with Sonitpur, Hojai will be merged with Nagaon, Tamulpur district will be merged with Baksa, and Bajali district is being merged with Barpeta district. This has been done in accordance with the Election Commission's order on delimitation, mandating that Assam government makes no changes in any districts or administrative units from January 1, 2023, as the state will begin its delimitation process. 3. Earthquake of 3.8 magnitude hits Haryana's Jhajjar with tremors felt in Delhi and surrounding areas. No reports of any injuries or damage. 4. Union IT Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar has subtle warning for WhatsApp as the messaging platform, on its Twitter handle, posts a graphic that shows an incorrect map of India. It later deletes that tweet and apologises. The map, while highlighting India on the globe, had excluded Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and some Indian territories claimed by China. In a 'request' to WhatsApp to correct it, the minister says in a quote-tweet, 'All platforms that do business in India and, or want to continue to do business in India, must use correct maps.' 5. Pope Benedict the Sixteenth dies at the age of 95, almost a decade after he became the first pontiff to resign in six centuries. Benedict, the first German pope in 1,000 years, was elected on April 19, 2005, to succeed the widely popular Pope John Paul II, who reigned for 27 years. Cardinals chose him from among their number, seeking continuity and what one called 'a safe pair of hands'.
- The Assam cabinet approves the administrative merger of four newly formed districts with existing districts. Biswanath district will be merged with Sonitpur, Hojai will be merged with Nagaon, Tamulpur district will be merged with Baksa, and Bajali district is being merged with Barpeta district. The government says, the police and judicial operations will continue in these districts, and all other district offices that have been created during this period will continue so that no officials or employees face any difficulty. 2. A contractor in Karnataka's Tumakuru district, about 70 km from capital Bengaluru, dies by suicide, reviving allegations of corruption against the Basavaraj Bommai-led government ahead of the big elections next year. He was 50. The contractor has been identified as TN Prasad. He was tasked to complete a government project under Smart City Project worth 16 crores. 3. Union Home Minister Amit Shah gives go-ahead to the much-anticipated Karnataka government's cabinet expansion to accommodate disgruntled BJP MLAs such as KS Eshwarappa and Ramesh Jarkiholi just ahead of the 2023 elections. Mr Shah also chairs a key meeting with booth level workers in Karnataka to discuss the required grassroots level preparations ahead of 2023 Assembly elections in the state, to be held in May. 4. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, who is on a pan-India foot march, 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', says that BJP-led government is trying to 'build a case' against him without reason by getting security forces to say he is repeatedly violating security protocol during the yatra, and sending letters asking him to stop due to Covid concerns. He also points to BJP's roadshows, asking how those are not violations of Covid protocols. He adds, 'The Home Ministry says you go in a bulletproof vehicle. How can I do that, I have to walk on foot for the Yatra, they know what needs to be done for security, they are marking an issue'.
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah gives go-ahead to the much-anticipated Karnataka government's cabinet expansion to accommodate disgruntled BJP MLAs such as KS Eshwarappa and Ramesh Jarkiholi just ahead of the 2023 elections. Mr Shah also chairs a key meeting with booth level workers in Karnataka to discuss the required grassroots level preparations ahead of 2023 Assembly elections in the state, to be held in May. 2. Amidst reports of continuing illegal drug trafficking in Manipur, the state government escalates its ongoing 'war on drugs' campaign with a decision to use chemicals to destroy poppy plantations and bring a permanent solution to the drug menace. The decision to destroy all poppy plantation fields using drone technology was taken during a meeting held at the Cabinet Hall of the Chief Minister's Secretariat on the ongoing War on Drugs 2.0 on 29 December. 3. India woke up to the shocking news of Rishabh Pant's horrific car accident on Friday. The wicketkeeper-batter had a miraculous escape when his luxury car crashed into a road divider and caught fire after he dozed off at the wheel on Delhi-Dehradun highway. The 25-year-old, who was on his way to his hometown Roorkee to surprise his mother has suffered injuries on his head, back and feet but is in a stable condition. He has also undergone a minor plastic surgery on forehead. 4. Nine people are dead and 29 injured in a horrific crash between a bus and an SUV car in Gujarat's Navsari district. A bus full of people returning from the Pramukh Swami Maharaj Shatabdi Mahotsav event from Surat rammed into a Toyota Fortuner car on the Navsari national highway number 48 after the driver suffered a heart attack and lost control of the vehicle. 5. The Centre's air quality panel implements curbs under stage three of the Graded Action Response Plan as air quality worsens in the Delhi-National Capital Region. The curbs include ban on construction and demolition activity, except for essential projects. Delhi government also advises citizens to work from home and use carpool. 6. A month after Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority rejected Chhattisgarh's demand to return funds deposited for the National Pension System, the state says that it will give its employees the option of choosing between the new pension scheme and the more generous old pension scheme. The decision was taken on Friday during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. 7. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, who is on a pan-India foot march, 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', says that BJP-led government is trying to 'build a case' against him without reason by getting security forces to say he is repeatedly violating security protocol during the yatra, and sending letters asking him to stop due to Covid concerns. He also points to BJP's roadshows, asking how those are not violations of Covid protocols.
- India woke up to the shocking news of Rishabh Pant's horrific car accident on Friday. The wicketkeeper-batter had a miraculous escape when his luxury car crashed into a road divider and caught fire after he dozed off at the wheel on Delhi-Dehradun highway. The 25-year-old, who was on his way to his hometown Roorkee to surprise his mother, suffers injuries on his head, back and feet but is in a stable condition. He is currently admitted in a hospital in Dehradun. 2. Centre's air quality panel implements curbs under stage three of Graded Action Response Plan as air quality worsens in Delhi-National Capital Region. The air quality in Delhi and its adjoining areas has worsened to 'severe' category. 3. A month after Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority rejected Chhattisgarh's demand to return funds deposited for the National Pension System, the state says that it will give its employees the option of choosing between the new pension scheme and the more generous old pension scheme. The decision was taken on Friday during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. 4. Government raises interest rates on most post office savings schemes that do not get income tax benefits, in line with the firming of interest rates in the economy. While the interest rate for popular Public Provident Fund and girl child savings scheme Sukanya Samriddhi are retained, rates for deposits up to 5 per cent as well as National Savings Interest Rate, senior citizen savings scheme and Kisan Vikas Patra where income accruing is taxable have been hiked by up to 1.1 percentage points. 5. Japan reports record 420 single-day coronavirus deaths, one day after reaching an earlier record of 425 deaths. China's Covid data remains opaque, no accurate numbers. America reporting second highest Covid cases. India's cases below 300 but rise over 20 per cent. 6. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is on a visit to poll-bound Karnataka, where BJP aims to come back to power. Today, Mr Shah is scheduled to have a breakfast meeting with party leaders, after which he will be visiting Souharda Sahakari Federation. Thereafter, he is expected to attend BJP's booth presidents and booth level agents convention at the Palace Ground, before leaving for Delhi. 7. For the first time in post-Independence history, the Assam Cabinet will hold a sitting at New Delhi today. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is currently on a personal visit to Uttarakhand, contacts his ministerial colleagues and asks them to be present in New Delhi in order to discuss important Cabinet matters.
- Star India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant suffers a horrific car crash. He is currently admitted in a hospital in Dehradun. He was driving his Mercedes car, which met with an accident near Roorkee in Uttarakhand. Mr Pant sustained injuries after his car collided with a divider and caught fire while he was travelling from Delhi to Uttarakhand. 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mother, Heeraben, dies at the age of 99. 'A glorious century rests at the feet of God... In Maa, I have always felt that trinity, which contains the journey of an ascetic, the symbol of a selfless Karmayogi and a life committed to values,' the Prime Minister posts a heartfelt tribute informing about his mother's death. 3. 'Your mother is our mother', West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee tells Prime Minister Narendra Modi at an event where he virtually flagged off the Vande Bharat express connecting Howrah and New Jalpaiguri. CM Banerjee also says, work on four out of the five railway projects that PM Modi will launch were started during her tenure as railway minister. 4. A day after Central Paramilitary Force hits back at the Congress on its allegation of security breaches in Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra, the Delhi police says, the Congress MP himself did not follow the security protocol, and that there were complete security arrangements. The police has submitted its report to the Home Ministry. 5. Noida-based firm Marion Biotech, which was being investigated by the Uttar Pradesh Drug Control and the Central Drugs Standards Control Organisation after Uzbekistan linked the deaths of 18 children in the country to drinking contaminated health syrup made by them, has been asked to completely halt drug production at the Noida plant. 6. Late TV actor Tunisha Sharma's mother Vanita Sharma claims that ex boyfriend, Sheezan Khan, was putting pressure on her to convert. She vows to bring accused Sheezan Khan to justice as she clarifies her daughter was only ailing from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and no other disease. She adds that she will not sit quiet until the accused, Sheezan Khan is punished. 7. Edson Arantes do Nascimento, popularly known as Pele, the legendary Brazilian soccer player who rose from barefoot poverty to become one of the greatest and best-known athletes in modern history, dies at the age of 82. Sao Paulo's Albert Einstein hospital, where he was undergoing treatment, said: 'He died at 3.27 pm. Due to multiple organ failures resulting from the progression of colon cancer associated with his previous medical condition'.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mother, Heeraben, dies at the age of 99. 'A glorious century rests at the feet of God... In Maa, I have always felt that trinity, which contains the journey of an ascetic, the symbol of a selfless Karmayogi and a life committed to values,' the Prime Minister posts a heartfelt tribute informing about his mother's death. He virually inaugurates development projects worth Rs 7,800 crores in Bengal. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asks the PM to take rest. She adds,'Your mother is our mother'. 2. Star India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant suffers a horrific car crash. He is currently admitted in a hospital in Dehradun. He was driving his Mercedes car, which met with an accident near Roorkee in Uttarakhand. Mr Pant sustained injuries after his car collided with a divider and caught fire while he was travelling from Delhi to Uttarakhand. 3. A day after Central Paramilitary Force hits back at the Congress on its allegation of security breaches in Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra, the Delhi police says, the Congress MP himself did not follow the security protocol, and that there were complete security arrangements. The police has submitted its report to the Home Ministry. 4. Pele, the legendary Brazilian soccer player who rose from barefoot poverty to become one of the greatest and best-known athletes in modern history, dies at the age of 82. Sao Paulo's Albert Einstein hospital, where he was undergoing treatment, said: 'He died at 3.27 pm. Due to multiple organ failures resulting from the progression of colon cancer associated with his previous medical condition'. 5. TV actor Tunisha Sharma's mother Vanita Sharma vows to bring accused Sheezan Khan to justice as she clarifies her daughter was only ailing from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and no other disease. She adds that she will not sit quiet until the accused, Sheezan Khan is punished. 6. Noida-based firm Marion Biotech, which was being investigated by the Uttar Pradesh Drug Control and the Central Drugs Standards Control Organisation after Uzbekistan linked the deaths of 18 children in the country to drinking contaminated health syrup made by them, has been asked to completely halt drug production at the Noida plant.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mother, Heeraben, dies at the age of 99. 'A glorious century rests at the feet of God... In Maa, I have always felt that trinity, which contains the journey of an ascetic, the symbol of a selfless Karmayogi and a life committed to values,' the Prime Minister posts a heartfelt tribute informing about his mother's death. PM Modi, who was scheduled to visit West Bengal to launch a series of projects, arrives in Gandhinagar. The Prime Minister's Office tweets that he will join today's scheduled programmes in Bengal via video conferencing. 2. Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav distances himself from Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', diminishing the Congress march's chances of acting as a possible catalyst for Opposition unity. 'Our party has a different ideology. The BJP and Congress are the same,' says the Samajwadi Party chief. Asked if he's been invited for the Yatra, which is currently on a break and resumes with entering UP from Delhi on January 3, Mr Yadav says, 'I have received no invitation.' 3. The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) advises makers of Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone's upcoming film 'Pathaan' to implement certain changes in the film, including in its songs, and submit a revised version, chairperson Prasoon Joshi has said. The film recently reached the CBFC examination committee for certification and went through the due and thorough examination process as per the board's guidelines. Helmed by Siddharth Anand 'Pathaan' which also stars John Abraham is scheduled for theatrical release in January 2023, in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. One of its songs 'Besharam Rang' courted controversy over the orange-coloured bikini sported by Deepika Padukone. 4. After a mid-air altercation on a Thai Smile Airways flight from Bangkok to Kolkata went viral, Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has said a police complaint has been filed against the passengers who were involved in the scuffle. 5. Japan records 420 COVID-19 deaths, the highest-ever count for a single day, its health ministry data shows.
- In yet another row over a song and the colour saffron, cancellation of singer Arijit Singh's February 18 concert in Kolkata leads to allegations by the BJP that it's a political decision. The Trinamool Congress government of West Bengal has denied permission citing a G-20 event in the same area, but BJP's Amit Malviya says, it's because Arijit Singh sang ‘Rang de tu mohey gerua' literal translation,'Colour me saffron'in front of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at a recent event. 2. Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav distances himself from Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', diminishing the Congress march's chances of acting as a possible catalyst for opposition unity. While responding to reporters' questions the Samajwadi Party chief says, 'Our party has a different ideology. The BJP and Congress are the same'. 3. Top Congress leader AK Antony says, the strategy to defeat the BJP and PM Narendra Modi in 2024 should not include 'just minorities', and that Hindus need to be appealed to as well. Mr Antony adds, 'It's not just minorities that you require. The majority are Hindus'. Mr Antony says, 'Here, Muslims can go to mosques, Christians can go to churches, but when Hindu friends go to a temple or apply tilak, it's labelled as 'soft Hindutva'. 4. Uzbekistan claims that at least 18 children in the country have died after allegedly taking an India-manufactured cough syrup. India is set to probe the claims. The health ministry of Uzbekistan, in a statement, says that the children who died had consumed cough syrup Doc-1 Max-manufactured by Noida-based Marion Biotech. Centre says, an investigation is in progress and the manufacturing of the cough syrup has been stopped.
- Uzbekistan claims that at least 18 children in the country have died after allegedly taking an India-manufactured cough syrup. India is set to probe the claims. The health ministry of Uzbekistan, in a statement, says that the children who died had consumed cough syrup Doc-1 Max-manufactured by Noida-based Marion Biotech. 2. The Thai Smile Airlines has said that the violent assault of a man onboard a Bangkok-India flight, a video of which is going viral, started after the passenger refused to follow the cabin crew's safety instructions. In an incident report accessed by NDTV, Thai Smile Airways has stated that the assault took place on December 26 before the Kolkata-bound flight took off from Thailand. 3. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) officials carry out raids at multiple locations, including residences of second-rung leaders across of the banned Islamist outfit Popular Front of India in Kerala. Sources in the Kerala police say, the raids which started late last night are still underway. 4. Central Paramilitary Force has said that Rahul Gandhi broke security protocol several times during the Delhi leg of Bharat Jodo Yatra. The force added that Mr Gandhi broke 113 times since 2020. The central force's response comes a day after Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, alleging that Delhi Police had completely failed to ensure Mr Gandhi's security as the Yatra passed through the capital. The party seeks proper security for the leader, who enjoys Z-plus cover, when the Yatra enters the sensitive zones of Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. The Kanyakumari to Kashmir yatra will resume on January 3, 2023, after taking a nine-day break in Delhi. 5. The Serum Institute of India has offered two crore doses of Covishield vaccine worth Rs 410 crore to the central government free of cost amid a rise in COVID-19 cases in some countries, official sources say.
- Uzbekistan claims that at least 18 children in the country have died after allegedly taking an India-manufactured cough syrup. India is set to probe the claims. The health ministry of Uzbekistan, in a statement, says that the children who died had consumed cough syrup Doc-1 Max - manufactured by Noida-based Marion Biotech. 2. The Serum Institute of India has offered two crore doses of Covishield vaccine to the central government free of cost amid a rise in COVID-19 cases in some countries, official sources say. 3. Eight people - one of them a woman - die in a near-stampede in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh, during a roadshow by the state's former Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. 4. BJP MP Pragya Thakur named in a police case for allegedly making a provocative speech in Karnataka's Shivamogga. The complaint against the Bhopal MP alleges that she made derogatory remarks against Muslims while speaking at the Hindu Jagarana Vedike's South Region annual convention. At the event, Ms Thakur had said Hindus have the right to respond to those who attack them and their dignity, even as she spoke about the killing of Hindu activists. She also called on Hindus to at least keep the knives in their homes sharp, as everyone has the right to protect themselves. 5. A shocking case of caste discrimination has surfaced from a village in Tamil Nadu, the home of Periyar movement, where human feces were found dumped in a water tank meant for the Scheduled Caste community. The BJP is sending a team to Irayur village to investigate today. 6. Former Maharashtra minister Anil Deshmukh given a hero's welcome by his supporters as he is released from Mumbai's Arthur Road jail after more than a year's incarceration.
- Former Maharashtra minister Anil Deshmukh gets a hero's welcome by key leaders of his party and supporters as he gets released from Mumbai's Arthur Road jail after more than a year's incarceration. The 72-year-old was accused in a corruption case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation or the CBI. The leaders of the Nationalist Congress Party, who were waiting outside the jail to greet Mr Deshmukh, accompany him to Siddhivinayak temple. 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits his mother Heeraben Modi who is in a hospital in Ahmedabad. He spends over an hour with his mother. A statement from UN Mehta Institute of Cardiology and Research Centre says that the condition of Heeraben Modi, who turned 99 in June this year, is stable. The hospital has not shared any other information. 3. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi shares good wishes for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mother. Mr Gandhi tweets, in Hindi, for his prime political rival, 'The love between a mother and a son is eternal and priceless. Modi ji, you have my love and support in this difficult time. I hope your mother gets well soon.' 4. No government facility in the national capital has free-of-cost Covid vaccines, while paid vaccines for all at private facilities at Rs 386.25, continue to be available over the next few days, though not in significant numbers. This, when the government has been telling people to take the 'precaution dose' or booster immediately as cases rise in China and elsewhere. At government facilities, the usual two doses are free for all, while boosters are free for those aged 60 plus.
- Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia tells NDTV that Delhi Airport will be made one of the largest and there will be huge capacity building in airports in the six metros. 2. As many as 100 flights disrupted in Delhi alone as the city continues to reel under severe cold conditions with a thick layer of fog blanketing again. A Delhi airport official tells ANI, 'Due to bad weather for three days, over 100 flights are reported delayed from and to Delhi airport, some have also been diverted to the nearest airport.' Even as the congestion at the airport in New Delhi is being tackled amid a busy yearend holiday season, the problems of air travellers have increased once more with dense fog covering most parts of north India. 3. Congress writes to Home Minister Amit Shah, alleging multiple breaches in the security of Bharat Jodo Yatra and demands proper protection for party leader Rahul Gandhi. In a letter to the Home Minister, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal says that the security of the Yatra has been compromised on multiple occasions following its entry into Delhi. 4. No government facility in the national capital has free-of-cost Covid vaccines, while paid vaccines for all at private facilities at Rs 386.25, continue to be available over the next few days, though not in significant numbers. This, when the government has been telling people to take the 'precaution dose' or booster immediately as cases rise in China and elsewhere. At government facilities, the usual two doses are free for all, while boosters are free for those aged 60 plus. Searches on the official enquiry and booking portal CoWIN show no availability at all in North and North East Delhi, while there are some doses available at private centres in other areas of the city. 5. A man allegedly kills a 20-year-old woman by stabbing her 51 times with a screwdriver in Chhattisgarh's Korba district after she refuses to talk to him. The incident took place in the pump house colony of South Eastern Coalfields Limited on December 24. According to the police, the victim was alone in the house when the accused arrived there. He covered her mouth with a pillow to muffle her screams and stabbed her 51 times with a screwdriver. 6. Four terrorists are killed during an encounter after security forces intercept a truck they were travelling in on the outskirts of Jammu this morning. The truck caught fire in the gun battle and fire tenders were called to douse the fire. Mukesh Singh, Additional Director General of police Jammu, says, 'There was unusual movement of a truck in the area. Police stopped the truck at check post. As security forces started searching the truck, terrorist hiding inside fired at security forces. All the terrorists were killed in retaliatory fire.'
- Speaking exclusively to NDTV, former NRC Coordinator Hitesh Dev Sarma gives details and alleges how both the Centre, state, Registrar General of India were silent to his repeated complaints. Two years ago, he had raised similar issues now being flagged by the CAG. Mr Sarma adds that foreigners were included in the NRC list. 2. India's nasal vaccine cannot be administered to those who have taken a precaution or booster dose, the head of the country's vaccine task force Dr NK Arora tells NDTV in an exclusive interview. The nasal vaccine, iNCOVACC, was introduced on the CoWIN platform last week. 3. Dense fog and cold wave conditions continue to sweep the national capital with the city recording a minimum temperature of 7.8 degrees Celsius on this morning. According to the India Meteorological Department, cold day conditions are likely to abate over northwest India from today and then resurge from December 31. 4. A CCTV footage has emerged showing actor Sheezan Khan and two others carrying his co-actor Tunisha Sharma to a hospital in Maharashtra's Naigaon. 5. Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin bans the supply of Russian oil and petroleum products if contracts directly or indirectly provide for a price cap imposed by some states, according to a decree published on Tuesday. According to Sputnik, the ban on the supply of Russian oil under the price cap will go into effect on February 1, 2023, and will be valid until July 1, 2023. 6. Security forces engage in a fierce gunfight with terrorists at Jammu's Sidhra this morning, day after a terror attack was averted in Udhampur. The gunfight involves two to three terrorists, police say. More details are awaited.
- The opposition Congress in Madhya Pradesh files a complaint against Revenue Minister Govind Singh Rajput over allegedly taking a 'gift' of 50-acre land in Sagar district from his brother-in-laws earlier this year. The Singh brothers purchased the land in September 2021, just months before it was 'gifted' to the minister. The Congress files the complaint with the 'benami properties prohibition wing' of the Income Tax department. Alleging it is just a process to help the minister launder black money, Congress says the alleged irregularities in the transaction has robbed the state of several crores. 2. Madhya Pradesh Congress demands that a case of treason be registered against Bharatiya Janata Party's Lok Sabha member Pragya Singh Thakur for her 'keep weapon at home' remark, while her party defends the statement saying it was for women's self-defence. Ms Thakur, while addressing a programme in Shivamogga on Sunday, said Hindus have the right to respond to those who attack them and their dignity. 3. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath declares that the state will give reservations to Other Backward Classes or OBCs in the local bodies and will hold a survey under the Supreme Court guidelines. CM Yogi says the election will not be held before the survey and grant of reservation and if need be, the state will go to the Supreme Court to challenge the Allahabad High Court's order for immediate notification of elections. The CM adds, 'We form a commission that will conduct survey of OBCs on the basis of the Supreme Court guidelines. We will not go to elections without providing reservation to OBCs. If required, we will go to the Supreme Court against the High Court's order.' 4. BJP decides to field its Shalimar Bagh councillor Rekha Gupta as its Delhi Mayor candidate to challenge AAP's Shelly Oberoi in the January 6 elections. BJP also names Kamal Bagri as Deputy Mayor candidate as well as Kamaljeet Sehrawat, Gajendra Daral and Pankaj Luthra for standing committee member posts. 5. Days after the Karnataka Legislative Assembly unanimously passed a resolution on the border row with Maharashtra, resolving to protect the state's interests, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde condemns the 'anti-Marathi' stand, and moves a similar resolution in the state Assembly. This, too, is passed unanimously. The conflict between the two states, both ruled by BJP, is expected to escalate further, despite Union Home Minister Amit Shah's intervention, as Karnataka goes to polls next year.
- Bharat Biotech's nasal vaccine will cost Rs 800 plus taxes at private hospitals and slots can now be booked on the CoWin portal. The nasal vaccine, iNCOVACC, will be rolled out in the fourth week of January. For large procurement by Centre and state governments, iNCOVACC will be priced at Rs 325 per dose. iNCOVACC is being rolled out as a booster shot for those above 18 years of age. 2. Top Opposition leaders of Uttar Pradesh are likely to skip the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra which is set to enter the politically significant state in the first week of January. Congress had invited Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati and Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Jayant Chaudhary to join the party's mega march from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu to Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar. Sources tell NDTV that Mr Yadav may not join the yatra, but it is not yet clear if he will send a party leader to participate in the march. 3. Delhi wakes up to chills this morning, its streets wrapped in a blanket of dense fog that brought visibility down to a minimum. In news that will bring some relief to Delhiites, the weather department predicts that temperatures may rise Wednesday onwards owing to a western disturbance that will reduce fog and allow more sunlight to hit the surface. The minimum temperature in the national capital this morning dipped to 5.6 degrees Celsius as a cold wave swept through north India, one degree below the normal. Hill station Nainital, in comparison, reported a minimum temperature of 7 degrees Celsius. 4. Emergency crews in New York scramble to rescue marooned residents from what authorities call the 'blizzard of the century', a relentless storm that has left nearly 50 people dead across the United States and caused Christmas travel chaos. Blizzard conditions persist in parts of the US Northeast, the stubborn remnants of a massive sprawl of extreme weather grip the country, causing widespread power outages, travel delays and deaths. 5. Mother Dairy hikes milk prices by Rs 2 per litre in Delhi-NCR market citing rise in input costs. This is the fifth round of hike in milk prices this year by Mother Dairy, one of the leading milk suppliers in Delhi-NCR with volumes of more than 30 lakh litres per day. 6. Shah Rukh Khan attends Salman Khan's 57th birthday party. He hugs the actor. SRK and Salman Khan famously co-starred in Karan Arjun. Over the years, they have also done cameo appearances in each other's films. 7. Days after the Karnataka Legislative Assembly unanimously passed a resolution on the border row with Maharashtra, resolving to protect the state's interests, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde condemns the 'anti-Marathi' stand, and moves a similar resolution in the state Assembly. This, too, is passed unanimously. The conflict between the two states, both ruled by BJP, is expected to escalate further, despite Union Home Minister Amit Shah's intervention, as Karnataka goes to polls next year.
- Delhi wakes up to chills, its streets wrapped in a blanket of dense fog that brings visibility down to a minimum. The temperature in the national capital this morning hovered around 7 degrees Celsius as a cold wave swept through north India. The minimum temperature was at the season's lowest, about 3 degrees below normal. Parts of Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Uttarakhand report dense to very dense fog conditions. Drivers on Delhi's streets kept hazard lights on while moving cautiously through the fog cover. The India Meteorological Department has predicted severe conditions for Delhi today. 2. India will hold a mock drill today to check how well prepared are the health facilities to deal with any spike in COVID-19 cases. Health Ministers of all the states will participate in the mock drill. 3. China will no longer subject inbound travellers to quarantine from January 8, putting the country on track to emerge from three years of self-imposed global isolation under a Covid Zero policy that battered the economy and stoked historic public discontent. 4. Mother Dairy to hike milk prices by Rs 2 per litre in Delhi-NCR market with effect from today, citing rise in input costs. This is the fifth round of hike in milk prices this year by Mother Dairy, one of the leading milk suppliers in Delhi-NCR with volumes of more than 30 lakh litres per day. 5. Seven people arrested for allegedly beating a Border Security Personnel (BSF) to death in Gujarat after he protested against an obscene video of his daughter. 6. Emergency crews in New York scramble to rescue marooned residents from what authorities call the 'blizzard of the century,' a relentless storm that has left nearly 50 people dead across the United States and caused Christmas travel chaos. 7. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy seeks India's support in the implementation of his 'peace formula' during a phone conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who strongly reiterates his call for an immediate cessation of hostilities between Ukraine and Russia. Mr Modi says both sides should revert to dialogue and diplomacy to find a lasting solution to their differences and conveys India's support for any peace efforts to Mr Zelenskyy, according to an official statement. 8. At least 15 people, including three forest officials, injured in a series of attack by a leopard on the prowl in Jorhat, Assam. 9. Salman Khan, who celebrates his 57th birthday today, hosts a party for his family and friends from the film industry. Shah Rukh Khan, who arrives fashionably late, leads the celeb-roll call at the party.
- In a move that will likely raise a political storm, the Central Bureau of Investigation reopens a corruption case against former chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, months after the Bihar reversal in which his party tied up with Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal United and formed the government. The CBI had in 2018 started a probe into allegations of corruption in the allotment of Railway projects when Mr Yadav held the portfolio in the UPA-1 government. 2. Venugopal Dhoot, Chairman of the Videocon Group, has been arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation in the ICICI loan case. This comes days after former ICICI Bank CEO Chanda Kochhar and her husband Deepak Kochhar were arrested by the CBI in a case linked to alleged irregularities in an over Rs 3,000 crore loan provided to the Videocon Group when she was heading the private sector bank. 3. Maharashtra Minister and BJP leader Girish Mahajan claims that the death of actor Tunisha Sharma is a matter of 'love jihad' and the state police are investigating the case. The minister also stresses that the Eknath Shinde government in the state is mulling bringing a strict law against 'love jihad'. Meanwhile, Sheezan Khan, main accused in TV actor Tunisha Sharma's alleged suicide, says that he was 'so disturbed by the atmosphere in the country that emerged after the gruesome murder of Shraddha Walkar' that he decided to end their relationship. 4. In fresh development in Shraddha Walkar murder case, the Delhi Police gets hold of an audio clip in which the accused, Aaftab Poonawala, can be heard fighting with her. The police is considering the clip as big evidence which will go a long way in establishing the motive behind the gruesome murder. 5. Cold wave swept parts of Delhi on Sunday with the minimum temperature dropping to 3 degrees Celsius in the Ridge area, says the India Meteorological Department. A few more places in the capital reported a cold day where the minimum temperature was less than or equal to 10 degrees Celsius and the maximum temperature was at least 4.5 degrees Celsius below normal. 6. Karnataka government issues fresh guidelines for New Year celebrations amid rising covid cases, driven by a new variant BF.7, in some parts of the world. Wearing masks is made compulsory inside closed spaces like restaurants, pubs, theatre halls, schools, and colleges in Karnataka. New Year celebrations can go on till 1 am in the state. 7. BJP Member of Parliament Pragya Singh Thakur says, 'Hindus have the right to respond to those who attack them and their dignity.' The MP representing Bhopal Parliamentary segment in Madhya Pradesh also calls on the community to at least keep the knives in their homes sharp as everyone has the right to protect themselves.
- In a move that will likely raise a political storm, the Central Bureau of Investigation reopens a corruption case against former chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, months after the Bihar reversal in which his party tied up with Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal United and formed the government. The CBI had in 2018 started a probe into allegations of corruption in the allotment of Railway projects when Mr Yadav held the portfolio in the UPA-1 government. 2. The CBI has arrested Videocon Group founder Venugopal Dhoot in connection with the ICICI Bank loan fraud case, officials say. The 71-year-old Dhoot was arrested from Mumbai after a brief questioning session this morning, hours before former CEO and MD of the ICICI Bank Chanda Kochhar and her husband Deepak Kochhar were to be produced before a Special Court for remand hearing. The CBI is planning to file a charge sheet against the three and other suspects soon, they say. The three-day remand of Kochhars is getting over today. 3. Maharashtra Minister and BJP leader Girish Mahajan claims that the death of actor Tunisha Sharma is a matter of 'love jihad' and the state police are investigating the case. Meanwhile, Tunisha's mother tells the media that she was 'cheated and used' by her co-star Sheezan Khan. The 20-year-old actor was found dead on the set of a show she was shooting for. 4. In fresh development in the Shraddha Walkar murder case, Delhi Police has got hold of an audio clip in which the accused, Aaftab Poonawala, can be heard fighting with her. A CBI forensics team collected Aaftab's voice sample today after a Delhi court order. The authorities will match the voice sample with the newly procured audio clip to make fresh breakthroughs in the case. 5. Severe cold reported in Delhi and several parts of north India with the weather office predicting cold wave conditions to prevail over the next two days. Temperatures have considerably dipped in Delhi Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan over the last week with the onset of a cold wave. In Delhi, the mercury plunged to 5.3 degrees Celsius on Sunday, three notches below normal, making it the coldest Christmas in the city in years. Dense fog covered Haryana, Punjab, Chandigarh and parts of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. According to the Met, foggy conditions were likely to prevail in these areas till December 27. 6. Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman admitted into a private ward of All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi. According to sources, her condition is stable and she is being given the best medical care. AIIMS doctors will release a statement on her health shortly.
- Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya to meet the Indian Medical Association today. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will also hold mock drills at all health facilities across the country tomorrow in the wake of the COVID alarm due to a surge in infection in many countries. This is to ensure readiness in the availability of oxygen support, and ICU beds among other preparedness measures in case of a surge of COVID cases in India. 2. The IMD has issued a fog warning for the next five days for many north Indian states. Dense to very dense fog is very likely in many pockets of Punjab and in a few pockets over Haryana and Chandigarh in the next 24 hours. 3. A brutal winter storm brought Christmas Day danger and misery to millions of Americans on Sunday as intense snow and frigid cold gripped parts of the eastern United States, with weather-related deaths rising to at least 31. 4. Sheezan Mohammed Khan, co-star of actor Tunisha Sharma - a television actor who on Saturday allegedly died by suicide on the set of a TV show in Vasai in Maharashtra's Palghar district - arrested after a case of abetment to suicide was registered against him, police say. He has been sent to four-day police custody by Vasai court in Mumbai. 5. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India flags the 'risk of data tampering' in the NRC for Assam, due to 'improper' software development related to data capture and correction during the updation process of the citizenship document. 6. Russia's war on Ukraine: President Vladimir says Russia ready to negotiate, attacks continue. 7. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi pays tribute to his grandmother and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi at her memorial Shakti Sthal in the national capital. He also pays tribute to his father and another former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi at Veer Bhumi, a memorial dedicated to the latter.
- Sheezan Mohammed Khan, co-star of actor Tunisha Sharma, a television actor who on Saturday allegedly died by suicide on the set of a TV show in Vasai in Maharashtra's Palghar district, arrested after a case of abetment to suicide is registered against him. He has been sent to four-day police custody by Vasai court in Mumbai. 2. In a shocking incident from Madhya Pradesh's Rewa district, a 24-year-old man is filmed brutally assaulting a 19-year-old woman for allegedly refusing to marry him. A viral video of the heart-wrenching attack shows the couple walking while holding hands when suddenly the man slaps her, grabs her hair, and slams her into the ground head-first. He then mercilessly kicks her with full force in the face and all over her body. The woman appears unconscious from the attack, and the man tries to steady her on her feet while instructing his friend who was recording the video to delete the footage. The woman is seen lying unconscious for hours on the side of the road. 3. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi says that China is ready to work with India through steady and sound growth of the relations, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry website. While addressing the reporters on China's relations with India, Wang says, 'China and India have maintained communication through the diplomatic and military-to-military channels, and both countries are committed to upholding stability in the border areas. We stand ready to work with India in the direction toward steady and sound growth of China-India relations.' 4. China's National Health Commission, which for the past three years or so has published daily COVID-19 case figures for the country, says it will no longer release such data. 'Relevant COVID information will be published by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention for reference and research,' says NHC, without specifying the reasons for the change or how frequently China CDC will update COVID information. 5. A fearsome winter storm that pummells the United States with blinding snow and powerful Arctic winds leaves 1.7 million customers without power as thousands of cancelled flights strand travelers making last-minute dashes for Christmas. Over 20 storm-related deaths have been confirmed across six states as heavy snow, howling winds and dangerously frigid temperatures keep much of the nation, including the normally temperate south, in a frozen grip. 6. With the Covid spike in China setting off an alarm, the Centre asks states to hold mock drills at health facilities to ensure swift response if Covid cases in the country surge again. The mock drill, which will be held on Tuesday, will focus on availability of beds, human resources, logistics and the supply chain of medical oxygen. 7. A huge cache of arms and ammunition and 'war-like stores', including AK-74 rifles, Pakistani-origin hand grenades and balloons with 'I Love Pakistan' markings, recovered along the Line of Control in Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district. The recoveries are made at a time when there is huge desperation on the Pakistani side to either infiltrate terrorists or smuggle war-like stores into Kashmir as the number of ultras and arms and ammunition is at an all-time low in the Valley.
- Sheezan Mohammed Khan, co-star of actor Tunisha Sharma, a television actor who on Saturday allegedly died by suicide on the set of a TV show in Vasai in Maharashtra's Palghar district, arrested after a case of abetment to suicide was registered against him. He has been sent to four-day police custody by Vasai court in Mumbai. Parth Zutshi, another co-actor, was called by the police for questioning on the incident. 2. Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare decides to hold mock drills at all health facilities across the country on December 27 in the wake of the COVID alarm due to a surge in infection in many countries. This is to ensure readiness in the availability of oxygen support, and ICU beds among other preparedness measures in case of a surge of COVID cases in India. 3. China's National Health Commission, which for the past three years or so has published daily COVID-19 case figures for the country, says it will no longer release such data. 'Relevant COVID information will be published by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention for reference and research,' says NHC, without specifying the reasons for the change or how frequently China CDC will update COVID information. 4. In a shocking incident from Madhya Pradesh's Rewa district, a 24-year-old man is filmed brutally assaulting a 19-year-old woman for allegedly refusing to marry him. A viral video of the heart-wrenching attack shows the couple walking while holding hands when suddenly the man slaps her, grabs her hair, and slams her into the ground head-first. He then mercilessly kicks her with full force in the face and all over her body. The woman appears unconscious from the attack, and the man tries to steady her on her feet while instructing his friend who was recording the video to delete the footage. The woman is seen lying unconscious for hours on the side of the road. 5. A fearsome winter storm that pummells the United States with blinding snow and powerful Arctic winds leaves 1.7 million customers without power as thousands of cancelled flights strand travelers making last-minute dashes for Christmas. Over 20 storm-related deaths have been confirmed across six states as heavy snow, howling winds and dangerously frigid temperatures keep much of the nation, including the normally temperate south, in a frozen grip. 6. Christmas celebrations underway in the city of Bethlehem, believed to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ. People come out in large numbers and head towards the Church of Nativity, Bethlehem.
- Congress MP Rahul Gandhi attacks BJP government for allegedly spreading hate using religious differences as a weapon. He takes the swipe during a speech at the Red Fort after Bharat Jodo Yatra reaches the monument. Mr Gandhi says, 'Hindu-Muslim hatred is being spread 24x7 to divert your attention from real issues.' 2. A local court in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura orders survey of Shahi Idgah Mosque, said to be built on 'Krishna Janmabhoomi', or the birthplace of Lord Krishna, by Archaeological Survey of India after January 2. The report will be submitted after January 20. The court passes the order on a lawsuit filed by Vishnu Gupta of the right wing outfit Hindu Sena, which says, the survey will be similar to the one in Varanasi's Gyanvapi mosque, where a 'Shivling' was said to be found during a survey. 3. India mandates a COVID-19 negative test report for travellers arriving from China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Thailand. Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya says passengers from those countries will be put under quarantine if they show symptoms of COVID-19 or if thay test positive. 4. A group of at least 30 young men, armed with sticks, attacks a Christmas programme at Purola village in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district, alleging that forced conversions are being carried out there. Police later detains six people, including Pastor Lazarus Cornelius and his wife Sushma Cornelius who were attacked by the men claiming to be from a Hindu organisation, and were later released saying the matter has been amicably resolved. 5. A fearsome winter storm that pummells the United States with blinding snow and powerful Arctic winds leaves 1.7 million customers without power as thousands of cancelled flights strand travelers making last-minute dashes for Christmas. At least 16 storm-related deaths have been confirmed across six states as heavy snow, howling winds and dangerously frigid temperatures keep much of the nation, including the normally temperate south, in a frozen grip. 6. Violent clashes erupt at Saint Mary's Cathedral Basilica in Kerala's Kochi between two groups of devotees over the procedure of offering the unified mass. The supporters of unified holy mass enter the church while the other group was offering mass facing the people. The altar gets completely demolished in the clash.
- Thousands of people join Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra as Rahul Gandhi marches through Delhi amid calls by the Health Minister to follow Covid protocols. Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan also joins the Gandhis' yatra in Delhi. While addressing party workers and leaders, Rahul Gandhi reiterates that the motive of his yatra is to open a 'mohabbat ki dukaan' that is 'shop of love' amid a 'nafrat ka bazaar' that is 'market of hatred'. 2. India mandates a COVID-19 negative test report for travellers arriving from China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Thailand, says Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. He adds that passengers from those countries will be put under quarantine if they show symptoms of COVID-19 or if thay test positive. 3. A local court in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura orders survey of Shahi Idgah Mosque, said to be built on 'Krishna Janmabhoomi', or the birthplace of Lord Krishna, by Archaeological Survey of India after January 2. The report will be submitted after January 20. The court passes the order on a lawsuit filed by Vishnu Gupta of the right wing outfit Hindu Sena, which says, the survey will be similar to the one in Varanasi's Gyanvapi mosque, where a 'Shivling' was said to be found during a survey. 4. At least seven labourers die and several get injured after an explosion in the chimney of a brick kiln in Motihari. The incident takes place in Narirgir in the Ramgarhwa police station area. Several police teams and a State Disaster Response Force team reach at the spot.
- Thousands of people join the Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra as Rahul Gandhi marches through Delhi amid calls by the Health Minister to follow Covid protocols. Several party leaders, including Jairam Ramesh, Pawan Khera, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Kumari Selja and Randeep Surjewala are seen marching with Mr Gandhi. Former Congress President Sonia Gandhi and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi also join Rahul Gandhi. This is the second time Sonia Gandhi joins the yatra. 2. Police say, Four persons have been arrested for allegedly murdering a woman and kidnapping her 10-month-old baby in Upper Assam. The four accused involve a couple, their son, and the victim's mother. According to the police, the couple arrested in the case was attempting to hand over the baby to their daughter who is childless. 3. The Health Minister says, India mandates a COVID-19 negative test report for travelers arriving from China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Thailand. Minister Mansukh Mandaviya says, Passengers from those countries will be put under quarantine if they show symptoms of COVID-19 or if tests positive. 4. The union government decides to make ration available for free, and not just on subsidised rates, to those covered under the National Food Security Act at least till December next year. The decision, essentially, is to subsume under the Act the special free-ration scheme, Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana, started in 2020 after Covid affected livelihoods. 5. Some 25 lakh military pensioners will benefit under the revised One Rank One Pension, or OROP, programme which the government approves. Government says, the revised OROP will give benefits to family pensioners including war widows and differently abled pensioners. OROP is short for 'One Rank One Pension', which aims at pension uniformity for armed forces personnel retiring at the same rank with the same length of service. Government in a statement says, The revised OROP would encourage young people to join the armed forces. 6. CBI arrests former ICICI Bank CEO Chanda Kochhar and her husband Deepak Kochhar in a case linked to alleged irregularities in an over Rs 3,000-crore loan provided to the Videocon Group when she was heading the private sector bank. Chanda Kochhar, 59, had quit as CEO and managing director of ICICI Bank in October 2018 over allegations that she favoured Videocon Group, a consumer electronics and oil and gas exploration company.
- The Congress' 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', led by party MP Rahul Gandhi, enters Delhi early this morning amid calls by the Health Minister to follow Covid protocols. Delhi Congress Chief Anil Chaudhary and party workers welcome Rahul Gandhi, other party leaders and the padyatris at Badarpur Border. Mr Gandhi is accompanied by former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Kumari Selja and Randeep Surjewala. While addressing party workers and leaders, he reiterates that the motive of his yatra is to open a 'mohabbat ki dukaan' (shop of love) amid a 'nafrat ka bazaar' (market of hatred). 2. A mock drill to test the Covid emergency preparedness will be conducted in hospitals across the country on Tuesday, 27th December. Official sources tell ANI, 'A mock drill for an emergency response to deal with Covid 9 cases will be conducted at hospitals across the country on Tuesday, 27th December, the Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya will also be participating in the Mock drill. 3. The government approves revision of pension of armed forces personnel under 'One Rank One Pension' scheme with retrospective effect from July 1, 2019 and the decision will benefit around 25 lakh pensioners. According to the defence ministry, the decision taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will result in an additional annual expenditure of Rs 8,450 crore. 4. CBI arrests former ICICI Bank CEO Chanda Kochhar and her husband Deepak Kochhar in a case linked to alleged irregularities in an over Rs 3,000-crore loan provided to the Videocon Group when she was heading the private sector bank. Chanda Kochhar, 59, had quit as CEO and managing director of ICICI Bank in October 2018 over allegations that she favoured Videocon Group, a consumer electronics and oil and gas exploration company. 5. The army says in a statement, 16 soldiers including three Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) were killed in a road accident at Zema in North Sikkim when their vehicle skid off while negotiating a sharp turn. They say, the truck was part of a 3-vehicle convoy, that moved from Chatten in the morning towards Thangu. They add, a rescue mission was immediately launched, and four injured soldiers have been air evacuated'.
- India starts Bharat Biotech's intranasal Covid vaccines. The two-drop India-made nasal vaccine, iNCOVACC, will be available on the Co-WIN platform. The vaccine, manufactured by Bharat Biotech, will only be available at private centres for now. Masks up center advises. 2. The army says in a statement, 16 soldiers including three Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) were killed in a road accident at Zema in North Sikkim when their vehicle skid off while negotiating a sharp turn. They say, the truck was part of a 3-vehicle convoy, that moved from Chatten in the morning towards Thangu. They add, a rescue mission was immediately launched, and four injured soldiers have been air evacuated'. 3. Rahul Gandhi's pan-India foot march, the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', to enter Delhi tomorrow amid calls by the Health Minister to follow Covid protocols or suspend the march. The Delhi Police, which reports to the Union Home Ministry, releases a traffic advisory. 4. Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Nitesh Rane seeks, a 'narco test' on Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray in connection with the deaths of actor Sushant Singh Rajput and Disha Salian based on the allegations levelled by Lok Sabha MP Rahul Shewale of the Eknath Shinde faction. Mr Rane says, the allegations of Shewale must be taken seriously as he was close to the Thackeray family for a long time. 5. French serial killer Charles Sobhraj, responsible for multiple murders in the 1970s across Asia, says, 'I feel great, I have a lot to do. I have to sue a lot of people. Including the state of Nepal', Sobhraj tells AFP on board a plane for his deportation to France. 6. Witnesses and prosecutors say, a 69-year-old gunman opened fire at a Kurdish cultural centre and a hairdressing salon in Paris, killed three people and injured three others. The shots shortly before midday (1100 GMT) caused panic in rue d'Enghien in the trendy 10th district of the capital, a bustling area of shops and restaurants that is home to a large Kurdish population.
- The army says in statement, 16 soldiers including three Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) were killed in a road accident at Zema in North Sikkim when their vehicle skid off while negotiating a sharp turn. They say, the truck was part of a 3-vehicle convoy, that moved from Chatten in the morning towards Thangu. They add, a rescue mission was immediately launched, and four injured soldiers have been air evacuated'. 2. Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya meets state Health Ministers on the Covid-19 situation and preparedness. Health Ministry also prepares guidelines for christmas and new year. Meanwhile, India starts Bharat Biotech's intranasal Covid vaccines today. 3. Indian equity benchmarks plunge to their lowest since late October, extending their losses for the fourth straight session, reflecting a sell-off in Wall Street stocks overnight after data showed economic resilience and reinforced the Federal Reserve's higher for longer interest rates rhetoric. The BSE Sensex crashes 491.15 points, or 0.81 per cent, to 60,335.07 in early trade, and the broader NSE Nifty index falls below 18,000 for the first time since November, and was last down 145.95 points, or 0.81 per cent, at 17,981.40. 4. Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Nitesh Rane seeks, a 'narco test' on Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray in connection with the deaths of actor Sushant Singh Rajput and Disha Salian based on the allegations levelled by Lok Sabha MP Rahul Shewale of the Eknath Shinde faction. Mr Rane says, the allegations of Shewale must be taken seriously as he was close to the Thackeray family for a long time. 5. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) announces Shelly Oberoi will be its candidate for mayor, weeks after it won the Delhi municipal election, defeating the BJP. Ms Shelly says, working harmoniously with all councillors for betterment of the national capital will be the focus of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). 6. Professor Obaidullah Wardak of Kabul University resigns in protest against the Taliban ban on girls in universities. Mr Wardak tells NDTV, the ban on girls' education is unjust and it is not possible to sit and watch this injustice. He says, he and many other faculty members are not happy quitting, but have no other option in the face of Taliban injustice.
- According to sources, Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya will hold a virtual meeting with state Health Ministers on the Covid-19 situation and preparedness at 3 pm today. Health ministry also prepares guidelines for christmas and new year. As per sources, Bharat Biotech's intranasal Covid vaccine will be available at private centres. It will be introduced on the Co-WIN platform from today. Hospital mock drills will also be conducted as part of the preparations. 2. Indian equity benchmarks plunge to their lowest since late October, extending their losses for the fourth straight session, reflecting a sell-off in Wall Street stocks overnight after data showed economic resilience and reinforced the Federal Reserve's higher for longer interest rates rhetoric. The BSE Sensex crashes 491.15 points, or 0.81 per cent, to 60,335.07 in early trade, and the broader NSE Nifty index falls below 18,000 for the first time since November, and was last down 145.95 points, or 0.81 per cent, at 17,981.40. 3. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) announces Shelly Oberoi will be its candidate for mayor, weeks after it won the Delhi municipal election, defeating the BJP. Ms Shelly is a former Delhi University professor and a first-time councillor who won the Delhi civic body election earlier this month from a BJP stronghold. AAP MLA Shoaib Iqbal son Aale Mohammad Iqbal has been named by the party for the post of deputy mayor. 4. The World Health Organization has received no data from China on new COVID-19 hospitalisations since Beijing lifted its zero-COVID policy, prompting some health experts to question whether it might be hiding information on the extent of its outbreak. However, WHO says, gaps in data might be due to Chinese authorities simply struggling to tally cases. 5. After 303 days of the Ukraine war President Putin hints at ending the conflict after Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's emotional speech in the US. President Putin says, 'Our goal is to end this conflict. We are striving for this, We will seek to make sure that it all ends and the sooner, the better'. 6. A 'once-in-a-generation' winter storm with temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit (Celsus) causes Christmas travel chaos in the United States, with thousands of flights cancelled and major highways closed. Tens of millions of people are under winter storm advisories or warnings, with meteorologists saying it is so cold in places that anyone venturing outside risked frostbite within minutes. President Joe Biden tells reporters, 'This is not like a snow day when you were a kid. This is serious stuff'.
- Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will hold a meeting with the health ministers of the states and Union territories today in the wake of a rising number of COVID-19 cases in some countries, including China. Mr Mandaviya made a suo motu statement in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday on India's preparedness to curb the spread of the viral infection. 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi - after a review meeting on Covid on Thursday amid the surge in China - does not make masks mandatory, but advises their usage. He also emphasises the need for strengthened surveillance with focus on genome sequencing and increased testing for Covid. 3. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi says the government is coming up with 'excuses' to stop the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', days after Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya wrote to him to consider suspending the march if Covid protocols could not be followed. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot says that the Centre is 'shaken' by the Congress' Yatra. 4. Beijing/Shanghai: China is expecting a peak in COVID-19 infections within a week, a health official says, with authorities predicting extra strain on the country's health system even as they downplay the disease's severity and continue to report no new deaths. 5. Russian President Vladimir Putin says his country wants an end to the war in Ukraine, and all armed conflicts end with diplomatic negotiations. He said this a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's visit to the White House. 6. According to the US media outlet Metro News, as a bomb cyclone is predicted to bring blizzard conditions and strong winds to a significant portion of the continental United States during the Christmas week, severe winter weather is expected to have an impact on millions of people across the country. 7. The IPL 2023 Auctions will take place today at Kochi. It will see some of the biggest names in T20 cricket go under the hammer.
- Amid the sudden surge of COVID cases in several countries, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) issues an advisory and appeals public to follow COVID-appropriate behaviour with immediate effect. In its advisory, the IMA lists out necessary steps to overcome the impending COVID outbreak, including wearing face masks in all public places, maintaining social distancing and washing hands regularly with soap and water or sanitizers. The IMD also advises people to avoid public gatherings like marriages, political or social meetings and international travel. It advises people to consult the doctor in case of any symptoms like fever, sore throat, cough, or loose motions and to get COVID vaccination including a precautionary dose at the earliest. Meanwhile in Parliament, AAP's Raghav Chadha says, 'The Indian government ignored and downplayed the early signs of the pandemic in early and late 2020 and the devastating second wave. The delay in managing international air connectivity and taking effective early measures allowed the virus to spread unchecked across the country. Furthermore, complacency in tracking new mutants and ignorance of warning signs plunged our country into a second wave, pushing our healthcare system to the brink of total collapse and leaving more than lakhs of Indians dead'. 2. China's Covid situation appears to be worsening rapidly with more evidence emerging via social media of how health infrastructure in the country is collapsing under the weight of rapidly multiplying covid cases, less than 15 days after the Chinese govt dramatically reversed its hardline zero covid policy after years of mass testing, isolation and covid lockdowns. 3. Amid the rapid rise in cases in the country, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) says, 'India is keeping an eye on the Covid situation in China'. He adds, 'We are yet to issue a travel advisory but people should follow local guidelines in the country where they're living'. 4. Kashmiri Pandits serving in the Valley will not be paid their salaries if they do not attend their duties, says Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, in a 'loud and clear message' to those sitting on protest for months. Around 6,000 Kashmiri Pandit employees, who had returned to the Valley as part of Prime Minister's Special Employment Scheme, have not been going to their offices for the last six months to mark their protest against targeted attacks.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi will review the Covid situation in India in a meeting today after four cases of the Omicron sub-variant driving the massive China surge were found in the country. Two cases of the BF.7 variant were reported in Gujarat and two in Odisha. The cases were reported in July, September and November. The state's health department says, both patients in Gujarat were treated in home isolation and have fully recovered now. 2. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the head of the World Health Organization, says he was 'very concerned' about an unprecedented wave of Covid cases in China, as the health body urges Beijing to accelerate vaccination of the most vulnerable. 'WHO is very concerned over the evolving situation in China, with increasing reports of severe disease' the WHO chief tells a weekly news conference, appealing for detailed information on disease severity, hospital admissions and intensive care requirements. 3. Over a lakh members of the Panchamasali Lingayat community, a sub-sect of the upper caste Lingayat group in Karnataka which constitutes nearly 18 per cent of the state's population, stage a massive protest demonstration from the iconic Suvarna Soudha in Belagavi demanding reservations in education, and government jobs. BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil, who has been vocal against senior party leaders BS Yediyurappa and BS Bommai, spearheads the protest. 4. Kashmiri Pandits serving in the Valley will not be paid their salaries if they do not attend their duties, says Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, in a 'loud and clear message' to those sitting on protest for months. Around 6,000 Kashmiri Pandit employees, who had returned to the Valley as part of Prime Minister's Special Employment Scheme, have not been going to their offices for the last six months to mark their protest against targeted attacks. 5. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky receives a standing ovation from US lawmakers before addressing a joint session of Congress in Washington. The applause for President Zelensky, who is on his first trip outside Ukraine since Russia invaded in February, lasted for more than two minutes.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky begins a historic address to the US Congress with a defiant message, telling lawmakers: 'Ukraine is alive and kicking.' Zelensky vows his country would never surrender to Russia as he addresses a joint session of the US Congress. 'Ukraine holds its lines and will never surrender,' he says. 2. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to convene an emergency meeting today amid a sudden spurt in Covid cases in several countries, officials say. 3. Geneva: The head of the World Health Organization on Wednesday said he was 'very concerned' about an unprecedented wave of Covid cases in China, as the health body urged Beijing to accelerate vaccination of the most vulnerable. 4. At least eight students and a school warden killed and over 35 others injured after their bus overturned in Manipur's Noney. 5. Speculations are rife that Karnataka cabinet meet today is likely to take a decision on demand for higher reservation by the Panchamasali Lingayats community. 6. Islamic countries - Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey - and the US express concern and condemn the Taliban for disallowing women's right to education. Qatar expresses deep concern and disappointment with the Afghan caretaker government's decision to suspend girls' and women's studies in Afghan universities until further notice. It calls on the Afghan caretaker govt to review its decision in line with the teachings of the Islamic religion concerning women's rights, as per a statement. 7. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee inaugurates the annual Christmas Festival at the iconic Park Street in Kolkata. She says 'West Bengal is a state where people are not divided based on their religious identity. Bengal should be a place where people may follow different religions but come together to celebrate as one, during various festivals.'
- Four cases of BF.7 sub-variant of Omicron, which is driving the huge Covid surge in China, detected in India. The cases have been detected in Gujarat and Odisha. There is no mandatory Covid protocol in the country as of now. The Centre says there is no cause for panic. It advises people to mask up in crowded areas and says it will monitor the situation every week. Random sampling of international passengers for Covid-19 has started at airports in the country. 2. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya writes to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, asks him to ensure Covid 'protocol' is followed in his 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', or he should suspend it 'in the national interest'. Congress, calls it 'BJP's usual ploy for diversion', seeks to know what the protocol is, as India has eased norms such as the mask mandate over the past year. 3. China's covid situation is worsening rapidly. China's covid horror is seen on videos shared on social media. Patients and corpses are at various crematorium around the country. The Chinese government is however silent on the social media reports. 4. Highlighting the country's fight against narco-terrorism and drug trafficking, Union Home Minister Amit Shah tells Lok Sabha that India has urged Interpol to create a real-time information system on the nexus of narcotics and terrorism. 5. Nepal's top court orders the release of Charles Sobhraj, the French serial killer portrayed in the Netflix series 'The Serpent', who was responsible for a string of murders across Asia in the 1970s. Supreme Court ruled Sobhraj, 78, who has been in prison in the Himalayan republic since 2003 for murdering two North American tourists, should be freed on health grounds. 6. Afghans voice outrage on social media over Taliban's ban on women attending university, using the hashtag LetHerLearn, one of the only ways people can still protest in the country. Affected students pour their hearts out on Twitter and Facebook, lamenting how their dreams have been shattered by the announcement that tertiary education is now off-limits to women. 7. Millions of people take to the streets of Buenos Aires to celebrate Argentina's World Cup title, disrupting a planned parade route and forcing Lionel Messi and his teammates to abandon an open-top bus to instead fly over the city in helicopters. According to Clarin, the football-crazed country has been overwhelmed with jubilant celebrations since Sunday when Argentina beat France for its third World Cup title, and first in 36 years. After crowds swarm the team bus upon arrival at 3 am at the airport, the planned trip through the city at midday was interrupted with at least 4 million people in the streets.
- Centre advises people to mask up in crowded areas and decides to hold weekly meetings to monitor India's Covid situation after alarming reports from China prompt a high-level meeting to chalk out the strategy to prevent a surge. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya chairs a meeting with top officials and experts on the Covid situation in the country. After the meeting, the minister tweets, 'COVID is not over yet. I have directed all concerned to be alert and strengthen surveillance. We are prepared to manage any situation.' 2. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya writes to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, asks him to ensure Covid 'protocol' is followed in his 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', or he should suspend it 'in the national interest'. Congress, calls it 'BJP's usual ploy for diversion', seeks to know what the protocol is, as India has eased norms such as the mask mandate over the past year. 3. Congress MP Sonia Gandhi and other Opposition leaders protest in front of the Gandhi statue inside the Parliament premises, demanding a discussion on the recent India-China clash at Tawang. Earlier in the day, Congress MPs Manickam Tagore and Manish Tewari gave Adjournment Motion notice in Lok Sabha to discuss the border situation with China. Ms Gandhi says, 'The continuing incursions by China on our border is a matter of serious concern. The whole nation stands with our vigilant soldiers who repelled these attacks under difficult conditions. The Government, however, stubbornly refuses to allow a discussion on the issue in Parliament. As a result, Parliament, political parties and the people remain ignorant of the true situation on the ground.' 4. The Enforcement Directorate names Telangana legislature and Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao daughter K Kavitha in the chargesheet filed in money laundering case linked to the Delhi liquor policy case. Ms Kavitha denies the allegations and accuses BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of sending ED to any state where elections are due. 5. Amid simmering tension between Karnataka and Maharashtra over the border issue, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut sparks a fresh controversy by saying, 'We will enter Karnataka like China has entered the country.' The senior leader of the party adds that he does not need anyone's 'permission' regarding the issue. 6. The harsh spell of winter in Kashmir, locally known as Chillai Kalan, starts, with temperatures in Srinagar dropping to minus 4.2 degrees. Pahalgam in south Kashmir records the lowest temperature in the Valley, minus 6.2 degree Celsius.
- Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya writes to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, asks him to ensure Covid 'protocol' is followed in his 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', or he should suspend it 'in the national interest'. Congress, calls it 'BJP's usual ploy for diversion', seeks to know what the protocol is, as India has eased norms such as the mask mandate over the past year. 2. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya chairs a high-level review meeting and ask officials to stay alert and step up tracking of coronavirus cases. This submits the massive surge of Covid cases in China and elsewhere in the world. 3. The Opposition continues to protest and demands a discussion in the parliament on the Tawang border clash. Congress says the House should be given information on the Chinese transgressions. 4. The Enforcement Directorate names Telangana legislature and Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao daughter K Kavitha in the chargesheet filed in money laundering case linked to the Delhi liquor policy case. Ms Kavitha denies the allegations and accuses BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of sending ED to any state where elections are due. 5. The harsh spell of winter in Kashmir, locally known as Chillai Kalan, starts, with temperatures in Srinagar dropping to minus 4.2 degrees. Pahalgam in south Kashmir records the lowest temperature in the Valley, minus 6.2 degree Celsius. 6. Billionaire Elon Musk says he will step down as chief executive of Twitter Inc once he finds a replacement but will still run some key divisions of the social media platform. Mr Musk writes, 'I will resign as CEO as soon as I find someone foolish enough to take the job. After that, I will just run the software and servers teams.'
- The Covid surge in China has sent alarm bells ringing in India. The Centre has outlined a series of preparatory steps and Health minister Mansukh Mandaviya will hold a review meeting with top officials and experts today on the pandemic situation. The government has said samples of all Covid positive cases should be sent daily to INSACOG genome sequencing labs mapped with all states and Union Territories. INSACOG is a forum under the Health Ministry to study and monitor various strains of Covid in India. 2. Several prominent people from south-India had given kickbacks of around Rs 100 crore to AAP government in New Delhi in exchange of favours and undue benefits to them in the liquor business, the ED has alleged in its charge sheet filed before a city court in Delhi excise scam. The ED has alleged in its charge sheet filed that businessman Sameer Mahendru and AAP's communication in-charge Vijay Nair had hatched a conspiracy with K Kavitha, MLC of Telangana, Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy (MSR), MP of Ongole (Andhra), his son Raghav Magunta, and Sarath Reddy, who are collectively called as South Group. 3. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi-led 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' entered Haryana today in the presence of senior party leaders from the state. The Yatra entered Haryana from Mundaka border in Nuh. It had crossed over from Rajasthan into Haryana. 4. Both Houses of Karnataka legislature will be passing a resolution on the border dispute with Maharashtra today. 5. Afghanistan's Taliban rulers ban university education for women nationwide, as the hardline Islamists continue to crush their right to education and freedom. 6. Elon Musk says he will step down as chief executive of Twitter after finding a replacement. 'I will resign as CEO as soon as I find someone foolish enough to take the job! After that, I will just run the software and servers teams,' Musk writes on Twitter.
- Karnataka appears to be headed for another huge controversy on the heels of the hijab ban, with a leader of the ruling BJP planning a bill to ban halal meat a year before the state elections. The matter is expected to create a storm in the state assembly, which started its winter session yesterday. Congress is set to oppose the bill. The state government says it is yet to take a call on whether it would back the bill. BJP's Ravi Kumar, a member of the assembly's upper house, who is privately moving the bill, claims that halal certification is done by Muslim bodies which 'charge huge fees for certification' and are making huge profits from this. 2. Days after AAP ran a successful poll campaign for Delhi's civic body, the Lieutenant Governor orders that the party pay Rs 97 crore for state government ads that had allegedly been used for the party's promotion five years ago. AAP says Lieutenant Governor has no power to issue such orders, calling it 'a new love letter'. 3. A 10-year-old boy in Hyderabad is stripped and tortured with chilly powder on his private parts, allegedly as punishment for stealing a soft drink from a neighbour's shop. The shop owner, Krishna, has been arrested and charged. In a disturbing video, the boy weeps and begs as he sits naked and tied up with a nylon string on the neighbour's terrace, writhing in pain. It appears that the boy's eyes are hurting, and he is seen rubbing parts of his body that are burning because of chilly powder. 4. A huge row erupts in parliament as the ruling BJP demands an apology from Congress over controversial comments by its chief Mallikarjun Kharge. Mr Kharge made the comments yesterday while hitting back at BJP for mocking Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra as 'Bharat todo or Divide India'. BJP demands an apology. Congress chief refuses. Besides, according to sources, parliament's winter session may end on Friday instead of 29 December. 5. BJP government introduces a bill that will replace an ordinance that is in effect to increase reservation for SCs and STs. The Karnataka Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Reservation of Seats in Education Institutions and of Appointments or Posts in the Services Under the State Bill was introduced in the Assembly by Law Minister JC Madhuswamy. In October, the government promulgated an ordinance increasing reservation for SCs from 15 per cent to 17 per cent and STs from 3 per cent to 7 per cent. This takes the total reservation tally to 56 per cent, above the 50 per cent ceiling fixed by the Supreme Court. 6. After the easing of Covid-19 restrictions, China is experiencing a massive surge in coronavirus cases. Hospitals are completely overwhelmed in China, reports Eric Feigl-Ding, an epidemiologist and health economist. He estimates that more than 60 per cent of China and 10 per cent of Earth's population are likely to be infected over the next 90 days with deaths likely in the millions. 7. Lionel Messi's Argentina team arrives back in Buenos Aires after FIFA WC triumph. Argentina's first global championship since Diego Maradona led them to victory in Mexico in 1986 is the fulfilment of a 'childhood dream', according to Mr Messi.
- Days after the AAP ran a successful poll campaign for Delhi's civic body, the Lieutenant Governor has ordered that the party pay Rs 97 crore for state government ads that had allegedly been used for the party's promotion five years ago. The AAP has said the Lieutenant Governor has no power to issue such orders, calling it 'a new love letter'. Earlier this month, the AAP, which holds power in the Delhi assembly since 2015, ended the 15-year reign of the BJP in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. 2. A huge row erupted in parliament today as the ruling BJP demanded an apology from the Congress over controversial comments by its chief Mallikarjun Kharge. Mr Kharge made the comments yesterday while hitting back at the BJP for mocking Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra as 'Bharat todo or Divide India'. BJP demands an apology. Congress chief refuses. Besides, according to sources, parliament's winter session may end on Friday instead of December 29. 3. he SC/ST Reservation Ordinance to be moved in Karnataka Assembly today. This exceeds the 50 percent cap that was fixed by the Supreme Court. 4. After the easing of Covid-19 restrictions, China is experiencing a massive surge in coronavirus cases. Hospitals are completely overwhelmed in China, reports Eric Feigl-Ding, an epidemiologist and health economist. He estimates that more than 60 per cent of China and 10 per cent of Earth's population are likely to be infected over the next 90 days with deaths likely in the millions. 5. Lionel Messi's Argentina team arrive back in Buenos Aires after FIFA WC triumph. Argentina's first global championship since Diego Maradona led them to victory in Mexico in 1986 was the fulfilment of a 'childhood dream' according to Messi.
- Former US president Donald Trump accuses House lawmakers of recommending 'fake charges' against him as part of an attempt to prevent him from running for the White House again. As per a CNN report, the House committee investigating the January 6 insurrection has voted to approve the referral of multiple criminal charges against Mr Trump. 2. The SC/ST Reservation Ordinance to be moved in Karnataka Assembly today. This exceeds the 50 percent cap that was fixed by the Supreme Court. 3. High-resolution satellite imagery accessed by NDTV within days of the clashes in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh, indicates that Beijing has positioned large numbers of drones and fighter aircraft at major Tibetan airbases, which are ranged against India's northeast. 4. India Meteorological Department has forecasted 'dense to very dense fog' in most pockets very likely over Punjab and Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and in some pockets over Uttar Pradesh. 'Dense fog' in isolated pockets over north Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and Bihar.
- High-resolution satellite imagery accessed by NDTV within days of the clashes in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh, indicates that Beijing has positioned large numbers of drones and fighter aircraft at major Tibetan airbases, which are ranged against India's northeast. The images from Maxar come as the Indian Air Force maintains combat air patrols over the skies of Arunachal Pradesh because of increased Chinese air activity. In the last few weeks, the Air Force has also scrambled its fighter jets on at least two occasions after detecting Chinese aircraft that threatened to breach Indian airspace over Arunachal. 2. Opposition parties in the Rajya Sabha walks out of the House after the Chair rejected demands for a debate on Chinese incursion on the borders. Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar rejected all the nine notices under rule 267 saying they were not in order. However, Congress and other parties kept insisting on their demand for suspension of business so the issue could be taken up. 3. Amid simmering tension at Karnataka-Maharashtra border where huge protests are planned today for the last winter session of BS Bommai government in Karnataka, Nationalist Congress Party and Shiv Sena leaders are detained and taken into preventive custody. NCP's Hasan Mushrif, and Shiv Sena's Kolhapur district president Vijay Devane, are detained while trying to enter Karnataka's Belagavi, the centre of the decades-old border dispute where the 10-day winter session of the Karnataka Assembly is being held. This will be the state's last winter session before it goes to polls next year. 4. Karnataka BJP government's move to put up Hindutva icon Veer Savarkar's image at the State Assembly triggers angry protests by the opposition on the opening day of the winter session of the Assembly at Belagavi. Congress leader Siddaramaiah, Leader of Opposition, leads the protest and questions the need to feature a controversial figure inside the Karnataka Assembly. 5. Dense fog covers Punjab, Haryana, UP, Delhi. Several road accidents amid the season's first smog. Pollution levels in 'severe' category in Delhi with an hourly air quality index of 407 at 7 am.
- Amid simmering tension at Karnataka-Maharashtra border where huge protests are planned today for the last winter session of BS Bommai government in Karnataka, Nationalist Congress Party and Shiv Sena leaders are detained and taken into preventive custody. NCP's Hasan Mushrif, and Shiv Sena's Kolhapur district president Vijay Devane, are detained while trying to enter Karnataka's Belagavi, the centre of the decades-old border dispute where the 10-day winter session of the Karnataka Assembly is being held. This will be the state's last winter session before it goes to polls next year. 2. Karnataka BJP government's move to put up Hindutva icon Veer Savarkar's image at the State Assembly triggers angry protests by the opposition on the opening day of the winter session of the Assembly at Belagavi. Congress leader Siddaramaiah, Leader of Opposition, leads the protest and questions the need to feature a controversial figure inside the Karnataka Assembly. 3. Chairman of Rajya Sabha Jagdeep Dhankhar disallows notices moved by the Opposition for suspension of business notice under rule 267 demanding a discussion on the Chinese transgression, following which the Opposition walks out. 'The notices do not follow rules,' says Mr Dhankhar while disapproving them. 4. Newly appointed Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu tests positive for coronavirus infection. Mr Sukhu underwent the test for Covid-19 infection on Sunday, ahead of his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national capital today. All of his programmes will now be rescheduled. 5. Pollution levels in 'severe' category in Delhi with an hourly air quality index of 407 at 7 am. The average 24-hour AQI on Thursday was 353 in the 'poor' category. The air quality in Delhi today is worst compared to nine other cities monitored on the central pollution control board's website.
- Pollution levels in 'severe' category in Delhi with an hourly air quality index of 407 at 7 am. The average 24-hour AQI on Thursday was 353 in the 'poor' category. The air quality in Delhi today is worst compared to nine other cities monitored on the central pollution control board's website. 2. Nearly a month after the November 23 cyberattack on the servers of All India Institute of Medical Sciences crippled digital services at the hospital and risked patient and research data, the Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations unit of Delhi Police seeks information from Central Bureau of Investigation on Chinese hackers through the Interpol. 3. After making a flurry of policy changes on Twitter in the past few days, Twitter Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk starts a poll on the microblogging website asking millions of users that should he step down as head of Twitter. He adds that he will abide by the results of this poll. 4. Lionel Messi 'completes football' by winning his maiden FIFA World Cup title as Argentina defeats France 4-2 on penalties after the scores are tied 3-3 in extra-time. Kylian Mbappe scores a hat-trick for France while Messi scores a brace. Angel di Maria is the only other scorer for Argentina. Later, Lionel Messi is also given the Golden Ball as he becomes the first player in history to be given the honour twice.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates, dedicates, and lays foundation stones for various projects worth Rs 2450 crores in Shillong as part of the golden jubilee celebrations of the North Eastern Council (NEC). Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a day-long visit to North-eastern states. Notably, PM Modi inaugurates 21 Hindi libraries in Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura, and Assam. Prime Minister also lays the foundation stone of six road projects across the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in Meghalaya's Shillong to participate in the golden jubilee celebration of the NEC, says his government has given 'red card' to all hurdles in northeast India, like underdevelopment, corruption, unrest, and political favouritism. Addressing the audience in a football ground, the PM used the sport's references to get his message across. 2. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal lashes out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government for 'rewarding' China, instead of punishing it for the incursions along the de facto border, most recently in Arunachal Pradesh. 3. The stealth-guided missile destroyer, Mormugao, is commissioned into the Indian Navy. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar, and Goa CM Pramod Sawant are among those present at the commissioning ceremony in Mumbai. Mr Singh says the warship's commissioning will boost India's maritime power. He terms INS Mormugao as the most technologically advanced warship. 4. The Delhi Police's Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations unit has written to CBI seeking details from Interpol about the IP addresses of email IDs from China and Hong Kong in connection with its probe into the AIIMS server attack case, say officials. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is India's nodal agency for Interpol matters. According to sources, the attack on the servers of AIIMS-Delhi is suspected to have originated from locations in China and Hong Kong. Further details have been sought which can be obtained from companies in China and Hong Kong. 5. Pakistan Peoples Party leader Shazia Marri has threatened a nuclear war with India, news agency ANI reports quoting Bol News, a day after India strongly condemned the neighbouring country's Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto for his 'uncivilised outburst' against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates, dedicates, and lays foundation stones for various projects worth Rs 2450 crores in Shillong as part of the golden jubilee celebrations of the North Eastern Council (NEC). Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a day-long visit to North-eastern states. Notably, PM Modi inaugurates 21 Hindi libraries in Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura, and Assam. Prime Minister also lays the foundation stone of six road projects across the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in Meghalaya's Shillong to participate in the golden jubilee celebration of the NEC, says his government has given 'red card' to all hurdles in northeast India, like underdevelopment, corruption, unrest, and political favouritism. Addressing the audience in a football ground, the PM used the sport's references to get his message across. 2. The stealth-guided missile destroyer, Mormugao, is commissioned into the Indian Navy. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar, and Goa CM Pramod Sawant are among those present at the commissioning ceremony in Mumbai. Mr Singh says the warship's commissioning will boost India's maritime power. He terms INS Mormugao as the most technologically advanced warship. 3. The Delhi Police's Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations unit has written to CBI seeking details from Interpol about the IP addresses of email IDs from China and Hong Kong in connection with its probe into the AIIMS server attack case, say officials. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is India's nodal agency for Interpol matters. According to sources, the attack on the servers of AIIMS-Delhi is suspected to have originated from locations in China and Hong Kong. Further details have been sought which can be obtained from companies in China and Hong Kong. 4. Pakistan Peoples Party leader Shazia Marri has threatened a nuclear war with India, news agency ANI reports quoting Bol News, a day after India strongly condemned the neighbouring country's Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto for his 'uncivilised outburst' against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate, dedicate and lay the foundation stone of projects worth over Rs 6,800 crore for northeast today. The projects encompass a wide array of sectors including housing, road, agriculture, telecom, IT, tourism and hospitality among others. The PM will participate in the golden jubilee celebration of the Northeastern Council and attend its meeting in Shillong. He will also launch 'Grih Pravesh' programme for over two lakh beneficiaries under 'Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana' or PMAY, urban and rural, schemes in Agartala. 2. Aam Aadmi Party convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to chair National Council meeting of the party today at Calista Resort in Kapashera. The leaders of all the states including AAP's representatives from across the country will participate in the meeting to discuss strategies and party's preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. 3. Thirty-two-year-old man kills his aunt, chops up her body into 10 pieces before dumping them in a remote area in Rajasthan's Jaipur. Anuj Sharma killed his 64-year-old aunt at his Jaipur home on December 11 after she stopped him from going to Delhi for an event. 4. Seventy-five people die in Chapra, in Bihar's Saran district, due to consumption of toxic liquor. The tragedy, biggest since Bihar went dry more than six years ago, is the latest in a long list of such deaths in Bihar ever since Chief Minister Nitish Kumar imposed prohibition in 2016. 5. Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka bans private companies from collecting voter data in the state. This comes weeks after TNM's investigation into the voter data theft by private entity Chilume after obtaining permission from Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike. The CEO directs all District Election Officers in the state to ensure that necessary measures are taken so that private agencies cannot collect voter data.
- Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann reacts sharply to Rahul Gandhi's remarks that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) played a big role in Congress' poor show in the recently-concluded Gujarat Assembly elections. 'How many times did Rahul Gandhi visit Gujarat. Only once, he wanted to win the election with a single visit to the state,' Mr Mann says, launching a scathing attack on the Congress MP who is currently leading his party's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' through the country. He says, 'Elections were held where the sun is set (Gujarat), Rahul Gandhi started his 'padyatra' from the place where the sun rises first (Kanyakumari). Let him correct his timing first'. 2. Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray hits out at CM Shinde and the Governor calls them 'parrot' and says they follow Balasaheb ideology, but work for Delhi. 3. Supreme Court dismisses one of two petitions filed by Gujarat riots victim Bilkis Bano against the release of 11 men who raped her and killed several of her family members during the 2002 communal violence. In the dismissed request, she'd had asked the court to review its May 2022 order that told the Gujarat government to consider the convicts' release plea. Her other case, which challenges the very grounds of the release, is not immediately affected by this decision, though. 4. Aaftab Poonawala, accused of strangling his live-in partner Shraddha Walkar and chopping her body into pieces, informs court in Delhi that he has signed on the vakalatnama but is not aware a bail petition will be filed on his behalf. The accused appears before Additional Sessions Judge Vrinda Kumari through video-conferencing. Poonawala says, 'I would like the counsel to talk to me and then withdraw the bail plea'. The court posts the matter for further proceedings on 22 December.
- Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant counters rivals, particularly BJP, on 'freebies' or 'financially unviable' subsidies, which PM Narendra Modi has called 'muft ki revdi'. Referring to Mr Modi's promise to bring back black money, Mr Mann says, 'If PM Modi calls that 'free ki revdi', then who sold the 'papad' of 'Rs 15 lakh in every Indian's bank account'. 2. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju tweets a photo with Indian Army soldiers from Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh to make a point against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who had blamed PM Narendra Modi's government for 'our jawans being assaulted, our land being taken by China'. Tawang, where a border clash recently took place, is part of Mr Rijiju's Lok Sabha constituency. Mr Rijuju writes with the photo, 'Yangtse area in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh is fully secured now due to adequate deployment of the brave jawans of Indian Army'. 3. Supreme Court dismisses one of two petitions filed by Gujarat riots victim Bilkis Bano against the release of 11 men who raped her and killed several of her family members during the 2002 communal violence. In the dismissed request, she'd had asked the court to review its May 2022 order that told the Gujarat government to consider the convicts' release plea. Her other case, which challenges the very grounds of the release, is not immediately affected by this decision, though. 4. A video of a pregnant woman being beaten by some local goons surfaces on the internet. Deputy Superintendent of police Jalaun Shailendra Bajpai says,'Accused Ravindra, Manmohan and Manmohan's son Aadesh on reaching the young man's house started hurling abuses against their uncle, when Sandeep objected the accused started fighting'. Mr Bajpai adds, 'The accused have filed a complaint. After seeing the video the police have initiated action against the perpetrators of the incident'. 5. Maharashtra's opposition front Maha Vikas Aghadi is holding 'Halla Bol' protest march against the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government over a number of issues. The march began around noon at a company near J J Hospital in Byculla and will end at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in south Mumbai. Meanwhile, BJP is holding 'Maafi Mango' protests in all six parliamentary districts of Mumbai in response to the MVA's march, accusing Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut of stirring up a debate over Dr B R Ambedkar's birthplace and party leader Sushma Andhare of demeaning Hindu deities and saints. 6. Aaftab Poonawala, accused of strangling his live-in partner Shraddha Walkar and chopping her body into pieces, informs court in Delhi that he has signed on the vakalatnama but is not aware a bail petition will be filed on his behalf. The accused appears before Additional Sessions Judge Vrinda Kumari through video-conferencing. Poonawala says, 'I would like the counsel to talk to me and then withdraw the bail plea'. The court posts the matter for further proceedings on 22 December. 7. Two former Chinese state media journalists die in the capital Beijing in recent days due to COVID-19, reports local media, among the first reported fatalities since most epidemic control policies were removed on Dec 7. Yang Lianghua, a former People's Daily reporter, died on December 15, aged 74, while Zhou Zhichun, a former China Youth Daily editor, died on December 8, aged 77, according to financial magazine Caixin.
- BJP dubs Pakistan's Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto's personal comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi as highly shameful and derogatory and says it will hold nationwide protests against them today. BJP reminds the neighbouring country that Modi government's rescue mission for students during Ukraine-Russia war also evacuated its citizens. 2. Hitting back at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for claiming that India is ignoring the threat of war from China, BJP accuses him of trying to demoralise the military and takes a swipe at his great-grandfather former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Mr Gandhi alleges that China is preparing for war and the Indian government is sleeping over it and ignoring the threat. 3. United States once again welcomes Prime Minister Narendra Modi's position on Ukraine conflict, which calls for cessation of all kinds of violence and the pursuit of the path of diplomacy. State Department's Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel says, 'We would take PM Modi at his words and welcome those comments when they took place. Other countries will make their own decision on engagement with Russia. We continue to coordinate with allies to mitigate impacts of war.' Mr Patel makes these remarks in response to a question on India's position on Russia-Ukraine conflict and PM Modi's call to end the war. 4. Actor Amitabh Bachchan's comments in Kolkata, on 'questions being raised on freedom of expression', spark Twitter fight between Bengal's Trinamool Congress and Centre's ruling BJP, bitter rivals who accuse each other of 'tyranny'. The fight comes in the backdrop of BJP leaders' boycott calls against 'Pathaan', the upcoming movie by Shah Rukh Khan, who was on the stage at the Kolkata film fest besides Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Trinamool MP Nussrat Jahan hits back at BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya, who tweeted, 'Amitabh Bachchan's words couldn't have been more prophetic since they were spoken in Kolkata, with Mamata Banerjee on the dais. It is like holding a mirror to the tyrant.' 5. Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud says no Supreme Court bench will be available from December 17 till January 1 during the ensuing winter vacations. The Chief Justice of India's announcement made in the top court assumes significance in the wake of Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju's statement in Rajya Sabha on Thursday in which he said there was a feeling among the people that long court vacations were not very convenient for justice seekers. 6. Aaftab Amin Poonawala, accused of strangulating his live-in partner Shraddha Walkar and chopping her body into pieces, moves court seeking bail. The hearing will take place today before Additional Sessions Judge Vrinda Kumari. As the initial investigation in the case is complete and the chargesheet is yet to be filed, there is no purpose in keeping the accused in judicial custody, says lawyer. 7. Two former Chinese state media journalists die in the capital Beijing in recent days due to COVID-19, reports local media, among the first reported fatalities since most epidemic control policies were removed on Dec 7. Yang Lianghua, a former People's Daily reporter, died on December 15, aged 74, while Zhou Zhichun, a former China Youth Daily editor, died on December 8, aged 77, according to financial magazine Caixin.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi called upon Russian President Vladimir Putin, and reiterated his call for dialogue and diplomacy as 'the only way forward' in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, says the government. The two leaders spoke over a phone call. Meanwhile, the Russian side, in its statement says, 'At the request of Narendra Modi, Vladimir Putin gave fundamental assessments of Russia's line on the Ukrainian direction'. 2. Scores of BJP leaders and workers stage a protest near Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi over Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto's remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The protesters also demand an apology for Mr Bhutto's 'insensible' remarks. In a highly objectionable comment on Thursday, Mr Bhutto had said: 'Osama bin Laden is dead, but the butcher of Gujarat lives and he is the Prime Minister of India.' He was reacting to Foreign Minister S Jaishankar calling Pakistan the 'epicentre of terrorism' in a powerful takedown. 3. Border areas along the country's northern frontier are 'stable' and Indian Armed forces remain 'firmly in control', says Eastern Army commander Lt General RP Kalita. Lt Gen Kalita's assertion comes a week after Indian and Chinese soldiers clashed at the border area of Yangtse, to the north east of the monastery town of Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, which had been invaded by China's PLA in 1962. 4. The Delhi Police says, a class 5 student was hit with scissors and flung from the first floor of the school building by her teacher who has subsequently been detained. He says, the injured girl is under treatment at the Hindu Rao hospital and is stated to be out of danger. A senior civic body official says, the teacher employed at the Municipal Corporation of Delhi school has been suspended and investigation has been taken up.
- Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar reiterates that those who will drink spurious liquor would die. Mr.Kumar in the state assembly says, 'No compensation will be given to people who died after drinking. We have been appealing, if you drink, you will die, those who talk in favour of drinking will not bring any good to you'. Earlier on Thursday, Mr. Kumar told media persons waiting for his reaction on the deaths in the Chhapra hooch tragedy that if 'someone consumes spurious liquor, they will die' as he came under heavy pressure on his alleged failed excise policy. The death toll in Bihar's Chhapra Hooch tragedy soars to 50, with 11 more people succumbing after consuming spurious liquor in Saran district. 2. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar says, 'the world sees Pakistan as the 'epicentre' of terrorism, asserting that the international community has not forgotten where the menace stems from, despite the brain fog induced by over two years of Covid-19'. He made the remarks while addressing reporters at the UN Security Council stakeout after charing a signature event held under India's presidency of the Council on 'Global Counterterrorism Approach: Challenges and Way Forward'. 3. Two civilians are killed in a firing incident outside an army camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri. The killings have triggered protests with protesters throwing stones at the camp. The army says the civilians were killed after terrorists opened fire at them. 4. As the Rahul Gandhi-led foot march completed 100 days on the road, senior Congress leader K C Venugopal says, the Bharat Jodo Yatra's biggest achievement is that it highlighted issues relevant to the people. Mr Gandhi, Mr Venugopal, former Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot and other senior leaders of the party began the morning leg of the yatra from the Meena High Court. 5. Twitter suspends the accounts of several prominent journalists who recently wrote about its new owner Elon Musk, with the billionaire tweeting that rules banning the publishing of personal information applied to all, including journalists. Responding to a Tweet on the account suspensions, Mr Musk tweets: 'Same doxxing rules apply to 'journalists' as to everyone else,' a reference to Twitter rules banning the sharing of personal information, called doxxing. On Wednesday, Twitter suspended elonjet, an account tracking Mr. Musk's private jet in real-time using data available in the public domain. Mr. Musk had threatened legal action against the account's operator, saying his son had been mistakenly followed by a 'crazy stalker'.
- United Nations: The world sees Pakistan as the 'epicentre' of terrorism, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar says, asserting that the international community has not forgotten where the menace stems from, despite the brain fog induced by over two years of Covid-19. He makes the remarks while addressing reporters at the UN Security Council stakeout after chairing a signature event held under India's presidency of the Council on 'Global Counterterrorism Approach: Challenges and Way Forward. 2. The Bharat Jodo Yatra's biggest achievement is that it highlighted issues relevant to the people, senior Congress leader K C Venugopal says as the Rahul Gandhi-led foot march completes 100 days on the road. 3. Ten years after the brutal gangrape and murder of a young paramedic student in Delhi, nothing has changed for the women of the national capital, her parents said. On the eve of the 10th anniversary of the incident on Thursday, Nirbhaya's mother Asha Devi said more sexual assault survivors are speaking up now. 4. India has successfully carried out night trials of the Agni V nuclear-capable ballistic missile which can hit targets beyond 5,400 km, sources in the Defence Ministry says, amid heightened tensions with China over clashes along the de facto border in Arunachal Pradesh last week. 5. Former Governor of Reserve Bank of India Raghuram Rajan says he believes the country will be lucky if it achieves 5 per cent growth next year. The former governor also says next year is going to be more difficult than this one. 'Of course, this one had a lot of difficulties with the war and all that. Growth is going to slow in the world. People are raising interest rates that bring down growth,' he says. While talking with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the former governor of the RBI says, 'India is also going to be hit. India's interest rates have also gone up but Indian exports have been slowing quite a bit.' 6. Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan on Thursday said that positive people like him, will stay alive. The comment came in the midst of a row over a song in his upcoming film 'Pathaan'. The actor, while addressing a star-studded gathering at the inaugural of the Kolkata International Film Festival, also decried how social media is often driven by certain narrowness of views, 'making it divisive and destructive.' 7. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, demands that veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan be honoured with the Bharat Ratna award for his contribution to Indian cinema.
- Police have finally got some major material evidence in the murder case of Shraddha Walkar, a DNA test confirms that the bones that alleged killer Aaftab Poonawala led the cops to, in a jungle in Delhi's Mehrauli area and in Gurugram, are indeed hers. The test report, carried out using DNA samples from her father came in today, over a month after her boyfriend Aaftab Poonawala was arrested for having killer her in May. He had chopped up her body into 35 pieces that he kept in a fridge and later dumped in the jungle near their rented flat in South Delhi's Mehrauli over 18 days. 2. In a murder case that took over two months to unravel, police have arrested a man named Umesh Sharma from Modinagar in UP's Ghaziabad district for allegedly killing his tenant, Ankit Khokar, and chopping his body into pieces that he threw in a canal. The victim had recently sold his ancestral land in Baghpat from which he had got Rs 1 crore, which the killer was eyeing, says police. A friend of the killer, identified as Parvesh, has also been arrested. 3. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar rejects the possibility of giving compensation to the families of those killed by spurious liquor, and says, people should be 'more vigilant' when the state anyway has prohibition since 2016. Forty people have died in Saran district in the most recent tragedy, and the JDU-RJD government has been facing protests by the BJP in the assembly and outside over alleged laxity in implementing prohibition. 4. In a war of words with the Supreme Court, Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju once again flags concerns over the government's 'limited role' in appointing judges and stresses that it is at odds with the spirit of the Constitution. His latest message comes from parliament. 5. People residing at Tawang have shown confidence in the Indian Army and express their support, following the December 9 border clash where the Indian soldiers thwarted the Chinese attempt to change the status quo along the LAC in the Yangtse sector in Tawang. The locals claim that the atmosphere in the bordering town is very good and they have not faced any problems following the clash. 6. Ahead of his cabinet expansion in the state, Himachal Pradesh's new Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu meets senior Congress leaders, including party chief Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi. 7. India strongly hit back at Pakistan after it raised the Kashmir issue in the UN Security Council, asserting that a country that hosted slain Al Qaeda terrorist Osama bin Laden and attacked a neighbouring Parliament does not have the credentials to 'sermonise' in the power UN organ.
- Police have finally got some major material evidence in the murder case of Shraddha Walkar, a DNA test confirms that the bones that alleged killer Aaftab Poonawala led the cops to, in a jungle in Delhi's Mehrauli area and in Gurugram, are indeed hers. The test report, carried out using DNA samples from her father came in today, over a month after her boyfriend Aaftab Poonawala was arrested for having killer her in May. He had chopped up her body into 35 pieces that he kept in a fridge and later dumped in the jungle near their rented flat in South Delhi's Mehrauli over 18 days. 2. The three men accused of throwing acid on a 17-year-old schoolgirl in Delhi, leaving her in a critical state in hospital, ordered the chemical on online shopping site Flipkart. It has taken another deadly acid attack to expose how easy it is to buy acid, online or at a shop, despite a Supreme Court ban on its sale. The Delhi Commission for Women sends notice to Flipkart and Amazon over 'easy availability of acid'. 3. NDTV learns, the Union Home Ministry will deploy an additional 1,200 personnel from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at the Delhi airport, adding to the 5,000-odd already deployed to ensure faster security checks and ease the holiday season rush. Sources say, the decision will be made at a meeting called by the Home Secretary after days of complaints that it's taking more than four hours, as opposed to the usual two hours, to complete the check-in process before people can board flights. 4. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar rejects the possibility of giving compensation to the families of those killed by spurious liquor, and says, people should be 'more vigilant' when the state anyway has prohibition since 2016. Over 30 people have died in Saran district in the most recent tragedy, and the JDU-RJD government has been facing protests by the BJP in the assembly and outside over alleged laxity in implementing prohibition.
- United Nations: Multilateral platforms are being misused to justify and protect perpetrators of terrorism, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar says during an open debate at the UN Security Council, in a veiled attack on China and its close ally Pakistan. Presiding over the UN Security Council open debate on 'Maintenance of International Peace and Security: New Orientation for Reformed Multilateralism', Mr Jaishankar also says the knock-on effects of conflict situations have made a strong case that it cannot be 'business as usual' in the multilateral domain. 2. 'The Chief Minsters of Karnataka and Maharashtra have agreed not to press their claims in the decades-long state border dispute till the Supreme Court takes a call on the matter,' Union Home Minister Amit Shah says after a meeting with the two leaders. His meeting with Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was held amid a flare-up of the dispute that dates back to 1957. 3. Amid congestion, state-owned AAI has asked Delhi airport operator DIAL to provide details on whether there has been any deficiency in providing services at the airport, according to an official. The Airports Authority of India has sought details about the status of services as per the Operation, Management and Development Agreement from DIAL, which is majority-owned by GMR group. 4. The three men arrested for allegedly throwing acid on a 17-year-old schoolgirl in Delhi planned the attack meticulously down to the minute detail to mislead investigators, the police say in a statement. The three have been identified as Sachin Arora, 20; Harshit Aggarwal, 19, and Virender Singh, 22. 5. FIFA World Cup 2022: Theo Hernandez and Randal Kolo Muani provided France with major breakthroughs as they defeated Morocco 2-0, in the semi-final match at the Al Bayt Stadium, Qatar, on Thursday. France, hence, became the first defending champions to qualify for consecutive World Cup finals since Brazil did it in 1998. France will now face Argentina in the summit clash of the tournament on Sunday.
- The attack on the computer system of All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi originated from China, say government sources, assuring that the data, details of lakhs of patients at the premier hospital, has now been retrieved. A top source says,'Of the 100 servers, 40 physical and 60 virtual, five physical servers were infiltrated by hackers. The damage could have been far worse but is now contained. Data in the five servers has been successfully retrieved.' 2. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his ministers turn down the invitation of Governor Arif Mohammed Khan to join Christmas celebration on December 14 at Raj Bhavan. Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan too will not be attending the celebration. His office informs that Mr Satheesan is going to New Delhi. 3. A day after government confirmed a clash on December 9 between Indian and Chinese soldiers at the border in Arunachal Pradesh, a video of a previous skirmish emerges. The video from last year shows a fierce fight in the same area of Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh. The Army firmly denies that the video is related to the December 9 incident. What is shown in the clip is believed to have taken place at Yangtse sector near Line of Actual Control, sometime after the clashes at Galwan Valley in Eastern Ladakh in June 2020, when 20 Indian soldiers died for the country and more than 40 Chinese soldiers were killed or injured. 4. Over a dozen Opposition parties attend strategy meeting called by Rajya Sabha Opposition leader, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and later walk out in sync over the government's refusal to discuss India-China clashes. Sonia Gandhi leads Congress MPs out of Lok Sabha. Trinamool lawmakers stage a walkout too after the Speaker does not accept yet another request for a discussion on India-China border situation. 5. Senior Supreme Court lawyer Majeed Memon joins Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress, three weeks after quitting Nationalist Congress Party. Mr Memon, former Rajya Sabha member, cites personal reasons for quitting NCP of Sharad Pawar. Reports suggest he was upset at not being given another Rajya Sabha term. Sources say Mr Memon had been in touch with Trinamool Congress for some time. He was welcomed by two senior Trinamool leaders, Sougata Roy and Derek O'Brien. 6. A furious Nitish Kumar screams 'you are a drunk' at the opposition BJP as he faces protests in Bihar Assembly over liquor deaths in the state that has been dry since 2016. Seventeen people have died in different villages in Chhapra district after allegedly drinking toxic liquor, and more deaths are feared. 7. A 17-year-old girl is hospitalised with serious injuries after two men on a bike throw acid at her in southwest Delhi's Dwarka area. The girl's father tells media that the chemical has splashed across her face and has also entered her eyes. Police say the girl has identified two suspects and both of them have been detained. Shocking footage of the incident has been captured by a CCTV camera. The visuals show two girls walking by the roadside when a bike slows down and one of the riders throws a liquid substance from a glass at the 17-year-old. She is then seen holding her face and running, clearly in extreme pain. 8. Lionel Messi confirms that 2022 FIFA World Cup final will be his last game for Argentina. Mr Messi has become Argentina's leading goalscorer in World Cups, surpassing Gabriel Batistuta on the list. The 35-year-old has 11 World Cup goals to his name so far.
- A 17-year-old girl is hospitalised with serious injuries after two men on a bike throw acid at her in southwest Delhi's Dwarka area. The girl's father tells media that the chemical splashed across her face and also entered her eyes. The girl, say police, has identified two suspects and one of them has been detained. 2. Opposition unity in Parliament on display again as Aam Aadmi Party and Telangana Rashtra Samithi join a strategy meet called by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, on how to compel the government to discuss the recent India-China border clashes, in Arunachal Pradesh, in Parliament. Bengal's Trinamool Congress later participates in a walkout along with the 18 parties that were at the meeting, protesting the chairpersons' refusal to allow a discussion on Tawang clashes. 3. A day after the government confirms a clash on December 9 between Indian and Chinese soldiers at the border in Arunachal Pradesh, an undated video of a previous skirmish goes viral. The video, possibly from last year, shows Indian and Chinese soldiers in a fierce fight along Line of Actual Control in Arunachal Pradesh. The Army firmly denies that the video is related to the December 9 incident. 4. Union Home Minister Amit Shah to hold a meeting with Karnataka and Maharashtra Chief Ministers to soothe tempers on the border dispute between the two states. After both Chief Ministers indulge in a war of words on the issue followed by incidents of stone pelting at border areas, Mr Shah decides to convene the meeting. In the meeting, Mr Shah is likely to ask both leaders not to make provocative statements and request them to maintain peace at border areas. 5. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin's elder son Udhayanidhi takes oath as a cabinet minister. Mr Udhyanidhi, referred as 'rising son' of DMK, has been named the new sports minister of the state. He is MLA from Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni Assembly constituency and enjoys deep-ground support across the state. 6. Former Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan joins Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during his Bharat Jodo Yatra. Videos shared on social media show Mr Rajan and Mr Gandhi having a discussion while marching as Congress's footmarch resumes from Sawai Madhopur in Rajasthan. BJP says, 'Mr Rajan fancies himself as the next Manmohan Singh.' 7. Lionel Messi confirms that 2022 FIFA World Cup final will be his last game for Argentina. Mr Messi has become Argentina's leading goalscorer in World Cups, surpassing Gabriel Batistuta on the list. The 35-year-old has 11 World Cup goals to his name so far. 8. Days after a key accused in a case of violence in West Bengal's Birbhum allegedly dies by suicide in CBI custody, state police files a murder case against the officials of the central probe agency. Lalon Sheikh, one of the main accused in the violence that took place earlier this year at Bogtui village of Birbhum district, allegedly died by suicide in CBI custody on Monday. He was arrested from Jharkhand on December 4, eight months after the massacre in which 10 people, including women and children, were burnt alive.
- A new report by an American forensic firm shows that multiple incriminating documents were planted in the computer of Father Stan Swamy, the 83-year-old activist-priest who was arrested for alleged terror links in 2020 and who died in custody a year later. The report blasts a hole in the National Investigation Agency (NIA)'s charges against Stan Swamy, which centre around alleged electronic correspondence between the priest and supposed Maoist leaders to make the case that he was part of an explosive Naxal conspiracy. 2. 'On 9 December 2022, PLA (People's Liberation Army of China) troops tried to transgress the LAC in Yangtse area of Tawang Sector and unilaterally change the status quo. The Chinese attempt was contested by our troops in a firm and resolute manner. The ensuing face off led to a physical scuffle in which the Indian Army bravely prevented the PLA from transgressing into our territory and compelled them to return to their posts,' Defence Minister Rajnath Singh informs the Parliament over the latest clash between Indian and Chinese soldiers in Arunachal Pradesh. 3. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin's son Udhayanidhi is set to be sworn in as a minister today, the Raj Bhavan confirms. His swearing-in ceremony will be held this morning. 4. The White House has said the Biden administration is glad that both India and China quickly disengaged after clashing in Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang sector.
- Indian soldiers repulsed an attempt by Chinese forces to unilaterally change the status quo in Arunachal Pradesh by transgressing Line of Actual Control in Tawang last week, government announces in Parliament. In a statement in both the houses, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh says Indian soldiers prevented Chinese from making a landgrab in Arunachal Pradesh and compelled Chinese troops to return to their posts. Mr Singh adds that no soldier was killed or seriously injured in the clash between Indian and Chinese troops on 9 December. 2. China announces that the situation is stable at its border with India, after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh says the two sides clashed at Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh last week. Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin says, 'As far as we understand, the China-India border situation is stable overall.' He adds that the two sides maintain unobstructed dialogue on the border issue through diplomatic and military channels. 3. Ruckus erupts inside Parliament over the clash that occurred between India and China in Tawang. Opposition says that it is not satisfied with Mr Singh's statement on the matter and seeks clarifications. However, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh refuses permission, resulting in an uproar in the House. Mr Harivansh says clarifications are not allowed on sensitive issues, citing precedents from the past. After protests, Opposition MPs stage a walkout. 4. Union Home Minister Amit Shah says no one can capture an inch of our land till Narendra Modi government is in power. Addressing reporters outside Parliament House, Mr Shah adds that the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act registration of Rajiv Gandhi Foundation was cancelled as it allegedly got Rs 1.35 crore from the Chinese Embassy. 5. Indian Air Force fighter jets are flying combat air patrols over Arunachal Pradesh. The air force is on high alert after Indian Army stopped Chinese forces from trying to unilaterally change the status quo along the Line of Actual Control. CAPs, short for combat air patrols, refer to fighter jets flying on a predetermined flight path and checking for enemy air activity along the flight path. The fighter jets on CAPs may be allowed to shoot down aircraft identified as hostile if they think they are under threat inside their own airspace or if they are fired upon. Combat air patrols are flown in formation of two, four or more fighter jets. 6. Due to increasing congestion at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport, low-budget carrier IndiGo advises passengers to reach the airport at least 3.5 hours prior to domestic departures and carry only one piece of hand baggage weighing 7 kg for a smooth security check. The airline says Delhi airport is experiencing high footfalls, and check-in and boarding time is expected to be longer than usual. It also advises passengers to use gate numbers 5 and 6 for entry at Delhi Airport, Terminal 3, as these are nearest to the IndiGo check-in counters. 7. Three students preparing for competitive exams in Rajasthan's Kota allegedly die by suicide. The boys were 16, 17 and 18. Two of the students, Ankush and Ujjwal, were friends from Bihar and were staying in rooms next to each other. One was preparing for his engineering college entrance, while the other was studying to crack the medical college entrance tests. No suicide notes have been found yet. 8. India's Information Technology Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar says while the government probably cannot intervene to stop layoffs in the IT sector, it is working to ensure these job losses are soft landings, meaning enough time to find new jobs. He insists that there are enough jobs for talented people, in fact there is a deficit, but also outlines Rs 460 crore reskilling plan.
- The Indian Army bravely thwarted an attempt by the Chinese PLA from 'unilaterally' changing the status quo in the Yangtse area of Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang sector on December 9, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh says in Parliament. There were no fatalities or serious injuries to Indian troops in the scuffle, he says. China's foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin says, 'As far as we understand, the China-India border situation is stable overall. 2. The Congress stages a walkout from the Rajya Sabha after it is denied permission to seek clarifications on Mr Singh's statement on the clash in the Tawang sector. 3. Parliament gets adjourned after the Opposition insists on a discussion on the India-China border clash of December 9 that came to light this week. Union Home Minister Amit Shah says, 'Today in Lok Sabha Opposition did not allow Question Hour to run. I condemn this act. The opposition raised the issue of India-China face off to avoid question being raised in Lok Sabha on Foreign Contribution Regulation Act violation by the Rajiv Gandhi foundation.' He adds, 'If they would have allowed, I would have given an answer in Parliament that Rajiv Gandhi Foundation received grant of Rs 1.35 crores from the Chinese Embassy during 2005-2007, which was not appropriate as per FCRA.' 4. The Indian Air Force launches active combat patrols over Arunachal Pradesh after detecting 'enhanced Chinese air activity', sources say. Fighter jets had to be scrambled 'two-three times' in recent weeks to thwart China, they reveal. 5. Madhya Pradesh Congress leader Raja Pateria arrested for his controversial 'be ready to kill' Prime Minister Narendra Modi remarks. Mr Pateria triggered outrage on Monday when a video of him surfaced in which he was heard goading a group of people to 'kill' PM Modi in order to 'save' the Constitution. 6. The first case of Zika virus reported in the Kolar district in Karnataka. Health minister for Karnataka Dr K Sudhakar confirms the first case where a five-year-old girl's sample sent to the Pune lab turned out to be positive for the virus. Areas in and around Kolar are being fumigated as a part of precautionary measures undertaken by the district health administration. 7. Due to increasing congestion at the Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport, low-budget carrier InidiGo advises passengers to reach the airport at least 3.5 hours prior to domestic departures and carry only one piece of hand baggage weighing 7 kg for a smooth security check.
- Indian and Chinese troops briefly clashed at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Arunachal Pradesh last week before disengaging. The face-off on December 9 led to 'minor injuries to a few personnel from both sides' and the two sides 'immediately disengaged from the area'. The face-off took place at the Tawang Sector of Arunachal Pradesh. Chinese troops crossed the LAC, which was contested by Indian soldiers in a 'firm and resolute manner'. 2. Three students preparing for competitive exams in Rajasthan's Kota allegedly dies by suicide. The boys were 16, 17 and 18. Two of the students, Ankush and Ujjwal, were friends from Bihar. One was preparing for his engineering college entrance, while the other was studying to crack the medical college entrance tests. No suicide notes have been found yet. The third student, Pranav, came to Kota from Madhya Pradesh, and was preparing for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate) - a pre-medical entrance test. 3. A court grants one-week interim bail to former JNU student Umar Khalid, arrested in a case related to the northeast Delhi riots, for his sister's wedding. He has been granted relief from December 23 to 30. 4. Rs 200 crore extortion case: Bollywood actor Nora Fatehi files a case against fellow actor Jacqueline Fernandez, and 15 media houses, for defamatory remarks made by Ms Fernandez. 5. The Islamic State group claims responsibility for a deadly attack on a hotel in Afghanistan's capital used by Chinese businessmen. The group says two of its personnel 'attacked a big hotel frequented by Chinese diplomats and businessmen in Kabul, where they detonated two explosive devices hidden inside two bags,' one of them targeting a party for Chinese guests and the other targeting the reception hall. 6. Croatia and Argentina face each other today at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar with a place in the World Cup final at stake.
- Gujarat BJP leader Bhupendra Patel takes oath for the second time in a grand ceremony attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other central ministers, in Gandhinagar. Mr Patel, who had replaced Vijay Rupani in September last year ahead of the elections in the state, is administered the oath as the 18th Chief Minister by Governor Acharya Devvrat at a function near the new Secretariat. Contrary to concerns about anti-incumbency, BJP had achieved a landslide victory in just-concluded assembly elections in Gujarat, winning 156 of the state's 182 seats and 53 per cent vote share. 2. Allegations that cars bought by Mumbai Police under Nirbhaya fund were used in the security detail of MLAs and MPs of Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena faction trigger massive row in Maharashtra. Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha says, 'There is no need for an audit. Ever since this government took over, the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition keeps making false allegations.' According to an exclusive report in the Indian Express, cars bought by the police earlier this year under the Nirbhaya Fund to fight crime against women are being used for providing Y-plus security to the MLAs and MPs of team Shinde. 3. Moments after Bombay High Court grants bail to Maharashtra's former Home Minister and Nationalist Congress Party leader Anil Deshmukh in a corruption and abuse of power case filed by Central Bureau of Investigation, it puts it on hold for 10 days as CBI seeks time to challenge it in Supreme Court. Mr Deshmukh had first sought bail in the case as soon as the Bombay High Court granted him bail on October 4 in a money laundering case registered against him by Enforcement Directorate, but a special court had rejected his application. The NCP leader was arrested on November 2, 2021, and has been in judicial custody. He was admitted to a private hospital in October for coronary angiography. 4. A loud blast and gunfire were heard in the Afghan capital near a hotel popular with Chinese business visitors, says a witness. The Taliban claim to have improved national security since storming back to power in August last year but there have been scores of bomb blasts and attacks, many claimed by the local chapter of the Islamic State group.
- Gujarat BJP leader Bhupendra Patel takes oath for the second time in a grand ceremony attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other central ministers, in Gandhinagar. Mr Patel, who had replaced Vijay Rupani in September last year ahead of the elections in the state, is administered the oath as the 18th Chief Minister by Governor Acharya Devvrat at a function near the new Secretariat. Contrary to concerns about anti-incumbency, BJP had achieved a landslide victory in just-concluded assembly elections in Gujarat, winning 156 of the state's 182 seats and 53 per cent vote share. 2. Allegations that cars bought by Mumbai Police under Nirbhaya fund were used in the security detail of MLAs and MPs of Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena faction trigger massive row in Maharashtra. Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha says, 'There is no need for an audit. Ever since this government took over, the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition keeps making false allegations.' According to an exclusive report in the Indian Express, cars bought by the police earlier this year under the Nirbhaya Fund to fight crime against women are being used for providing Y-plus security to the MLAs and MPs of team Shinde. 3. Moments after Bombay High Court grants bail to Maharashtra's former Home Minister and Nationalist Congress Party leader Anil Deshmukh in a corruption and abuse of power case filed by Central Bureau of Investigation, it puts it on hold for 10 days as CBI seeks time to challenge it in Supreme Court. Mr Deshmukh had first sought bail in the case as soon as the Bombay High Court granted him bail on October 4 in a money laundering case registered against him by Enforcement Directorate, but a special court had rejected his application. The NCP leader was arrested on November 2, 2021, and has been in judicial custody. He was admitted to a private hospital in October for coronary angiography.
- BJP's seventh term in power in Gujarat to begin today with a grand oath ceremony for Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, who had replaced Vijay Rupani in September last year, ahead of the elections in the state. Around 25 cabinet ministers will also take an oath with him. Contrary to concerns about growing anti-incumbency, BJP has achieved a landslide victory in Gujarat, winning 156 of the state's 182 seats and 53 per cent vote share. 2. Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the new Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, disagrees that the state unit of Congress is riven with factionalism. He adds, 'I have risen from a very humble background, it's a moment of pride that a man like me has been made Chief Minister.' 3. Five-member Trinamool Congress parliamentary delegation to visit Election Commission of India today to raise the alleged violation of Representation of People's Act in connection with party spokesperson Saket Gokhale's arrest. Earlier, TMC sent a memorandum to Election Commission, urging it to order an immediate probe into the action initiated by Gujarat Police against Mr Gokhale and to put an end to all the alleged physical and mental harassment being inflicted upon him. 4. Rajinikanth, widely regarded as one of Indian cinema's biggest icons, turns 72 today. The legend, who has been an integral part of the film industry since 1975, is respected by many because of his down-to-earth nature. 5. There will be no third front in 2024, and what will be formed next time will be the 'main front', says Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to loud cheering at a conference of his party, the Janata Dal United. He says parties opposed to BJP can win with a 'huge majority' in 2024 Lok Sabha polls if they agree to join hands. 6. At least two school students die and several get injured as bus carrying them overturns near Mumbai. The students of a coaching class were returning from a picnic when the accident occurred in Khopoli in Raigad district. Visuals from the accident site and a hospital show students with injuries on their hands and heads.
- Aam Aadmi Party's below-par performance in Gujarat has had a section of its MLAs looking to the BJP, say sources. One of them, Bhupat Bhayani, denies that he is tells NDTV that he would take the 'opinion of the people' in this matter. In an exclusive interview to NDTV, Mr Bhayani says, 'I have not joined the BJP, I will ask the people if I should join the BJP or not'. 2. Congress leader Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu takes oath as the new Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh. Mukesh Agnihotri, former leader of the opposition, also takes oath as the Deputy Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh. A four-time MLA, Mr Sukhu, 58, is a former chief of Congress in the state and has been part of NSUI and Youth Congress. He is a grassroots politician who has risen from the ranks and has wide organizational experience in the hill state. He was the party's state unit president from 2013 to 2019 and spoke his mind even if it was not to the liking of the party's tall leader Virbhadra Singh, a six-time Chief Minister. 3. Weeks after his all-out takedown of rival Congress leader Sachin Pilot, calling him a 'Gaddar' or traitor, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot scales down his invective, telling NDTV in an exclusive interview: 'Time fixes everything'. Matching Mr Pilot's diplomatic tone, Mr Gehlot steers away from sharp rhetoric and channelled a question on their rivalry towards their political opponents. 4. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) questions Telangana legislator K Kavitha, daughter of Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao for her alleged involvement in the now-scrapped Delhi liquor policy case. Ms Kavitha was being questioned at her home in Hyderabad by a six-member CBI team amid tight security. Police have put up barricades around her home to prevent gathering of her supporters. Her party, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), says she will cooperate with the agency. 5. Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court Justice Dipankar Datta is elevated as a judge of the Supreme Court. 6. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates Phase I of the Nagpur Metro rail project and purchases a ticket to take a ride on the Metro from Freedom Park to Khapri. PM Modi also lays the foundation stone of Phase- II of the rail project, which will be developed at a cost of more than Rs 6700 crore.
- Congress leader Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu takes oath as the new Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh. Mukesh Agnihotri, former leader of the opposition, also takes oath as the Deputy Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh. A four-time MLA, Mr Sukhu, 58, is a former chief of Congress in the state and has been part of NSUI and Youth Congress. He is a grassroots politician who has risen from the ranks and has wide organizational experience in the hill state. He was the party's state unit president from 2013 to 2019 and spoke his mind even if it was not to the liking of the party's tall leader Virbhadra Singh, a six-time Chief Minister. 2. Weeks after his all-out takedown of rival Congress leader Sachin Pilot, calling him a 'Gaddar' or traitor, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot scales down his invective, telling NDTV in an exclusive interview: 'Time fixes everything'. Matching Mr Pilot's diplomatic tone, Mr Gehlot steers away from sharp rhetoric and channelled a question on their rivalry towards their political opponents. 3. Telangana legislator K Kavitha, daughter of Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao is being questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for her alleged involvement in the now-scrapped Delhi liquor policy case. Ms Kavitha is being questioned at her home in Hyderabad by a six-member CBI team amid tight security. Police have put up barricades around her home to prevent gathering of her supporters. Her party, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), says she will cooperate with the agency. 4. A ten-month-old girl dies after she was flung from a cab on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway in Maharashtra's Palghar district while her mother was allegedly molested on Saturday morning. The woman too was pushed out of the vehicle and sustained serious injuries, says a police official. 5. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates Phase I of the Nagpur Metro rail project and purchases a ticket to take a ride on the Metro from Freedom Park to Khapri. PM Modi also lays the foundation stone of Phase- II of the rail project, which will be developed at a cost of more than Rs 6700 crore. 6. Bhupendra Patel will continue as the Chief Minister of Gujarat for a second straight term with the newly-elected Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs electing him as the leader of the legislative party during a meeting in Gandhinagar.
- Congress leader Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to take the oath as Himachal Pradesh's seventh Chief Minister today. Mr Sukhu, MLA from Nadaun in the hill state's Hamirpur district, headed Congress' campaign committee for the recently held state polls. Mr Sukhu has been chosen by the Congress high command for the top post amid hectic lobbying by Pratibha Singh, Congress MP and the wife of former Chief Minister and Congress veteran, the late Virbhadra Singh. 2. Bhupendra Patel to continue as the Chief Minister of Gujarat for a second straight term with the newly-elected BJP MLAs electing him as the leader of the legislative party during a meeting in Gandhinagar. Mr Patel will take oath on December 12. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah will attend the ceremony. 3. A day before the questioning of Telangana Rashtra Samithi leader Kalvakuntla Kavitha by Central Bureau of Investigation in connection with Delhi liquor policy case, several posters with the slogan 'daughter of fighter will never fear' seen in Hyderabad. Ms Kavitha will be questioned by the premier central investigative agency today in Delhi excise policy case.
- The Congress's Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who headed the party's campaign committee in Himachal Pradesh, will be appointed the next Chief Minister, say sources. Mr Sukhu, 58, is an MLA from Nadaun in Hamirpur district. He is likely to take oath tomorrow. Mr Sukhu, a former president of the Himachal Pradesh Congress, is also a four-time MLA and is considered close to party leader Rahul Gandhi. He, however, did not have a smooth working relationship with six-time Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, who died in July last year. Until now, state Congress chief Pratibha Singh, the wife of Virbhadra Singh, and Leader of the Opposition in the outgoing assembly Mukesh Agnihotri had been angling for the Chief Minister's post. Vastly different in origin from the ex-royal Virbhadra Singh, Mr Sukhu, as an activist at Himachal Pradesh University in Shimla, led the National Students' Union of India's state unit in the late 1980s. 2. The Supreme Court will hear Bilkis Bano's plea challenging the remission and release of 11 convicts in the 2002 case related to her gangrape and murder of seven members of her family on December 13. The plea will be listed before a bench led by Justice Ajay Rastogi. Ms Bano, in two separate petitions, had challenged the early release of the convicts by the Gujarat government on August 15. 3. PT Usha is officially elected as the first woman president of Indian Olympic Association (IOA) during the governing body's polls, ushering in a new era in country's sports administration. The 58-year-old Usha, a multiple Asian Games gold medallist and fourth place finisher in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics 400m hurdles final, is declared elected unopposed for the top post in the polls. The elections were held under the supervision of Supreme Court-appointed retired SC judge L Nageswara Rao.
- Bhupendra Patel will continue as the Chief Minister of Gujarat for a second straight term with the newly-elected Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs electing him as the leader of the legislative party during a meeting in Gujarat. 'The newly-elected MLAs met today at 'Kamalam,' where the proposal to name Bhupendra Patel as the Chief Minister of Gujarat was unanimously approved,' says the BJP in a statement. 2. India abstains in the UN Security Council on a resolution establishing humanitarian exemption across all United Nations sanctions regimes, asserting that blacklisted terror groups, including in its neighbourhood, have taken full advantage of such carve-outs and have been able to raise funds and recruit terrorists. 3. Cyclonic storm Mandous, which crossed the coast at Mamallapuram, weakens into a deep depression but the weather system impacted the city and its neighbourhoods, uprooting a number of trees. Around 400 trees fell in the city under the impact of 70 kmph wind speed when the weather system crossed the coast in the intervening night of December 9 and 10, says Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin. He says, four persons were killed. 4. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi resumes the Rajasthan leg of the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' from Gudli village in Bundi district. Mr Gandhi had taken a day's break in the yatra on Friday to celebrate his mother Sonia Gandhi's birthday. 5. US journalist Grant Wahl, who was detained in Qatar for wearing a rainbow shirt in support of the LGBTQ community, died while covering the FIFA World Cup, announces his brother. Mr Grant, 48, collapsed while covering the quarterfinal match between Argentina and the Netherlands at the Lusail Iconic Stadium on Friday.
- The India Meteorological Department (IMD) says that the landfall process of Cyclone Mandous had been completed. Cyclonic Mandous made landfall off Mamallapuram on Friday evening influencing moderate to heavy rainfall in coastal Tamil Nadu. Mandous is all set to weaken, following the landfall, to a deep depression and later a depression today. After Cyclone Mandous made landfall off Mamallapuram, several parts of Chennai are facing heavy rainfall and strong winds. 2. After a day of drama over who'll be the Chief Minister, the 40 Congress MLAs in Himachal Pradesh passes the party's traditional one-line resolution, authorising the 'high command' to take a decision. The decision is expected by Sunday. This leaves it mainly to Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, besides Priyanka Gandhi who campaigned aggressively in Himachal along with new national president Mallikarjun Kharge. The MLAs' meeting was held with central overseers Rajeev Shukla, Bhupinder Hooda and Bhupesh Baghel present to coordinate. They spoke to each MLA to gauge who has more support. 3. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, who resigned as a formality after Thursday's election win, will be nominated for the job once again today at a meeting of the BJP legislators ahead of his swearing-in ceremony on Monday, says the party. Mr Patel filed his resignation along with his entire cabinet on Friday to pave the way for the formation of a new government in the state after the ruling BJP's landslide victory in the state elections. 4. Chaos ensues in the Rajya Sabha as the Bharatiya Janata Party's Rajasthan MP Kirodi Lal Meena introduces The Uniform Civil Code in India Bill, 2020 in the Rajya Sabha as a Private Member Bill amid fervent opposition. The Code seeks to do away with religion based personal laws. Three motions were placed to oppose the Bill, stating that it would disintegrate the country and hurt its diverse culture, but were defeated through votes by 63-23. 5. Vikas Walkar, father of 27-year-old Shraddha Walkar who was brutally murdered in Delhi by her live-in boyfriend Aaftab Amin Poonawala, says Aaftab should be punished the same way he killed his daughter. 'There should be proper investigation, and he should be hanged to death,' he says at a press conference. While satisfied with the direction of the probe now, Mr Walkar says he was upset with laxity initially. 'The probe so far by Delhi and Vasai police is going in the right way. Still, Vasai police Nalasopara police were lax in the probe, I am upset at that. Due to this, my daughter could not be saved. It would have helped me get some proof,' he says. 6. Croatia stuns favourites Brazil to reach the World Cup semi-finals, winning 4-2 on penalties after a nailbiting last-eight tie finished 1-1 at the end of extra time. 7. Argentina will face Croatia in the World Cup semi-finals after beating the Netherlands 4-3 on penalties following a thrilling 2-2 extra-time draw on a night of high World Cup drama.
- Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis says the state is considering a law against 'love jihad', the right-wing conspiracy theory that Muslim men lure Hindu women to convert them. His statement comes after a meeting with the father of Shraddha Walkar, who was killed by her boyfriend Aaftab Amin Poonawala and hacked into pieces in a case that has stunned the country. Mr Fadnavis, who heads the state's Home Department, says, 'We are looking at what are the laws regarding this in other states. Based on that we will decide further.' 2. In a sign of trouble for Congress after its victory in Himachal Pradesh, party workers raise slogans and even block the convoy of their own leader in an aggressive show of support for Pratibha Singh, a frontrunner for CM. Pratibha Singh's supporters gather outside Oberoi Cecil in Shimla and stop the convoy of Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel, one of the central leaders sent to Himachal Pradesh to decide on a CM. In a video, the workers are seen surrounding Mr Baghel's car and raising slogans in favour of Pratibha Singh, a Congress MP who led the party's Himachal Pradesh campaign but didn't contest the polls. There are at least three more candidates for the top job, Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, Mukesh Agnihotri and Harshwardhan Chauhan. 3. Heavy rainfall is forecast besides cyclonic winds of around 85 km an hour as it passes over the Chennai coast around midnight. Government has issued a helpline number 044-2538-4530. Ahead of Cyclone Mandous's landfall likely by tonight, 16 flights are cancelled at the Chennai airport due to bad weather. These include three international flights. Schools and colleges have been shut in 12 districts of the state, including Chennai.
- After winning Himachal Pradesh, Congress has called a meeting of its MLAs today to tackle its next challenge, deciding on a Chief Minister. It won't be easy, Congress has at least four candidates to choose from. The meeting will take place at Radisson hotel in Shimla this afternoon. The frontrunner is Congress's Himachal Pradesh chief Pratibha Singh, the wife of Virbhadra Singh who was the Congress's tallest leader in the hill state until his death last year. Pratibha Singh is a Lok Sabha MP from Mandi and belongs to a former royal family. There are three other contenders besides her, former state chief Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, Mukesh Agnihotri, the leader of the Congress legislature party in the outgoing assembly, and Harshwardhan Chauhan, which is why the party feared BJP's 'Operation Lotus', code for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party getting MLAs to switch loyalties to topple opposition governments. 2. The Bharatiya Janata Party has lost all five Assembly seats under Union Minister Anurag Thakur's Lok Sabha constituency Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh, while it has won all three seats from party president JP Nadda's hometown Bilaspur. 3. The Bharatiya Janata Party, which retained power in Gujarat for a record seventh straight term after winning a record number of seats on Thursday, says 'Bhupendra Patel would continue as the Chief Minister of the state and his oath-taking ceremony would take place on December 12'. 4. Four persons were killed and 60 wedding guests, including women and children, sustained injuries in a gas cylinder explosion that took place in the Bhungra village of Rajasthan's Jodhpur on Thursday. 5. The Supreme Court dismisses a request for details of a meeting of its top panel on the appointment of judges, declaring that these discussions cannot be revealed to the public. 6. US President Joe Biden says that American professional basketball player Brittney Griner is safe and, on her way, home after being released from a Russian jail in a prisoner swap with Moscow that resulted in the release of Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. Ms Griner was arrested in February this year on charges of possession vape cartridges containing hash oil. She had pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to nine years in prison. 7. Vikas Walkar, father of 27-year-old Shraddha Walkar who was brutally murdered in Delhi by her live-in boyfriend Aaftab Amin Poonawala, says Aaftab should be punished the same way he killed his daughter. 'There should be proper investigation, and he should be hanged to death,' he says at a press conference. He also calls for a probe against his family members, and others who might have been involved in the gruesome murder. 8. Tamil Nadu braces for heavy rainfall as Cyclone Mandous is set to cross near the Chennai coast this midnight.
- The Congress, checking its caravan of losses, demonstrated a huge surge in Himachal, winning the state and besting its principal rival, the BJP. A cautious Congress has called a meeting of its MLAs today to decide on the Chief Minister question. Earlier, the party had called all its MLAs to Chandigarh but changed its plans later after it got a clear majority in the polls. The meeting will take place at Radisson hotel in Shimla at 3 pm. Pratibha Singh is considered a key frontrunner for the chief minister's post, closely followed by former party chief Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu and outgoing CLP leader Mukesh Agnihotri. 2. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which retained power in Gujarat for a record seventh straight term after winning a record number of seats on Thursday, says 'Bhupendra Patel would continue as the Chief Minister of the state and his oath-taking ceremony would take place on December 12'. 3. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal thanks the people for helping the AAP 'breach the BJP's fortress' in Gujarat and asserts that the party would win the state the next time. In a video message, Mr Kejriwal says though the AAP did not win many seats in Gujarat, the votes it secured helps it attain the status of a national party. The AAP won five seats and secured a vote share of 12.92 per cent in the Gujarat assembly elections, as declared by the State Election Commission. 4. Samajwadi Party candidate Dimple Yadav wins the Mainpuri parliamentary bypoll defeating her nearest rival Raghuraj Singh Shakya of BJP by a margin of 2,88,461 votes. Considered as SP's bastion, the seat was held by party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav and it got vacated after his death on October 10. However, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav tells NDTV in an interview that his party has petitioned the Election Commission of India for a re-poll in Rampur assembly seat, where the party has suffered a big loss at the hands of the BJP in the bypoll - the BJP in fact won the seat for the first time. 5. Trinamool's Saket Gokhale, who managed to secure a bail in an alleged 'fake tweet' case against Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier, has been arrested again, prompting howls of protest from his party. 6. Four persons were killed and 60 wedding guests, including women and children, sustained injuries in a gas cylinder explosion that took place in the Bhungra village of Rajasthan's Jodhpur on Thursday. 7. Tamil Nadu braces for heavy rainfall as Cyclone Mandous is set to cross near the Chennai coast this midnight. The state government has issued an advisory and deployed resources in vulnerable areas. In view of the heavy rain alert, schools and colleges are shut today in 12 districts in TN, including Chennai, Thiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Vellore, Ranipettai and Kancheepuram. The norther part of the state has been receiving light to moderate rainfall since last night. Chennai received 52.5 mm rainfall till 5.30 am.
- Bharatiya Janata Party sweeps Gujarat Assembly election by winning in 156 seats. The party registers best-ever poll score in Gujarat polls. The record was earlier held by Congress, which won 149 seats in 1985 state polls. Congress, meanwhile, has been able wrest back Himachal Pradesh following a close contest with BJP, which was hoping to buck the trend in the hill state. Meanwhile, zero in Himachal Pradesh and single digits in Gujarat, these numbers for AAP don't really stack up against the claims it made. But they work in the larger plan of Arvind Kejriwal's party as the vote share is enough to give it 'national party' status. Mr Kejriwal says in a video message, 'Gujarat's people have given us the national status that only a few parties have. It's an amazing achievement for a small, young party.' At the same time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweets a big 'thank you' to his home state Gujarat after the party's record-breaking victory. He adds that he is 'overcome with a lot of emotions'. The PM also thanks the people of Himachal Pradesh for their 'affection and support'. 2. Samajwadi Party candidate Dimple Yadav wins the prestigious Lok Sabha seat of Mainpuri by over two lakh votes, defeating her BJP rival Raghuraj Singh Shakya. The Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat became vacant after Mulayam Singh Yadav, the founder of the Samajwadi Party, passed away on October 10, necessitating a byelection within six months. Massive celebrations take place at the Samajwadi Party office in Mainpuri, where party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Dimple Yadav hold a press conference, cheered on by thousands of party supporters. Ms Dimple says, 'I want to thank everyone who has supported me. I said this would be a historic mandate in the name of Neta ji and that is what has happened.'
BJP races to its best-ever result in Gujarat, with the AAP cutting into Congress votes, as votes are counted today in two states. In Himachal Pradesh, the Congress is leading comfortably now after a neck-and-neck fight with BJP in early trends. Sources say, Himachal Congress MLAs asked to go to Chandigarh after getting winning certificates amid poaching worries The BJP is ahead in 158 seats in Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state. The Congress, which delivered a strong performance in the last election, is leading in 16 seats, about 60 down from its 2017 tally. Arvind Kejriwal's AAP, which was eyeing a big entry into the Gujarat political landscape with this election, is ahead in five seats. Gujarat has 182 seats and the majority mark stands at 92. Incumbent Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel is set for a massive win in his constituency Ghatlodia in Ahmedabad, leading by a margin of about 1.34 lakh votes as per the latest trends. Home Minister Amit Shah has earlier said Mr Patel would return as Chief Minister if the BJP posted another victory in its stronghold. According to the sources, PM Modi to attend Gujarat's swearing-in ceremony on Monday after the party's record poll show. Meanwhile, in Himachal Pradesh, which has 68 seats, the BJP took an early lead but the Congress overtook it after an hour of counting. Currently, the Congress is leading in 40 seats and the BJP is ahead in 26. On its way to victory in Himachal, the Congress is now taking cautious steps to ensure that its flock stays together. Party observer Rajeev Shukla tells reporters that MLAs may be moved to Chandigarh, 90 km away, 'for convenience', and says BJP's poaching attempts will not succeed if the Congress crosses 40, five above the majority mark in the 68-member assembly. In Himachal Pradesh, the BJP had been banking on the achievements of PM Modi for a smooth transition to a second term, even though the state diligently swings between the BJP and the Congress every five years. The message to Himachal Pradesh was of central development, with PM Modi flagging off a Vande Bharat Express ahead of elections and opening a new AIIMS at Bilaspur. In many party hoardings, Chief Minister Jairam Thakur was missing.
BJP races to its best-ever result in Gujarat, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) cutting into Congress votes, as votes are counted today in two states. In Himachal Pradesh, the BJP and Congress are fighting a close contest. The BJP is ahead in 146 seats in Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state. The Congress, which delivered a strong performance in the last election, is leading in 26 seats. Arvind Kejriwal's AAP, which is eyeing a big entry into the Gujarat political landscape with this election, is ahead in eight seats. Gujarat has 182 seats and the majority mark stands at 92. In Himachal Pradesh, which has 68 seats, the BJP took an early lead but the Congress surged after an hour of counting, narrowing the gap. In a neck-to-neck competition between the BJP and the Congress, trends show both leading at 32 seats in Himachal Pradesh. However, State Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, who hails from BJP is currently leading from his constituency, Seraj with close to 15 thousand votes. In Himachal Pradesh, the BJP is banking on the achievements of PM Modi for a smooth transition to a second term, even though the state diligently swings between the BJP and the Congress every five years. The message to Himachal Pradesh was of Central development, with PM Modi flagging off a Vande Bharat Express ahead of elections and opening a new AIIMS at Bilaspur. In many party hoardings, Chief Minister Jairam Thakur was missing.
Counting of votes for the Assembly polls is underway in both Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat where the ruling BJP is hoping to retain the power. In Gujarat, the BJP is ahead in 137 seats, the Congress is leading in 37 seats and Arvind Kejriwal's AAP is ahead in six seats. The majority mark stands at 92. In Himachal Pradesh, which has 68 seats, the BJP took an early lead but the Congress surged after an hour of counting, narrowing the gap. The results of the high-stakes elections will also reveal whether the BJP's all-out personalised campaign led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to buck the 'alternative government' trend has worked or not. For the opposition Congress, however, a victory in Himachal is much-needed for its revival, as it has seen a spate of electoral losses in the last few years. Whereas, Victory in Gujarat will make BJP the only party other than the Communist Party of India (Marxist) to have won seven straight Assembly elections. The CPI(M), which ruled West Bengal for 34 years from 1977 to 2011, had also won seven straight elections. The BJP's biggest wish, however, is to see the predictions of exit polls come true, which is registering its best-ever performance in Gujarat, while keeping power in Himachal Pradesh. Its best performance in Gujarat goes back to 2002 when the party had won 127 seats in the 182-member state Assembly. This time around, exit poll predictions for the BJP winning seats range from 117 to 151. If the results come in line with the median value of these predictions, the BJP would have surpassed its own record of 2002. But the real icing on the cake will be if the BJP's tally touches the outer limit of the exit poll predictions, that is if it crosses the all-time record of 149 seats that the Congress had won in 1985 under the leadership of Madhavsinh Solanki. If the BJP wins big in Gujarat and gets a majority in Himachal Pradesh, such a verdict will give the party a huge morale boost, enthuse its rank and file, and the impression that it is on track to win the 2024 Lok Sabha polls will be further strengthened, says Sanjay Kumar, co-director of Lokniti at the New Delhi-based Centre for the Study of Developing Societies.
- Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP wins the prestige battle for Municipal Corporation of Delhi, unseating an entrenched BJP. It has won 134 seats, eight above the majority in a House of 250. BJP, which ran the campaign with PM Narendra Modi's face, has won 104, a not-so-bad performance after 15 years of continuous rule. Congress reduces to nine, which means its base in Delhi continues to erode. In the 2017 MCD polls, when BJP won 181 of the total 272 wards, while AAP could mange only 48, Congress had managed 30 seats. AAP office sees massive celebrations with supporters dancing to dhol beats, and kids dressed as Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. After the party's win, Mr Kejriwal said he needs Prime Minister Narendra Modi's blessing and Centre's cooperation. 2. Rajya Sabha welcomes its new Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar with the treasury benches saying he would hold democratic values, while opposition MPs stress on scrutiny of government bills by parliamentary standing committees and more time for smaller parties during debates. On the opening day of the winter session of Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi leads in felicitating recently appointed Vice President of India Mr Dhankhar, who is ex-officio chairman of the House. The PM says the 'Amrit Kaal' of India's independence will not only be a period of national development and glory but also an occasion when the country will play an important role in giving a direction to the world. 3. Reserve Bank of India hikes its key lending rate by more modest 35 basis points to 6.25 per cent, citing slowing inflation after three consecutive 50 basis points increases to manage price pressures that have remained persistently above the upper end of its target band. The monetary policy committee, which is made up of three members from RBI and three outside members, hikes the key lending rate, also known as the repo rate, by 0.35 per cent to 6.25 per cent with a five out of six majority.
- Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP wins the prestige battle for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, uprooting the Bharatiya Janata Party's 15-year-long rule in the city's civic body. It has won 129 seats, three more than required for majority in the House of 250 and is leading on six more, taking its number possibly to 135. In a fiercely fought battle, the BJP began the day by leading in the initial trends for nearly one and a half hour, however, the trends started shifting as the AAP gained the lead and maintained thereafter until the final results were declared. Both the parties held on to hope as the counting began at 8 am, with the BJP claiming to win the elections for the fourth time, while the AAP exuded confidence in winning the elections. 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi says the 'Amrit Kaal' of India's independence will not only be a period of national development and glory but also an occasion when the country will play an important role in giving a direction to the world. Welcoming Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar for assuming charge as chairman of the Rajya Sabha, the Prime Minister says the VP was taking charge at a time when the country was witnessing two historical occasions. Hailing Vice President Dhankhar as a leader who has both the elements of 'jawan' and 'kisan' imbibed in him, the Prime Minister says the House was fortunate to receive 'his able and effective leadership at this juncture in history.' 3. The Reserve Bank of India hikes its key lending rate by a more modest 35 basis points to 6.25 per cent, citing slowing inflation after three consecutive 50-bps increases to manage price pressures that have remained persistently above the upper end of its target band. The monetary policy committee, which is made up of three members from the RBI and three outside members, hiked the key lending rate, also known as the repo rate, by 0.35 per cent to 6.25 per cent with a five out of six majority.
- The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the BJP have their fingers crossed as the counting of votes for Delhi civic polls, held on December 4, starts. The election to 250 wards is largely being seen as a straight fight between AAP and BJP. Both the parties are contesting all 250 wards. The Congress has put up nominees in 247. Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party has contested 132 wards, Sharad Pawar's NCP 26 and the Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) 22 seats. As many as 382 Independents are contesting this time. 2. Congress's Sachin Pilot, publicly called a 'gaddar (traitor)' by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, tells NDTV that he felt 'sad and hurt' about the jibes. He, however, sticks to his position that the leadership issue 'is up to the party' and 'all of us have to work together'. In an exclusive interview, he tells NDTV, 'Yes, I am a politician. But I am also a human being. I did feel sad and hurt. I don't want to go into the past'. 3. Trinamool Congress leader Saket Gokhale faked documents to post false allegations linked to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Gujarat's Morbi after the bridge tragedy, police sources allege, after his dramatic arrest in Rajasthan. Saket Gokhale, the Trinamool's national spokesperson, was detained on Monday night in Jaipur for a tweet allegedly spreading 'fake news' on PM Modi. The arrest followed BJP leader Amit Kothari's police complaint in Ahmedabad. Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee backs party spokesperson Mr Gokhale, and says that she condemned the BJP government's 'vindictive attitude'. 4. Monetary policy meet today, RBI set to raise rates. 5. The winter session of the Parliament will begin today. The session will have a total of 17 working days. The BJP-led Central government's agenda for the winter session of Parliament includes 16 new bills.
- Ukraine's Foreign Minister hits out at India over imports of cheap Russian oil, referring to it as being 'morally inappropriate'. Dmytro Kuleba in an exclusive conversation with NDTV says, 'The opportunity for India to buy Russian oil at a cheap price comes from the fact that Ukrainians are suffering from Russian aggression and dying every day.' 2. Trinamool Congress leader Saket Gokhale faked documents to post false allegations linked to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Gujarat's Morbi after the bridge tragedy, allege police sources, a day after his dramatic arrest in Rajasthan. Mr Gokhale, Trinamool's national spokesperson, was detained late last night in Jaipur for a tweet allegedly spreading 'fake news' on PM Modi. The arrest followed BJP leader Amit Kothari's police complaint in Ahmedabad. 3. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi blows kisses and waves as he passes BJP office during his Bharat Jodo Yatra in Rajasthan's Jhalawar. In a video, he is seen waving at people on the rooftop of the office, holding up BJP flags, with a big smile. 4. Four infants admitted in Special New Born Care Unit of government run Ambikapur Medical College Hospital, Chhattisgarh die due to power outage. The family members and parents who lost their child in the incident level serious charges of carelessness over the hospital management and hold them guilty. 5. Indonesia's parliament approves legislation that would outlaw sex outside marriage in a move critics say is a huge setback to rights in the world's most populous Muslim country. 6. Ashish Mishra, son of junior Home Minister Ajay Mishra, to face trial for allegedly running an SUV over farmers in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri last year, after a court rejects his appeal, and that of other accused, to be dropped from case. The court will frame charges against all accused tomorrow. 7. Trucks bearing Maharashtra numbers stopped and smeared with black ink, and at least one of these pelted with stones, in Belagavi after protest by an organisation called Karnataka Rakshana Vedike turns violent amid festering, and lately escalating, inter-state border dispute. 8. Congress appoints former Union minister Kumari Selja as general secretary in-charge of Chhattisgarh, while former Punjab minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Rajya Sabha MP Shaktisinh Gohil are given charge of Rajasthan and Haryana, respectively.
- The Gujarat Police have detained Trinamool Congress's national spokesperson Saket Gokhale over a tweet endorsing an alleged fake news about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Morbi after a bridge collapse incident there, says an official. TMC leader Gokhale was apprehended from Jaipur in Rajasthan during the early hours by officials of the Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Cell, says Assistant Commissioner of Police, Cyber Crime, Jitendra Yadav. 2. The Ukrainian Foreign Minister hits out at India for buying Russian oil, says, 'So the opportunity for India to buy Russian oil at a cheap price comes from the fact that Ukrainians are suffering from Russian aggression. Dying every day. And they are living in houses without heating, without hot water, without electricity. And this fact we hope should be appreciated by those who make decisions on purchasing Russian oil.' 3. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi blew kisses and waved as he passed a BJP office this morning during his Bharat Jodo Yatra in Rajasthan's Jhalawar. In a video, he is seen waving at people on the rooftop of the office, holding up BJP flags, with a big smile. Many of them are seen waving back. 4. Four children have dies in the Chattisgarh neo-natal care unit due to power cut. 5. After Delhi, Mumbai gasps for clean air as the air pollution spikes there. In Mumbai the air quality has fallen to poor category. 6. Indonesia's parliament approves legislation that would outlaw pre-marital sex while making other sweeping changes to the criminal code, a move critics deemed as a setback to the country's freedoms. After the controversial new criminal code received the majority of votes from lawmakers during the plenary session, deputy house speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad banged the gavel to signal the text was approved and shouted 'legal'.
- The BJP is set for a sweep in Gujarat with Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading his party to its best win in his home state in decades, exit polls predict. The party is likely to hold on to Himachal Pradesh, say the polls. The BJP is likely to win its seventh successive term in Gujarat, the exit polls predict, in a morale-booster for the ruling party ahead of the 2024 national election. The poll of exit polls gave BJP 132 of 182 seats in Gujarat and the Congress and its allies 38. AAP would win eight, say the polls. 2. Meanwhile, Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is likely to tighten its grip on Delhi by winning the civic body election, four exit polls predict. An average of three polls say AAP will scoop up the Delhi civic body, ending the BJP's 15-year reign. Of 250 wards in the redrawn civic body, AAP is predicted to win 155 and the BJP, 84. The Congress is likely to slip further down to seven seats. 3. Ashish Mishra, son of junior Home Minister Ajay Mishra, will face trial for allegedly running an SUV over farmers in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri last year, after a court yesterday rejected his appeal, and that of other accused, to be dropped from case. The court will frame charges against all accused today. A charge sheet has been filed against all accused. 4. Upset over Maharashtra minsters scheduling visits to Belagavi, the epicentre of a state border row, Karnataka Chief Minister Basaravaj Bommai says the BJP government won't hesitate to take 'suitable action' against the ministers of the neighbouring state, where the BJP is also in power in an alliance with the Eknath Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena. The border dispute with Maharashtra is a closed chapter, says Mr Bommai. Warning that similar action had been taken in the past, Mr Bommai says Karnataka has written to Maharashtra asking not to allow ministers to visit Belagavi as it may create law and order issues.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after casting his vote in Gujarat, rushes back to Delhi to hold a two-day strategy session for the next round of elections. A string of state elections are due in 2023, before the grand finale, the general elections in 2024, in which BJP will seek a third straight term in power at the Centre. The other crucial agenda appears a 'Sneh Milan campaign', which BJP is planning. The campaign is meant to culturally connect one part of the country with the other. Meanwhile, Bharat Jodo Yatra has entered party-ruled Rajasthan. 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi chairs all-party meeting at Rashtrapati Bhavan to solicit suggestions for G20 summit next year. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, her Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik, Sikkim's Prem Singh Tamang, and Maharashtra's Eknath Shinde attend the meeting. 3. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar strongly defends India's imports from Russia while indirectly criticising the West yet again for pressurising New Delhi to minimise its trade with Russia in view of its military action in Ukraine. Addressing a joint press conference with his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock after wide-ranging talks between the two foreign ministers, Mr Jaishankar notes that the European Union imported more fossil fuel from Russia between 25 February and 17 November than the next ten countries combined. The EU's gas imports from Russia were worth 50 billion Euros. The EU's coal imports were also 50 per cent more than the imports by India. 4. Rashtriya Janata Dal President Lalu Yadav's kidney transplant process has been successful, says Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav. His daughter Rohini Acharya donated her kidney to Lalu Prasad. He has now been moved to ICU. Sharing a pre-surgery photo with her father on Twitter, Ms Acharya said she is 'ready to rock and roll' and asked her followers to wish her luck. 5. Congress lashes out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a 'political roadshow', flouting the code of conduct, on his way to vote in the second phase of Gujarat Assembly elections in Ahmedabad. The grand old party also questiones the Election Commission of India's 'total silence and total inaction'. Meanwhile, EC says that it was not a roadshow, crowd was there on its own. 6. Bypolls in one Lok Sabha seat and six Assembly constituencies held today. The most prominent is Uttar Pradesh's Mainpuri parliamentary seat, vacated due to death of Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav. Akhilesh Yadav-led party has fielded his wife and former MP Dimple Yadav.
- Ninety-three seats, spread across central and north Gujarat, are voting today in the second phase of the crucial Assembly polls in the BJP bastion. Some 833 candidates are contesting. All the 16 urban seats in Ahmedabad are crucial for the BJP, which has dominated them in elections since 1990. The election this time is a three-cornered fight between the ruling BJP, Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel were among those who cast their votes early this morning. Speaking to the media, the Prime Minister thanked the Election Commission for the conduct of the polls and urged the people to step out and vote. Chief Minister Patel, too, appealed to the people to cast their votes. Home Minister Amit Shah, too, cast his vote today with his family members. Exit polls would be out this evening after polling ends. Votes will be counted on 8 December. 2. Moderate polling recorded till noon in the bypoll to six assembly constituencies in five states and the Mainpuri parliamentary seat in Uttar Pradesh amid complaints of glitches in EVMs and allegations by the Samajwadi Party that the police and administration were preventing people from casting vote. Rampur Sadar and Khatauli in Uttar Pradesh, Padampur in Odisha, Sardarshahar in Rajasthan, Kurhani in Bihar and Bhanupratappur in Chhattisgarh are the assembly seats where the bypolls are being held. All eyes are on the Mainpuri seat which was represented by Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav five times in the past. The election is a battle of prestige for Akhilesh Yadav whose wife Dimple Yadav is contesting the polls. She is pitted against BJP's Raghuraj Singh Shakya. 3. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi began the Rajasthan leg of his Bharat Jodo Yatra from Jhalawar district this morning, with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot in attendance. 4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates a two-day meeting of BJP leaders in New Delhi to review the party's preparations and chalk out strategy for the next round of elections in states and the all-important Lok Sabha contest in 2024. Mr Modi arrived in the national capital after casting vote in his home state. The BJP's national office-bearers' meeting is being held at the party headquarters. 5. RJD president Lalu Prasad's kidney transplant surgery today in Singapore was successful, says his son and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav. Mr Yadav says his father, as well as elder sister Rohini Acharya, who donated one of her kidneys to the 74-year-old, were fine.
The people of Gujarat are voting in the second and final phase of the assembly election today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will cast his vote in Ahmedabad. The Election Commission has asked people to come out in large numbers to vote. The first phase of the Gujarat election saw low voter turnout, which prompted the Election Commission to criticise Gujarat voters over 'urban apathy'. Home Minister Amit Shah will also cast his vote in Ahmedabad. The second phase covers 93 seats across central and north Gujarat districts. Some 833 candidates are contesting. All the 16 urban seats in Ahmedabad are crucial for the BJP, which has dominated them in elections since 1990. The Congress had improved its tally to four seats in the last election from two in 2012 in Ahmedabad. This time, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has fielded candidates in all the 16 seats, making it an interesting fight. In Muslim-dominated Jamalpur Khadia seat in Ahmedabad, the entry of Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM may upset the Congress, as the AIMIM candidate, Sabir Kabliwala, is a former Congress MLA who fought as an independent in 2012, resulting in a BJP win as he cut into Congress votes. The BJP and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's AAP are contesting in all the 93 seats. The Congress is contesting in 90 seats and its partner, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), has fielded candidates in two seats. Some of the key seats in the second phase are Ghatlodia in Ahmedabad, from where Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel is contesting; Viramgam, also in Ahmedabad, from where Patidar leader Hardik Patel is fighting on the BJP's ticket, and Gandhinagar South from where Alpesh Thakor is fighting as the BJP's candidate. Some 2.51 crore people can cast their vote in the second phase. Of these, 5.96 lakh voters are in the age group of 18-19 years, according to the Election Commission. Votes will be counted on December 8.
- Iran has scrapped its morality police after more than two months of protests triggered by the arrest of Mahsa Amini for allegedly violating the country's strict female dress code, says local media. Women-led protests, labelled 'riots' by the authorities, have swept Iran since the 22-year-old Iranian of Kurdish origin died in custody on September 16, three days after her arrest by the morality police in Tehran. Demonstrators have burned their mandatory hijab head coverings and shouted anti-government slogans, and since Amini's death, a growing number of women have failed to wear the hijab, particularly in parts of Tehran. 2. Due to the Hanuman Sankirtan March in Srirangapatna, a heavy police force has been deployed as precautionary measures to avoid any untoward incident, the Mandya district administration informs. 3. Voting ends Delhi to elect who will control the city's powerful municipal corporation, known as the MCD. Over 1,300 candidates are in the contest for 250 municipal seats. Voting began at 8 am and ended at 5.30 pm. The results will be out on Wednesday. Voters at several polling booths across the city complain to NDTV that they could not vote as their names were missing from the electoral list. Others express frustration at being directed to different voting centres several times. Garbage collection and landfills have emerged as the biggest issue in the three-way fight between the city's ruling Aam Aadmi Party, BJP, which currently controls MCD and Congress. Though BJP has not won any assembly election in Delhi in 24 years, the party has managed to hold on to MCD for 15 years. Even after AAP won a record 67 of the 70 seats in the 2015 Assembly polls, BJP, two years later, retained the civic body by winning 181 of its 272 seats. AAP was second with 48 and Congress third with 30.
Delhi is voting today to elect who controls the city's powerful municipal corporation, known as the MCD. Over 1,300 candidates are in the contest for 250 municipal seats. Voting began at 8 am and will end at 5.30 pm. Voter turnout at noon was 18 per cent. The results will be out on Wednesday. Voters at several polling booths across the city complain to NDTV that they could not vote as their names were missing from the electoral list. Others expresse frustration at being directed to different voting centres several times. Garbage collection and landfills have emerged as the biggest issue in the three-way fight between the city's ruling Aam Aadmi Party, BJP, which currently controls MCD and Congress. Though BJP has not won any assembly election in Delhi in 24 years, the party has managed to hold on to MCD for 15 years. Even after AAP won a record 67 of the 70 seats in the 2015 Assembly polls, BJP, two years later, retained the civic body by winning 181 of its 272 seats. AAP was second with 48 and Congress third with 30.
- High-voltage campaigning for the second and final phase of Gujarat Assembly elections ends. As many as 833 candidates are in the fray across 93 constituencies which will go to polls on 5 December. Votes will be counted on 8 December. Prominent candidates in the second phase include CM Bhupendra Patel from Ghatlodia, Patidar leader Hardik Patel from Viramgam and OBC leader Alpesh Thakor from Gandhinagar South. Following disappointing voter turnout in the first phase of elections in Gujarat, Election Commission issues special appeal to voters ahead of the next phase, urging them to reverse 'urban apathy'. 2. Voting for Delhi civic polls begins in 250 wards. Nearly 1.5 crore people are eligible to vote. Voting began at 8 am and polling station gates will be shut at 5.30 pm, after which only those already inside can vote. Over 1,300 candidates are in the contest. With garbage as a central issue, AAP is targeting greater control in the national capital. BJP is confident of extending its reign, while Congress hopes to win back some ground. 3. Clashes break out between Trinamool Congress and BJP workers in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district's Hotuganj area. The clashes happened on a day when BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari was holding a rally at Diamond Harbour in the same district. Reports say a Trinamool office has been vandalised and motorcycles have been set on fire. 4. Shocking incident comes to light in Mumbai, where a woman and her lover allegedly killed the woman's husband by slow-poisoning him. Police arrests both the wife and her lover on charges of conspiracy and murder. The duo has been remanded in police custody until 8 December. 5. Indian Navy gives assurances to government that it will become self-reliant by 2047, says Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar. He also says that Navy keeps strong vigil over movements of various Chinese military and research vessels in the Indian Ocean Region. 6. Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, one of the most loved on-screen jodis in Bollywood, steal everyone's attention at Red Sea Film Festival. In one of the clips, SRK is seen singing 'Tujhe dekha toh' song from 'DDLJ' for Kajol. 7. US Federal Bureau of Investigation formally informs Punjab Police about Goldy Brar, who allegedly coordinated singer Sidhu Moose Wala's murder, having been caught in California. The FBI communication, seen as first step towards bringing Brar to India, comes through the Ministry of External Affairs. Goldy Brar has been detained in the city of Sacramento.
- The US affirms that it stands with India against China's objections to India-US joint military exercises in the border state of Uttarakhand. 'I would direct you to what the Indian side has said: It's none of their business,' says Elizabeth Jones, the US Charge d' Affaires in India, in a roundtable with journalists today. At the same time Ms Jones says, the US government 'will continue to raise' the Indian election campaign rhetoric that verges on communal hate. 'This is a conversation we have perpetually with our Indian colleagues'. 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses rally in Anand, Gujarat. 3. AIIMS Delhi services has been down since November 23rd and according to the sources the origin of the cyberattack could be out of HongKong. 4. Three months after walking out of the Congress with scathing remarks against the Gandhis, Jaiveer Shergill is appointed spokesperson by the BJP, as it announced new roles for several prominent leaders who have switched over from the grand old party. Former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and former Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar have been made members of the BJP's National Executive. The party also includes UP minister Swatantra Dev Singh, former Uttarakhand BJP chief Madan Kaushik, former Congress leader Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi, and former Punjab minister Manoranjan Kalia in the grouping. 5. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge may continue as Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, in violation of a key rule, as the party hasn't yet decided on his replacement in parliament. If Mr Kharge holds two posts, it will be a complete reversal of the 'One Person, One Post' policy that Rahul Gandhi stressed at a time Ashok Gehlot was hoping for a double role. 6. The campaign for the high-profile MCD elections will come to an end today, with top campaigners, including Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Union ministers like Piyush Goyal and Hardeep Singh Puri, reaching out to voters in full swing through public meetings and roadshows. 7. Several buildings on Jawaharlal Nehru University campus are defaced with anti-Brahmin slogans, photos of which are shared on social media. Students claim that the walls in the School of International Studies- II building are vandalised with slogans against Brahmin and Baniya communities.
- The Chhattisgarh assembly unanimously adopts two Bills to enhance the state's overall reservation to 76 per cent in jobs and educational institutions, possibly the highest in India, in a strategic move by Bhupesh Baghel's Congress government that other parties may find hard to oppose. The Bills, if and when granted assent by the Governor, will become Acts and provide 32 per cent quota for Scheduled Tribes, 13 per cent for Scheduled Castes, 27 per cent for Other Backward Classes, and 4 per cent for Economically Weaker Sections not covered by any of the other quotas. 2. A top bureaucrat in Chhattisgarh arrested by the Enforcement Directorate, for alleged money laundering. Saumya Chaurasia, deputy secretary to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, arrested by the Enforcement Directorate and sent to four-day custody. 3. The topmost American diplomat in India says the US government 'will continue to raise' the Indian election campaign rhetoric that verges on communal hate. 'This is a conversation we have perpetually with our Indian colleagues,' says Elizabeth Jones, the US Charge d' Affaires. 4. Three months after walking out of the Congress with scathing remarks against the Gandhis, Jaiveer Shergill is appointed spokesperson by the BJP, as it announces new roles for several prominent leaders who have switched over from the grand old party. Former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and former Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar have been made members of the BJP's National Executive. 5. The Madras High Court bans mobile phones in temples across Tamil Nadu. The move to ban use of mobile phone in temples is to maintain purity and sanctity of the places of worship, the court says. To avoid inconvenience to people, the court says phone deposit lockers should be set up at temples. 6. The G7 group of wealthy democracies and Australia officially agree to cap the price of Russian oil at USD 60 a barrel in line with the EU, as they seek to deny the Kremlin resources for its Ukraine war.
- The high-voltage campaigning for the second phase of elections in 93 out of the total 182 seats in Gujarat ends today with candidates and political parties making the last ditch efforts to woo voters. The first phase of voting for 89 seats in Saurashtra, Kutch and south Gujarat was held on December 1, while elections for the second phase will be conducted on December 5. In the second phase, voting will be held for the remaining 93 seats, for which 833 candidates of nearly 60 political parties, including the ruling BJP, opposition Congress and the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP, and independents are in the fray. The 93 assembly segments that are part of the second phase of polling are spread across 14 districts of north and central Gujarat, including Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Gandhinagar. 2. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and several other senior leaders of the party, including Jayram Ramesh and Digvijaya Singh, likely to skip the Winter Session of Parliament, sources say. These leaders, along with Mr Gandhi, are expected to continue with their participation in the party's ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra. 3. The Chhattisgarh assembly unanimously adopts two Bills to enhance the state's overall reservation to 76 per cent in jobs and educational institutions - possibly the highest in India - in a strategic move by Bhupesh Baghel's Congress government that other parties may find hard to oppose. The Bills, if and when granted assent by the Governor, will become Acts and provide 32 per cent quota for Scheduled Tribes, 13 per cent for Scheduled Castes, 27 per cent for Other Backward Classes, and 4 per cent for Economically Weaker Sections not covered by any of the other quotas. 4. The Madras High Court bans mobile phones in temples across Tamil Nadu. The move to ban use of mobile phone in temples is to maintain purity and sanctity of the places of worship, the court says. To avoid inconvenience to people, the court says phone deposit lockers should be set up at temples. 5. The G7 group of wealthy democracies and Australia officially agree to cap the price of Russian oil at USD 60 a barrel in line with the EU, as they seek to deny the Kremlin resources for its Ukraine war. 6. Describing India as a strong partner of the US, President Joe Biden says he was looking forward to supporting his 'friend' Prime Minister Narendra Modi during India's G20 presidency. India formally assumed the G20 Presidency on Thursday.
- The high-voltage campaigning for the second and final phase of the Gujarat Assembly elections ends. As many as 833 candidates are in the fray across 93 constituencies which will go to polls on December 5. Votes will be counted on December 8. Prominent candidates in the second phase include Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel from Ghatlodia, Patidar leader Hardik Patel from Viramgam and OBC leader Alpesh Thakor from Gandhinagar South. Both Hardik Patel and Mr Thakor are contesting on BJP ticket. The first phase of voting for 89 seats in Saurashtra, Kutch and south Gujarat was held on December 1 with average turnout of 63.31 per cent, lower than the last time. The main contenders in the elections are the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, Congress and Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party. The 93 constituencies where polling will be held on Monday are spread across 14 districts of north and central Gujarat including Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Gandhinagar. There are 2.54 crore registered voters in these constituencies. Polling will be held at 26,409 booths and nearly 36,000 Electronic Voting Machines will be used. 2. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and several other senior leaders of the party, including Jayram Ramesh and Digvijaya Singh, likely to skip the Winter Session of Parliament, sources say. These leaders, along with Mr Gandhi, are expected to continue with their participation in the party's ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra. 3. According to reports, clashes broke out between Trinamool Congress and BJP workers in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district's Hotuganj area. The clashes happened on a day when BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari was holding a rally at Diamond Harbour in the same district. Reports say a Trinamool office has been vandalised and motorcycles have been set on fire.
- A local court in Kerala convicts two persons for raping and murdering a Latvian woman tourist who went missing in 2018 from Kovalam near Thiruvananthapuram. Thiruvananthapuram Sessions Court convicts the accused Umesh and Udayan under various sections of the Indian Penal Code including rape and murder of the 33-year old Latvian tourist, who had gone missing under mysterious circumstances from Kovalam on March 14, 2018. 2. Gangster Goldy Brar, allegedly the mastermind behind Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala's murder in May, has been detained in the US, sources tell NDTV. A member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, Goldy Brar had recently moved to the US from Canada, where he was based since 2017. The gangster was detained in California around November 20, the sources say, adding that the Indian government is yet to receive any official statement from California. India's spy agency Research And Analysis Wing , the intelligence wing of Delhi Police, and their counterparts in Punjab are learned to have received inputs that Goldy Brar's arrest has caused a big stir in California. 3. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, whose 'Ravan' remarks targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi sparked a backlash for the party, has been 'advised' from within to choose his words carefully as they could be misused. Mumtaz Patel, a Congress leader from Bharuch in Gujarat and the daughter of Sonia Gandhi's political advisor Ahmed Patel, says that it is prudent to avoid such comments. 4. The campaign for the high-profile MCD elections will come to an end today, with top campaigners, including Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Union ministers like Piyush Goyal and Hardeep Singh Puri, reaching out to voters in full swing through public meetings and roadshows. 5. The Supreme Court set aside anticipatory bail granted to four accused, including a former Director General of Police (DGP), in a case of the alleged frame-up of scientist Nambi Narayanan in the 1994 ISRO espionage matter. The court remands the matter back to the Kerala high court for fresh consideration and asked it to decide it as early as possible, within a period of four weeks. 6. Tamil Nadu police are on the lookout for the headmistress of a government school in Tamil Nadu's Erode district for allegedly forcing six children from scheduled castes to clean a school toilet. According to a complaint filed by Jayanthi, the mother of a class five student, the 'HM Ms Geetha Rani singled out only SC children to clean the toilet'. 7. Some communities in Chinese cities where COVID-19 is still spreading are easing off on testing requirements and quarantine rules in a marked shift in virus policies after widespread protests across the country. China is set to announce an easing of its COVID quarantine rules in coming days and a reduction in mass testing, sources told Reuters, even as cases nationwide remain near record highs.
- High-voltage campaigning for the second and final phase of Gujarat Assembly elections ends. As many as 833 candidates are in the fray across 93 constituencies which will go to polls on December 5. Votes will be counted on December 8. Prominent candidates in the second phase include CM Bhupendra Patel from Ghatlodia, Patidar leader Hardik Patel from Viramgam and OBC leader Alpesh Thakor from Gandhinagar South. Following disappointing voter turnout in the first phase of elections in Gujarat, Election Commission issues special appeal to voters ahead of the next phase, urging them to reverse 'urban apathy'. 2. Voting for Delhi civic polls begins in 250 wards. Nearly 1.5 crore people are eligible to vote. Voting began at 8 am and polling station gates will be shut at 5.30 pm, after which only those already inside can vote. Over 1,300 candidates are in the contest. With garbage as a central issue, AAP is targeting greater control in the national capital. BJP is confident of extending its reign, while Congress hopes to win back some ground. 3. Clashes break out between Trinamool Congress and BJP workers in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district's Hotuganj area. The clashes happened on a day when BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari was holding a rally at Diamond Harbour in the same district. Reports say a Trinamool office has been vandalised and motorcycles have been set on fire. 4. Shocking incident comes to light in Mumbai, where a woman and her lover allegedly killed the woman's husband by slow-poisoning him. Police arrests both the wife and her lover on charges of conspiracy and murder. The duo has been remanded in police custody until December 8. 5. Indian Navy gives assurances to government that it will become self-reliant by 2047, says Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar. He also says that Navy keeps strong vigil over movements of various Chinese military and research vessels in the Indian Ocean Region. 6. Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, one of the most loved on-screen jodis in Bollywood, steal everyone's attention at Red Sea Film Festival. In one of the clips, SRK is seen singing 'Tujhe dekha toh' song from 'DDLJ' for Kajol. 7. US Federal Bureau of Investigation formally informs Punjab Police about Goldy Brar, who allegedly coordinated singer Sidhu Moose Wala's murder, having been caught in California. The FBI communication, seen as first step towards bringing Brar to India, comes through the Ministry of External Affairs. Goldy Brar has been detained in the city of Sacramento.
- The high-voltage campaigning for the second and final phase of the Gujarat Assembly elections ends. As many as 833 candidates are in the fray across 93 constituencies which will go to polls on December 5. Votes will be counted on December 8. Prominent candidates in the second phase include Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel from Ghatlodia, Patidar leader Hardik Patel from Viramgam and OBC leader Alpesh Thakor from Gandhinagar South. Both Hardik Patel and Mr Thakor are contesting on BJP ticket. The first phase of voting for 89 seats in Saurashtra, Kutch and south Gujarat was held on December 1 with average turnout of 63.31 per cent, lower than the last time. The main contenders in the elections are the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress and Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The 93 constituencies where polling will be held on Monday are spread across 14 districts of north and central Gujarat including Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Gandhinagar. There are 2.54 crore registered voters in these constituencies. Polling will be held at 26,409 booths and nearly 36,000 Electronic Voting Machines will be used. 2. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and several other senior leaders of the party, including Jayram Ramesh and Digvijaya Singh, likely to skip the Winter Session of Parliament, sources say. These leaders, along with Mr Gandhi, are expected to continue with their participation in the party's ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra. 3. According to reports, clashes broke out between Trinamool Congress and BJP workers in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district's Hotuganj area. The clashes happened on a day when BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari was holding a rally at Diamond Harbour in the same district. Reports say a Trinamool office has been vandalised and motorcycles have been set on fire.
- The high-voltage campaigning for the second phase of elections in 93 out of the total 182 seats in Gujarat ends today with candidates and political parties making the last ditch efforts to woo voters. The first phase of voting for 89 seats in Saurashtra, Kutch and south Gujarat was held on December 1, while elections for the second phase will be conducted on December 5. In the second phase, voting will be held for the remaining 93 seats, for which 833 candidates of nearly 60 political parties, including the ruling BJP, opposition Congress and the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP, and independents are in the fray. The 93 assembly segments that are part of the second phase of polling are spread across 14 districts of north and central Gujarat, including Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Gandhinagar. 2. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and several other senior leaders of the party, including Jayram Ramesh and Digvijaya Singh, likely to skip the Winter Session of Parliament, sources say. These leaders, along with Mr Gandhi, are expected to continue with their participation in the party's ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra. 3. The Chhattisgarh assembly unanimously adopts two Bills to enhance the state's overall reservation to 76 per cent in jobs and educational institutions - possibly the highest in India - in a strategic move by Bhupesh Baghel's Congress government that other parties may find hard to oppose. The Bills, if and when granted assent by the Governor, will become Acts and provide 32 per cent quota for Scheduled Tribes (ST), 13 per cent for Scheduled Castes (SC), 27 per cent for Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and 4 per cent for Economically Weaker Sections not covered by any of the other quotas. 4. The Madras High Court bans mobile phones in temples across Tamil Nadu. The move to ban use of mobile phone in temples is to maintain purity and sanctity of the places of worship, the court says. To avoid inconvenience to people, the court says phone deposit lockers should be set up at temples. 5. The G7 group of wealthy democracies and Australia officially agree to cap the price of Russian oil at USD 60 a barrel in line with the EU, as they seek to deny the Kremlin resources for its Ukraine war. 6. Describing India as a strong partner of the US, President Joe Biden says he was looking forward to supporting his 'friend' Prime Minister Narendra Modi during India's G20 presidency. India formally assumed the G20 Presidency on Thursday.
- The Chhattisgarh assembly unanimously adopts two Bills to enhance the state's overall reservation to 76 per cent in jobs and educational institutions - possibly the highest in India - in a strategic move by Bhupesh Baghel's Congress government that other parties may find hard to oppose. The Bills, if and when granted assent by the Governor, will become Acts and provide 32 per cent quota for Scheduled Tribes (ST), 13 per cent for Scheduled Castes (SC), 27 per cent for Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and 4 per cent for Economically Weaker Sections not covered by any of the other quotas. 2. A top bureaucrat in Chhattisgarh arrested by the Enforcement Directorate, for alleged money laundering. Saumya Chaurasia, deputy secretary to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, arrested by the Enforcement Directorate and sent to four-day custody. 3. The topmost American diplomat in India says the US government 'will continue to raise' the Indian election campaign rhetoric that verges on communal hate. 'This is a conversation we have perpetually with our Indian colleagues,' says Elizabeth Jones, the US Charge d' Affaires. 4. Three months after walking out of the Congress with scathing remarks against the Gandhis, Jaiveer Shergill is appointed spokesperson by the BJP, as it announces new roles for several prominent leaders who have switched over from the grand old party. Former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and former Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar have been made members of the BJP's National Executive. 5. The Madras High Court bans mobile phones in temples across Tamil Nadu. The move to ban use of mobile phone in temples is to maintain purity and sanctity of the places of worship, the court says. To avoid inconvenience to people, the court says phone deposit lockers should be set up at temples. 6. The G7 group of wealthy democracies and Australia officially agree to cap the price of Russian oil at USD 60 a barrel in line with the EU, as they seek to deny the Kremlin resources for its Ukraine war.
- The US affirms that it stands with India against China's objections to India-US joint military exercises in the border state of Uttarakhand. 'I would direct you to what the Indian side has said: It's none of their (China's) business,' says Elizabeth Jones, the US Charge d' Affaires in India, in a roundtable with journalists today. At the same time Ms Jones says, the US government 'will continue to raise' the Indian election campaign rhetoric that verges on communal hate. 'This is a conversation we have perpetually with our Indian colleagues'. 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses rally in Anand, Gujarat. 3. AIIMS Delhi services has been down since November 23rd and according to the sources the origin of the cyberattack could be out of HongKong. 4. Three months after walking out of the Congress with scathing remarks against the Gandhis, Jaiveer Shergill is appointed spokesperson by the BJP, as it announced new roles for several prominent leaders who have switched over from the grand old party. Former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and former Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar have been made members of the BJP's National Executive. The party also includes UP minister Swatantra Dev Singh, former Uttarakhand BJP chief Madan Kaushik, former Congress leader Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi, and former Punjab minister Manoranjan Kalia in the grouping. 5. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge may continue as Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, in violation of a key rule, as the party hasn't yet decided on his replacement in parliament. If Mr Kharge holds two posts, it will be a complete reversal of the 'One Person, One Post' policy that Rahul Gandhi stressed at a time Ashok Gehlot was hoping for a double role. 6. The campaign for the high-profile MCD elections will come to an end today, with top campaigners, including Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Union ministers like Piyush Goyal and Hardeep Singh Puri, reaching out to voters in full swing through public meetings and roadshows. 7. Several buildings on Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus are defaced with anti-Brahmin slogans, photos of which are shared on social media. Students claim that the walls in the School of International Studies- II building are vandalised with slogans against Brahmin and Baniya communities.
- Ahead of the second phase of the Gujarat Assembly elections scheduled to be held on December 5, the top leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) intensifies its campaigning across 93 constituencies. PM Modi will address four public rallies in Gujarat today starting with Kanakraj, then Patan and Sojitra, and finally Ahmedabad, where he will hold a roadshow as well. Union Minister Amit Shah will also hold rallies in Bechraji, Vijapur, and Gandhinagar South and will have a roadshow in Vadodara. 2. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma says there was 'no ideological shift' when he left the Congress for the BJP, and insists that he had 'wasted 22 years of my life in the Congress'. Sticking to the BJP line, he justifies a number of Hindutva theories on riots and other crimes, including a 'love jihad' spin to the alleged murder of a Hindu woman, Shraddha Walkar, by her Muslim boyfriend, Aaftab Poonawala, in Delhi. 3. Leaders of political parties to make last ditch effort as campaigning for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections ends today. The high-stakes polls to the 250-ward Municipal Corporation of Delhi are due on December 4 and the votes will be counted on December 7. The civic polls are seeing a contest between the BJP, which currently holds the reins of the civic bodies in the national capital, the AAP and the Congress. 4. The Enforcement Directorate, citing statements by an arrested Gurugram businessman Amit Arora, claims that K Kavitha, daughter of Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, was a key member of the 'South Group' which paid at least Rs 100 crore in kickbacks to leaders of Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) via another arrested businessman Vijay Nair. 5. China relaxes its stringent zero-Covid restrictions in several cities after public protests, and steps up security across the country as it braces for next week's high-profile funeral of former president Jiang Zemin. 6. Costa Rica and Germany plays a see-saw encounter in a Group E clash that sees Germany beat Costa Rica 4-2 at the Al-Bayt Stadium in the ongoing FIFA World Cup. German forward Thomas Muller expresses his disappointment after the four-time World Cup winner crashes out from the World Cup and terms it 'absolute catastrophe'. 7. Japan continues its trend to upset the European teams at the ongoing FIFA World Cup as it stages a comeback in the second half to edge Spain 2-1 in a crucial group E encounter at the Khalifa International Stadium. 8. National Investigation Agency arrests absconding terrorist Harpreet Singh when he arrives from Malaysia's Kaula Lumpur. Harpreet, an associate of Lakhbir Singh Rode - a Pakistan-based self-styled Chief of Federation, is one of the conspirators of the Ludhiana Court Building blast along with Rode that occurred in December 2021.
The first phase of voting for the Gujarat assembly election ends. Polling was held in 89 seats of the 182-member assembly. As many as 788 candidates were in the contest in this phase. The second phase will be held on December 5 and the results will be declared on December 8. Barring a few minor incidents and some reports of problems in electronic voting machines (EVMs), the voting process, which commenced at 8 am, remained largely peaceful so far. At the same time, the focus of the first phase of polling in Surat, a key industrial hub also known as Diamond City. Surat is known to be a BJP stronghold and played a key role in helping the party return to power in the 2017 polls. Another constituency that will be closely watched is Morbi, where a suspension bridge collapsed on October 30, killing 135 people. The BJP-led state government has faced massive criticism over the tragedy. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's more than 30-km-long roadshow in Ahmedabad city, where polling will be held in the second phase of the Gujarat Assembly elections, starts from Naroda village. A large number of people standing on both sides of the route welcomed PM Modi and greeted him with flowers during the roadshow that began around 5.20 pm. Standing on a specially-designed vehicle, the prime minister waved back at the crowd. The mega roadshow will cover the eastern side of Ahmedabad and ends at the IOC circle in the Chandkheda area on the city's western side, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) says in a release. The roadshow is scheduled to pass through various parts of the city, including Hirawadi, Hatkeshwar, Maninagar, Danilimda, Jivraj Park, Ghatlodia, Naranpura and Sabarmati. It will cover 13 seats of Ahmedabad city as well as Gandhinagar-South, says the release.
- The first phase of voting for the Gujarat elections began at 8 am today. Polling is underway in 89 seats of the 182-member assembly. As many as 788 candidates are in the contest in this phase. As per the Election Commission, an average 19.13 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the first three hours of polling. Gujarat Home Minster Harsh Sanghavi casts his vote at a polling station in Surat. The second phase will be held on December 5 and the results will be declared on December 8. 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi leads a more than 30-km-long roadshow in Ahmedabad city, where polling will be held in the second phase of the Gujarat Assembly elections. The roadshow is to cover 13 seats of Ahmedabad city as well as Gandhinagar-South. Earlier in the day, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel held a roadshow in the Mehsana district which too will see polling in the second phase of the Assembly election; Congress leader Rahul Gandhi appealed to voters of Gujarat to vote for employment, cheap gas cylinder and a progressive future for the State; and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that 'the voters of the first phase have a golden opportunity, do vote for the better future of Gujarat and your children' 3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, campaigning in Gujarat, fires back at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's 'Ravan' comment targeting him. It was not ok to call someone 'Ravan' in the land of 'Rambhakts (Ram devotees)', he comments, addressing a large gathering in Kalol. 4. As India takes over the G20 presidency, PM Modi calls for a 'shift in fundamental mindset to benefit humanity as a whole.' External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar highlights a sea change in geopolitics and says that India's G20 presidency comes at 'a very challenging time in world politics and at an inflexion point.' 5. TRS MLC K Kavitha says she and her party leaders, who are currently under the radar of the central agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate and CBI, are ready to face any inquiry. She was reacting to reports that her name was mentioned in a remand report by the Enforcement Directorate on one of the accused-Amit Arora- in the Delhi liquor scam case. The TRS leader alleges that any state where elections are due to take place, the ED arrives before the Prime Minister. 'ED arrives even before Modi ji in those states. The same is happening with Telangana...The agencies have arrived here just before the elections,' she says. 6. With just three days left for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) poll campaign, senior BJP leaders including Union ministers and chief ministers of party-ruled states hold around 100 roadshows and public meetings across Delhi to woo voters. Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal claims the BJP has deployed 17 Union ministers to fight an 'aam aadmi' like him and says this was done to cover up the party's 'inefficiency' during its tenure in the civic body. The election of 250 wards of the MCD is on Sunday. The counting of votes will be done on December 7.
- China may station aircraft carriers, large warships and submarines in its first overseas military base in Djibouti, a move that would have profound security ramifications for the Indian Navy. Details of the base feature in the US Department of Defence's annual report on China, which is submitted to the US Congress. The report, released on Sunday, comes less than four months after NDTV published high-resolution satellite images of the base, including a large Chinese Navy landing ship at the dock. This is the backbone of China's amphibious assault forces. 2. The Indian economy is on track to achieve a 6.8-7 per cent GDP growth in the current fiscal, Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran says. He says the economic recovery momentum is continuing, and the GDP is averaging the 2019-20 level. 3. Gujarat assembly polls: 89 seats vote in the first phase today. The BJP is hoping for a seventh consecutive term. Its big challenger is the Aam Aadmi Party, which has managed to push aside the Congress in terms of visibility. The 89 seats are spread across 19 districts of Kutch and Saurashtra region and the southern part of the state. The second phase of polling will be held on December 5. The counting of votes is scheduled for December 8. 4. Actor Vijay Deverakonda questioned by the Enforcement Directorate for 12 hours over the source of investment for his film, Liger, people familiar with the matter say. 5. YSR Telangana Party leader YS Sharmila, who was arrested on Tuesday after she tried driving to the home of Chief Minister Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao ('KCR') in Hyderabad, says she felt 'insulted' as her 'only aim' was to 'parade our vehicles that were damaged by his party's goons'.
- Bilkis Bano challenges in Supreme Court the early release of 11 men convicted of gang-raping her and killing her entire family in 2002 Gujarat riots. The convicts were freed on August 15, Independence Day, by Gujarat government under an outdated policy. The move sparked massive nationwide outrage, which was amplified by images of the rapists being garlanded and welcomed like heroes by a Hindu organisation. 2. Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid, whose critical remarks on 'The Kashmir Files' movie at a film festival have raised a storm, stands by them and says 'someone has to speak up'. Mr Lapid, the head of the international jury at International Film Festival of India in Goa, said at the festival's closing ceremony that Vivek Agnihotri-directed film is 'propaganda and vulgar'. Speaking to Israeli news website Ynet over the phone, Mr Lapid says, 'It basically justifies the Indian policy in Kashmir, and it has fascist features.' 3. China warns American officials not to interfere in its relationship with India, says Pentagon in a report to US Congress. Throughout its standoff with India along the LAC, Chinese officials sought to downplay the severity of the crisis, emphasising Beijing's intent to preserve border stability and prevent the standoff from harming other areas of its bilateral relationship with India, says Pentagon in the report. 4. Toyota Kirloskar Motor Vice Chairperson Vikram S Kirloskar dies due to heart attack. He was 64. Mr Kirloskar suffered a cardiac arrest on Tuesday morning and was immediately rushed to a private hospital, where he passed away. 5. Aaftab Poonawala admits to having killed his girlfriend, Shraddha Walkar, in his polygraph test. Sources in the probe team say he expressed no remorse for it. Such a confession in a polygraph test, or in the narco-analysis test that follows, is not routinely admissible as evidence, but any material proofs that it may lead to can be used in court. 6. Enforcement Directorate arrests businessman Amit Arora in connection with its money laundering probe into alleged irregularities in Delhi excise policy case. Mr Arora is the director of Buddy Retail Pvt Limited located in Gurugram. This is the sixth arrest in this case by the Enforcement Directorate. 7. Massive protest outside Sangrur home of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who is on the campaign trail in Gujarat ahead of assembly elections in the western state. Farm workers and trade unions engage in clash with police, who use batons to bring the crowd under control. Dramatic visuals from the site show flag-waving, slogan-shouting protesters being beaten by police.
- Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid, whose critical remarks on 'The Kashmir Files' movie at a film festival have raised a storm, has stood by them and said 'someone has to speak up'. Mr Lapid, the head of the international jury at the International Film Festival of India in Goa, said at the festival's closing ceremony that the Vivek Agnihotri-directed film was 'propaganda and vulgar'. He said the jury was 'disturbed and shocked' at the screening of the film. 2. China has warned American officials not to interfere in its relationship with India, the Pentagon has said in a report to the US Congress. Throughout its standoff with India along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), Chinese officials sought to downplay the severity of the crisis, emphasising Beijing's intent to preserve border stability and prevent the standoff from harming other areas of its bilateral relationship with India, the Pentagon has said in a report. 3. Vikram S. Kirloskar, Vice Chairman of Toyota Kirloskar Motor passes away at the age of 64. Toyota India confirms Mr Kirloskar's death in a statement on its website late. 4. Aaftab Poonawala has allegedly admitted to having killed his girlfriend, Shraddha Walkar, in his polygraph test. Sources in the probe team say he expressed no remorse for it. Such a confession in a polygraph test, or in the narco-analysis test that follows, is not routinely admissible as evidence, but any material proofs that it may lead to can be used in court. His narco-analysis test (next step in what's generally known as a lie-detection procedure) is tomorrow. A local court has allowed Delhi Police to conduct the narco test, giving it permission to take him to a lab in Delhi's Rohini on December 1 and 5. 5. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested businessman Amit Arora in connection with its money laundering probe into alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy case, as per official sources. Mr Arora is the director of Buddy Retail Pvt Limited located in Gurugram. This is the sixth arrest in this case by the Enforcement Directorate. The businessman has been arrested under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
- Five boys detained by police in Hyderabad for allegedly sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl, police say. The five boys, all class 9 and 10 students, sexually assaulted one of their classmates (the survivor) and also recorded the incident, they say. The boys and the survivor are all friends, the Rachakonda Police Commissionerate says. In August, they put her under threat at her home in the absence of her family members, police say. The boys recorded the incident, and 10 days later one of the accused with another boy again sexually assaulted her, the police say. The video was shared on WhatsApp, and the survivor told her parents about the incident who then approached the Hayathnagar Police Station and lodged a complaint against the boys. 2. YSR Telangana Party president YS Sharmila gets released on conditional bail after a day-long political drama in Telangana. YSRTP chief Sharmila was granted conditional bail on personal bond by the 14 Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate at Nampally. 3. Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot appear together in an uneasy show of unity after the Chief Minister called his former deputy a 'gaddar (traitor)' in a bombshell interview to NDTV. 4. As the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi servers remained out of order for the seventh consecutive day, the institute on Tuesday announced that the e-Hospital data has been restored, adding that measures will be taken to avert future cyber attacks.
- Israel's ambassador to India publicly denounces a filmmaker from his country who called 'The Kashmir Files' a 'propaganda' and 'vulgar movie' at International Film Festival of India in Goa. Envoy Naor Gilon also apologizes to India in an open letter on Twitter, a day after filmmaker Nadav Lapid, who is heading the festival jury, slammed the movie at the closing ceremony of the festival. Actor Anupam Kher, who played a protagonist in the movie, calls the criticism of 'The Kashmir Files' 'pre-planned' and accuses Mr Lapid of being insensitive towards the suffering of Kashmiri Pandits. 2. Shocking scenes play out on an arterial road of Hyderabad when a crane brought in by the city police tows away the car of YS Sharmila, Telangana politician and sister of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, while she still sat inside. There was more drama at the police station where Ms Sharmila was taken as she refused to come out of the car and a locksmith had to be brought in to open the door of the SUV. 3. Centre clears names of two advocates for their appointment as judges in Bombay High Court, following recommendations by Supreme Court Collegium, after the top court expressed its anguish over delay by Centre in clearing names recommended by the Collegium for appointment as judges. The names of advocates Santosh Govindrao Chapalgaonkar and Milind Manohar Sathaye have been cleared for them to be appointed as Bombay High Court judges. 4. A day before Supreme Court is to hear Maharashtra's petition on festering territorial dispute, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is in Delhi to meet BJP chief JP Nadda, besides consulting senior lawyers, including Mukul Rohatgi, the former Attorney General of India, who will appear for his state. BJP is in power in both states, recently having unseated Uddhav Thackeray's government in Maharashtra, and due to face elections next year in Karnataka, which means it'll need political manoeuvring besides the legal fight. 5. Police van carrying Aaftab Amin Poonawala, accused of horrific murder of girlfriend Shraddha Walkar in Delhi, attacked by group of sword-wielding men. The police manages to control the situation and Poonawala is safe. Security has been beefed up outside Forensic Science Laboratory in Rohini where Aaftab was attacked. 6. The campaigning for the first phase of elections in 89 out of the total 182 seats in Gujarat ends today. Elections for the first phase will be held on 1 December. Voting for the remaining 93 seats will be held on 5 December. 7. An increased number of Chinese police personnel seen patrolling the streets of cities like Beijing and Shanghai. The deployment comes as more people call for protests against lockdowns. The pushback marks the biggest wave of civil disobedience since Chinese President Xi Jinping came to power over a decade ago. 8. Aam Aadmi Party is going to win a record number of seats in the upcoming Municipal Corporation of Delhi elections, says Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. He further adds that the party will launch a scheme where people will run MCD.
- Israel's ambassador to India publicly denounces a filmmaker from his country who called 'The Kashmir Files' a 'propaganda' and 'vulgar movie' at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa. Envoy Naor Gilon also apologizes to India in an 'open letter' on Twitter, a day after filmmaker Nadav Lapid, who is heading the festival jury, slammed the movie at the closing ceremony of the festival yesterday. 'The Kashmir Files', directed by Vivek Agnihotri, revolves around the exodus and killing of Kashmiri Pandits from the Kashmir Valley in 1990. It has been mired in controversy since its release in March, with many calling it a poignant depiction of a tragic period and critics alleging it is loose with facts. Actor Anupam Kher, who played a protagonist in the movie, calls the criticism of 'The Kashmir Files' at the film festival 'pre-planned' and accuses Mr Lapid of being insensitive towards the suffering of Kashmiri Pandits. He says it's shameful for a person from a community (Jews) that suffered the horrors of holocaust to make such offensive remarks on a movie based on the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits. 2. The names of 10 judges recommended for elevation by the Supreme Court Collegium have not received a go-ahead from the Central government. The files, returned on November 25, also include the name of senior advocate Saurabh Kirpal, the son of former Chief Justice of India BN Kirpal. Sources say some names that were reiterated by the Collegium have also been returned. 3. Set for a legal battle with Maharashtra over the border dispute, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai expresses confidence about a 'good outcome', as he asserts that as per the Constitution and the States Reorganisation Act, the state's stand is justified. The Chief Minister is in New Delhi and held discussions with senior advocate in the state's legal panel Mukul Rohatgi, in the wake of the case coming up before the Supreme Court for hearing on November 30. 4. Aaftab Poonawala, accused of murdering his girlfriend Shraddha Walkar in a horrific case in Delhi, taken to the forensic lab from Tihar Jail for another round of polygraph test around 8.30 am amid heightened security after an attack on the van carrying him last evening. 5. With just a day remaining before Gujarat goes to polls in the first phase, Prime Minister Narendra Modi escalates his tirade against Congress accusing it of stopping armed forces from acting against terrorism when it was in power due to vote bank politics and takes a jibe at former PM Manmohan Singh over the slow pace of economy in ten years of the UPA rule. 6. The stringent lockdowns and ongoing protests in China have emerged as the 'biggest rebellion' in the country's history as people are filled with angst over the afflicting zero-Covid policy for its enforced quarantines, according to the Investigative Journalism Reportika. The public outrage against CCP rule and torturous zero-covid policy has been observed across several cities of China including Beijing and Shanghai which are the trade hubs of the country.
- The names of 10 judges recommended for elevation by the Supreme Court Collegium have not received a go-ahead from the Central government. The files, returned on November 25, also include the name of senior advocate Saurabh Kirpal, the son of former Chief Justice of India BN Kirpal. Sources say some names that were reiterated by the Collegium have also been returned. 2. The jury of 53rd International Film Festival in Goa slams the controversial movie 'The Kashmir Files', which revolves around the killings and exodus of Kashmiri Pandits in 1990 from Kashmir Valley. Calling it 'propaganda' and a 'vulgar movie', Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid, who heads the IFFI jury, says 'all of them' were 'disturbed and shocked' to see the film screened at the festival. 'Propaganda' remarks on 'The Kashmir Files' jury head's 'personal opinion', says film festival's jury board. 3. With just a day remaining before Gujarat goes to polls in the first phase, Prime Minister Narendra Modi escalates his tirade against Congress accusing it of stopping armed forces from acting against terrorism when it was in power due to vote bank politics and takes a jibe at former PM Manmohan Singh over the slow pace of economy in ten years of the UPA rule. 4. The stringent lockdowns and ongoing protests in China have emerged as the 'biggest rebellion' in the country's history as people are filled with angst over the afflicting zero-Covid policy for its enforced quarantines, according to the Investigative Journalism Reportika. The public outrage against CCP rule and torturous zero-covid policy has been observed across several cities of China including Beijing and Shanghai which are the trade hubs of the country. 5. A police van carrying Aaftab Amin Poonawala - accused of the horrific murder of girlfriend Shraddha Walkar in Delhi - attacked by a group of sword-wielding men. The police manages to control the situation. Poonawala is safe, sources say.
- The names of 10 judges recommended for elevation by the Supreme Court Collegium have not received a go-ahead from the Central government. The files, returned on November 25, also include the name of senior advocate Saurabh Kirpal, the son of former Chief Justice of India BN Kirpal. Sources say some names that were reiterated by the Collegium have also been returned. 2. The jury of 53rd International Film Festival in Goa slams the controversial movie 'The Kashmir Files', which revolves around the killings and exodus of Kashmiri Pandits in 1990 from Kashmir Valley. Calling it 'propaganda' and a 'vulgar movie', Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid, who heads the IFFI jury, says 'all of them' were 'disturbed and shocked' to see the film screened at the festival. 'Propaganda' remarks on 'The Kashmir Files' jury head's 'personal opinion', says film festival's jury board. 3. With just a day remaining before Gujarat goes to polls in the first phase, Prime Minister Narendra Modi escalates his tirade against Congress accusing it of stopping armed forces from acting against terrorism when it was in power due to vote bank politics and takes a jibe at former PM Manmohan Singh over the slow pace of economy in ten years of the UPA rule. 4. The stringent lockdowns and ongoing protests in China have emerged as the 'biggest rebellion' in the country's history as people are filled with angst over the afflicting zero-Covid policy for its enforced quarantines, according to the Investigative Journalism Reportika. The public outrage against CCP rule and torturous zero-covid policy has been observed across several cities of China including Beijing and Shanghai which are the trade hubs of the country. 5. A police van carrying Aaftab Amin Poonawala - accused of the horrific murder of girlfriend Shraddha Walkar in Delhi - attacked by a group of sword-wielding men. The police manages to control the situation. Poonawala is safe, sources say.
- As the horror over Shraddha Walkar's brutal murder continues to hang heavy over Delhi, police have cracked a similar crime in the eastern part of the city. Delhi Police crime branch have arrested a woman for allegedly murdering her husband with the help of her son from a previous marriage. In eerie similarities with the Shraddha Walkar murder case, the body was chopped up into 10 pieces; these pieces were stored in a fridge and disposed them of in east Delhi's Pandav Nagar over several days. 2. Political campaigning in full swing in Gujarat with just three days to the first phase of election. 3. The Supreme Court objects to recent remarks by Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on the collegium system of appointing judges, saying it should not have happened. It also flags the issue of Centre delaying appointments in the higher judiciary. On delays in appointments, the court asks if the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) not passing muster was the reason that the government is not happy, and is hence not clearing names. 4. China's censors are working to extinguish signs of rare, social media-driven protests that flared across major cities over the weekend calling for political freedoms and an end to Covid lockdowns. Sunday saw people take to the streets in several major cities across China to call for an end to lockdowns and greater political freedoms, in a wave of nationwide protests not seen since pro-democracy rallies in 1989 were crushed. A deadly fire last week in Urumqi, the capital of northwest China's Xinjiang region, has become a catalyst for public anger, with many blaming Covid lockdowns for hampering rescue efforts.
- As the horror over Shraddha Walkar's brutal murder continues to hang heavy over Delhi, police have cracked a similar crime in the eastern part of the city. Delhi Police crime branch have arrested a woman for allegedly murdering her husband with the help of her son from a previous marriage. In eerie similarities with the Shraddha Walkar murder case, the body was chopped up into 10 pieces; these pieces were stored in a fridge and disposed them of in east Delhi's Pandav Nagar over several days. 2. Political campaigning in full swing in Gujarat with just three days to the first phase of election. 3. Indian equity benchmarks reverse losses from early in the session to surge on Monday, with the Sensex index scaling to a new record high. That even as market sentiment dipped, driven by fears of global economic growth outlook after rare demonstrations against China's strict zero-Covid policy rattled investors. After demonstrators and police battled in Shanghai on Sunday, concerns over the management of COVID-19 in the second-largest economy in the world caused Asian markets to fall. 4. China's censors are working o extinguish signs of rare, social media-driven protests that flared across major cities over the weekend calling for political freedoms and an end to Covid lockdowns. Sunday saw people take to the streets in several major cities across China to call for an end to lockdowns and greater political freedoms, in a wave of nationwide protests not seen since pro-democracy rallies in 1989 were crushed. A deadly fire last week in Urumqi, the capital of northwest China's Xinjiang region, has become a catalyst for public anger, with many blaming Covid lockdowns for hampering rescue efforts.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal address election campaign rallies in Gujarat's diamond city 'Surat'. In a veiled attack on AAP, the PM says those who gave election tickets to the people who opposed Narmada dam project for years should not be allowed to step into Gujarat. Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tells textile traders of Surat that AAP will make the city a garment hub of the country with an export-oriented integrated textile park and creation of thousands of jobs. Voting will take place in Surat in the first phase of the State Assembly elections on 1 December. 2. Demonstrations against stringent Covid measures in China spring up in several cities over the weekend as state censors work to extinguish signs of rare, social media-driven protests. The protests have been fuelled by frustration at the central government's zero-Covid policy, which sees authorities impose snap lockdowns, lengthy quarantines and mass testing campaigns over just a handful of cases. 3. The remaining sessions of the polygraph test on Aaftab Amin Poonawalla, accused of brutally killing his live-in partner Shraddha Walkar, will be conducted today and tomorrow. Poonawalla has already undergone three sessions of the test, also known as lie detector test, the last being held for about three hours on Friday. 4. Telangana Police denies BJP state chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar permission for the fifth phase of his 'Praja Sangrama Yatra' and a public meeting in Bhainsa town of Nirmal district citing 'communally sensitive situation' there. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is among the BJP leaders who were scheduled to address the public meeting today.
- A no-holds barred campaign in Gujarat. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Arvind Kejriwal at multiple rallies ahead of the first phase of polling. 2. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal makes a written assertion that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will form government in Gujarat after the upcoming Assembly polls. He also urges government employees in Gujarat to back the AAP while promising implementation of the old pension scheme for them by January 31 next year. Addressing a press conference in Surat, AAP national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal says his predictions for the Delhi and Punjab Assembly elections came true, and the same will happen in Gujarat as well. He claims people are so scared of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that they shy away from openly admitting support for the AAP in the Gujarat Assembly elections, scheduled in two phases on December 1 and 5. 3. BJP's super Sunday campaign for the Delhi civic poll. Top leaders campaign on the streets of Delhi for the civic body elections. 4. A bus stop in Mysuru, recently in the news over a BJP MP's threat to raze it for looking like a mosque because it had three domes on top, now has a new look, videos and images shared online show. The bus stop on the Kerala Border-Kollegala section of the National Highway-766 now only has a single dome, painted red. Two smaller domes that were present - with all three coloured gold - are now missing. This comes days after Karnataka BJP MP Pratap Simha sparked a controversy by saying that he has asked engineers to demolish the 'mosque-like' structure which had been constructed by an MLA from his party. 5. Protests against China's heavy COVID-19 curbs spread to more cities, including the financial hub Shanghai, nearly three years into the pandemic, with a fresh wave of anger sparked by a deadly fire in the country's far west. The fire that killed 10 people in a high-rise building in Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang region, has sparked widespread public anger. Many internet users surmise that residents could not escape in time because the building was partially locked down, which city officials deny.
- Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal makes written assertion that Aam Aadmi Party will form government in Gujarat after the upcoming Assembly polls. He also urges government employees in Gujarat to back AAP while promising implementation of the old pension scheme for them by January 31 next year. Addressing a press conference in Surat, AAP national convener Kejriwal says his predictions for Delhi and Punjab Assembly elections came true, and the same will happen in Gujarat as well. 2. BJP chief JP Nadda goes door to door in Delhi's Wazirpur seeking votes for his party's candidates in the upcoming municipal elections. As part of BJP's mega campaign, Mr Nadda interacts with locals and hands out copies of the party's 'Sankalp Patra'. Various party leaders including Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak and Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta also join the 12-hour campaign. 3. Two paramilitary jawans are shot dead and two others are injured in firing by one of their colleagues near Porbandar in Gujarat, where they were stationed for election duty ahead of next month's assembly polls. The men were not on active duty when they got into a fight that escalated and shots were fired from AK-47 rifle. They were part of India Reserve Battalion from Manipur and deputed in Gujarat besides Central Armed Police Forces, says Porbandar Collector and District Election Officer AM Sharma. 4. Protests against China's heavy COVID-19 curbs spread to more cities, including the financial hub Shanghai, nearly three years into the pandemic, with a fresh wave of anger sparked by a deadly fire in the country's far west. The fire that killed 10 people in a high-rise building in Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang region, has sparked widespread public anger. Many internet users surmise that residents could not escape in time because the building was partially locked down, which city officials deny. 5. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan announces to withdraw his party from all the assemblies after consulting all parliamentary parties and chief ministers in the coming days. He says this while addressing his Haqeeqi Azadi rally on Murree Road near Faizabad in Rawalpindi. Mr Khan says they cannot bear to stay in this corrupt system any longer with people accused of billions in corruption getting away without punishment.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal will be speaking at campaign rallies today in Gujarat's 'diamond city' Surat which sends 12 MLAs to the state's 182-member Assembly. The PM will address a public meeting at Mota Varachha after 25 km road-show from the airport to the rally venue, says local Bharatiya Janata Party leader Jagdish Patel. He is also scheduled to address three rallies at Netrang in Bharuch and in Kheda district. Mr Kejriwal will be on a two-day tour of Surat. 2. Two paramilitary jawans are shot dead and two others are injured in firing by one of their colleagues near Porbandar in Gujarat, where they were stationed for election duty ahead of next month's assembly polls. The men were not on active duty when they got into a fight that escalated and shots were fired from AK-47 rifle. They were part of India Reserve Battalion from Manipur and deputed in Gujarat besides Central Armed Police Forces, says Porbandar Collector and District Election Officer AM Sharma. 3. Delhi minister Satyendar Jain's plea seeking special food in Tihar jail dismissed by special court. Mr Jain had sought directions to get special food inside the jail as per his religious beliefs. Special Judge Vikas Dhull dismisses the petition. 4. Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal shares a video of BJP's star campaigner Yogi Adityanath calling him 'sympathiser of terrorism' during a poll rally in Gujarat, and pitches himself as someone who stands for 'development' as against BJP's 'politics of abuses and hooliganism'. Delhi CM says, 'If you want dirty abuses, hooliganism, corruption, or dirty politics, then vote for them. If you want schools, hospitals, electricity, water, roads, then vote for me.'
- Aam Aadmi Party boss Arvind Kejriwal shares a video of BJP's star campaigner Yogi Adityanath calling him 'a sympathiser of terrorism' during a poll rally in Gujarat, and pitches himself as someone who stands for 'development' as against the BJP's 'politics of abuses and hooliganism'. 2. Delhi's Saket Court send Aaftab Amin Poonawalla, accused in the Shraddha Walkar murder case, to judicial custody for 13 days. Delhi Police is probing the Shraddha Walkar murder case in which she was strangulated to death by her live-in partner Aaftab who then allegedly chopped her body into 35 pieces before dumping it in the Chhatarpur area of the national capital. 3. Addressing media after Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia's name does not find any mention in the CBI chargesheet filed on Friday, CM Kejriwal says, 'CBI filed the chargesheet yesterday. Manish Sisodia's name is not there. CBI has given clean chit to him. CBI and ED were working day and night to frame Mr Sisodia but could not find even an iota of evidence against him.' 4. Fresh trouble may be brewing for jailed Aam Aadmi Party minister Satyendar Jain as yet another CCTV video of his prison cell shows him hosting guests, and also features a visit from now-suspended Tihar Jail superintendent. AAP Convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who has accused BJP of using central agencies to go after its leaders in order to harm them in polls, says the election is BJP's 10 videos versus his 10 guarantees to people. 5. Five months after he led a rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena from Guwahati, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will lead a 200-member delegation to the Assam capital today and offer prayers at the renowned Kamakhya Devi temple 'to thank the goddess for her blessings'. According to sources, Mr Shinde is being accompanied by 40 MLAs and MPs in the special flight from Mumbai to Guwahati. 6. The Gujarat High Court extends the interim bail granted to former Director General of Police (DGP) of Gujarat, RB Sreekumar, who was arrested in June this year for allegedly fabricating documents related to the 2002 Godhra Riots case. 7. All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi lashes out at Union Home Minister Amit Shah for his 'taught lessons to rioters in 2002' statement.
- Addressing media after Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia's name does not find any mention in the CBI chargesheet filed on Friday, CM Kejriwal says, 'CBI filed the chargesheet yesterday. Manish Sisodia's name is not there. CBI has given clean chit to him. CBI and ED were working day and night to frame Mr Sisodia but could not find even an iota of evidence against him.' 2. Our Constitution is open, futuristic and known for its progressive views, says Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an event to mark the Constitution Day. 'The words 'We the people' are not just three words, but the very essence of our Constitution and one that defines our democracy and makes us the mother of all democracies in the world,' adds the PM. 3. Five months after he led a rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena from Guwahati, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will lead a 200-member delegation to the Assam capital today and offer prayers at the renowned Kamakhya Devi temple 'to thank the goddess for her blessings'. According to sources, Mr Shinde is being accompanied by 40 MLAs and MPs in the special flight from Mumbai to Guwahati. 4. Aaftab Amin Poonawalla, accused of killing his live-in partner Shraddha Walkar and then chopping her body into several pieces, will be produced in Delhi's Saket court as his police custody ends today. Poonawalla's polygraph test was left incomplete on Friday. 5. Fresh trouble may be brewing for jailed Aam Aadmi Party minister Satyendar Jain as yet another CCTV video of his prison cell shows him hosting guests, and also features a visit from now-suspended Tihar Jail superintendent. AAP Convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who has accused BJP of using central agencies to go after its leaders in order to harm them in polls, says the election is BJP's 10 videos versus his 10 guarantees to people. 6. Soon after Union Home Minister Amit Shah at a Gujarat election rally makes his controversial 'taught a lesson to rioters in 2002' comment, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi lashes out at him, saying his 'lessons' are in fact about letting criminals walk free.
- Those responsible for communal riots in Gujarat were taught such a lesson that the state has been peaceful for 22 years, says Union Home Minister Amit Shah at a rally ahead of next week's elections. Mr Shah adds, 'During Congress rule in Gujarat, communal riots were rampant. Congress used to incite people of different communities and castes to fight against each other. Through such riots, Congress had strengthened its vote bank and did injustice to a large section of the society.' 2. After Ashok Gehlot's all-out attack on his Rajasthan rival Sachin Pilot, whom he repeatedly called traitor in an exclusive interview to NDTV, Congress says certain words used by the Chief Minister are unexpected and surprising. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh adds, 'Congress leadership will discuss how to resolve this. We are a family and Congress needs both an experienced leader like Ashok Gehlot and an energetic youth leader like Sachin Pilot.' 3. As part of his 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and his sister, party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, perform 'aarti' of the holy river Narmada at Bramhapuri Ghat in Madhya Pradesh's Khandwa district. They also offer prayers at the famous Omkareshwar Temple on a hillock by the river that houses one of the 12 'jyotirlingas'. 4. Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia is not named in the CBI's first chargesheet in the liquor policy case. Mr Sisodia and Aam Aadmi Party say this means he has been cleared of false charges by the probe agency. 5. United States outplays more fancied England in a goalless stalemate at Al Bayt Stadium. A draw means England is yet to assure a place in Round of 16 despite retaining the top spot in the group standings after two rounds of matches. England has four points from two games through a win and a draw, while USA remains at the third position with two points from two draws. 6. Hardik Patel, the young Patidar community leader who is now a BJP candidate, says his former party Congress has no vision for Gujarat. 'Rahul Gandhi has been busy with his 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' in the South,' he says, pressing on the fact that the Congress top leader's marquee march isn't passing through poll-bound Gujarat. 7. BJP's MCD poll manifesto, promising flats to slum dwellers, cheap meals for Rs 5 through 50 Annapurna Rasois, free bicycles to girl students, 1,000 permanent Chhath ghats, new cow shelters and development of 'happiness' areas, is released by party leaders in Delhi. The 'Sankalp Patra' of BJP also pledges to make Delhi a clean, green and sustainable city through initiatives such as 100 per cent garbage disposal through waste-to-energy conversion, clearing trash from three landfill sites by 2023, door-to-door garbage collection and setting up 1,000 electric vehicle charging stations in the next five years. 8. Five months after he led a group of MLAs to Guwahati, signalling his rebellion from Uddhav Thackeray led Shiv Sena, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will head to Assam capital today and call on the renowned Kamakhya Devi temple 'to thank the goddess for her blessings'. Shinde will be joined by all MLAs and MPs of his faction on the visit to Assam which will last till Sunday. 9. Supreme Court dismisses NIA's plea challenging the bail granted by Bombay High Court to scholar-activist Anand Teltumbde in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case. A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice Hima Kohli refuses to interfere with the HC's November 18 order granting bail to 73-year-old Teltumbde, who was arrested in the case in April 2020.
- Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh says Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot using the term 'Gaddar' (traitor) for party colleague Sachin Pilot was 'unexpected'. He says the party needs both the warring leaders, and the crisis in the Rajasthan unit will be resolved keeping in mind the interests of the organization and not individuals. Mr Gehlot, in a TV interview, says Pilot was a 'Gaddar' and cannot replace him as Rajasthan CM, drawing sharp response from his former deputy who said such 'mud-slinging' would not help. 2. Union Home Minister Amit Shah asks historians to rewrite history in the Indian context and assures them that the government will support their efforts. 'I am a student of history and I hear a lot of times that our history has not been presented properly and is distorted. Maybe that is correct, but now we need to correct this,' Mr Shah says at a function of the Assam government in Delhi. 3. Manish Sisodia, the Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, accuses the BJP of conspiring to kill Arvind Kejriwal because it is afraid of losing to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the approaching Delhi civic polls and the Gujarat election. Mr Sisodia also accuses BJP MP Manoj Tiwari of a role in what he called 'the conspiracy to assassinate' the Delhi Chief Minister and demands his arrest. Mr Tiwari had openly threatened Mr Kejriwal in a tweet, says the AAP leader. 4. Amitabh Bachchan's name, image, or voice can't be used without his permission, the Delhi High Court rules as it hears the actor's petition. The court also directs the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, and telecom service providers, to remove flagged content. 5. In the wake of further violence in the state, the Meghalaya government has decided to extend the suspension of mobile internet and data services in seven districts by another 48 hours. The internet and data services will remain suspended in the districts of West Jaintia Hills, East Jaintia Hills, East Khasi Hills, Ri-Bhoi, Eastern West Khasi Hills, West Khasi Hills and South West Khasi Hills. 6. Australian citizen of Indian-origin Rajwinder Singh, who had fled that country after killing a woman four years ago and was carrying a 1 million Australian Dollars reward on his arrest, was nabbed by the Delhi Police on Friday, say officials.
- As Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot steps up his attack on his party rival Sachin Pilot, the Congress says their differences would be resolved in a manner that would strengthen the party and asserts that the focus right now should be on the success of the Bharat Jodo Yatra. 'Ashok Gehlot is a senior and experienced political leader. Whatever differences he has expressed with his younger colleague Sachin Pilot will be resolved in a manner that strengthens the Congress party,' the All India Congress Committee general secretary communications, Jairam Ramesh, says in a statement. 2. Union Home Minister Amit Shah asks historians to rewrite history in the Indian context and assures them that the government will support their efforts. 'I am a student of history and I hear a lot of times that our history has not been presented properly and is distorted. Maybe that is correct, but now we need to correct this,' Mr Shah says at a function of the Assam government in Delhi. 3. Manish Sisodia, the Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, accuses the BJP of conspiring to kill Arvind Kejriwal because it is afraid of losing to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the approaching Delhi civic polls and the Gujarat election. Mr Sisodia also accuses BJP MP Manoj Tiwari of a role in what he called 'the conspiracy to assassinate' the Delhi Chief Minister and demands his arrest. Mr Tiwari had openly threatened Mr Kejriwal in a tweet, says the AAP leader. 4. Amitabh Bachchan's name, image, or voice can't be used without his permission, the Delhi High Court rules as it hears the actor's petition. The court also directs the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, and telecom service providers, to remove flagged content. 5. In the wake of further violence in the state, the Meghalaya government has decided to extend the suspension of mobile internet and data services in seven districts by another 48 hours. The internet and data services will remain suspended in the districts of West Jaintia Hills, East Jaintia Hills, East Khasi Hills, Ri-Bhoi, Eastern West Khasi Hills, West Khasi Hills and South West Khasi Hills.
- Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot launches an all-out attack against arch rival Sachin Pilot. In an exclusive interview with NDTV, he takes time out from campaigning with Rahul Gandhi in Gujarat to deliver his biggest takedown yet of Mr Pilot. 2. Five knives used by Aaftab Poonawala to dismember Shraddha Walkar's body after killing her have been found, and a saw is still missing, the Delhi Police claims, in the latest revelations into the gruesome killing that has stunned the country. The police say they have recovered five knives, each between 5-6 inches long, and they have been sent for forensic examination. Commenting on the crime for the first time, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has assured 'strict punishment' to the guilty in the fastest possible time, while the CPI-M has alleged that the incident was being used for 'communal propaganda'. 3. A judge of Gujarat High Court, against whose transfer state lawyers were up in arms, will not be moved out, for now. Sources say the decision has been put on hold after lawyers of the Gujarat Bar Association held strikes and even met Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud following reports that Justice Nikhil Kariel will be moved to the Patna High Court. 4. In the wake of further violence in the state, the Meghalaya government has decided to extend the suspension of mobile internet and data services in seven districts by another 48 hours. The internet and data services will remain suspended in the districts of West Jaintia Hills, East Jaintia Hills, East Khasi Hills, Ri-Bhoi, Eastern West Khasi Hills, West Khasi Hills and South West Khasi Hills. 5. A massive blaze that broke out in the shops of Bhagirath Palace market of Chandni Chowk in the national capital on Thursday evening, continued to rage on Friday morning as attempts are underway to bring the flames under control. According to Delhi Fire Service Director Atul Garg, several fire tenders are on the spot and attempts are on to douse the fire. No casualty has been reported so far. 6. Resident doctors at the Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) in Rohtak has gone on an indefinite strike in solidarity with the ongoing agitation by MBBS students against the Haryana government's bond policy. 7. FIFA World Cup 2022: Brazil outcasts Serbia 2-0 in Doha. Richarlison reflected on his tears when he feared he might miss the World Cup after scoring both goals as Brazil opened their bid to win a sixth title with a 2-0 win over Serbia. 8. Cristiano Ronaldo adds another gem to his already decorated hat as he becomes the first player in history to score in five different World Cups as his penalty helps Portugal register a 3-2 thrilling victory over Ghana in a Group H encounter.
- Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot calls Sachin Pilot a 'gaddar' (traitor) and says he cannot replace him as he had revolted against the Congress in 2020 and tried to topple his own government. The remarks have further widened the fissures in the Congress party in Rajasthan, where Assembly polls are slated next year. The Bharat Jodo Yatra, led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, is also set to enter the desert state. Mr Pilot, who walked alongside Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Madhya Pradesh, did not react to CM Gehlot's remarks. CM Gehlot also alleges that Union Home Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Amit Shah was involved in Pilot's rebellion, when some Congress MLAs loyal to him were holed up in a Gurugram resort for more than a month and Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan visited them often, claiming that he has proof that an amount of Rs 10 crore was paid to each of those legislators, including Pilot. 2. The BJP faces a tricky situation as the decades-old border dispute between Karnataka and Maharashtra, both ruled by the party now, is back under the spotlight. As both state governments try to pander to regional sentiments, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj S Bommai have exchanged strong words on the sensitive political issue. Mr Fadnavis yesterday said no village of Maharashtra has sought a merger with Karnataka recently, and added that there is no question of any border village 'going anywhere'. In a sharp retort, Mr Bommai termed the Maharashtra BJP leader's remark 'provocative' and said 'his dream will never come true'. 3. Five knives used by Aaftab Poonawala to dismember Shraddha Walkar's body after killing her have been found and saw is still missing, the Delhi Police claims, in the latest revelations into the gruesome killing that has stunned the country.
- Rajasthan's former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot walks along with Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Borgaon, Madhya Pradesh. Mr Pilot joins the foot march at a time when demands for the change of leadership have been raised again in Rajasthan, before the entry of the yatra into Rajasthan. The yatra will enter the desert state from Madhya Pradesh on December 4, after covering a distance of 380 km. 2. The Supreme Court questions what the 'tearing hurry' was for the 'super fast' appointment of ex-IAS officer Arun Goel as Election Commissioner, despite the government's objection to a 'mini trial' within the larger case on how the commissioners are chosen. The five-judge Constitution bench — continuing with some stinging remarks on the process for the third consecutive day — today went straight into the files on Arun Goel that it had sought yesterday. 3. A 20-year-old woman allegedly strangled to death by her mother in Tirunelveli after she refuses to consider marrying a man chosen by her family. This is being seen as a suspected case of dishonour killing as unconfirmed reports suggest. P Aruna, who belonged to the Most Backward Classes (MBC) community, wanted to marry someone from a backward class but her family was forcing her to marry within their community. 4. Amid an increase in the number of measles cases, the Centre asks states to consider administering one additional dose of Measles and Rubella vaccines to all children, aged 9 months to 5 years, in vulnerable areas. Recently, increased numbers of measles cases were reported from certain districts of Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Kerala and Maharashtra. 5. The World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that measles immunization had dropped significantly since the coronavirus pandemic began, resulting in a record high of nearly 40 million children missing a vaccine dose last year. 6. China's daily Covid cases have hit a record high since the beginning of the pandemic, official data shows, as the country works to curb the spread with snap lockdowns, mass testing and travel restrictions. China recorded 31,454 domestic cases - 27,517 without symptoms - on Wednesday, as per the National Health Bureau. The numbers are relatively small when compared with China's vast population of 1.4 billion. But under Beijing's strict zero-Covid policy, even tiny outbreaks can shut down entire cities and place contacts of infected patients into strict quarantine. 7. The gruesome murder of Shraddha Walkar allegedly by her boyfriend Aaftab Poonawala in Delhi triggers politics of blame in their home state Maharashtra, with the ruling BJP pressing on the charge that the previous government led by Uddhav Thackeray 'could have saved her, if it acted on her letter of 2020'. 'The government was busy appeasing a community for politics and in vasooli (bribe or extortion),' BJP MLA Ram Kadam says, alluding to an alleged communal angle.
- Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is leading the party's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', will address a mega rally in Madhya Pradesh's Mhow, the birthplace of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, on Constitution Day on November 26, say sources. Through this mega event, Rahul Gandhi is expected to attack the Modi government at the Centre on the lines of 'Save Constitution Save Democracy', say sources. At the same time, Mr Gandhi was today joined by sister and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in his Bharat Jodo Yatra. 2. Mumbai records 13 new cases of measles and one death related to the disease, taking the infection tally this year so far to 233 and the fatality toll to 12, according to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. Amid an increase in the number of measles cases, the Centre asks states to consider administering one additional dose of Measles and Rubella vaccines to all children, aged 9 months to 5 years, in vulnerable areas. Recently, increased numbers of measles cases were reported from certain districts of Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Kerala and Maharashtra. 3. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that measles immunization had dropped significantly since the coronavirus pandemic began, resulting in a record high of nearly 40 million children missing a vaccine dose last year. 4. The server for National Informatics Centre's eHospital used at AIIMS-New Delhi has been down since yesterday morning, affecting the healthcare centre's outpatient department and sample collection services. National Informatics Centre team working at AIIMS suspects it to be a ransomware attack. 5. Twitter CEO, Elon Musk takes to the micro-blogging site and addresses the question that whether the site should offer a general amnesty to other suspended accounts. Taking to Twitter, Mr Musk writes, 'Should Twitter offer a general amnesty to suspended accounts, provided that they have not broken the law or engaged in egregious spam?' 6. China's daily Covid cases have hit a record high since the beginning of the pandemic, official data shows, as the country works to curb the spread with snap lockdowns, mass testing and travel restrictions. China recorded 31,454 domestic cases - 27,517 without symptoms - on Wednesday, as per the National Health Bureau. The numbers are relatively small when compared with China's vast population of 1.4 billion. But under Beijing's strict zero-Covid policy, even tiny outbreaks can shut down entire cities and place contacts of infected patients into strict quarantine.
- On the independence of India's top poll body, the Supreme Court today pointed a question for the central government: 'A hypothesis: Can the Election Commission take on the Prime Minister?' The court also spoke of an instance of 'an Election Commissioner opting out of the commission' — it did not take names — and said that 'every government appoints a yes man' as the poll body chief. The government's lawyer responded, 'Stray instances cannot be the grounds for the court to interfere. To safeguard the position is our endeavour.' The court stressed that it wasn't saying the system is not correct. 'There should be a transparent mechanism,' it added. 2. Just before his Bharat Jodo Yatra enters Congress-ruled Rajasthan, Rahul Gandhi has been served a sharp reminder of the unresolved power struggle in the state between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his rival Sachin Pilot. Vijay Singh Bainsla, a prominent leader of the Gurjar community, has warned of 'disruptions' in the Congress's prestige yatra if Sachin Pilot is not made Chief Minister. 3. Shraddha Walkar, who was allegedly strangled by her boyfriend Aaftab Poonawala, her body chopped up into pieces, and dumped in a jungle in Delhi, had feared exactly that two years ago in a complaint to the police at Tilunj in their hometown Vasai in Maharashtra, investigators today said. She had written the complaint to the cops after he beat her up at a flat they shared, and said that his family knew about his violent behaviour, sources in the Delhi police said. The local police said Shraddha later gave another written statement that 'we no longer have any quarrel' after his parents spoke to them, and asked for no action to be taken. 4. A day after jailed Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain complained in court about inadequate food and a 28-kg weight loss, more footage from Tihar Jail emerged in an apparent counteroffensive. After viral videos of Satyendra Jain receiving massages in his prison cell, new CCTV footage shows him eating salad, fruit and food from plastic containers. 5. A group of villagers from Meghalaya vandalised and burnt down a forest office in Assam's West Karbi Anglong district, soon after six people were killed in violence that occurred in a disputed area along the border between the two states, officials claimed today. 5. Cracking the whip, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Gujarat has suspended 12 party leaders, including 6-term MLA Madhu Shrivastav and two former legislators, for filing nominations as independent candidates for the upcoming Assembly elections after they were denied tickets. 6. An attacker shoots and kills at least six people at a Walmart in the US state of Virginia, police says, adding the single shooter suspect is also dead. The mass shooting in the city of Chesapeake comes just before Americans celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday and follows a weekend gun attack at an LGBTQ club in Colorado that left five people dead.
- On the independence of India's top poll body, the Supreme Court today pointed a question for the central government: 'A hypothesis: Can the Election Commission take on the Prime Minister?' The court also spoke of an instance of 'an Election Commissioner opting out of the commission' — it did not take names — and said that 'every government appoints a yes man' as the poll body chief. The government's lawyer responded, 'Stray instances cannot be the grounds for the court to interfere. To safeguard the position is our endeavour.' The court stressed that it wasn't saying the system is not correct. 'There should be a transparent mechanism,' it added. 2. Just before his Bharat Jodo Yatra enters Congress-ruled Rajasthan, Rahul Gandhi has been served a sharp reminder of the unresolved power struggle in the state between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his rival Sachin Pilot. Vijay Singh Bainsla, a prominent leader of the Gurjar community, has warned of 'disruptions' in the Congress's prestige yatra if Sachin Pilot is not made Chief Minister. 3. Shraddha Walkar, who was allegedly strangled by her boyfriend Aaftab Poonawala, her body chopped up into pieces, and dumped in a jungle in Delhi, had feared exactly that two years ago in a complaint to the police at Tilunj in their hometown Vasai in Maharashtra, investigators today said. She had written the complaint to the cops after he beat her up at a flat they shared, and said that his family knew about his violent behaviour, sources in the Delhi police said. The local police said Shraddha later gave another written statement that 'we no longer have any quarrel' after his parents spoke to them, and asked for no action to be taken. 4. A day after jailed Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain complained in court about inadequate food and a 28-kg weight loss, more footage from Tihar Jail emerged in an apparent counteroffensive. After viral videos of Satyendra Jain receiving massages in his prison cell, new CCTV footage shows him eating salad, fruit and food from plastic containers. 5. A group of villagers from Meghalaya vandalised and burnt down a forest office in Assam's West Karbi Anglong district, soon after six people were killed in violence that occurred in a disputed area along the border between the two states, officials claimed today. 5. Cracking the whip, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Gujarat has suspended 12 party leaders, including 6-term MLA Madhu Shrivastav and two former legislators, for filing nominations as independent candidates for the upcoming Assembly elections after they were denied tickets. 6. Star footballer Cristiano Ronaldo announces the end of his contract with Manchester United, saying that it 'feels like the right time to seek a new challenge'. The five-time winner of the Ballon d'Or, who has had a frustrating season at Manchester United doing regular bench duty, startled the world with a series of videos in which he took aim at the Manchester United board and manager Erik ten Hag.
- Aaftab Poonawala has not confessed in court to murdering his partner Shraddha Walkar, his lawyer says. He also says the case against Aaftab is so far mostly circumstantial evidence, which could help him. Poonawala, the main suspect in the gruesome murder of 27-year-old Shraddha Walkar, will undergo a polygraph test today, sources in the Delhi Police have said. 2. Apparently rattled by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's Malabar tour, Leader of Opposition in the Kerala assembly, V D Satheesan says any kind of sectarianism or parallel activities would not be allowed in the party and warns that such moves would be dealt with 'seriously.' 3. With the death of a one-year-old boy, the toll due to outbreak of measles in Mumbai reaches 11, of which two patients are out of the metropolis, while 12 more persons are infected by the viral disease, taking their count to 220, says the local civic body. A Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation health department bulletin says 12 new confirmed cases of measles are found in the city, taking their overall count to 220. 4. The death toll from an earthquake on Indonesia's main island of Java jumps to 268. Search for survivors is still on. 5. Six people, including a forest guard, killed in violence at the disputed Assam-Meghalaya border after a truck allegedly laden with illegally felled timber was intercepted by forest guards from Assam. 6. As videos of alleged VIP treatment to him in Tihar Jail go viral, the Aam Aadmi Party's jailed Delhi minister Satyendar Jain tells a trial court that he has not even been getting 'proper' food and medical check-up. He has lost around 28 kg in custody, says his lawyer, Senior Advocate Rahul Mehra.
- Six people, including a forest guard, killed in a firing incident at Mukroh village in Meghalaya's West Jaintia Hills, leading to tensions in the Assam-Meghalaya border villages. Meghalaya has suspended mobile internet services in seven districts of the state for 48 hours as flare-ups on the two state's border can escalate quickly, as seen not too long ago. 2. Investigation into the bridge collapse in Gujarat's Morbi that killed over 130 people last month reveals huge lapses in the renovation and the management upon reopening, raising questions over contractor Oreva Group and the local municipality. Oreva Group, which had the contract of maintenance, operation and security of the suspension bridge, had issued a whopping 3,165 tickets on October 30, the day of the collapse, says the government lawyer at a district court while submitting a forensic probe report. Not all tickets were sold but the company hadn't, in any case, assessed the load-bearing capacity of the bridge that was originally built over a century ago. The guards and ticket collector kept by Oreva were daily wage labourers, who had no expertise in crowd management. 3. Actor and BJP leader Sonali Phogat's personal assistant is among the two accused by probe agency CBI of forcing her to take drugs just hours before her death in August. The Haryana BJP leader's associates, personal assistant Sudhir Sangwan, and Sukhwinder Singh, were accused of forcibly drugging and killing her. Both were arrested in August. Central Bureau of Investigation has now filed a charge sheet against both the accused in a Goa court. 4. In a new twist to the row over viral videos of Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain receiving massages in jail, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)'s claim that these were 'physiotherapy sessions' has been demolished by sources who say the 'masseur' in the video is a prisoner, accused of raping his own daughter. 5. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hands out job appointment letters to more than 71,000 youngsters, saying similar campaigns have been held in NDA-ruled states and union territories in the past one month.
- Aaftab Ameen Poonawala, accused of murdering his live-in girlfriend Shraddha Walkar, admits in a Delhi court that he killed her 'in the heat of the moment'. He also alleges that whatever is being said about him now is 'not entirely true'. He was produced before the court via video conferencing in a special hearing. The Saket court also extends the police custody of Poonawala to four more days. 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hands out job appointment letters to more than 71,000 youngsters, saying similar campaigns have been held in NDA-ruled states and union territories in the past one month. 'This is the double benefit of double engine governments. The campaign to hand over appointment letters to the youth shall continue in a sustained manner,' Modi says, addressing the second 'Rozgar Mela' (employment fair) organised by the central government. 3. Shashi Tharoor's whirlwind tour of his home state Kerala has become hugely controversial for the Congress, with its leaders in the state openly chary about the MP's events and meetings. Top Congress state leaders in Kerala are upset that Shashi Tharoor's north Kerala events are being portrayed as a 'political tour' and have raised concerns over the possibility of a new 'Tharoor faction'. 4. China's capital Beijing posts a record number of new Covid cases today, with the city hunkering down under a tightening chokehold of restrictions that have sent schools online, closed many restaurants and forced employees to work from home. 5. The Iranian football team players refuses to sing their national anthem before their opening match against England at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, in apparent solidarity with protesters back home. The national team shows support for the anti-government protests taking place after Mahsa Amini's death, reports Al Jazeera. 6. Legendary Argentina striker Lionel Messi gives an update on his fitness ahead of his side's opening clash against Saudi Arabia, saying that he 'has no issues whatsoever'. This comes amid concerns of him carrying an ankle injury.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi hits out at the Congress over 'aukat' remarks and pitches himself as a 'servant' of people with no royal lineage as he takes a dig at Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra, saying those who are no longer ruling are taking out foot-march to get back to power. Mr Modi, on the third day of his campaigning for the ruling BJP in Gujarat where Assembly polls will take place next month, also slams the Opposition party for ignoring tribals, saying its leaders remained oblivious of existence of adivasis for a very long time even though they have been living in the country since the days of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna. 2. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi hits the Assembly poll hustings in Gujarat and accuses the ruling BJP of drawing up plans to displace adivasis who are the 'first owners of the country' by handing over forests to industrialists. He also says the government's policies are creating 'two Indias' of select billionaires and the poor. He also questions on no action in the Morbi tragedy. 3. Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal carries out a huge rally in Gujarat's Amreli, and asks the public to give one chance to the party in the upcoming Assembly elections in the state. The AAP National convenor says, 'If AAP comes to power, I will share the responsibility of all the families like a brother. Today, people are frustrated with inflation. I will get people rid of inflation. From the 1st of March, the electricity bill will be zero and everyone will get 24 hours of electricity, just like the people of Delhi and Punjab get.' 4. The repreesentatives of the Gujarat High Court Advocates' Association meets the Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, and two senior judges of the Supreme Court and are assured that the collegium would examine the objections raised by the Bar against the proposed transfer of Justice Nikhil S Kariel. 5. Police say, 'Possible links between Mangaluru autorickshaw blast and the Coimbatore car blast earlier this year. Mangaluru accused got Aadhaar from Coimbatore. The accused was inspired by ISIS.' 6. A strong earthquake topples buildings and walls on Indonesia's densely populated main island of Java, killing at least 160 people and injuring hundreds of others. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar condoles the loss of lives. 7. India's gruesome murders: Shocking similarities in four chilling cases. From chopping bodies to families dumping them.
- Gujarat witnesses a high-voltage, star-studded campaign today, days ahead of the crucial assembly elections in which the BJP is seeking its seventh straight term. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress's Rahul Gandhi and Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal crisscross the state to hold political rallies for the polls that begin on December 1. 2. Ten days after their release, Congress says it will file a fresh review application challenging the freeing of convicts of the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. The grand old party had earlier termed the release of the killers as 'unfortunate' and 'unacceptable'. The Centre, too, had on Friday filed a petition in the Supreme Court asking it to review the order, after the six people, including a woman, were released from prison in Tamil Nadu. 'We are yet to decide on the modalities, whether we will intervene in the Central government's review application or intervene otherwise,' senior party leader and lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi tells news agency PTI. 3. Police have registered a case against Madhya Pradesh Congress MLA and former minister Umang Singhar on charges of raping and assaulting a 38-year-old woman, says a senior official. The case was lodged on Sunday evening at Naugaon police station in Dhar city following a complaint by the woman, who claimed she was living with the accused as his 'wife' and alleged that he sexually assaulted her, says Dhar's Superintendent of Police (SP) Aditya Pratap Singh. 4. A man in Uttar Pradesh has been arrested for allegedly killing a woman, a former girlfriend, and chopping up her body into six pieces, in a case that has chilling similarities with the sensational killing of Shraddha Walkar by her partner Aaftab Poonawala in Delhi. In another case in West Bengal, a young man allegedly killed his alcoholic and abusive father, cut him up into pieces, and, like Aaftab Poonawala, spent days disposing of the body parts.
- Gujarat witnesses a high-voltage, star-studded campaign today, days ahead of the crucial assembly elections in which the BJP is seeking its seventh straight term. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress's Rahul Gandhi and Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal crisscross the state to hold political rallies for the polls that begin on December 1. 2. A man in Uttar Pradesh has been arrested for allegedly killing a woman, a former girlfriend, and chopping up her body into six pieces, in a case that has chilling similarities with the sensational killing of Shraddha Walkar by her partner Aaftab Poonawala in Delhi. In another case in West Bengal, a young man allegedly killed his alcoholic and abusive father, cut him up into pieces, and, like Aaftab Poonawala, spent days disposing of the body parts. 3. The accused in the autorickshaw blast in coastal Karnataka's Mangaluru was 'inspired by ISIS terror group' and used dark web to contact his handlers, the police say, claiming a big breakthrough. The Karnataka police says Shareeq worked under multiple handlers, one of them from Al Hind, a terror outfit influenced by ISIS. A resident of Shivamogga district, Shareeq was carrying the improvised explosive device (IED) in a pressure cooker in an autorickshaw on Saturday when it exploded, leaving him with severe burn injuries. He is currently undergoing treatment in a city hospital. 4. After transfer orders of Justice Nikhil Kariel of the Gujarat High Court triggered protests by lawyers who don't want him gone, a delegation of their association will meet the Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud today. 5. After days of rancour over Rahul Gandhi's comments attacking Veer Savarkar, a phone call from him achieved a remarkable thaw as Sanjay Raut, a leader of Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena faction, praises the Congress leader today for showing 'humanity' and concern for a political colleague in the middle of his busy yatra. 6. At least 30 people have been injured after a tanker crashed into several vehicles at Pune's Navale bridge on Sunday. The accident resulted in a 48-vehicle pileup, says a Pune Fire Brigade official.
- In the grisly murder of 27-year-old Shraddha Walkar by her live-in boyfriend Aftab Ameen Poonawala, Delhi police recover more human remains from the Mehrauli forest. The base of a skull, a decapitated jaw, and more bones have been found. They will be sent for forensic examination to match with Shraddha's father's DNA samples. Aftab has confessed to concealing all evidence related to Shraddha. He destroyed three of Shraddha's pictures that he found in the house after he murdered her. Aftab's 'narco', or narcoanalysis, test will be conducted after Forensic Science Laboratory team takes up Delhi Police's request. 2. The explosion inside a moving autorickshaw near a police station in Mangaluru was triggered by explosives concealed in a cooker and it is an act of terror intended to cause damage, says Karnataka Director General of Police, Praveen Sood. The suspect, who was the passenger in that vehicle had terror links, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai says and adds that sleuths of the National Investigation Agency and Intelligence Bureau have joined the Karnataka police in investigation. 3. Hectic campaigning in Gujarat ahead of polls. Prime Minister Modi sets the ball rolling with his rallies, crisscrosses the state from Saurashtra to Surat. Arvind Kejriwal holds a roadshow. Rahul Gandhi to address rallies at Mahuva in Surat district and in Rajkot city today. Gujarat will vote in two phases on December 1 and 5. The counting of votes will be taken up on 8th December. 4. At least 30 people injured after a tanker crashes into several vehicles at Pune's Navale bridge. The accident results in a 48-vehicle pileup, a Pune Fire Brigade official says. 5. The UN climate summit in Egypt concludes with a landmark decision to establish a fund to address loss and damage, but the outcome on other crucial issues such as India's call for phasedown of all fossil fuels reflects little progress.
- Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai says the suspect who allegedly carried out a bomb explosion in Mangaluru had terror links as he had travelled to various places, including Coimbatore in neighbouring Tamil Nadu. According to the preliminary information, it was an LED-linked instrument, the Chief Minister tell reporters. The blast occurred on Saturday evening inside an autorickshaw, near a police station, leaving the passenger and the driver injured. Both have been admitted to hospital. According to police sources, a cooker fitted with detonator, wires and batteries were used to trigger the blast. After the explosion, the interiors of the autorickshaw were badly damaged. According to the police, searches were conducted at the house of the accused involved in the blast. Shareeq, who was injured in the blast, is in hospital. Preliminary investigation indicates that he has terror links. 2. Hectic campaigning in Gujarat ahead of polls. The Prime Minister offers prayer at the Somnath temple and addresses a rally. Arvind Kejriwal to arrive in Gujarat later today. 3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hits out at Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for marching with activist Medha Patkar during the party's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' over her campaign against the Narmada dam project, which he says has been Gujarat's lifeline. Addressing a rally in Gujarat's Rajkot district ahead of the state elections, PM Modi says, 'a Congress leader was seen taking out a padyatra with a woman who stalled the Narmada dam project for three decades.' 4. As investigation into the gruesome murder of Shraddha Walkar continues, Delhi Police launches a search for the victim's head in a pond in the city's Mehrauli area. According to sources, Shraddha's boyfriend and the alleged killer, Aftab Poonawala, tells the investigating team that he had dumped his girlfriend's dismembered head in a pond. 5. Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud says judges at the grassroots are reluctant to grant bail due to the fear of being targeted. At a felicitation event organised by the Bar Council of India, CJI Chandrachud says, 'The higher judiciary is flooded with bail applications due to reluctance at grassroots to grant bail. Judges at the grassroots are reluctant to grant bail not because they do not understand crime, but there is a sense of fear of being targeted for granting bail in heinous cases.
- The autorickshaw blast in coastal Karnataka's Mangaluru Saturday was not accidental but an 'act of terror with the intention to cause serious damage', says the state police chief. Karnataka top cop Praveen Sood adds that the police is probing the incident along with central agencies. Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra too says that central investigation teams are assisting the police in the case. The person injured in the blast is not in a position to speak yet. 'The police team is collecting all the information. Early indications into the probe suggest terrorist activity. We have informed the central security agencies, and they have sent a team to Mangaluru. We are expecting concrete information in the next one or two days,' he says. 2. Hectic campaigning in Gujarat ahead of polls. The Prime Minister offers prayer at the Somnath temple and addresses a rally. Arvind Kejriwal to arrive in Gujarat later today. 3. Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud says judges at the grassroots are reluctant to grant bail due to the fear of being targeted. At a felicitation event organised by the Bar Council of India, CJI Chandrachud says, 'The higher judiciary is flooded with bail applications due to reluctance at grassroots to grant bail. Judges at the grassroots are reluctant to grant bail not because they do not understand crime, but there is a sense of fear of being targeted for granting bail in heinous cases.' 4. The UN's COP27 climate summit approves the creation of a special fund to cover the damages suffered by vulnerable nations battered by the impacts of global warming. The two-week talks have whiplashed between fears the process could collapse, to hopes of a major breakthrough on a fund for climate 'loss and damage'. 5. The highly-anticipated FIFA World Cup 2022 will start in Qatar from today. 32 teams will be eyeing glory in this once-in-every-four-years football extravaganza. The teams are hosts Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal, the Netherlands, England, Iran, USA, Wales, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Poland, France, Australia, Denmark, Tunisia, Spain, Costa Rica, Germany, Japan, Belgium, Canada, Morocco, and Croatia, Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon, Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay, and South Korea.
- Special Court in Delhi issues contempt notice to Enforcement Directorate over leaked videos of jailed minister Satyendar Jain apparently getting massage in jail, which have unleashed a political storm ahead of string of elections. The notice comes in response to a plea from Mr Jain. In his plea, the Aam Aadmi Party leader accuses ED of leaking the CCTV footage 'despite an undertaking given in the court' that no material related to the case will be divulged to the media. 2. Seventy-year-old activist Gautam Navlakha, jailed since 2020 in Koregaon-Bhima case, released from Navi Mumbai's Taloja Central Jail in line with Supreme Court order to keep him under house arrest. Following his appeal on medical grounds, the court reiterates its order, rejecting National Investigation Agency's argument that he has 'deliberately misled' court regarding his health. 3. An autorickshaw explodes under unclear circumstances in coastal Karnataka's Mangaluru. Police asks people to remain calm as they investigate the cause of the explosion, which has injured the driver and a passenger. Mangaluru police chief N Sasikumar says people should not panic. 4. Donald Trump's notorious Twitter account reinstated after the platform's new owner Elon Musk runs a poll in which a narrow majority of voters support the move, days after the former US president announced another White House bid. Trump's account was banned from the platform early last year for his role in the January 6 attack on the US Capitol by a mob of his supporters seeking to overturn the results of the 2020 election. 5. FIFA World Cup 2022 kick-starts today in Qatar. The first game of the mega sporting event will be contested between the hosts Qatar and Ecuador. Before the football action commences, an opening ceremony will be held at the Al Bayt Stadium to declare the tournament 'open'. South Korea's famous band BTS' singer, Jungkook is slated to perform in the opening ceremony, among others. 6. FIFA President Gianni Infantino accuses Western countries of 'hypocrisy' saying they are not in a position to give 'moral lessons' to other nations. In a fiery news conference in the Qatari capital on the eve of the tournament, the Swiss Italian says Europe should address its past crimes before pointing fingers at Qatar. 7. Maharashtra Governor BS Koshyari draws flak from parties such as Shiv Sena and NCP over his remark on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj being an icon of the 'olden days' even as he refers to BR Ambedkar and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari. Responding to his remark, NCP accuses him of demeaning Maharashtra.
- Aftab Ameen Poonawala, accused of killing Shraddha Walkar, seen walking outside his home in CCTV footage carrying a bag early morning last month. It is suspected that he was carrying Shraddha's body parts, and the police are trying to verify the footage. Recorded on October 18, this is the first visual CCTV footage to have surfaced in the horrific murder case. 2. BJP attacks Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Aam Aadmi Party over video of Delhi minister Satyendar Jain, who was arrested in May in an alleged money laundering case, getting a massage in Delhi's Tihar Jail. Several party leaders share the video clip on social media, reiterating BJP's charge that Mr Jain enjoys special treatment in jail. AAP hits back, calling BJP 'shameless' for making a spectacle of an ailing man getting treatment. 3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi given same kind of protection from prosecution in US that was recently afforded to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, says a US State Department spokesperson. Pressed about granting immunity to the crown prince over brutal killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in which he is an accused, US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel says PM Modi was among those who had received similar protection. 4. Food-ordering app Zomato cuts its workforce up to three per cent as part of the regular performance-based layoffs. 'There has been a regular performance-based churn of under three per cent of our workforce. There's nothing more to it,' says spokesperson. 5. Three passengers, including an eight-year-old boy, hospitalised with severe injuries after bus carrying 44 pilgrims from Andhra Pradesh, on its way to Sabrimala shrine, overturns, says Kerala Police. The condition of the boy is said to be critical. According to sources, the bus was overspeeding and it overturned when the driver lost control. Pilgrims onboard the bus say the driver had not slept for the last three days. 6. Star Indian table tennis player Manika Batra clinches bronze medal at the ongoing ITTF-ATTU Asian Cup tournament, becoming the first Indian female paddler to win a medal at the event. She wins the bronze medal match against World number six and three-time Asian champion Hina Hayata by 4-2.
- The BJP today attacks Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party over a video of Delhi minister Satyendar Jain, who was arrested in May in an alleged money laundering case, getting a massage in Delhi's Tihar Jail. Several party leaders shared the video clip on social media, reiterating BJP's charge that Mr Jain enjoys special treatment in jail. AAP hits back, calling the BJP 'shameless' for making a spectacle of an ailing man getting treatment. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia says Satyendar Jain was advised physiotherapy by a hospital after he underwent two spinal surgeries following an injury in jail. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has become 'spa and massage party', BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia says, challenging Mr Kejriwal to explain Satyendar Jain's conduct in jail. He accuses the AAP of hypocrisy on 'VIP culture'. 2. A college fresher was forced to kiss a minor girl in Odisha in yet another incident of ragging in the country. Five students, including two minors, are taken into custody for multiple charges including sexual harassment after a video of the incident went viral. The college in Ganjam district expels 12 students involved in the incident. This is the latest after a fresher was seen being physically abused at a Hyderabad college earlier this month, prompting outrage on social media. 3. Delhi police recovers heavy and sharp cutting tools from Aftab Ameen Poonawala's flat, which they suspect might have been used to chop off Shraddha Walkar's body. Aftab has started revealing the truth after strict interrogation, and himself helped the police recover the vital evidence from his Chhatarpur flat, they say. Police also recovered a heavy black polythene bag from Aftab's Gurugram workplace yesterday. Recovery of the weapon will be crucial in further investigation of the case. 4. Elon Musk posts a poll on Twitter asking users to vote on whether former US President Donald Trump, who was banned from the social media site by its previous owners, should be reinstated to the social media site.
- Top BJP leader BL Santhosh has been summoned by the Telangana police over his party's alleged attempts to 'buy' four MLAs from Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's TRS. National General Secretary (Organisation) of the BJP, BL Santhosh has to appear on November 21 or he will be arrested, according to the notices. This comes days after the High Court ruled that the police could continue investigation but also ordered that a judge will monitor it. Three men were arrested last month, they have since got bail, for allegedly making 'an offer of Rs 100 crore' to the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) legislators at a farmhouse. 2. Shraddha Walkar's WhatsApp conversations and Instagram chats with friends and co-workers from two years ago show that she was once beaten so badly by her boyfriend Aftab Poonawala, now charged with having killed her in Delhi, that she couldn't get off the bed and had to later be hospitalised, say police sources. These chats are from when they lived together in their hometown Vasai near Mumbai, and reveal a pattern of abuse that ended up in murder in May this year, say investigators. 3. Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi says the winter session of Parliament would begin from December 7 to 29. In a tweet, he says, 'Winter Session 2022 of Parliament will commence from 7 December and continue till 29th December having 17 sittings spread over 23 days. Amid Amrit Kaal looking forward to discussions on Legislative Business and other items during the session. Looking forward for constructive debate.' 4. China's President Xi Jinping warns against Cold War tensions in Asia and stresses the need to reject confrontation in the region ahead of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Bangkok. President Xi's remarks are an apparent reference to US efforts with regional allies and partners to blunt what they see as China's growing coercive economic and military influence. 5. Elon Musk posts a poll on Twitter asking users to vote on whether former US President Donald Trump, who was banned from the social media site by its previous owners, should be reinstated to the social media site. 6. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announces that they have invited applications for the position of National Selectors for the senior men's team. The BCCI also says that the deadline to submit the applications is 6pm IST on November 28. The board has scrapped the selection committee led by former India cricketer Chetan Sharma. The other members of the committee were Sunil Joshi (South Zone), Harvinder Singh (Central Zone) and Debashish Mohanty (East Zone).
- The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction may ditch its ideologically antithetical partner Congress, the party says, in a sharp escalation of a disagreement over their views on right-wing ideologue VD Savarkar. Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut tells NDTV, 'Savarkar's issue is important for us and we believe in his ideology. They (Congress) shouldn't have brought this issue up.' In an apparent damage control effort, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh says Rahul Gandhi had not 'targetted' Savarkar but was stating a historical fact. 'I spoke to Sanjay Raut today. We agree to disagree. He refuted the impression that it will weaken Maha Vikas Aghadi. It won't affect the MVA,' he says. 2. Sanjay Raut, senior leader of the Shiv Sena's Uddhav Thackeray faction and one of the former Chief Minister's closest aides, today says he lost 10 kgs in weight while in prison. Speaking to NDTV days after being granted bail by a special court in a money laundering case, Mr Raut says he was kept in 'Anda cell' where he couldn't see sunlight for 15 days. I have weak eyesight now because of proonged exposure to jail floodlights, he says. Calling himself a 'prisoner of war', Mr Raut claims he wouldn't have been arrested if he had surrendered to them (the BJP) or 'remained a mute spectator'. 3. Shraddha Walkar's WhatsApp conversations and Instagram chats with friends and co-workers from two years ago show that she was once beaten so badly by her boyfriend Aftab Poonawala, now charged with having killed her in Delhi, that she couldn't get off the bed and had to later be hospitalised, say police sources. These chats are from when they lived together in their hometown Vasai near Mumbai, and reveal a pattern of abuse that ended up in murder in May this year, say investigators.
- Shraddha Walkar, who was murdered by her live-in boyfriend Aftab Ameen Poonawala and chopped up into pieces, was hospitalised in Mumbai two years ago with internal injuries, investigations reveal. Ms Walkar, a 26-year-old call centre worker, was in a hospital in Vasai near Mumbai between December 3 and 6 in 2020. This is the latest marker of a deeply toxic and abusive relationship that ended in murder. 2. In an obvious reference to Pakistan and China, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says certain countries support terrorism as part of their foreign policy while some others support it indirectly by blocking action against terrorists. While addressing an international ministerial conference, 'No Money for Terror', on counter-terrorism financing in New Delhi, the PM said organisations and individuals who attempt to create sympathy for terrorists should be isolated. 3. Vikram-S, India's first privately developed rocket, successfully lifts off from the spaceport in Sriharikota, marking the foray of the private sector into the country's space industry, dominated by ISRO for decades. Developed by Skyroot Aerospace, a four-year-old startup based in Hyderabad, the rocket has been launched with support from ISRO and IN-SPACe. The rocket carries three payloads built by Andhra Pradesh-based N Space Tech India, Chennai-based startup Space Kids and Armenian BazoomQ Space Research Lab. 4. In a new setback to Elon Musk's Twitter, hundreds of employees resign ahead of the deadline for the new owner's ultimatum to commit to a hardcore work environment. Salute emojis and farewell messages flood the company's internal chat groups as employees including engineers announce their exit a day after Musk issued his ultimatum. Mr Musk says that he is not worried.
- A week after Supreme Court ordered the release of six people who were convicted in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991, the central government requests the court to review its decision. Centre files a petition in the Supreme Court asking it to review the order, after the six people, including a woman, were released last week from prison in Tamil Nadu, where their three-decade incarceration has been a hugely emotive and political issue. 2. Aftab Ameen Poonawala burnt live-in partner Shraddha Walkar's face after allegedly murdering her and chopping the body into pieces to rule out the possibility of identification, say Delhi Police sources. Meanwhile, a local court allows a narco-analysis test on Aftab Poonawala. His police custody has also been extended by five days. 3. Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren questioned for nine hours by central agency ED over alleged money laundering through illegal mining. He says the probe is part of a larger conspiracy by BJP's central government to destabilise Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-Congress government. He also addresses his possible disqualification as MLA for awarding himself a mining contract based on BJP's complaint to Election Commission and demands that Governor Ramesh Bais should 'open the envelope' quickly. 4. Vikram-S, India's first privately developed rocket, will be launched by Indian Space Research Organisation from its spaceport in Sriharikota, about 115 kms from Chennai, at 11:30 am today. Titled 'Prarambh', the mission will carry three payloads built by Andhra Pradesh-based N Space Tech India, Chennai-based startup Space Kids and Armenian BazoomQ Space Research Lab, says Skyroot Aerospace. 5. Democrat Nancy Pelosi, the trailblazing first female speaker of the US House of Representatives to step down as party leader when Republicans take control of the chamber in January. 'I will not seek reelection to Democratic leadership in the next Congress,' says 82-year-old Pelosi in an emotional speech on the House floor. 6. In a new setback to Elon Musk's Twitter, hundreds of employees resign ahead of the deadline for the new owner's ultimatum to commit to a hardcore work environment. Salute emojis and farewell messages flood the company's internal chat groups as employees including engineers announce their exit a day after Musk issued his ultimatum. 7. AAP MLA Akhilesh Pati Tripathi questioned for nearly 11 hours by Delhi government's Anti-Corruption Branch in connection with MCD polls ticket bribery case. During the questioning, a senior official says, Tripathi refuted the allegations against him and his associates, including his relative, who were arrested by the ACB on Wednesday.
- A local court allows a narco-analysis test, for lie-detection, on Aftab Poonawala, the 28-year-old accused of killing his live-in partner Shraddha Walkar, 26, and chopping up her body six months ago. His police custody is also extended by five days at the hearing, and cops now plan to take him to Himachal Pradesh's Parvati Valley, where the couple holidayed before moving to Delhi in May. Lawyers protested at the court, calling for him to be hanged, though he was presented via video link as police feared he would be attacked. 2. A petition seeking that prayers be allowed to the 'Shivaling' found inside Varanasi's Gyanvapi mosque complex, will be heard by a local court. The petition also seeks that Muslims be banned from the Gyanvapi mosque complex and it be handed over to Hindus. A fast-track court, in its order on the matter says that the petition is 'maintainable'. Another court in Varanasi is already hearing the main petition related to the Gyanvapi dispute. The mosque, located next to the iconic Kashi Vishwanath Temple, has been at the centre of a decades-old legal dispute. The 'Shivaling' was found earlier this year during a video survey carried out in the temple complex following the orders of the lower court. 3. As Rahul Gandhi stuck to his criticism of Hindutva ideologue VD Savarkar over mercy petitions to the British during the freedom struggle, Congress partner and former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray says his party, the Shiv Sena faction he leads, has 'immense respect' for VD Savarkar. 'We don't agree with what Rahul Gandhi has said. We respect Veer Savarkar. But, at the same time, when you are questioning us, the BJP should also have to say why they were they in power with PDP (in Jammu and Kashmir),' says Mr Thackeray, who's been accused of 'ditching his father Bal Thackeray's Hindutva legacy' by allying with the Congress and NCP. 'The PDP would never say ‘Bharat mata ki jai',' he claims.
- The civic body of Gujarat's Morbi has taken responsibility for the collapse of a suspension bridge in the city killing over 130 people on October 30, a document shows. The Morbi Municipal Corporation, in an affidavit, contended before the Gujarat High Court that 'the bridge shouldn't have been opened.' The bridge over Machchhu river had been shut for seven months for repairs. It was reopened to the public on October 26, the Gujarati New Year, without a fitness certificate from the civic authorities. The high court has summoned the Morbi Municipal Corporation chief, Sandipsinh Zala, on November 24 when the case will be next heard. 2. As Rahul Gandhi stuck to his criticism of Hindutva ideologue VD Savarkar over mercy petitions to the British during the freedom struggle, Congress partner and former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray today said his party - the Shiv Sena faction he leads - has 'immense respect' for VD Savarkar. 3. A controversy erupts in Karnataka over a voters' survey in Bengaluru with opposition Congress alleging corrupt electoral practice in it and demands the Chief Minister's resignation, while the city's civic body announces terminating the permission given to the private entity involved in the exercise. The Congress has demanded the resignation of CM Basavaraj Bommai, alleging he is directly responsible for the corrupt electoral practice by assigning the private entity to collect door-to-door voter information. 4. Mehrauli murder: Accused Aaftab Amin Poonawala will be produced in Saket court today. Police will seek his custody as they are yet to recover several evidences including the weapon that was used. DNA samples have been taken from Shradha Walkar's father. Delhi Police has sought narco test of Poonawala even as its search for remaining body parts of his live-in partner, officials say. 5. Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren says that the Enforcement Directorate probe against him is 'part of a larger conspiracy by the BJP's central government to destabilise' the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-Congress state government. Mr Soren today appeared before the Enforcement Directorate in Ranchi for questioning in connection with alleged money laundering through illegal mining.
- Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, set to appear before the Enforcement Directorate today, asks people to decide whether conspirators should rule the state or tribals as he issues a warning that he will see all conspirators one by one. The Enforcement Directorate, the agency which investigates financial crimes, has summoned the Chief Minister at its Ranchi office for interrogation in a money laundering case linked to alleged illegal mining in the state. 2. Mehrauli murder: Accused Aaftab Amin Poonawala will be produced in Saket court today. Police will seek his custody as they are yet to recover several evidences including the weapon that was used. DNA samples have been taken from Shradha Walkar's father. Delhi Police has sought narco test of Poonawala even as its search for remaining body parts of his live-in partner, officials say. 3. AAP MLA Akhilesh Pati Tripathi has been summoned by the Anti Corruption Branch of the Delhi government today in connection with poll ticket bribery case, officials say. The development comes a day after the ACB arrested Tripathi's brother-in-law Om Singh and his two associates for allegedly demanding Rs 90 lakh as bribe for arranging ticket to a party worker's wife in the civic polls. 4. Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who officially handed over the G20 presidency to India at the end of a summit of the bloc's leaders in Bali, speaks to NDTV on how difficult it was to hold the summit with the ongoing war in Ukraine. 5. NASA's much-awaited Mission Artemis I to the moon, officially launched. NASA takes to twitter to announce the launch along with a video of the mighty moon-bound megarocket.
- Aftab Poonawala, who allegedly killed his girlfriend and chopped her body into pieces, will be made to undergo a narco-analysis test, for which Delhi Police asks permission from a local court. Sources say he has been giving incorrect information to police and is trying to mislead investigation. 2. Drama over Aam Aadmi Party's allegation that BJP kidnapped one of its Gujarat election candidates takes a strange turn as the man in question lashes out at his own party in a video. Hours after AAP alleges that Kanchan Jariwala, its candidate for Surat East, was kidnapped and forced at gunpoint to drop out of next month's Gujarat polls, he denies any force and says that he voluntarily chose not to represent a party that is anti-national and anti-Gujarat. 3. Leaders of G20 summit gathered in Indonesia's Bali call for immediate de-escalation of Ukraine conflict, stressing that 'today's era must not be of war'. The declaration by world leaders part of the influential bloc says, 'The use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is inadmissible. The peaceful resolution of conflicts, efforts to address crises, as well as diplomacy and dialogue, are vital. Today's era must not be of war.' 4. Gujarat High Court warns the civic body of Morbi, where a bridge collapse killed more than 130 people on October 30, over delay in filing a status report despite two notices. 'Yesterday you were acting smart, now you are taking the matter casually,' says the court. 'So, either file your reply by this evening or pay a fine of Rs 1 lakh,' the court adds. 5. Congress leader Ajay Maken quits as the party's Rajasthan in-charge, say sources, indicating he is upset with the turn of events in late September when Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot at the last minute refused to give up the post to contest the Congress president's election. Over 90 MLAs loyal to Mr Gehlot had refused to attend a key party meeting and had gone instead to the Speaker to hand in their resignation in protest against the possibility of Mr Gehlot being replaced by his rival Sachin Pilot in Rajasthan if he ran for Congress president. 6. Former US President Donald Trump announces his bid to run for the 2024 US Presidential Election. The 76-year-old's aides file paperwork with the US Federal Election Commission for a 2024 White House bid. Trump is the first major contender from either the Republican or Democrat party to formally announce their candidacy. 7. Ahead of Gujarat Assembly elections, different political parties are holding rallies and road shows in the race for victory. Home Minister Amit Shah holds a tremendous road show today in Gujarat's Ghatlodia.
- Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party alleges that one of its candidates in Gujarat was kidnapped, dragged to election office and forced at gunpoint to withdraw his nomination for next month's election. The party blames the ruling BJP, which has not responded to the allegation yet, and protests outside the Election Commission office in Delhi. 2. Ahead of Gujarat Assembly elections, different political parties are holding rallies and road shows in the race for victory. Home Minister Amit Shah holds a tremendous road show today in Gujarat's Ghatlodia. 3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi takes over India's G20 presidency at the forum's summit in Indonesia's Bali. In his closing remarks at the summit, PM Modi says that it is a matter of pride for every Indian as the country takes over the presidency. 4. Gujarat High Court warns the civic body of Morbi, where a bridge collapse killed more than 130 people on October 30, over delay in filing a status report despite two notices. 'Yesterday you were acting smart, now you are taking the matter casually,' says the court. 'So, either file your reply by this evening, or pay a fine of Rs 1 lakh,' the court adds. 5. Former US President Donald Trump announces his bid to run for the 2024 US Presidential Election. The 76-year-old's aides file paperwork with the US Federal Election Commission for a 2024 White House bid. Trump is the first major contender from either the Republican or Democrat party to formally announce their candidacy. 6. Congress leader Shashi Tharoor won't campaign in Gujarat for next month's election after being left out of the list of the party's star campaigners. Mr Tharoor was invited by the Congress' student body to campaign in Gujarat, but he opted out since he was not on the list, say sources. 7. The Anti-Corruption Branch of Delhi arrests three men, including a relative and a personal assistant of AAP MLA Akhilesh Pati Tripathi, for allegedly taking lakhs on his behalf from a party worker on the pretext of ensuring a ticket for the civic body elections. Another AAP MLA, Rajesh Gupta, has also been named, and the cops claim to have audio and video proof. Pointing fingers at BJP, whose central government controls Delhi Police and Anti-Corruption Branch, AAP calls for an 'unbiased' investigation and 'strict action against those who may have misused any position'.
- Former US President Donald Trump announces his bid to run for the 2024 US Presidential Election. The 76-year-old's aides files paperwork with the US Federal Election Commission for a 2024 White House bid. Mr Trump is the first major contender from either the Republican or Democrat party to formally announce their candidacy. 2. A missile, suspected to be Russian-made, strikes a village in eastern Poland, killing two people and sparking fears of an escalation in the Ukraine conflict. 3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold bilateral meetings with leaders of eight countries today on the margins of the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia. The Prime Minister is slated to have bilateral agreements with heads of Indonesia, Spain, France, Singapore, Germany, Italy, Australia and the United Kingdom. 4. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak gives the go-ahead for 3,000 visas for young professionals from India to work in the UK each year. The British government says India is the first visa-national country to benefit from such a scheme, highlighting the strength of the UK-India Migration and Mobility Partnership agreed last year. This announcement in the Downing Street readout comes hours after Mr Sunak met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the 17th edition of the G20 Summit. This was their first meeting after the first Indian-origin British PM assumed office last month. Besides, India and the United Kingdom have a multi-dimensional strategic partnership and actively engage in bilateral trade. The two countries agreed to begin formal negotiations for an FTA in January 2022, aiming to advance trade and investment relations between them.
- CBI's forensics team examines fridge and other evidence in the grisly murder of 26-year-old Shraddha Walkar. Police investigation so far reveals horrifying details in the case. Delhi police takes 28-year-old Aftab Ameen Poonawala to the forest area, where he allegedly threw Shraddha's body parts. The search operation goes on for three hours, and at least 10 body parts have been found. 2. Shraddha Walkar's father, Vikas Walkar, demands death penalty for Aftab Ameen Poonawala, while also suspects a 'love jihad' angle behind the incident. Aftab and Shraddha met on dating app 'Bumble' while both were working in Mumbai. The police may ask the dating app for details of his profile to find out whether he brought more women home while he had Shraddha's body parts in the apartment and whether any of them were a trigger for the murder. 3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi cautions G-20 leaders that today's fertiliser shortage can become tomorrow's food crisis as he strongly pitches for maintaining a 'stable' supply chain for both manure and food grains. In his address at the G-20 summit in Bali, the PM also highlights how India ensured food security for its 1.3 billion citizens during the Covid-19 pandemic while supplying food grains to many countries. 4. Slamming Morbi civic body for 'acting smart', Gujarat High Court seeks direct answers and slams the manner in which the contract was awarded for maintenance of a 150-year-old bridge that collapsed on October 30 killing over 130 people. 'The municipality, a government body, has defaulted, which ultimately killed 135 people,' says court as a preliminary observation. 5. Delhi court grants bail to actor Jacqueline Fernandez in Rs 200 crore money laundering case involving conman Sukesh Chandrashekar. Special judge Shailendra Malik of Patiala House Court grants her bail. Earlier, she was granted interim bail. Ms Fernandez had sought bail on the ground that there was no need for her custody since the investigation is already complete and the charge sheet has been filed. 6. According to a report by The United Nations, Earth now has eight billion people living on it. Interestingly, the next billion people are projected to come from only eight countries, Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and Tanzania. The projection is revealed in the UN's World Population Prospects 2022 report, which also shows that India is on course to surpass China as the world's most populous country in 2023. Meanwhile, according to a Bloomberg report, half of the population still lives in just seven countries, China, India, the US, Indonesia, Pakistan, Nigeria and Brazil.
- Aftab Ameen Poonawala, who allegedly killed his live-in girlfriend Shraddha Walkar and chopped her body into 35 pieces, reveals more details of the horrific crime in police custody, sources say. The 28-year-old has allegedly been telling the police, 'Yes, I killed her.' He has only spoken in English since his arrest and has claimed that he can't speak Hindi, police sources say. Aftab is in a prison in Delhi's Mehrauli. This morning, he was taken by the police to the spots where he allegedly dumped pieces of Shraddha's body over 18 days. 2. The annual G20 Summit began in Bali today. World leaders are set to discuss over the next two days the challenges triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic and more recently topped by Russia's war in Ukraine. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address says, 'The world has to find a way to return to the path of ceasefire and diplomacy in Ukraine.' 3. The Gujarat High Court pulls up the authorities over Morbi Bridge collapse that killed 135 people. 4. After Meta and Twitter, shopping platform Amazon now plans to cut down jobs of around 10,000 employees this week, as per several media reports. The layoff is said to be one of the largest job cuts in the company's history to focus on the company's devices organisation, retail division and human resources, the New York Times has reported, citing people with knowledge of the matter. However, the exact number of job cuts still remains unknown. 5. Earth now has eight billion people living on it, according to a report by The United Nations. Interestingly, the next billion people are projected to come from only eight countries - Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and Tanzania. The projection is revealed in the UN's World Population Prospects 2022 report, which also shows that India is on course to surpass China as the world's most populous country in 2023. Meanwhile, according to a Bloomberg report, half of the population still lives in just seven countries: China, India, the US, Indonesia, Pakistan, Nigeria and Brazil.
- The annual G20 Summit opens in Bali today. World leaders are set to discuss over the next two days the challenges triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic and more recently topped by Russia's war in Ukraine. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is welcomed at the summit venue by Indonesian President Joko Widodo, ahead of the formal opening of the summit. In his address at the G20 Summit, PM Modi says. 'The world has to find a way to return to the path of ceasefire and diplomacy in Ukraine.' 2. US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Monday agreed on the need to manage their growing differences and prevent a conflict as they held their first face-to-face meeting here, amid Beijing's coercive military posturing against Taiwan and in the strategic Indo-Pacific region. 3. A total of eight bodies have been recovered so far from the site at Maudarh village in Mizoram's Hnahthial district after a stone quarry collapsed on Monday afternoon. The incident took place at around 2.40 pm in the Maudarh area in the Hnahthial district. 4. After Meta and Twitter, shopping platform Amazon now plans to cut down jobs of around 10,000 employees this week, as per several media reports. The layoff is said to be one of the largest job cuts in the company's history to focus on the company's devices organisation, retail division and human resources, the New York Times has reported, citing people with knowledge of the matter. However, the exact number of job cuts still remains unknown. 5. Veteran Telugu actor Krishna passes away at a Hyderabad-based private super-specialty hospital where he was undergoing treatment following a cardiac arrest. He was 80.
- The Rouse Avenue Court grants bail to Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Vijay Nair and Hyderabad-based businessman Abhishek Boinpally in Delhi excise policy case. However, the Court sends them to 5 days Enforcement Directorate (ED) remand. Both were arrested in a money laundering case related to excise scam case. Special Judge MK Nagpal grants bail to AAP communication in-charge Vijay Nair and businessman Abhishek Boinpally in connection with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case investigation in alleged Delhi excise policy scam. The court grants bail to them on 2 lakh personal bond. 2. In a shocking case, a man allegedly strangled his live-in partner, chopped her body into 35 pieces and dumped them in Delhi's Mehrauli forest over 18 days, say police sources. He would step out at 2 am every day to dump the body parts, sources say. The accused has been sent to 5-day police custody. 3. Samajwadi Party candidate for the Mainpuri Lok Sabha bypoll Dimple Yadav files her nomination papers. The bypolls for the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat will be held on December 5 and the result will be declared on December 8. The Mainpuri parliamentary seat fell vacant following the demise of SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav on October 10. 4. The state election commission in Delhi is expecting a bulk of nominations for the December 4 MCD polls, which are being submitted for the last time today. 5. Four young men have been arrested by the Bidhannagar Police in connection with an allegation of drugging and gang raping a 21-year-old at a party, at a resort in Rajarhat adjoining Kolkata. 6. A law student was beaten up and allegedly forced to chant religion slogans by a group of students at his hostel room in Hyderabad, a video of which has gone viral. Himank Bansal, a first-year student at ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education (IFHE) in Hyderabad, was slapped, kicked and had his hands twisted, the video showed. He is also heard chanting 'Jai Mata Di' and 'Allahu Akbar' slogans, as the accused continued beating him. 7. The Karnataka government on the occasion of Children's Day launches their new classroom scheme 'Viveka' in Kalaburgi district of Karnataka. Under this scheme around 8000 classrooms will be built across the state in government schools. However this scheme has now run into a controversy. BC Nagesh, the minister for primary and secondary education courts controversy on saffron colour being chosen as the choice of colour for painting new classrooms in government schools.
- In a shocking case, a man allegedly strangled his live-in partner, chopped her body into 35 pieces and dumped them in Delhi's Mehrauli forest over 18 days, say police sources. He would step out at 2 am every day to dump the body parts, sources say. The accused has been sent to 5-day police custody. 2. In a setback to the Pinarayi Vijayan government, the Kerala High Court today cancelled the appointment of Dr K Riji John as the Vice Chancellor of Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, saying that he was appointed in violation of UGC norms. 3. Vijay Nair, a key aide of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, arrested today by the Enforcement Directorate just ahead of his bail hearing in connection with the alleged scam in the now-scrapped Delhi Liquor Policy of Arvind Kejriwal government. 4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarks on a three-day visit to Bali to attend the 17th G20 (Group of twenty countries) Leaders' Summit. During his visit, PM is expected to hold bilateral meetings with various G20 leaders. This G20 Summit is particularly special because India will hold the presidency of the G20 Summit from 1st December 2022 for a one-year period, and the presidency handover will take place during the Summit in Bali. 5. A law student was beaten up and allegedly forced to chant religion slogans by a group of students at his hostel room in Hyderabad, a video of which has gone viral. Himank Bansal, a first-year student at ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education (IFHE) in Hyderabad, was slapped, kicked and had his hands twisted, the video showed. He is also heard chanting 'Jai Mata Di' and 'Allahu Akbar' slogans, as the accused continued beating him.
- Six people killed and 81 others wounded in an explosion that rocked a busy pedestrian street in Istiklal Avenue in central Istanbul in what Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan calls a bomb attack that 'smells like terrorism'. 2. Morbi Bridge accident investigation report will be submitted to Gujarat High Court today. Status reports from six different departments to be submitted. 3. An explosion occurs on a railway track in Udaipur on Sunday. Police say they are investigating all angles, including sabotage. Officials say mining explosives were used in the blast at Odha bridge near Kewda Ki Naal, which comes under the Jawar Mines police station of Udaipur. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot says the incident is worrying and orders Director General of Police Umesh Mishra to investigate the matter thoroughly. 4. Municipal Corporation of Delhi elections: A huge rush is expected at the offices of returning officers today as a large number of candidates of the three major parties in the national capital - the AAP, BJP and Congress - will file their nominations on the last day. So far, just 35 nominations have been filed since the process opened on November 7, according to officials. The high-stakes elections for 250 wards will be held on December 4 and votes will be counted on December 7. 5. Prime Minister Narendra Modi set to leave for Bali today to attend the G20 Summit in Indonesia, which will host leaders of 20 countries - representing around 85 per cent of the global GDP, and about two-thirds of the world's population - for talks on key issues of global concern under the Summit theme of 'Recover Together, Recover Stronger'. The Bali Summit, slated for November 15-16, comprises three working sessions at the leaders' level, in which PM Modi will be participating. These include sessions on food and energy security, a session on digital transformation, and a session on health.
- Two lawyers' bodies in Gujarat decide that they will not represent the nine accused arrested over the bridge collapse in Morbi that killed 135 people. The British-era suspension bridge in Morbi, which had been closed since March for renovation, collapsed on Sunday night, just four days after it reopened to the public. The Morbi Bar Association and Rajkot Bar Association pass a resolution saying they will not represent the nine men. 2. A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot at a government function, Congress leader and former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot terms it as a 'very interesting' development that 'should not be taken lightly' by the party. 3. The Delhi BJP demands closing of schools for physical classes and conducting online teaching to protect children in view of high level of air pollution in the national capital. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal says it is not about Punjab but North India, says the Prime Minister should call a meeting on all north Indian states on the air pollution. 4. Chennai rain surplus for 445 per cent in the last 24 hours, 809 per cent surplus in Kanchipuram. Chief Minister M K Stalin says Chennai waterlogging is better this year. 5. Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das says the central bank is focused on bringing elevated inflation down and adds that not releasing the letter to be written to the government for missing the inflation target does not compromise on transparency. 6. BYJU'S has rolled back the decision to relocate 140 employees at one of its offices in Kerala after founder Byju Raveendran's meeting with chief minister P Vijayan and announces plans to hire 600 people in the state. 7. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur says he is confident about retaining power in the state that goes to the polls on November 12. Speaking exclusively to NDTV, the BJP leader claims his party will put up a united fight and 'leave no stone unturned', even as there are reports of more than 20 rebel candidates filing their nominations as independents. 8. Israel's former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to return to power in one of the most right-wing coalitions in Israel's history, causing jitters among Palestinians and Arab neighbours who fear it could ratchet up tensions across the Middle East. 9. Noted women's rights activist Ela Bhatt, founder of the Self Employed Women's Association and a Padma Bhushan recipient, has died. She was 89. 10. Virat Kohli becomes the leading run-getter in the history of ICC T20 World Cup, when he reached a personal score of 16 against Bangladesh in India's Group 2 encounter in Adelaide. 11. Superstar Shah Rukh Khan releases the first teaser of his highly anticipated film 'Pathaan', giving his fans the perfect return gift on his 57th birthday.
- Sachin Pilot, in the latest instalment of his rivalry with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, says Congress MLAs in Rajasthan who revolted against the party must be punished. In what appears to be a new bid for his taking over as Chief Minister, he says, 'It's time now to end the climate of indecision in Rajasthan'. The state is due to vote in 13 months, says Mr Pilot, adding that party observer KC Venugopal has said that a decision on the Rajasthan situation will be taken soon. 2. Two lawyers' bodies in Gujarat decide that they will not represent the nine accused arrested over the bridge collapse in Morbi that killed 135 people. The British-era suspension bridge in Morbi, which had been closed since March for renovation, collapsed on Sunday night, just four days after it reopened to the public. The Morbi Bar Association and Rajkot Bar Association pass a resolution saying they will not represent the nine men. 3. Arvind Kejriwal government in Delhi appeals to people to work from home to reduce vehicular pollution. In addition, it also suggests the use of shared transport. The Air Quality Index of the national capital stood at 376 at 9 am. The 24-hour average AQI was 424 at 4 pm on November 1, the worst since December 26 last year when it was 459. 4. Enforcement Directorate summons Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren in a money laundering probe linked to an alleged mining scam in the state. Mr Soren has been asked by the probe agency to join the investigation tomorrow at its regional office in Ranchi. 5. Chennai witnesses heavy rain, leading to deaths of two persons. Several localities in the city and its outskirts are also inundated following the downpour. Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu government today declared a rain holiday for schools and colleges in Chennai, Tiruvallur and Ranipet districts. 7. Shah Rukh Khan is celebrating his 57th birthday and fans are eagerly awaiting the release of his movie 'Pathan'. Today, on the superstar's birthday, the film's teaser has been unveiled.
- The contractors who carried out repairs of the ill-fated suspension bridge at Morbi in Gujarat were not qualified to carry out such jobs, prosecution tells court. The collapse of the bridge on Sunday evening claimed 135 lives. While the flooring of the bridge was replaced, its cable was not replaced and it could not take the weight of the changed flooring, says prosecution, citing forensic report. 2. Gujarat observes state-wide mourning today to pay homage to victims of the cable bridge collapse in Morbi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who chaired a meeting to review the situation post the tragedy had announced a day's mourning in Gujarat today. 3. Delhi is breathing its filthiest air of the season. The air quality index has jumped to 'severe' zone for the first time this season, as a lethal combination of farm fires in northern states, still local winds, dust from construction sites, and cool temperatures pushes the capital headlong into a pollution emergency. 4. UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman is under fire from the Opposition and refugee activists for classifying an increase in the number of refugees landing on the country's shores seeking asylum as an 'invasion' by migrants on the border. The Indian-origin Cabinet minister tells Parliament that illegal migration to the country 'is out of control' and that the asylum system is 'broken', with the sheer numbers arriving via the English Channel in small boats making it impossible to provide accommodation for all. 5. Twitter's new owner Elon Musk confirms the microblogging website will charge USD 8 per month if anybody wants the 'blue tick', which shows an account has been verified as genuine. 'Twitter's current lords and peasants system for who has or doesn't have a blue checkmark is bullshit. Power to the people. Blue for USD 8 per month', tweets Mr Musk. 6. Chennai witnesses heavy rain, leading to deaths of two persons. Several localities in the city and its outskirts are also inundated following the downpour. Tamil Nadu government declares a rain holiday for schools and colleges in Chennai, Tiruvallur and Ranipet districts. 7. Shah Rukh Khan turns 57 today. He greeted fans gathered outside his home with his son AbRam. Pictures and videos of the special moment outside Mannat go viral.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi says a 'detailed and extensive' inquiry to identify all aspects relating to the Morbi bridge collapse tragedy is the need of the hour, as he chaired a high-level meeting to review the situation. He asserted that key learnings from the inquiry must be implemented at the earliest, say officials. Authorities must stay in touch with the affected families and ensure that they receive all possible help in this tragic hour, he says after he was briefed on the rescue operation and the assistance provided to the affected families. 2. The opposition attacks the hospital makeover overnight. A new water cooler is set up with no water. Authorities rush to cover-up after NDTV reports. 3. Lest we forget, the humans of Morbi. Families mourn lost children, fathers and mothers. 4. Jailed conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar writes to the Delhi Lt Governor alleging that AAP leader Satyendar Jain 'extorted' Rs 10 crore from him in 2019 to ensure his safety in prison, triggering a political slugfest between the AAP and the BJP. While the BJP calls the AAP a 'maha thug' party, saying 'the conman has been conned', Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal rubbishes the allegations saying it was an attempt to divert attention from the Morbi bridge collapse incident in Gujarat. According to the LG office sources, the letter from Mr Chandrashekhar was received by the LG office and was forwarded to the Chief Secretary of the Delhi government for necessary action on October 18. 5. Calling Congress leader Rahul Gandhi a 'wannabe PM', Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) working president and Minister KT Rama Rao (KTR) hit back at him stating that the 'international leader' should first convince his people to elect him as an MP than ridicules Telangana Chief Minister KCR's national party ambition. 6. Heavy rain forcast for Tamil Nadu in next 3 days. 7. Karnataka's highest civilian award the 'Karnataka Ratna' is conferred posthumously on late actor Puneeth Rajkumar, on the occasion of the 67th Kannada Rajyotsava (the state formation day). 8. Millions of Chinese suffering the dreaded lockdowns have turned to Hindi cinema legend Bappi Lahiri's superhit song 'Jimmy Jimmy Aaja Aaja' from 1982 movie 'Disco Dancer' to express their anger and frustration over the country's stringent zero-COVID policy.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Gujarat's Morbi today, where a century-old bridge collapsed on Sunday, killing 135 people. An all-night spruce up at the civil hospital in Morbi ahead of PM's visit today to meet the survivors of the massive bridge collapse tragedy draws criticism from the Opposition. NDTV team visits the hospital and finds a huge post-midnight 'makeover' in progress just hours before the PM Modi's visit. 2. A Public Interest Litigation has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking judicial probe into the Morbi bridge collapse. The PIL also seeks directions to the states to conduct a survey of all the 'old and risky' structures. The Supreme Court will take up the plea on 14 November. 3. Targeting BJP government in Gujarat over the Morbi bridge tragedy, Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal says Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel should 'resign immediately' and Assembly polls should be held in the state. Mr Kejriwal, whose party is pushing hard to emerge as a key player in Gujarat's political landscape in the run-up to the state polls later this year, alleges that the bridge tragedy was a result of corruption and refers to reports on how a company that makes clocks was given the charge of renovating the suspension bridge. 4. Schools and colleges were closed today in few districts in Tamil Nadu due to heavy rain. The schools were closed in Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur and Mayiladuthurai districts. In Tiruvannamalai, schools and colleges declared holiday in Cheyyar, Vandavasi, Chetpet and Vembakkam taluks. 5. A layer of eye-stinging smog lingers over Delhi as its air quality nears the 'severe' zone with stubble burning accounting for 22 per cent of the city's PM2.5 pollution. Delhi's 24-hour average air quality index stands at 392, worsening from 352 on Sunday. It was 354 on Thursday, 271 on Wednesday, 302 on Tuesday and 312 on Monday. 6. Hours after police searches 'The Wire's office and its editors' homes in Delhi and Mumbai, the Digipub News India Foundation says the 'arbitrary' action, based on a private complaint of defamation, 'smacks of mala fide intentions'. It points out that the danger of these searches 'being used as an excuse' to seize and duplicate confidential and sensitive data 'cannot be dismissed'.
- Sources in India's top forensic laboratory say the cable bridge over River Machhu in Gujarat's Morbi snapped due to heavy rush of people. The colonial-era bridge, shut for renovation for seven months, collapsed, killing over 130, including 47 children. The youngest was a two-year-old child. Meanwhile, Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel says, 'Decision has been taken to observe state-wide mourning in Gujarat on November 2 for the deceased. National flag will be flown at half-mast on govt buildings in the state and no functions or entertainment programs will be held.' 2. An all-night spruce up at the civil hospital in Gujarat's Morbi ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit today to meet the survivors of the massive bridge collapse tragedy draws criticism from the Opposition. NDTV team visits the hospital and finds a huge post-midnight 'makeover' in progress just hours before the Prime Minister's visit. 3. Some of the old cables of the century-old bridge in Gujarat weren't changed during the seven-month renovation by a private firm, say sources. Oreva, the Gujarat-based watchmaker that renovated the bridge, was given the contract by the Morbi city municipal body in March and no tender route was taken, shows the contract document. Some of the old wires holding the bridge together remained even after the renovation. 4. A layer of eye-stinging smog lingers over Delhi as its air quality nears the 'severe' zone with stubble burning accounting for 22 per cent of the city's PM2.5 pollution. Delhi's 24-hour average air quality index stands at 392, worsening from 352 on Sunday. It was 354 on Thursday, 271 on Wednesday, 302 on Tuesday and 312 on Monday. 5. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra, which continued in Telangana on Monday, will enter Hyderabad today. He will visit the historic Charminar and is slated to address a public meeting at Necklace Road on the banks of the Hussain Sagar lake in the heart of the city. 6. Delhi Police searches homes of two editors of news site 'The Wire' after a complaint by BJP's Amit Malviya. The police searches homes of Siddharth Varadarajan and MK Venu, the founding editors of The Wire, and seizes their phones and laptops. They have been accused of cheating and forgery in a case filed on a complaint by Amit Malviya, who heads BJP's IT Cell. The complaint alleges that The Wire 'forged documents to malign and tarnish' his reputation.
- Documents reveal that the bridge that collapsed in Gujarat's Morbi yesterday, killing more than 140 people, was opened to the public ahead of schedule by the private company hired for its maintenance. According to the contract between the Morbi municipal body and Ajanta Manufacturing Private Limited, accessed by NDTV, the bridge had to be shut for at least eight to 12 months for maintenance and repairs. But the historic colonial-era bridge was thrown open to the public within seven months, on October 26, when the Gujarati New Year is celebrated. The company did not take a fitness certificate from the civic authorities, which Morbi municipal agency chief Sandipsinh Zala confirmed to NDTV on Sunday. Apart from the early reopening, every safety rule was broken. There were close to 500 people on the 'hanging bridge' when the cables snapped on Sunday evening, sending hundreds tumbling into the river. According to officials, the bridge could take the weight of only about 125 people. The crowd included women performing Chhath puja rituals and scores of children. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in Gujarat, will visit the Morbi city tomorrow. 2. India batter Virat Kohli shares a horrific experience that he had to endure while his stay in Perth, and he goes on to label the experience as 'appalling'. He also says that it made him feel very 'paranoid' about his privacy. The entire incident was of someone entering the batter's hotel room with the cricketer not being present and the entire break in was filmed, and all of Mr Kohli's accessories and wardrobe were put on display. 3. Veteran leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva wins a new term as Brazilian president, capping a remarkable political comeback to defeat far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro in a deeply divisive, down-to-the-wire runoff election.
Documents reveal that the bridge that collapsed in Gujarat's Morbi yesterday, killing more than 140 people, was opened to the public ahead of schedule by the private company hired for its maintenance. According to the contract between the Morbi municipal body and Ajanta Manufacturing Private Limited, accessed by NDTV, the bridge had to be shut for at least eight to 12 months for maintenance and repairs. But the historic colonial-era bridge was thrown open to the public within seven months, on October 26, when the Gujarati New Year is celebrated. The company did not take a fitness certificate from the civic authorities, which Morbi municipal agency chief Sandipsinh Zala confirmed to NDTV on Sunday. Apart from the early reopening, every safety rule was broken. There were close to 500 people on the 'hanging bridge' when the cables snapped on Sunday evening, sending hundreds tumbling into the river. According to officials, the bridge could take the weight of only about 125 people. The crowd included women performing Chhath puja rituals and scores of children. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in Gujarat, will visit the Morbi city tomorrow. Earlier today, the Prime Minister said that Centre is extending all help to the state. While addressing people at the Statue of Unity in Gujarat's Kevadia where he paid floral tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary, PM Modi said, 'I am in Ekta Nagar but my mind is with the victims of Morbi. Rarely, in my life, would I have experienced such pain. On one hand, there is a pain-riddled heart and on the other hand, there is the path to duty.'
At least 130 people die after a British-era bridge in Gujarat's Morbi collapses. Some 177 people have been saved and teams are searching for several others who are still missing. Five teams of National Disaster Response Force worked through the night to find the missing. The Army, Navy and Air Force also joined the operation later. Around 500 people, including women and children, were on the suspension bridge when the cables supporting it snapped, sending people crashing into the river below. Many were performing Chhath puja rituals on the 150-year-old bridge located 300 km from Ahmedabad. People fell on top of each other after the bridge snapped. Videos show many desperately clinging to the remains of the bridge while some are seen swimming to safety. The bridge over Machchhu river had been shut for seven months for repairs. It was reopened to the public on October 26, the Gujarati New Year. Local municipal body's chief tells NDTV that the renovator of the century-old bridge had not taken a fitness certificate from the authorities before reopening it. Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi says a criminal case has been registered and a five-member high-powered committee is probing the bridge collapse. The state government announces a compensation of Rs 4 lakh to the family members of each of those who have died in the accident and Rs 50,000 for the injured. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in Gujarat, also announces a financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the victims. Meanwhile, the PM cancels all his events today in the state, where political parties are campaigning for elections due in weeks.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi lays the foundation stone of a manufacturing facility in Vadodara city of Gujarat for the production of C-295 medium transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force. The aircraft will be produced by a consortium of European aerospace major Airbus and the Tata Group. It is the first project of its kind in which a military aircraft will be manufactured in India by a private company. The manufacturing unit will also cater for the export of the premier transport aircraft as well as for additional orders by the Indian Air Force. 2. Ahead of the Munugode byelection, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) files a complaint to the Election Commission of India (ECI) alleging that Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leader K Rajagopal Reddy illegally deposited money into BJP leaders' bank accounts to distribute it to the voters. 'Illegal transfer of money by K Rajagopal Reddy, contesting candidate from BJP party from 93-Munugode Assembly Constituency, through various individuals party leaders, firms and companies for the distribution in Munugode Constituency for the voters - Request to take action immediately including seizing all accounts,' reads the letter written to the ECI. 3. Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal, in Gujarat to campaign for upcoming assembly elections, says that the BJP is bluffing on implementing a Uniform Civil Code in the state. Casting doubt on the BJP-led state government's intent, the AAP chief says the ruling party made the same promise ahead of the Uttarakhand assembly elections but didn't implement it after winning the polls. 4. Toxic politics over Yamuna water pollution in Delhi. Delhi water official takes bath in the toxic Yamuna water. 5. At least 151 people have died and over 100 are injured in a stampede at a prominent market in South Korea's capital Seoul, where a massive crowd had gathered for Halloween festivities.
- Toxic politics over Yamuna water pollution in Delhi. Delhi water official takes a bath in the toxic Yamuna water. 2. Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal, in Gujarat to campaign for upcoming assembly elections, says that the BJP is bluffing on implementing a Uniform Civil Code in the state. Casting doubt on the BJP-led state government's intent, the AAP chief says the ruling party made the same promise ahead of the Uttarakhand assembly elections but didn't implement it after winning the polls. 3. At least 151 people have died and over 100 are injured in a stampede at a prominent market in South Korea's capital Seoul, where a massive crowd had gathered for Halloween festivities. 4. Four people get killed and six others are injured after a landslide at a power project tunnel in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar, the police say. 'The rescue operation has been completed. A total of four bodies and six injured were rescued,' says Kishtwar deputy commissioner Devansh Yadav. 5. The Commission for Air Quality Management decides to implement measures under stage three of the Graded Response Action Plan, or GRAP, in view of the worsening air quality in Delhi-National Capital Region. 6. Ahead of the Munugode byelection on November 3, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi on files a complaint with the Election Commission of India and the State Chief Electoral Officer alleging that Bhartiya Janata Party Munugodu assembly candidate Rajagopal Reddy illegally deposited Rs 5.22 crore money into the bank accounts of BJP leaders to distribute it to the voters.
- Ahead of the Munugode byelection on November 3, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi on files a complaint with the Election Commission of India and the State Chief Electoral Officer alleging that Bhartiya Janata Party Munugodu assembly candidate Rajagopal Reddy illegally deposited Rs 5.22 crore money into the bank accounts of BJP leaders to distribute it to the voters. 2. It is day 5 of the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Telangana. Rahul Gandhi is in Telangana ahead of Munugode bypoll. 3. The outgoing Cabinet of the Gujarat government has moved a proposal to constitute a committee, along the lines of the one in Uttarakhand, under a retired High Court judge, to evaluate all aspects of implementing the Uniform Civil Code in the state. The opposition meanwhile calls the opposition's move a poll gimmick. 4. Three men accused by the Telangana police of trying to poach MLAs from Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao's party, are ordered by the High Court to surrender to the Cyberabad Police Commissioner. 5. Stage three of the Graded Response Action Plan kicks in in Delhi. There are now curbs on construction as well as demolition in the national capital. 6. At least 151 people have died and over 100 are injured in a stampede at a prominent market in South Korea's capital Seoul, where a massive crowd had gathered for Halloween festivities.
- The weather department predicts heavy rain and strong winds in West Bengal and the Northeast as cyclonic storm 'Sitrang' intensifies and moves towards Bangladesh. At 8.30 am today, the cyclone was 380 km south of Sagar Island in Bengal and 670 km south-southwest of Barisal in Bangladesh, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). 'To move north-northeastwards and intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm in the next 12 hrs. To cross the Bangladesh coast between Tinkona Island and Sandwip,' says the IMD. 2. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan lashes out at Governor Arif Mohammed Khan for seeking resignation of vice chancellors of nine universities in the state. CM Vijayan says the Governor has no such powers and accuses him of acting against the Constitution and the essence of democracy. The Chief Minister alleges that the Governor's move is an encroachment on the powers of a democratically elected government, and the universities that are supposed to be academically independent. 3. Delhi's air quality turns 'very poor' as unfavourable meteorological conditions allowed accumulation of pollutants, and emissions from firecrackers and stubble burning compounded the situation. On Sunday evening, the city reported a 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) of 259, which was lowest for the day before Diwali in seven years. 4. Terror links are at the centre of the Tamil Nadu police's investigation into the gas cylinder blast in a car on Sunday after huge quantities of explosives were found at the victim's house. The blast near a temple in Coimbatore last morning killed Jameza Mubin, 25, who was questioned by the central anti-terror agency over alleged ISIS links in 2019, say police. 5. Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrates Diwali with soldiers in Kargil.
- The weather department predicts heavy rain and strong winds in West Bengal and the Northeast as cyclonic storm 'Sitrang' intensifies and moves towards Bangladesh. At 8.30 am today, the cyclone was 380 km south of Sagar Island in Bengal and 670 km south-southwest of Barisal in Bangladesh, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). 'To move north-northeastwards and intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm in the next 12 hrs. To cross the Bangladesh coast between Tinkona Island and Sandwip,' says the IMD. 2. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan lashes out at Governor Arif Mohammed Khan for seeking resignation of vice chancellors of nine universities in the state. CM Vijayan says the Governor has no such powers and accuses him of acting against the Constitution and the essence of democracy. The Chief Minister alleges that the Governor's move is an encroachment on the powers of a democratically elected government, and the universities that are supposed to be academically independent. 3. Delhi's air quality turns 'very poor' as unfavourable meteorological conditions allowed accumulation of pollutants, and emissions from firecrackers and stubble burning compounded the situation. On Sunday evening, the city reported a 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) of 259, which was lowest for the day before Diwali in seven years. 4. Terror links are at the centre of the Tamil Nadu police's investigation into the gas cylinder blast in a car on Sunday after huge quantities of explosives were found at the victim's house. The blast near a temple in Coimbatore last morning killed Jameza Mubin, 25, who was questioned by the central anti-terror agency over alleged ISIS links in 2019, say police. 5. Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrates Diwali with soldiers in Kargil. 6. Rishi Sunak looks set to become UK's next prime minister after Boris Johnson ended his bid in a surprise decision. The other contender, Penny Mordaunt, is way off securing the crucial number required to contest the election to replace Liz Truss.
- In wake of cyclone 'Sitrang', the India Meteorological Department issues 'Red' and 'Orange' alerts for heavy rainfall in several districts of Assam for the next two days. A deep depression over Bay of Bengal intensifies into a cyclonic storm 'Sitrang'. The cyclone, named Sitrang by Thailand, will reach the West Bengal-Bangladesh coast on Tuesday, the IMD says. 2. The Tamil Nadu police recovers 'low-intensive explosive material' from the house of a man killed in a cylinder explosion in a car here and says material like potassium nitrate that were seized were meant for 'future' use. The man is identified as Jemisha Mubeen, 25, had been earlier enquired by the NIA but there has been no case against him nor has there been any 'adverse notice,' the top official says. 3. Rishi Sunak looks set to become UK's next prime minister after Boris Johnson ended his bid in a surprise decision. His next challenger, Penny Mordaunt, is way off securing the crucial number required to contest to replace outgoing PM Liz Truss. Mr Sunak has the support of 142 members of the parliament, far above the 100-mark required to bag the top job. The Tory MP is making a renewed attempt to contest for the post just weeks after losing to Liz Truss in the summer leadership contest.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends the annual 'Deepotsav' celebrations in Ayodhya, from where he greets the nation ahead of Diwali and traces the government's motto of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas (Development for all) to Lord Ram. This is the Prime Minister's first visit to Ayodhya after the foundation ceremony for the Ram temple in August 5, 2020. For the temple town, it is the sixth consecutive year of the Deepotsav celebration. 2. A Dalit man is assaulted, his face blackened and his head shaved after being accused of stealing a toilet seat in Uttar Pradesh's Bahraich. Local BJP leader Radheshyam Mishra and two of his aides allegedly tied Rajesh Kumar to a pole, blackened his face and thrashed him, officials say. They accused him of stealing a toilet seat from a house in Hardi area of the district. 3. Xi Jinping secures historic third term as China's leader and promotes some of his closest Communist Party allies, cementing his position as the nation's most powerful leader since Mao Zedong. The Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party elects Xi as its general secretary for another five-year term, tilting the country decisively back towards one-man rule after decades of power-sharing among its elite. Mr Jinping says 'the world needs China' as he speaks to the press. 4. The United Kingdom's former finance minister Rishi Sunak, one of the favourites to be the next Prime Minister, formally announces that he is running to be the next Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister. He already has the support of well over 100 MPs, a minimum requirement to bag the top job.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends the annual 'Deepotsav' celebrations in Ayodhya, from where he greets the nation ahead of Diwali and traces the government's motto of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas (Development for all) to Lord Ram. This is the Prime Minister's first visit to Ayodhya after the foundation ceremony for the Ram temple in August 5, 2020. For the temple town, it is the sixth consecutive year of the Deepotsav celebration. 2. India's space agency ISRO launches 36 satellites using its heaviest rocket, cementing its place in the global market for launching commercial satellites. These satellites carried on the rocket LVM3 by the Indian Space Research Organisation belong to London-based communications firm OneWeb, in which India's Bharti Enterprises is a major investor. 3. Xi Jinping secures historic third term as China's leader and promotes some of his closest Communist Party allies, cementing his position as the nation's most powerful leader since Mao Zedong. The Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party elects Xi as its general secretary for another five-year term, tilting the country decisively back towards one-man rule after decades of power-sharing among its elite. Mr Jinping says 'the world needs China' as he speaks to the press. 4. A nurse is tied up at a health centre in Chhattisgarh, gagged and gang-raped by four persons, one of them a minor. Three of the accused, including 17-year-old, have been arrested and the fourth is on the run. The nurse alleges that the four accused recorded the assault and threatened her with murder if she informed the police. 5. 'A demonic act' is how Madhya Pradesh High Court describes rape of a four-year-old girl, but then reduces the rapist's life sentence to 20 years, because 'he was kind enough to leave the girl alive'. The convict had requested that the jailtime he's served so far, 15 years, be considered enough. The High Court's Indore bench rules, 'Considering the demonic act of the convict who appears to have no respect for the dignity of a woman and has the propensity to commit offence even with a girl child aged four years, this court does not find it to be a fit case where the sentence can be reduced to the sentence already undergone by him. However, considering the fact that he was kind enough to leave the girl alive, this court is of the opinion that the life imprisonment can be reduced to 20 years' rigorous imprisonment.'
- A nurse is tied up at a health centre in Chhattisgarh, gagged and gang-raped by four persons, one of them a minor. Three of the accused, including 17-year-old, have been arrested and the fourth is on the run. The nurse alleges that the four accused recorded the assault and threatened her with murder if she informed the police. 2. Centre cancels Foreign Contribution Regulation Act licence of Rajiv Gandhi Foundation and Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust, non-government organisations associated with Gandhi family, over alleged irregularities in foreign contributions. Sources say the investigation into alleged irregularities in RGF and RGCT is likely to be handed over to central probe agency CBI. 3. Xi Jinping secures historic third term as China's leader and promotes some of his closest Communist Party allies, cementing his position as the nation's most powerful leader since Mao Zedong. The Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party elects Xi as its general secretary for another five-year term, tilting the country decisively back towards one-man rule after decades of power-sharing among its elite. Mr Jinping says 'the world needs China' as he speaks to the press. 4. A Karnataka minister is caught on camera slapping a woman at an event where he distributed land titles. BJP's V Somanna, Minister of Infrastructure Development of Karnataka, was in Hangala village of Chamarajanagar district to distribute land titles at a public program when he was confronted by a woman who was angry about not receiving a land title. The visibly furious minister then slapped her. 5. India's space agency ISRO launches 36 satellites using its heaviest rocket, cementing its place in the global market for launching commercial satellites. These satellites carried on the rocket LVM3 by the Indian Space Research Organisation belong to London-based communications firm OneWeb, in which India's Bharti Enterprises is a major investor. 6. 'A demonic act' is how Madhya Pradesh High Court describes rape of a four-year-old girl, but then reduces the rapist's life sentence to 20 years, because 'he was kind enough to leave the girl alive'. The convict had requested that the jailtime he's served so far, 15 years, be considered enough. The High Court's Indore bench rules, 'Considering the demonic act of the convict who appears to have no respect for the dignity of a woman and has the propensity to commit offence even with a girl child aged four years, this court does not find it to be a fit case where the sentence can be reduced to the sentence already undergone by him. However, considering the fact that he was kind enough to leave the girl alive, this court is of the opinion that the life imprisonment can be reduced to 20 years' rigorous imprisonment.'
- Chinese President Xi Jinping to secure a historic third term in power, cementing his position as the nation's most influential leader since founder Mao Zedong. Xi is all but certain to be unveiled as general secretary of the ruling Communist Party again, tilting the country decisively back towards one-man rule after decades of power-sharing among its elite. His anointment will cap a week-long gathering of the party faithful in China's capital during which high-ranking cadres endorsed his 'core position' in the leadership and approved a sweeping reshuffle that saw several top officials step down. 2. India's space agency ISRO launches 36 satellites using its heaviest rocket, cementing its place in the global market for launching commercial satellites. These satellites carried on the rocket LVM3 by the Indian Space Research Organisation belong to London-based communications firm OneWeb, in which India's Bharti Enterprises is a major investor. 3. Special Investigation Team formed to probe into the alleged gang-rape of a 26-year-old software engineer in Chaibasa, 180 km from state capital Ranchi. The engineer was allegedly raped by around 10 men near the old aerodrome in Chaibasa on Thursday evening when she was out with her boyfriend on a two-wheeler. A group of eight-ten men stopped them, beat up her boyfriend, and allegedly raped the woman after taking her to a secluded spot.
- Addressing the 'Rozgar Mela' after distributing 75,000 appointment letters among government job aspirants, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says the Centre is also working on multiple fronts to create maximum job opportunities for youngsters. The Congress terms the government's 'Rozgar Mela' as 'eventbaazi' by the 'jumla king', asking when would the promised 16 crore jobs be provided to the youth of the country. 2. All Army personnel in the helicopter that crashed in Arunachal Pradesh's Upper Siang district are dead, sources confirm after the fifth body was reportedly located today. The Air Traffic Control had received a 'may day' call right before the crash, suggesting a technical or mechanical failure, the Army says, adding that the weather was clear, and the pilots were experienced. However, the terrain is 'extremely challenging' in terms of hills with steep gradients and thick jungle, the army says in a statement. 3. At least 15 people are killed and 40 others injured after a bus carrying them collided with a truck on highway in Madhya Pradesh's Rewa. The bus, with about 100 passengers onboard, was on its way to Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur when it collided with a stationary truck near Suhagi Pahari in Rewa. 4. The Gujarat government announces that people will not be fined for violation of traffic rules during the Diwali festival this year. Gujarat Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi makes this announcement in Surat. Addressing a gathering, he says that in view of the Diwali festival, traffic police in Gujarat will not collect any fine from the violators till October 27. Opposition says no fines for Diwali only are a poll gimmick. 5. Reliance Jio 5G is here, as announced two months back, the telecom operator finally launches the new-age high-speed services in the country. Reliance Jio Chairman Akash Ambani launches the services in Rajasthan from the famous Shrinathji temple in Rajsamand.
- Addressing the 'Rozgar Mela' after distributing 75,000 appointment letters among government job aspirants, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says the Centre is also working on multiple fronts to create maximum job opportunities for youngsters. The Congress terms the government's 'Rozgar Mela' as 'eventbaazi' by the 'jumla king', asking when would the promised 16 crore jobs be provided to the youth of the country. 2. All Army personnel in the helicopter that crashed in Arunachal Pradesh's Upper Siang district are dead, sources confirm after the fifth body was reportedly located today. The Air Traffic Control had received a 'may day' call right before the crash, suggesting a technical or mechanical failure, the Army says, adding that the weather was clear, and the pilots were experienced. However, the terrain is 'extremely challenging' in terms of hills with steep gradients and thick jungle, the army says in a statement. 3. At least 15 people get killed and 40 others injured after a bus carrying them collided with a truck on highway in Madhya Pradesh's Rewa. The bus, with about 100 passengers onboard, was on its way to Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur when it collided with a stationary truck near Suhagi Pahari in Rewa. 4. The Gujarat government has announced that people will not be fined for violation of traffic rules during the Diwali festival this year. Gujarat Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi makes this announcement in Surat. Addressing a gathering, he says that in view of the Diwali festival, traffic police in Gujarat will not collect any fine from the violators till October 27. Opposition says no fines for Diwali only are a poll gimmick. 5. Reliance Jio 5G is here, as announced two months back, the telecom operator finally launches the new-age high-speed services in the country. Reliance Jio Chairman Akash Ambani launches the services in Rajasthan from the famous Shrinathji temple in Rajsamand. 6. Rohit Sharma says it is disappointing to not win an ICC world cup for nine years, wants to turn things around this time.
- Two days after United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres criticised India over its human rights record and growing hate speeches during a three-day visit, the Supreme Court makes some of its strongest comments yet on the subject. 'This is the 21st century. Where have we reached in the name of religion' the court says, hearing a petition on hate speeches and directing authorities to act against such instances by themselves or face contempt charges. 'Contempt will be initiated if the authorities fail to act,' the court says. 2. As Bilkis Bano lives in fear, normal life for rapists. NDTV reports from Bilkis's village in Gujarat's Dahod. 3. Pakistan is taken off a global money laundering watchlist, officials say, a move Islamabad hopes will ease foreign investment and boost the country's beleaguered economy. Money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog Financial Action Task Force has put Myanmar on the 'black list' and has called on members to apply enhanced due diligence to business relations and transactions in Myanmar. Also, it has sidelined Russia over the invasion in Ukraine. 4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch a mega 'Rozgar Mela' of job fest, a drive to recruit 10 lakh people, today via video-conference and appointment letters will be given to 75,000 candidates during the ceremony, the PM's Office says. 5. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai says that the Delhi Government has started a 15-point Winter Action Plan in order to reduce the dust pollution owing to stubble burning in the National Capital. 6. Police in UP's Prayagraj have arrested 10 men for allegedly selling blood plasma as platelets to families of dengue patients. The arrests come in the backdrop of a different case in the city in which a hospital was allegedly passing off sweet lime juice as platelets to a dengue patient who later died. It's not yet proved if indeed there was juice in the packets, a report is awaited and the 'juice' theory is so far just talk on social media, police says. 7. At least 15 people have died and 40 others injured after a bus carrying them collided with a truck in Madhya Pradesh's Rewa. 8. Four bodies are recovered from the site where an army helicopter carrying five people crashed in Arunachal Pradesh's Upper Siang district. According to reports, the weapon system integrated version of an Advanced Light Helicopter crashed near Migging village.
- Three children die allegedly due to food poisoning at a children's home in Tiruppur in Tamil Nadu. Eleven other children who had consumed the same food are being treated at a hospital. 2. Thirty-four people are killed in Thailand in a mass shooting at a day-care centre by a former policeman who killed his wife and child before shooting himself dead, police say. The victims of a mass shooting at a daycare centre in Thailand included children as young as 2 years old, a local police official says. There were 22 children among the victims of the suspected gunman. About 30 children were at the centre when the gunman came in around lunchtime, district official Jidapa Boonsom tells Reuters. 3. The government has started an investigation into four cough syrups manufactured by a Haryana-based pharmaceutical firm after the World Health Organization warns that they could be linked to the deaths of 66 children in The Gambia. Top sources in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare say the WHO alerted Drugs Controller General of India about the cough syrups. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation immediately took up the matter with the Haryana regulatory authority and launched a detailed investigation, say the sources. 4. The National Commission for Women has summoned Congress leader Udit Raj over his 'sycophancy' remark against President Droupadi Murmu. In a notice issued, the commission asks him to appear before it on October 10 and explain his 'extremely condemnable and shameful' comments. 5. Sonia Gandhi joins her son Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' in Karnataka, participating in a public event after a long gap compelled by health worries. Joining Rahul Gandhi's march in Mandya, the Congress president walks a short distance, surrounded by a large crowd of slogan-shouting party workers, before getting into a car. She returns to the march later. She is expected to address a rally in Ballary to galvanise the party in the BJP-ruled state that will vote in a few months for a new government.
- Sonia Gandhi joins her son Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' in Karnataka, participating in a public event after a long gap compelled by health worries. Joining Rahul Gandhi's march in Mandya, the Congress president walks a short distance, surrounded by a large crowd of slogan-shouting party workers, before getting into a car. She returns to the march later. She is expected to address a rally in Ballary to galvanise the party in the BJP-ruled state that will vote in a few months for a new government. 2. The government has started an investigation into four cough syrups manufactured by a Haryana-based pharmaceutical firm after the World Health Organization warns that they could be linked to the deaths of 66 children in The Gambia. Top sources in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare say the WHO alerted Drugs Controller General of India about the cough syrups. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation immediately took up the matter with the Haryana regulatory authority and launched a detailed investigation, say the sources. 3. Four sanitation workers die of suffocation after inhaling toxic gases while cleaning the underground sewer of a Faridabad hospital. Rohit, his brother Ravi, Vishal and Ravi Goldar, residents of Sanjay Camp in Delhi's Dakshinpuri, had come to the QRG Hospital in Faridabad Sector 16 for sewer cleaning through an agency named Santosh Allied Service. ACP, Central, Mohinder Verma, says, 'The four had entered the manhole without any safety equipment to clean. During this, they suffocated after inhaling poisonous gases and fell unconscious. When they cried for help, their colleagues and hospital staff reached the spot. All four were taken out and admitted to the hospital.' 4. At least eight people have drowned and several others are missing after flash flood hit Mal river in West Bengal during the immersion of Goddess Durga's idols last night, says a senior official. Four women are among those killed in the tragic incident in Jalpaiguri district. District Magistrate Moumita Godara tells news agency PTI that hundreds had gathered on the banks of the river for the immersion last evening. All of a sudden, flash flood struck and people were swept away. 5. Nine people, including five students, have been killed after a private tourist bus hits a state-run KSRTC bus from behind at Vadakkenchery in Kerala's Palakkad, says Kerala Road Transport Minister Antony Raju. The minister says the accident occurred around 11.30 PM on Wednesday when the private bus, which was travelling at a high speed, while attempting to overtake a car, hit the rear end of a Kerala State Road Transport Corporation bus. 6. Iranian schoolgirls have come to the fore in protests over the death of Mahsa Amini, removing their hijabs and staging sporadic rallies in defiance of a lethal crackdown by the security forces. Amini, 22, is pronounced dead days after the notorious morality police detained the Iranian Kurd last month for allegedly breaching the Islamic republic's strict dress code for women. 7. Mumbai Police arrests an unemployed man, identified as Rakesh Kumar Mishra, from Bihar's Darbhanga in a case related to threat calls to business tycoon Mukesh Ambani and his family. Police's team is returning to Mumbai along with the accused and further investigation is underway.
- The big Sena versus Sena battle on the occasion of Dussehra started off with a stern warning from former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. 'Ravana will burn,' Mr Thackeray told the Eknath Shinde camp, pointing to huge crowds at Mumbai's Shivaji Park, the traditional venue for party's Dussehra celebration. Mr Shinde, who held a parallel rally at the MMRDA grounds, launched a sharp counter-attack. He said, 'Do you have any moral right to even stand and speak there. You used Shiv Sainiks for your personal reason and went ahead with Congress and NCP. Balasaheb Thackeray used to run the government on remote control and you gave this remote control to NCP.' 2. At least eight people have drowned and several others are missing after flash flood hit Mal river in West Bengal during the immersion of Goddess Durga's idols last night, says a senior official. Four women are among those killed in the tragic incident in Jalpaiguri district. District Magistrate Moumita Godara tells news agency PTI that hundreds had gathered on the banks of the river for the immersion last evening. All of a sudden, flash flood struck and people were swept away. 3. AICC president Sonia Gandhi joins the Bharat Jodo Yatra at Pandavapura in Mandya district which the Congress says will further energise the padayatra Rahul Gandhi is leading. She is also expected to address a public rally in Ballari, days before the yatra enters Telangana. Gandhi, who landed in Karnataka on Monday, spent two days at a resort in Kodagu district. The padayatra took a break for two days to let participants celebrate Ayudha Pooja and Vijayadashami, a big festive season in Karnataka. 4. Iranian schoolgirls have come to the fore in protests over the death of Mahsa Amini, removing their hijabs and staging sporadic rallies in defiance of a lethal crackdown by the security forces. Amini, 22, is pronounced dead days after the notorious morality police detained the Iranian Kurd last month for allegedly breaching the Islamic republic's strict dress code for women. 5. The government has started an investigation into four cough syrups manufactured by a Haryana-based pharmaceutical firm after the World Health Organization warns that they could be linked to the deaths of 66 children in The Gambia. Top sources in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare say the WHO alerted Drugs Controller General of India about the cough syrups. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation immediately took up the matter with the Haryana regulatory authority and launched a detailed investigation, say the sources.
- The big Sena versus Sena battle on the occasion of Dussehra starts off with a stern warning from former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. 'Ravan will burn,' Mr Thackeray tells the Eknath Shinde camp, pointing to the huge crowds at Mumbai's Shivai Park the traditional venue for the party's Dussehra celebration. 2. More than 24 hours after videos from Gujarat purportedly showed the police publicly caning Muslim men accused of disrupting a garba event and throwing stones, authorities say they are yet to verify the facts. 3. Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, aspiring for a national role ahead of the 2024 election, launches Bharat Rashtra Samithi, a new version of his party, exactly at the recommended 'auspicious time' of 1.19 pm. The Telangana Rashtra Samithi is now BRS, declares Mr Rao after a meeting of his party. Workers celebrate by bursting crackers and splashing pink on the city of Hyderabad. 4. Those not wearing masks in public places in Delhi will no longer be fined, the administration has decided after a drop in coronavirus cases in the city. 5. Five persons are killed and eight injured when a car crashes into an accident site and hit three stationary cars and an ambulance on the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, police say. 6. With the occasion of Dussehra being celebrated throughout the country to mark the victory of good over evil, several effigies of Raavan are burnt to end the annual Durga Puja festival. 7. Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends International Kullu Dussehra Festival in traditional attire.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi extends greetings to citizens on the occasion of Dussehra and expresses his happiness to be a part of the International Kullu Dussehra Festival that is to be celebrated here from October 5 to 11 at the Dhalpur Ground in Kullu. Meanwhile Arvind Kejriwal will be attending another function in Delhi. 2. For the first time since the Shiv Sena's inception 56 years ago, two Dussehra rallies will be held in Mumbai on Wednesday evening by the party's rival factions led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his predecessor Uddhav Thackeray in what is being billed as a show of strength by both camps after a change in government in June. 3. Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, aspiring for a national role ahead of the 2024 election, launches Bharat Rashtra Samithi, a new version of his party, exactly at the recommended 'auspicious time' of 1.19 pm. The Telangana Rashtra Samithi is now BRS, declares Mr Rao after a meeting of his party. Workers celebrate by bursting crackers and splashing pink on the city of Hyderabad. 4. Marking a change in its tradition, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh invites a woman for the first time in its history in the form of mountaineer Santosh Yadav as the chief guest at the annual RSS Vijayadashmi festival. Addressing the occasion, Mr Bhagwat calls for a 'comprehensive policy on population' and says that it should be applied equally to all. 5. Women bid adieu to Goddess Durga with 'Sindoor Khela' on the occasion of Vijay Dashmi in West Bengal. On Vijay Dashmi, the last day of Durga Puja, married Bengali Hindu women apply sindoor on the forehead and feet of the goddess and offer sweets to her followed by applying sindoor on each other's faces. 6. Twenty-five people have been killed after a bus carrying a wedding party of over 40 people falls into a gorge in Uttarakhand's Pauri Garhwal. A total of 21 passengers have been rescued by the state disaster response force and police following an overnight operation at the spot of accident near Simdi village. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expresses his condolences for the deaths in the tragedy and says the state government stands with their families.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Himachal Pradesh's Bilaspur and says that the hospital will be called the 'Green Hospital'. 'In the last 8 years, we have worked on ensuring development benefits reach the remotest parts of the country. AIIMS Bilaspur will not only increase access to affordable healthcare in Himachal but is also eco-friendly and will be known as 'Green AIIMS',' says PM Modi in his address. 2. Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, aspiring for a national role ahead of the 2024 election, launches Bharat Rashtra Samithi, a new version of his party, exactly at the recommended 'auspicious time' of 1.19 pm today. The Telangana Rashtra Samithi is now BRS, declares Mr Rao after a meeting of his party. Workers celebrate by bursting crackers and splashing pink on the city of Hyderabad. 3. Twenty-five people have been killed after a bus carrying a wedding party of over 40 people falls into a gorge in Uttarakhand's Pauri Garhwal. A total of 21 passengers have been rescued by the state disaster response force and police following an overnight operation at the spot of accident near Simdi village. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expresses his condolences for the deaths in the tragedy and says the state government stands with their families. 4. Four trainee mountaineers have been killed after avalanche hits them on a mountain in Uttarakhand. Fourteen have been rescued and rescuers are searching for more. All the trainees are from Nehru Mountaineering Institute in Uttarkashi. Uttarakhand police chief Ashok Kumar says Indian Air Force helicopters are helping in the rescue effort. 5. In his address at the Vijayadashami celebrations in Maharashtra's Nagpur, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhgawat talks about empowering women, adding that without them 'a society cannot progress'. His comments come as RSS, BJP's ideological parent, for the first time had a women chief guest for the annual event.
- Twenty-five people killed after a bus carrying a wedding party of over 40 people falls into a gorge in Uttarakhand's Pauri Garhwal. A total of 21 passengers have been rescued by the state disaster response force and police following an overnight operation at the spot of accident near Simdi village. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expresses his condolences for the deaths in the tragedy and says the state government stands with their families. 2. After months of positioning himself as a national player and touring states to meet anti-BJP leaders, Telangana Chief Minister and Telangana Rashtra Samiti President K Chandrasekhar Rao is on Mission 2024. He is all set to launch his national party. The muhurat or the auspicious time has been set for 1.19 pm today for the launch of the party, likely to be called Bharatiya Rashtra Samiti. 3. For the first time since Shiv Sena's inception 56 years ago, two Dussehra rallies will be held in Mumbai today by the party's rival factions, led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his predecessor Uddhav Thackeray, in what is being billed as a show of strength by both camps after a change in government in June. Mr Shinde asserts that Shiv Sena workers will attend his rally in huge numbers. 4. Activists of a right-wing group beat up organisers and security guards of a garba pandal in Gujarat's Surat city and vandalise the place claiming non-Hindu people were employed at the venue, say police. A police officer says the organisers of the Thakor Ji Ni Wadi garba pandal refused to lodge a complaint, saying the matter was settled between the two parties. Meanwhile, the five Muslim men arrested from a garba pandal in Madhya Pradesh's Indore did not commit any crime, and the arrest was only preventive, says a senior cop. The men argued with the organisers and the police, he says. 5. Reliance will roll out Jio True 5G today on Dussehra in four cities, Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Varanasi. It's an invitation-only offer, says Jio, adding users will get unlimited 5G data with up to 1 gbps plus speed. 'The beta trial service for other cities will be announced progressively,' says Jio. 6. Elon Musk offers to push through with his buyout of Twitter at the original agreed price, just weeks before the scheduled start of a bitter court case over his efforts to withdraw from the deal. The world's richest man says in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that he sent Twitter a letter vowing to honor the contract. The latest twist in the long-running saga comes ahead of the high-stakes trial instigated by Twitter in an attempt to hold the Tesla chief to the deal he signed in April. 7. Police claims to have killed three local terrorists in an overnight gunfight at Drach area in Shopian district of south Kashmir even as a second encounter is underway in Moolu area of the district. The identity of the slain is not immediately known.
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah declares at Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir that the Pahari community will soon get reservation in education and jobs as Scheduled Tribe, a pre-election promise aimed at widening BJP's support base. If implemented, this quota will be the first instance of a linguistic group earning reservation in India. The central government will have to amend the Reservations Act in Parliament for it. 2. A senior police officer in Jammu and Kashmir was found dead at home late last night, with his throat slit and burn injuries on his body. His domestic help, the prime suspect in the case, has been taken into custody, say police. Hemant Kumar Lohia, the officer in charge of prisons in Jammu and Kashmir, was murdered at a friend's house on the outskirts of Jammu, where he had been staying with his family while his own home was being renovated. 3. Ahead of the Sena vs Sena rallies in Mumbai on Dusshera, trailers are released by both the Thackeray Shiv Sena and the Shiv Sena. Shinde's camp is banking on the 'Hindutva ideology' and saying he is the 'true heir' to Bal Thackeray's legacy and Uddhav's group is banking on 'loyalty' along with the 'legacy' factor. 4. A notice asking for character certificates from journalists covering Prime Minister Narendra Modi's one-day visit to Himachal Pradesh tomorrow is withdrawn by the administration today as it triggered anger and disbelief. The letter, dated September 29, had asked for a list of all press correspondents, photographers and videographers, 'along with a certificate of their character verification'. Even state-run Doordarshan and All India Radio journalists were to comply with this. 5. Manish Sisodia, Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister, alleges that the Lieutenant Governor has been making politically motivated decisions by ordering investigations into different issues one after another. Mr Sisodia's comments come hours after Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena tells the Chief Secretary to probe 'irregularities and discrepancies' in the power subsidy given by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party government and give a report in seven days. 6. Four trainee mountaineers have been killed after an avalanche hits them on a mountain in Uttarakhand. The mountaineering institute where these trainees had enrolled confirms the casualties. Eight have been rescued and rescuers are searching for more. All the trainees are from Nehru Mountaineering Institute in Uttarkashi.
- A senior police officer in Jammu and Kashmir was found dead at home late last night, with his throat slit and burn injuries on his body. His domestic help, the prime suspect in the case, has been taken into custody, say police. Hemant Kumar Lohia, the officer in charge of prisons in Jammu and Kashmir, was murdered at a friend's house on the outskirts of Jammu, where he had been staying with his family while his own home was being renovated. Mr Lohia, 57, was appointed Director General of Prisons-JK in August. Based on early investigations and security footage, the police are focusing on his 23-year-old domestic help, Yasir Ahmed, hired six months ago. 2. Union Home Minister Amit Shah visits the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine atop Trikuta hills in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district on Maha Navami festival and offers his prayers. Meanwhile, mobile internet services have been temporarily suspended in parts of Jammu and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir. 3. The Bajrang Dal claims it had handed over three 'non-Hindus' to the police for allegedly entering a garba venue in Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh by hiding their identities. A video of the incident, which reportedly took place in a garba pandal at Kalidas Academy in Madhavnagar area, is widely circulated on social media. No complaint has been received in connection to this incident, says City Superintendent of Police Vinod Kumar Meena. 4. Ahead of the Sena vs Sena rallies in Mumbai on Dusshera, trailers are released by both the Thackeray Shiv Sena and the Shiv Sena. Shinde's camp is banking on the 'Hindutva ideology' and saying he is the 'true heir' to Bal Thackeray's legacy and Uddhav's group is banking on 'loyalty' along with the 'legacy' factor. 5. A notice asking for character certificates from journalists covering Prime Minister Narendra Modi's one-day visit to Himachal Pradesh tomorrow is withdrawn by the administration today as it triggered anger and disbelief. The letter, dated September 29, had asked for a list of all press correspondents, photographers and videographers, 'along with a certificate of their character verification'. Even state-run Doordarshan and All India Radio journalists were to comply with this.
- A top prisons official in Jammu and Kashmir, Hemant Lohia, was found murdered at his home on Monday, say police. According to the police, the 57-year-old Mr Lohia, a 1992 batch IPS officer, was found dead with his throat slit at his Udaiwala residence on the outskirts of Jammu. He was posted as the Director General of Prisons (JK) in August. Additional Director General of Police, Jammu zone, Mukesh Singh says the domestic help is on the run and a man-hunt for him has been launched. 2. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who is on a three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, meets people from different communities including Gujjar-Bakarwal, Rajput, Pahari and Jammu Sikh Community. During his visit to the Union Territory, the Home Minister will review the security situation, attend public meetings and lay the foundations of various development projects. 3. The Bajrang Dal claims it had handed over three 'non-Hindus' to the police for allegedly entering a garba venue in Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh by hiding their identities. A video of the incident, which reportedly took place in a garba pandal at Kalidas Academy in Madhavnagar area, is widely circulated on social media. No complaint has been received in connection to this incident, says City Superintendent of Police Vinod Kumar Meena. 4. The AAP will burn effigies of Ravan made of garbage at about 3,500 locations today in protest against the BJP's 'failure' in the maintenance of cleanliness in the national capital, says the Arvind Kejriwal-led party. 5. Ukrainian forces achieve their biggest breakthrough in the south of the country since the war began, bursting through the front and advancing rapidly along the Dnipro River, threatening supply lines for thousands of Russian troops.
- In a big boost to its combat prowess, the Indian Air Force inducts the first batch of indigenously developed Light Combat Helicopters, named Prachand, that are capable of firing a range of missiles and other weapons. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh says at the event, 'It is a momentous occasion reflecting India's capability in defence production.' The Light Combat Helicopter, developed by state-run aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, has been primarily designed for deployment in high-altitude regions. 2. Shiv Sena workers will attend his Dussehra rally in Mumbai in huge numbers, asserts Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, even as a separate rally held by his rival Uddhav Thackeray is likely to make the events a show of strength amid a legacy dispute. The Shinde faction has the majority to prove before the Election Commission its claim over the party, he further tells NDTV. 3. Families who lost their loved ones in Lakhimpur Kheri last year, crushed by a car driven allegedly by the son of a Union Minister and in the violence that followed, say they no longer feel optimistic about getting justice. Charanjit Singh, a farmer who lost his son, says till junior home minister Ajay Mishra Teni is dismissed, nothing will happen. Breaking down, Mr Singh, whose son Daljit Singh, 37, died, says, 'Our only demand is that the accused should be given tough punishment. But nothing has happened.' 4. Britain scraps plans to axe its top income tax rate just 10 days after a debt-driven budget sparked turmoil on markets and fierce criticism during a cost-of-living crisis. On the second day of the ruling Conservative Party's annual conference, finance minister Kwasi Kwarteng tweets he was 'not proceeding' with the removal of the top 45-percent income tax rate, adding it had become a 'distraction'.
- In a big boost to its combat prowess, the Indian Air Force inducts the first batch of indigenously developed Light Combat Helicopters, named Prachand, that are capable of firing a range of missiles and other weapons. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh says at the event, 'It is a momentous occasion reflecting India's capability in defence production.' The Light Combat Helicopter, developed by state-run aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, has been primarily designed for deployment in high-altitude regions. 2. Shiv Sena workers will attend his Dussehra rally in Mumbai in huge numbers, asserts Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, even as a separate rally held by his rival Uddhav Thackeray is likely to make the events a show of strength amid a legacy dispute. The Shinde faction has the majority to prove before the Election Commission its claim over the party, he further tells NDTV. 3. At least three people, including two children, killed and more than 60 injured in massive fire at Durga Puja pandal in Uttar Pradesh's Bhadohi. The fire broke out at around 9 pm when aarti was being performed at the pandal, say police, adding that an electric short circuit may have caused the fire. Around 150 people were inside the pandal at the time of the incident. 4. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the ideological mentor of the ruling BJP, gives a report card of the country today in terms of poverty, unemployment and economic disparity. RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale blames the situation on the economic policies of last several decades. He also says several steps have been taken in the last few years to address this challenge. 5. Families who lost their loved ones in Lakhimpur Kheri last year, crushed by a car driven allegedly by the son of a Union Minister and in the violence that followed, say they no longer feel optimistic about getting justice. Charanjit Singh, a farmer who lost his son, says till junior home minister Ajay Mishra Teni is dismissed, nothing will happen. Breaking down, Mr Singh, whose son Daljit Singh, 37, died, says, 'Our only demand is that the accused should be given tough punishment. But nothing has happened.' 6. A bomb scare on board an Iranian passenger flight, while it was in Indian airspace, puts authorities on alert, prompting the Indian Air Force to scramble fighter jets. The Mahan Air plane, on its way from Tehran in Iran to Guangzhou in China, was offered two options to land in India which it refused and continued its journey, says the Air Force. The fighter jets followed the aircraft at a safe distance, they say in a statement. The aircraft has now entered the Chinese airspace, shows flight tracking website Flightradar.
- At least three people, including two children, killed and more than 60 injured in massive fire at Durga Puja pandal in Uttar Pradesh's Bhadohi. The fire broke out at around 9 pm when aarti was being performed at the pandal, say police, adding that an electric short circuit may have caused the fire. Around 150 people were inside the pandal at the time of the incident. 2. Families who lost their loved ones in Lakhimpur Kheri last year, crushed by a car driven allegedly by the son of a Union Minister and in the violence that followed, say they no longer feel optimistic about getting justice. Charanjit Singh, a farmer who lost his son, says till junior home minister Ajay Mishra Teni is dismissed, nothing will happen. Breaking down, Mr Singh, whose son Daljit Singh, 37, died, says, 'Our only demand is that the accused should be given tough punishment. But nothing has happened.' 3. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde says his faction of Shiv Sena would have got the Shivaji Park ground in central Mumbai as the venue for its Dussehra rally had he intervened in the matter as Chief Minister. In a shot in the arm for the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena faction, the Bombay High Court on September 23 granted it permission to hold its annual Dussehra rally at the iconic Shivaji Park ground in Dadar. The Shinde-led faction had also sought permission to hold the rally at the same venue on October 5, and opposed the Thackeray group's petition in the high court. When asked about it, Eknath Shinde says leaders and workers of his party had demanded Shivaji Park for the rally, but they honour the high court's order. 4. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the ideological mentor of the ruling BJP, gives a report card of the country today in terms of poverty, unemployment and economic disparity. RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale blames the situation on the economic policies of last several decades. He also says several steps have been taken in the last few years to address this challenge. 5. The Indian Air Force will induct today the first batch of indigenously-developed Light Combat Helicopter, in a boost to its combat prowess as the multi-role platform is capable of firing a range of missiles and other weapons. The LCH, developed by state-run aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, has been primarily designed for deployment in high-altitude regions. 6. A policeman is killed and a Central Reserve Police Force personnel gets injured during a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district. 'Terrorists fired upon a joint Naka party of CRPF and police at Pinglana, Pulwama. In this terror attack, one police personnel got martyred and one CRPF personnel got injured,' says Kashmir Zone Police in a tweet.
- Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, who is one of the candidates in the party's forthcoming president election, says he had told Shashi Tharoor, the other candidate in the fray, that 'it is much better to have a consensus candidate for the president's post'. He also says that it was on the insistence of senior party leaders that he decided to fight for the party president's post. Explaining the reason behind his decision to contest the election, he says: 'As Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi didn't want to fight the elections, I was asked by my senior colleagues to contest the elections. I'm not fighting against anyone. I'm fighting for the ideology of the Congress party.' 2. A policeman is killed and a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel injured during a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district. Kashmir Zone Police said in a tweet, 'Terrorists fired upon a joint Naka party of CRPF and Police at Pinglana, Pulwama. In this terror attack, 01 Police personnel got martyred and 01 CRPF personnel got injured'. The police says reinforcements had been sent and the area is being cordoned off. The attack comes hours after an encounter in Shopian where one Lashkar terrorist was killed after a three-hour operation. 3. A 14-year-old Dalit boy in Karnataka was tied to an electric pole and brutally beaten up by ten men, following allegations that he had stolen a earring. The victim's mother says she too was beaten up when she tried to intervene. Both are under treatment for injuries. Police, however, claims that both mother and son had no serious injuries and are out of danger. 4. The death count from an Indonesian football riot that turned into a stampede jumps to 174. At 9:30 am the number of deaths was 158, at 10:30 am the figure rose to 174. That's the data collected by the East Java disaster mitigation agency. The tragedy on Saturday night in the eastern city of Malang, which also left over 100 injured, was one of the world's deadliest sporting stadium disasters. Many of the victims were trampled or choked to death. A 43-year-old spectator says, 'Officers fired tear gas, and automatically people were rushing to come out, pushing each other and it caused many victims.' 5. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky says that Lyman, a key town located in one of the four Ukrainian regions that Russia annexed, is 'cleared' of Moscow's troops. 6. Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi and former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri on their birth anniversary in Rajgath and Vijay Ghat respectively. He also shares glimpses of Lal Bahadur Shastri's gallery in the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya in Delhi and urges people to visit the museum. Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary is globally observed as the International Day of Non-Violence, underlining his philosophy of non-violence to achieve social or political change. Paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi on his 153rd birth anniversary, PM Modi tweets, 'This Gandhi Jayanti is, even more, special because India marks Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. May we always live up to Bapu's ideals. I also urge you to purchase Khadi and handicrafts products to tribute Gandhi Ji.'
- The Maharashtra government launches a campaign appealing to people to say 'Vande Mataram' while receiving phone calls instead of 'Hello'. 'Vande Mataram means we are bowing before our mother. Hence, it is our appeal to the people to say Vande Mataram instead of Hello,' state Cultural Affairs Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar says at a rally held in Wardha district on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. A Government Resolution (GR) issued on Saturday had appealed to Maharashtra government employees and officers to greet people by saying 'Vande Mataram' instead of 'Hello' during official or personal phone calls. 2. Taking serious note of the 'fraud' played upon it by a Kenyan citizen of Indian origin in a custody battle, the Supreme Court seeks a report from the CBI about the steps taken by it to secure his presence and ensure the transfer of custody of his minor son to his estranged wife. The top court also directs the Registrar of Assurances of Rajkot to give details about the rights and interests, if any, held by any other person in two properties of the convicted contemnor Perry Kansagra by October 8 so that it may proceed with their attachment. A bench comprising Chief Justice Uday Umesh Lalit and PS Narasimha, on July 11, had convicted Mr Kansagra of its contempt for playing 'fraud' in securing the custody of his son from his estranged wife and not coming back to the Supreme Court again. 3. Official sources say, Gangster Deepak Tinu, one of the accused in the Sidhu Moosewala murder case, escaped from police custody in Punjab's Mansa district. They say a manhunt has been launched to nab Deepak Tinu, who escaped on Saturday night when he was brought on a production warrant from Goindwal Sahib jail in another case by the Mansa police. Deepak Tinu is a close aide of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, also an accused in the murder case of the Punjabi singer. When asked about the incident, Inspector General, Bathinda Range, Mukhwinder Singh Chhina tells PTI over phone, 'We are working on it, police parties are on the job and we will catch him soon.' Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, popularly known as Sidhu Moosewala, was shot dead in Punjab's Mansa district on May 29. 4. Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, who is one of the candidates in the party's forthcoming president election, says he had told Shashi Tharoor, the other candidate in the fray, that 'it is much better to have a consensus candidate for the president's post'. He also says that it was on the insistence of senior party leaders that he decided to fight for the party president's post. Explaining the reason behind his decision to contest the election, he says: 'As Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi didn't want to fight the elections, I was asked by my senior colleagues to contest the elections. I'm not fighting against anyone. I'm fighting for the ideology of the Congress party.' 5. A policeman is killed and a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel injured during a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district. Kashmir Zone Police said in a tweet, 'Terrorists fired upon a joint Naka party of CRPF and Police at Pinglana, Pulwama. In this terror attack, 01 Police personnel got martyred and 01 CRPF personnel got injured'. The police says reinforcements had been sent and the area is being cordoned off. The attack comes hours after an encounter in Shopian where one Lashkar terrorist was killed after a three-hour operation.
- At least 31 people are killed and more than 30 have got injured in two separate accidents in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur last night. The first accident occurred when a tractor trolley, carrying around 50 pilgrims, overturned and fell into a pond near Ghatampur area. At least 26 pilgrims, most of them women and children, died in the mishap, while more than 20 were severely injured. The tractor was returning from Chandrika Devi temple in Unnao when the tragedy struck. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expresses anguish and announces a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each for the families who have lost a member in the accident. The injured will be given a financial assistance of Rs 50,000 each. In the second road accident in the city last night, five people are killed and 10 others have got injured after a speeding truck rams into a loader tempo near Ahirwan flyover. Joint Commissioner of Police Anand Prakash Tiwari says an investigation has been launched into the matter and efforts are being made to trace the truck. 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi and former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri on their birth anniversary in Rajgath and Vijay Ghat respectively. He also shares glimpses of Lal Bahadur Shastri's gallery in the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya in Delhi and urges people to visit the museum. Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary is globally observed as the International Day of Non-Violence, underlining his philosophy of non-violence to achieve social or political change. Paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi on his 153rd birth anniversary, PM Modi tweets, 'This Gandhi Jayanti is, even more, special because India marks Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. May we always live up to Bapu's ideals. I also urge you to purchase Khadi and handicrafts products to tribute Gandhi Ji.' 3. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi pays tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his birth anniversary, and says on this occasion 'we pledge to unite India' in the same manner the Father of the Nation had united the country against injustice. The Congress leader tweets, 'Bapu taught us to walk on the path of truth and non-violence. He explained the meaning of love, compassion, harmony and humanity.' He also shares a video montage of Mahatma Gandhi along with glimpses from Congress' ongoing Kanyakumari to Kashmir Bharat Bodo Yatra. 4. Foreign Minister S Jaishankar takes an IT-versus-IT swipe at 'a neighbouring country' in apparent reference to Pakistan. He calls it 'an expert in international terrorism', while India 'is an expert in information technology'. In his speech at a function in Gujarat's Vadodara, the EAM says, 'Now the world's understanding of terrorism is better as compared to earlier times. The world isn't tolerating it anymore. Countries using terrorism are under pressure.' He adds, 'It has been going on for years, but we have lately been more successful explaining to the world that it has a global impact — that if today it is us, tomorrow it will be you.' 5. The death count from an Indonesian football riot that turned into a stampede jumps to 174. At 9:30 am the number of deaths was 158, at 10:30 am the figure rose to 174. That's the data collected by the East Java disaster mitigation agency. The tragedy on Saturday night in the eastern city of Malang, which also left over 100 injured, was one of the world's deadliest sporting stadium disasters. Many of the victims were trampled or choked to death. A 43-year-old spectator says, 'Officers fired tear gas, and automatically people were rushing to come out, pushing each other and it caused many victims.'
- A tractor trolley, carrying around 50 pilgrims, overturns and falls into a pond in UP' Kanpur. At least 26 pilgrims, most of them women and children, have been killed while 20 are severely injured in the mishap, say officials. The tractor was returning from Chandrika Devi temple in Unnao when the tragedy struck. 2. Indonesian police say 127 people have died and 180 have got injured after a stampede following crowd trouble at a football match in the province of East Java. After the match between Arema FC and Persebaya Surabaya ended, supporters from the losing team invaded the pitch and police fired tear gas, triggering a stampede and cases of suffocation. 3. Russia says its troops have abandoned their bastion of Lyman in Ukraine's east for fear of encirclement and the leader of Chechnya, a close Kremlin ally, says Moscow should consider using a low-yield nuclear weapon in response. The fall of the town is a major setback for Moscow after President Vladimir Putin proclaimed the annexation of the Donetsk region, along with three other regions, at a ceremony on Friday that was condemned by Kyiv and the West as a farce. 4. All across India, national leaders are paying tribute to the father of the nation on his 153rd birth anniversary. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also offers floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Delhi's Rajghat. Congress party and its leaders also celebrate Gandhi Jayanti with the party's interim president Sonia Gandhi and leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge paying floral tributes. 5. A 17-year-old girl is allegedly gangraped and blackmailed for months using the video by eight men in Rajasthan's Alwar district. After the latest extortion bid, they put the video online, and the girl and her parents finally go to the police station in Kishangarh Bas town to file a complaint after the family comes to know of her ordeal. The men initially blackmailed her of Rs 50,000 and demanded another Rs 2.5 lakh recently.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi launches 5G services in India at a telecom event in Delhi. The service is expected to progressively cover the entire country over the next couple of years, potentially transforming India's digital landscape. 2. Soon after filing his nomination for the Congress President poll to be held on October 17, Mallikarjun Kharge resigns as the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha. He tells the grand old party's working President Sonia Gandhi that he is quitting from the post in the upper house, in line with the Congress's 'one person, one post' rule announced at the Udaipur Chintan Shivir. He sent a letter to Sonia Gandhi last night. 3. A day after prices of natural gas shot up by a record 40 percent in step with a global escalation in energy prices, Indian oil marketing companies have reduced the price of commercial LPG cylinders by Rs 25.50 in the national capital with immediate effect. With this latest revision in prices, a 19 kg commercial LPG cylinder will cost Rs 1,859.50 instead of Rs 1,885 in Delhi. 4. The Delhi High Court dismisses a plea by minister Satyendar Jain challenging a lower court order to transfer the money laundering case against him to another court. Justice Yogesh Khanna says all facts were duly considered by the Principal District and Sessions Judge while transferring the case, which is being probed by the Enforcement Directorate, and it cannot be held that the decision suffered from any illegality or needed interference. 5. India abstains on a draft resolution tabled in the UN Security Council which condemns Russia's 'illegal referenda' and annexation of four Ukrainian territories and calls for an immediate cessation of violence while underlining the need to find pathways for a return to the negotiating table.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi launches 5G services in India at a telecom event in Delhi. The service is expected to progressively cover the entire country over the next couple of years, potentially transforming India's digital landscape. 2. Soon after filing his nomination for the Congress President poll to be held on October 17, Mallikarjun Kharge resigns as the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha. He tells the grand old party's working President Sonia Gandhi that he is quitting from the post in the upper house, in line with the Congress's 'one person, one post' rule announced at the Udaipur Chintan Shivir. He sent a letter to Sonia Gandhi last night. 3. A day after prices of natural gas shot up by a record 40 percent in step with a global escalation in energy prices, Indian oil marketing companies have reduced the price of commercial LPG cylinders by Rs 25.50 in the national capital with immediate effect. With this latest revision in prices, a 19 kg commercial LPG cylinder will cost Rs 1,859.50 instead of Rs 1,885 in Delhi. 4. India has abstained on a draft resolution tabled in the UN Security Council which condemns Russia's 'illegal referenda' and annexation of four Ukrainian territories and calls for an immediate cessation of violence while underlining the need to find pathways for a return to the negotiating table. 5. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signs a fast track NATO membership application. This is in response to Russia announcing annexation of four parts of Ukraine in the east and south-east.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch 5G services in India today in select cities. The service is expected to progressively cover the entire country over the next couple of years. 2. Prices of natural gas, which is used to generate electricity, make fertiliser and is converted into CNG to run automobiles, are hiked by a steep 40 per cent to record levels, in step with global firming up of energy rates. 3. India has abstained on a draft resolution tabled in the UN Security Council which condemns Russia's 'illegal referenda' and annexation of four Ukrainian territories and calls for an immediate cessation of violence while underlining the need to find pathways for a return to the negotiating table. 4. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy requests a fast track NATO membership after Russia follows the annex for four Moscow held regions of Ukraine. 5. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announces a 15-point Winter Action Plan while calling for a coordinated effort with neighbouring states and the Centre to curb air pollution in the national capital.
- Mallikarjun Kharge enters the race for Congress president as the choice of the Gandhis. Veteran leader Digvijaya Singh opts out, leaving Shashi Tharoor as the only other candidate. Mr Kharge is likely to resign as Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha in line with the Congress's 'one person, one post' rule, say sources. Mr Kharge's proposers for the contest include several big names, including former chief ministers Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Digvijaya Singh, and Prithviraj Chavan, former defence minister AK Antony, spokesperson AM Singhvi, and former Union minister Ajay Maken, among others. 2. The Reserve Bank of India hikes its key lending rate by 50 basis points to 5.90 per cent, a three-year high driven by elevated inflation, aggressive global central bank policies, and turmoil in financial markets. The key lending rate, or repo rate, is increased by 0.5 per cent to 5.90 per cent by the monetary policy committee (MPC), which consists of three members from the RBI and three outside members, with a five out of six majority. This is the fourth consecutive rate hike after a 40 basis points increase in May, and 50 basis points hike each in June and August. In all, RBI raises the benchmark rate by 1.90 per cent since May to cool off domestic retail inflation that has stayed above the central bank's upper tolerance limit of 6 per cent each month. 3. The Noida Authority bulldozes encroachments into common spaces by several apartment owners in Grand Omaxe housing society, where a spat between politician Shrikant Tyagi and another resident over the same issue had triggered a major row last month. 4. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announces a 15-point Winter Action Plan while calling for a coordinated effort with neighbouring states and the Centre to curb air pollution in the national capital. Mr Kejriwal announces that teams would be set up to check garbage burning, dust and vehicular emission to curb air pollution in the national capital.
- Mallikarjun Kharge enters the race for Congress president as the choice of the Gandhis. Veteran leader Digvijaya Singh opts out, leaving Shashi Tharoor as the only other candidate. Mr Kharge is likely to resign as Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha in line with the Congress's 'one person, one post' rule, say sources. Mr Tharoor files his nomination while Mr Kharge is set to file his papers before the 3 pm deadline. Digvijaya Singh, who collected his nomination papers yesterday, drops out of the contest after meeting with Mr Kharge. 2. The Reserve Bank of India hikes its key lending rate by 50 basis points to 5.90 per cent, a three-year high driven by elevated inflation, aggressive global central bank policies, and turmoil in financial markets. The key lending rate, or repo rate, is increased by 0.5 per cent to 5.90 per cent by the monetary policy committee (MPC), which consists of three members from the RBI and three outside members, with a five out of six majority. This is the fourth consecutive rate hike after a 40 basis points increase in May, and 50 basis points hike each in June and August. In all, RBI raises the benchmark rate by 1.90 per cent since May to cool off domestic retail inflation that has stayed above the central bank's upper tolerance limit of 6 per cent each month. 3. Kanpur Police have taken into custody a sweeper of a girl's hostel for allegedly making obscene videos of some of the girls staying there, says a senior official. The police action comes after a NEET aspirant, staying at the Sai Niwas Girls Hostel, filed a complaint with the police, accusing the sweeper of making obscene videos of her. Some other girls too accused him of their videos as well. Assistant Commissioner of Police, Kalyanpur, DK Shukla says the accused's mobile phone has been seized and sent for forensic analysis. 4. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is under fire from the Opposition over accusations of not heeding to his own pre-poll advice against 'VIP culture'. A Right To Information response reportedly reveals Mr Mann has more vehicles in his cavalcade than the last three of his predecessors. Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa, citing an RTI reply, claims that Mr Mann has 42 cars in his cavalcade - more than what were deployed with former Punjab Chief Ministers Parkash Singh Badal, Amarinder Singh, and Charanjit Singh Channi. In a tweet, Mr Bajwa, who is also the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, writes: 'Shocking revelation - CM Badal had 33 vehicles when he was CM from 2007-17 in his cavalcade and there was no change in number of vehicles when Captain Amarinder S became the CM but it has been revealed through RTI that CM Mann 'The so called Aam Aadmi' has 42 cars in his cavalcade.' 5. A presidential commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders unanimously approvs a recommendation for the provision of stamping of H-1B visas inside the US, a move if accepted by President Joe Biden will come as a big relief to thousands of foreign professionals, particularly from India. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China.
- Mallikarjun Kharge is the latest to join the contest for Congress president as the likely 'official' candidate, sources say. The Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha will file his nomination for the October 17 election today as the third candidate alongside Digvijaya Singh and Shashi Tharoor, they say. 2. Congress's Ashok Gehlot pulls out of the race for the post of the party chief after profuse apologies to Sonia Gandhi. It does not appear to have settled the question of his current job as the Rajasthan Chief Minister, which was at the centre of the very public rebellion by his loyalist MLAs and set off a huge turmoil within the party. A decision on state's top post will be 'taken in a day or two' senior leader KC Venugopal tells NDTV. 3. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar hints that action may be taken against senior woman IAS officer Harjot Kaur Bhamra whose indiscretion during a recent interaction with schoolgirls caused a major embarrassment for his government. 4. The Union government has decided to defer the implementation of the six-airbag safety rule for passenger cars in India until October next year. This is announced by Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari. The rule will be implemented from October 1, 2023. 5. Hurricane Ian plunges much of coastal southwest Florida into darkness, as the monster storm brings 'catastrophic' storm surges, wind and flooding that have officials readying a huge emergency response. US President Joe Biden calls it the deadliest hurricane in Florida's history. 6. Mani Ratnam's much awaited film Ponniyin Selvan hits the screens around the world.
- Ashok Gehlot apologises to Sonia Gandhi and says he will not run for Congress president, taking 'moral responsibility' for the rebellion in Rajasthan by MLAs loyal to him. He also says whether he remains Chief Minister is up to Sonia Gandhi. Congress leader KC Venugopal says, 'That decision will be taken by the Congress president in a day or two.' Ashok Gehlot dropping out of the race means a third candidate for Congress president, who has the blessings of the Gandhis, could be named soon. 2. Congress's Bharat Jodo Yatra is scheduled to enter its Karnataka leg through Chamarajanagar district on September 30. Ahead of the party yatra's arrival in the state, posters put up to welcome Rahul Gandhi are torn in the state's Gundlupet area. More than 40 posters put up to welcome the yatra have been torn. Congress leaders accuse BJP workers of tearing the posters. 3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a two-day visit to his home state Gujarat. He holds roadshows in Surat and Bhavnagar city. The PM will dedicate a number of infrastructure and development projects totaling more than Rs 29,000 crore. Gujarat, the home state of PM Modi, faces Assembly elections by the year-end and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is making all out efforts to retain power in the state, which it has ruled for nearly three decades now. 4. All women are entitled to safe and legal abortion process and making any distinction between a married and an unmarried woman in this regard is unconstitutional, says Supreme Court. The ground-breaking judgment by the bench of Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice AS Bopanna and Justice JB Pardiwala also sees the court recognise marital rape, though purely within the ambit of abortion. The court rules that under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, the definition of rape must include marital rape. This observation may pave the way for later judgments on marital rape, a subject of intense debate in the country.
- All women are entitled to safe and legal abortion process and making any distinction between a married and an unmarried woman in this regard is unconstitutional, says Supreme Court. The ground-breaking judgment by the bench of Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice AS Bopanna and Justice JB Pardiwala also sees the court recognise marital rape, though purely within the ambit of abortion. The court rules that under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, the definition of rape must include marital rape. This observation may pave the way for later judgments on marital rape, a subject of intense debate in the country. 2. Digvijaya Singh makes it official that he will run for Congress president next month. He is up against Shashi Tharoor in the October 17 election for a new Congress chief, the first in over 20 years without a Gandhi in the top post. Initially evasive about contesting, Digvijaya Singh picks up 10 nomination forms from the Congress office and declares that he will file his papers tomorrow, the last day for applications. Meanwhile, Ashok Gehlot meets Sonia Gandhi after some delay amid turmoil over the Congress president election and the Rajasthan crisis. The Rajasthan Chief Minister arrived in Delhi late last night for the meeting. 3. Blast in a bus parked at a stand in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur city, the second within a few hours, sends security agencies in a tizzy as they sound a high alert. The roof and the backside of the bus are blown away by the blast that occurred around 5.30 am. No one is injured. 4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a two-day visit to Gujarat. He will inaugurate or lay foundation stones for various projects and inaugurate the 36th National Games which are being held for the first time in the state. The PM also leads a two-kilometre long road show in the city. Gujarat, the home state of PM Modi, faces Assembly elections by the year-end and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is making all out efforts to retain power in the state, which it has ruled for nearly three decades now. 5. Hurricane Ian plunges much of coastal southwest Florida into darkness as the monster storm brings 'catastrophic' storm surges, wind and flooding that has officials readying a huge emergency response. The US Border Patrol says 20 migrants are missing after their boat sank, with four Cubans swimming to shore in the Florida Keys islands and three rescued at sea by the coast guard.
- Hurricane Ian makes landfall on the southwest coast of Florida as a monster Category 4 storm with powerful winds and torrential rains threatening to cause 'catastrophic' damage and flooding. 2. Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh is likely to run for the party president's post even as the old grand party scrambles to find a candidate. Meanwhile, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, in Delhi to meet Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, speaks at length on discipline in the party, and denies that it fell short at any point. What the media is reporting, he insists, is 'small potatoes' and declares that 'these things happen'. 3. Nine months after the death of General Bipin Rawat in a helicopter crash, the government names Lt General Anil Chauhan (Retired) the new Chief of Defence Staff, the country's top military officer and leader of one of the world's largest armed forces. 4. Senior advocate R Venkataramani has been named as the new Attorney General of India. He will hold office for a period of three years. The notification regarding Mr Venkataramani's appointment as the Attorney General is by the Department of Legal Affairs, Union Ministry of Law and Justice. 6. Russians escape Vladimir Putin's call for mobilisation, kilometre-long lines of Russians trying to flee the countries to neighbouring countries. The White House says we welcome Russians seeking asylum. 7. India and the United States, the world's two largest democracies, do not share a narrow relationship only devoted to bilateral gains, but the one that impacts the rest of the world, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar says.
- After two rounds of nationwide raids and arrest of over 240 leaders and functionaries of Popular Front Of India in a week, Centre bans the outfit for five years over alleged terror activities. A government notification says the PFI and its affiliate organisations or fronts have been declared 'unlawful association' with immediate effect under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. 2. Congress elections, in a fresh twist, appear likely to be a contest between Shashi Tharoor and Digvijaya Singh. Sources say Mr Singh will file nomination within two days. But he has denied, saying it has not been discussed with the Gandhis yet. Meanwhile, Ashok Gehlot's meeting with Sonia Gandhi is deferred by a day amid suspense over whether he will run for Congress president. The meeting was initially scheduled for this evening but he kept delaying his travel plans as he consulted his closest aides, who strongly indicate that he may not give up his Rajasthan role anytime soon. 3. The Indian rupee closes at its weakest ever. Government sources tell NDTV the rupee is still doing better than other emerging market currencies. Meanwhile, it might be better for the Reserve Bank of India to allow the rupee to depreciate a bit, letting it find its natural balance, says Soumya Kanti Ghosh in an SBI research report. 4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi says the Union Cabinet's decision to extend the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana will benefit crores of people across India and ensure support during this festive season. The Union Cabinet approves the extension for the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana for a further period of three months, that is, October to December 2022. Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee government's scheme for doorstep delivery of ration is declared 'illegal' by the Calcutta High Court. The court says there is no provision in the current food security law to allow doorstep delivery by state governments. The scheme will be legally valid only if Parliament amends the law or the state governments are specially empowered to do so. 5. Nine months after the death of General Bipin Rawat in a helicopter crash, the government names Lt General Anil Chauhan-Retired the new Chief of Defence Staff, the country's top military officer and leader of one of the world's largest armed forces. Lt Gen Chauhan, 61, had retired as Eastern Command Chief in May 2021 and was serving as the Military Advisor to the National Security Council. 6. Russian men who are fleeing the country to avoid being drafted into Moscow's war against Ukraine should seek asylum in the US, says the White House. Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre tells reporters at her regular briefing that the response inside Russia to the so-called 'partial mobilization' ordered last week by the country's president, Vladimir Putin, shows 'this war that was started by the Kremlin is unpopular'. 7. The Union Cabinet on approves Indian Railways' proposal for the re-development of three major railway stations, New Delhi, Ahmedabad and Mumbai's CSMT. The project involves an investment of approximately Rs 10,000 crore. Redevelopment work of 199 railway stations is under process. Those stations having a footfall of 50 lakh and above annually have been considered in the first phase.
- Liz Truss is named as the UK's next prime minister today, winning an internal leadership contest of the ruling Conservative party at a time when the country faces a cost of living crisis, industrial unrest and a recession. She beat her rival, former finance minister Rishi Sunak, by 81,326 votes to 60,399, after a summer-long often bad-tempered and divisive party leadership contest sparked by Boris Johnson's resignation in July. 'We need to show that we will deliver over the next two years. I will deliver a bold plan to cut taxes and grow our economy,' says Ms Truss after the result was announced. 2. Union Home Minister Amit Shah holds a meeting of BJP MPs, MLAs, MLCs and corporators with respect to the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections at the residence of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis in Mumbai. This is Mr Shah's first visit to the state after the formation of the Eknath Shinde government. Shiv Sena's Uddhav Thackeray has betrayed the BJP and must be 'taught a lesson', Amit Shah says at the meeting of party leaders. 'We can tolerate anything in politics but not betrayal,' sources quot Mr Shah as saying at the meeting. 3. The CBI refutes Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia's charge that its deputy legal advisor killed himself under pressure to 'frame' Mr Sisodia in the excise 'scam' case, and says the officer was in 'no way connected' with the probe. In a statement, the CBI also says no clean chit has been given to any of the accused in the excise police case. The CBI says, 'The CBI strongly refutes this mischievous and misleading statement by Mr Sisodia. It is clarified that the gentleman officer, Late Jitendra Kumar, was in no way connected with the investigation of this case. He was Deputy Legal Advisor in-charge of prosecution; in which capacity he was supervising prosecutors who are conducting the trial of already charge-sheeted cases in Delhi'. 4. Several areas in Bengaluru waterlogged and roads submerged after heavy overnight rains, with traffic jams being reported at important junctions in the city. This is the second time in a week that the Karnataka state capital is witnessing such severe waterlogging. Many arterial roads are inundated while the basements of apartments are flooded after the rainfall last night. A traffic advisory urges residents to avoid going out of their homes except for emergency, and not to send children to school.
- A day after former Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry's death in a car crash near Mumbai, a video shows the Mercedes SUV on the road, moments before the accident on Sunday afternoon. Mr Mistry was travelling in a Mercedes GLC Sports Utility Vehicle with former independent director in Tata Group Darius Pandole, his wife Anahita Pandole and brother Jehangir Pandole. CCTV footage shows the car speeding towards a checkpoint minutes before the accident on a bridge over river Surya. 2. Several areas in Bengaluru waterlogged and roads submerged after heavy overnight rains, with traffic jams being reported at important junctions in the city. This is the second time in a week that the Karnataka state capital is witnessing such severe waterlogging. Many arterial roads are inundated while the basements of apartments are flooded after the rainfall last night. A traffic advisory urges residents to avoid going out of their homes except for emergency, and not to send children to school. 3. From ration transport trucks found to be motorcycles to wild exaggeration of the number of beneficiaries, Madhya Pradesh government's nutrition programme for children has been nobbled by eye-popping levels of corruption, at the risk of leaving them malnourished and costing taxpayers crores of rupees. A confidential 36-page report by the Madhya Pradesh Accountant General, accessed exclusively by NDTV, finds large-scale fraud, irregularities in the identification of beneficiaries, production, distribution and quality control of the ambitious free food scheme for schoolchildren. 4. UK will learn today who will be its next PM, with Liz Truss the favourite to succeed Boris Johnson and take charge as the country battles a spiralling cost-of-living crisis. The result will be announced at 12:30 pm i.e. 1130 GMT, after foreign minister Truss and her rival, former finance minister Rishi Sunak, spent the summer rallying support among the Conservative Party members who cast the final vote. If she wins, Truss will become the UK's third female PM following Theresa May and Margaret Thatcher. 5. BJP turns the heat on AAP government over the liquor case and released a 'sting video' in a press conference. BJP leader Sambit Patra also urges liquor traders in Delhi to not get scared and make videos on how much commission they had to pay to Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. 'Now, there is no escape route for you, Manish Sisodia ji' says Mr Patra. 6. A local court in Karnataka's Chitradurga hands over influential Lingayat mutt chief Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, arrested for alleged assault of two minor students, in judicial custody till September 14. The Chitradurga police who had taken Shivamurthy in police custody appeared before the court today. The court directed them to hand over Shivamurthy in judicial custody for nine days. 7. Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, whose job is in trouble over allegations of corruption, wins a majority test that he initiated in the assembly today amid allegations by the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-led coalition that BJP is trying to topple the government by engineering defections. The opposition BJP, which protested throughout the proceedings of the special one-day session, walked out of the assembly just before the vote.
- Cyrus Mistry, who succeeded Ratan Tata as chairman of Tata Sons but was later ousted in India's most high-profile boardroom coup, killed in car accident in Maharashtra's Palghar. He was 54. Mr Mistry was travelling from Gujarat's Udwada to Mumbai in a Mercedes car. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis says he has asked the state police to conduct a detailed investigation into the accident. 2. There is growing hatred since BJP government came to power in the country, says former Congress President Rahul Gandhi from the stage at Congress's mega rally against price rise at the Ramlila ground in Delhi. He says people are afraid about their future, inflation, unemployment and that's turning them towards hate. 3. Ghulam Nabi Azad starts a new political journey, a week following a four- decade association. Addressing a rally in Jammu, he says people will decide the name and flag of his new party. The 73-year-old, a former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, had last week said he will launch a new party soon. The first unit, he said, will be in Jammu and Kashmir where polls are due. 4. The Rohingya migrants are a big burden on Bangladesh and the country is reaching out to the international community to ensure they return to their homeland, says Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina adding that she feels India can play a major role in resolving the issue. The Bangladesh PM is set to begin her four-day visit to India from today. In an interaction with ANI, she is also asked about her country's cooperation with India on river water sharing especially with regard to Teesta river. Ms Hasina says that while there are challenges, they are not anything which cannot be resolved mutually.
- A senior police officer says, Former Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry was killed when his car hit a road divider on a bridge in Maharashtra's Palghar district neighbouring Mumbai. Mr Mistry (54) and another person travelling in the Mercedes car were killed on the spot while two others, including the driver, identified as Anayta Pandol, were injured. The officer says, Mr Mistry was travelling from Ahmedabad to Mumbai when the accident occurred at around 3:15 PM on the bridge on the Surya river. 2. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi comes down heavily on the Narendra Modi-led Central government and says that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) are dividing the country and a sense of fear has engulfed the minds of people about 'their future, inflation and unemployment and that's turning them towards hate.' He further says that the Modi government's policies are benefitting only two big industrialists. Making the attack more aggressive, the Congress MP says, 'The media is also of these two industrialists, the whole of media is under those two businessmen. People know whose TV it is and whom they are working for. TV and papers are of these two industrialists. Narendra Modi ji works for those two industrialists and those two industrialists work for Narendra Modi ji.' 3. Ghulam Nabi Azad, in his first public meeting in Jammu after quitting Congress, announces to launch his own political outfit that will focus on the restoration of full statehood. Mr Azad says that the first unit of his political outfit would be formed in Jammu and Kashmir in view of impending assembly polls. He lashes out at Congress and says that people are trying to defame us (me and my supporters who left the party) but their reach is limited to computer tweets. 4. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina praises Prime Minister Narendra Modi led initiative towards rescuing students of her country who were stuck in eastern Europe following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. In a television interaction with ANI, Prime Minister Hasina, who is set to visit India tomorrow, also praises the Narendra Modi government's gesture of providing COVID-19 vaccines to neighbouring countries under its Vaccine Maitri programme when the pandemic was spreading fast.
- Adequate security arrangements made in and around Ramlila Maidan in central Delhi in view of Congress' protest today. Delhi Police also issue a traffic advisory on its official Twitter handle, alerting the commuters about road closures. Congress leaders held press conferences in 22 cities across the country early this week and gave a 'Dilli Chalo' call for its 'Mehangai Par Halla Bol rally' at Ramlila Maidan on September 4. The rally will be addressed by senior Congress leaders, including party's former president Rahul Gandhi. 2. Ghulam Nabi Azad is set to start new political innings today with a rally in Jammu, a week after he quit Congress with a ballistic attack on the Gandhis. Addressing his supporters at Sainik Ground in Jammu, Mr Azad says he stands with the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The 73-year-old is likely to announce the formation of his new party. 3. Maharashtra Chief Minster Eknath Shinde writes to Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari seeking withdrawal of the 12 names proposed by the previous Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government for the vacant seats in the State Legislative Council. Mr Shinde has sought withdrawal of the 12 names proposed by the Thackeray government for nomination to the Maharashtra Legislative Council from the Governor's quota, citing change in the political leadership in the state. 4. BJP MP from Godda Nishikant Dubey, booked for allegedly forcefully taking clearance from the Air Traffic Control at Deoghar airport in Jharkhand says there was no violation of rules and everything was done on time. Speaking to ANI, Mr Dubey says, 'Does the government work on the instructions of an MP. The airport belongs to the Airport Authority of India, Air traffic control clearance is monitored by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and security is under the Bureau of Civil Aviation.' 5. A massive fire broke out at a wedding tent in west Delhi's Rajouri Garden area last night. Fortunately, there are no reports of any casualties in the incident, probably because the fire broke out late at night. The Delhi fire department received a call around 1 am and as many as 25 fire engines were rushed to the spot to bring the tall flames under control. It took an hour-and-a-half for firefighters to put off the fire.
- NASA scraps a second attempt to get its new 30-storey rocket off the ground and send an uncrewed test capsule toward the Moon after engineers detect a fuel leak. Millions around the globe and crowds gathered on beaches in Florida had hoped to witness the historic blastoff of the Space Launch System, but a leak near the base of the rocket was found as ultra-cold liquid hydrogen was pumped in. 2. Activist Teesta Setalvad is released from jail a day after she got interim bail from Supreme Court in case over alleged 'conspiracy to destabilise Gujarat government after 2002 riots'. She was in jail since June. While granting interim bail, Supreme Court said the police had already got enough time to interrogate her. The court's tone was consistent with its comments on Thursday, when it said there is 'no offence in this case which comes with a rider that bail cannot be granted like UAPA, POTA. These are normal IPC offences. And as per 468 mandate, a lady is entitled to favourable treatment'. 3. Five of six MLAs of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal United in Manipur join the ruling BJP, weeks after he broke off an alliance with the party for the second time in nine years. The statement signed by Manipur Assembly Secretary K Meghajit Singh says that the Speaker is pleased to accept the merger of five JDU MLAs with BJP. Since the number of MLAs who switched sides is greater than two thirds of the total, their switch is considered valid. 4. BJP is anxious about losing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state in the elections later this year, says Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, claiming that people are 'very angry' about the 'rising hooliganism' demonstrated by a recent attack on an Aam Aadmi Party leader. AAP chief says at a news conference in Rajkot, 'Six crore people of Gujarat who are learning about the attack on Manoj Sorathiya are very angry. They cracked his head in front of God. This is not the culture of our country. This is not Hindu culture. This is not the culture of Gujarat.' 5. Enforcement Directorate says it conducted raids at premises of online payment gateways such as Razorpay, Paytm and Cashfree in Bengaluru as part of a money laundering case against some instant app-based loan dishing entities 'controlled' by Chinese persons. The federal probe agency also says that during the raids, it has seized Rs 17 crore worth of funds kept in 'merchant IDs and bank accounts of these Chinese persons-controlled entities'. 6. A pilot, circling a stolen airplane for hours over Tupelo, a city in northeast Mississippi in the United states, threatening to 'intentionally crash' it into a Walmart store has been taken into custody after he landed the aircraft safely, says Governor Tate Reeves. The plane, a Beechcraft King Air 90, was airborne for more than five hours, which police described as a 'dangerous situation'.
- The Enforcement Directorate (ED) says it is conducting raids at the Bengaluru premises of online payment gateways like Razorpay, Paytm and Cashfree as part of an ongoing probe against 'illegal' instant smartphone-based loans 'controlled' by Chinese persons. The searches were launched on Friday at six premises in Bengaluru, according to a statement. The search operation is in progress, says the Enforcement Directorate. The federal probe agency says it has seized Rs 17 crore worth funds kept in 'merchant IDs and bank accounts of these Chinese persons-controlled entities', during the raids. 2. Officials say, an FIR was registered against nine people, including BJP MPs Nishikant Dubey, and Manoj Tiwari, for allegedly forcing Air Traffic Control (ATC) officials to provide clearance for their chartered flight to take off from Deoghar airport beyond the scheduled time on August 31. The complaint says that all nine persons violated 'safety standards' by entering the ATC room at the Deogarh airport and forcibly taking clearance for the take-off. 3. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appeals to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers in Gujarat to work for his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) while staying in the ruling party. Addressing a press conference in Rajkot on the final day of his two-day visit to poll-bound Gujarat, Mr Kejriwal says BJP workers will benefit from all the 'guarantees' promised by him to people when his party comes to power in the state. 4. A day after five of six MLAs of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) in Manipur joined the ruling BJP, a war of words over each other's political decimation ensues between the former coalition partners. Bihar BJP MP and Nitish Kumar's former long time deputy Sushil Kumar Modi taunts the JD(U) over its MLA switching sides, and say the party will collapse in Bihar as well very soon. At the same time, Mr Kumar's close aide and JD(U) national President Rajiv Ranjan Singh then hit back, asking Mr Modi not to 'daydream' and dares him that the BJP would be wiped out in 2024 Lok Sabha elections. 5. Bollywood actor Nora Fatehi is questioned by the Delhi Police for about six hours in connection with a Rs 200 crore extortion case linked to jailed conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar. Ms Fatehi is questioned by the Economic Offences Wing of the Delhi Police. 6. India overtakes the UK to become the world's fifth-largest economy and is now behind only the US, China, Japan and Germany, according to IMF projections. A decade back, India was ranked 11th among the large economies while the UK was at the fifth position. 7. Officials say, Sri Lanka's former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has been given special security and a state bungalow for accommodation on his return in the country from Thailand where he fled amid months-long mass protests over the country's worst economic crisis.
- In the latest flashpoint in the Jharkhand political crisis, BJP MPs Nishikant Dubey and Manoj Tiwari, and seven others have been charged in a trespassing case after they allegedly forced officials at Deoghar airport to clear a chartered flight for take-off past sunset. 3. Britain has dropped behind India to become the world's sixth largest economy, delivering a further blow to the government in London as it grapples with a brutal cost-of-living shock. 2. A day after five of six MLAs of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) in Manipur joined the ruling BJP, a war of words over each other's political decimation has ensued between the former coalition partners. Bihar BJP MP and Nitish Kumar's former long time deputy Sushil Kumar Modi taunt the JD(U) over its MLA switching sides, and say the party will collapse in Bihar as well very soon. 3. Bollywood actor Nora Fatehi is questioned by the Delhi Police for about four hours in connection with a Rs 200 crore extortion case linked to jailed conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar. Ms Fatehi is questioned by the Economic Offences Wing of the Delhi Police. 4. Sri Lanka's deposed former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa returns to the country, an airport official says, seven weeks after he fled amid the island's worst-ever economic crisis. Rajapaksa is festooned with flowers by a welcoming party of ministers and politicians as he disembarks at the main international airport, the official adds in a sign of his enduring influence in the Indian Ocean nation critics say he led to ruin.
- Five of seven MLAs of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) in Manipur join the ruling BJP, a statement from the state assembly says, weeks after he broke off an alliance with the party for the second time in nine years. 2. In the latest flashpoint in the Jharkhand political crisis, BJP MPs Nishikant Dubey and Manoj Tiwari, and seven others have been charged in a trespassing case after they allegedly forced officials at Deoghar airport to clear a chartered flight for take-off past sunset. 3. Britain has dropped behind India to become the world's sixth largest economy, delivering a further blow to the government in London as it grapples with a brutal cost-of-living shock. 4. Sri Lanka's deposed former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa returns to the country, an airport official says, seven weeks after he fled amid the island's worst-ever economic crisis. 5. The race to replace Boris Johnson as the Conservative Party leader and the British Prime Minister closes, the deadline for Tory members to register their choice between Indian-origin former Chancellor Rishi Sunak or Foreign Secretary Liz Truss. The results will be out on Monday. 6. Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, a religious leader of Karnataka's politically powerful Lingayat community, who was arrested yesterday over rape allegations, has been sent to police custody for four days by a local court. He was taken to the court this on a wheelchair from the intensive care unit of a hospital in Chitradurga, 200 km from Bengaluru, where he got admitted due to health complications. 7. Pakistan set up a second showdown against arch-rivals India in as many weeks with a record 155-run win over Hong Kong in a must-win Asia Cup match in Sharjah. Mohammad Rizwan had to work hard for his 78 off 57 balls as Pakistan got a much-needed final flourish to post 193 for two against Hong Kong. Hong Kong was simply blown away in the run-chase with Pakistan's bowling attack proving to be too good for them. 8. The All India Football Federation get a former player as its first president in its 85-year history with Kalyan Chaubey beating the legendary Bhaichung Bhutia in the election for the top post. The 45-year-old Chaubey, a former goalkeeper with Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, won 33-1, a result that was expected as former captain Bhutia did not have many supporters in the 34-member voters' list made up of state association representatives.
- Chief pontiff of Murugha Math Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, who has been arrested for alleged sexual abuse of two minor girls, is remanded to police custody till September 5. The seer was arrested on Thursday night and later developed health complications in jail. He was produced in a local court today, where the police sought five days' custody. 2. The Supreme Court grants interim bail to activist Teesta Setalvad in a case where she was arrested for allegedly fabricating documents to frame innocent people in the 2002 Gujarat riots cases. While granting interim bail to Ms Setalvad, the Apex Court says, 'In our view, Activist Teesta Setalvad is entitled to the release on interim bail. She shall render complete cooperation in the pending investigation, and asks her to surrender her passport.' The Court says it has considered the matter only from the standpoint of interim bail and the Gujarat High Court shall decide Teesta Setalvad's bail plea independently and uninfluenced by any observations made by this court. 3. Madhya Pradesh Police arrests an 18-year-old serial killer who allegedly bludgeoned four security guards to death and was driven by an urge to 'become famous.' Police says, the teenager, identified as Shivprasad Dhurve from his Aadhaar card, targeted sleeping security guards and killed three of them in Sagar district and the fourth one in Bhopal. The first three killings came in the space of 72 hours earlier in the week, while the fourth victim, from Bhopal, fell prey a few hours before Mr Dhurve was arrested today. 4. A 30-year-old woman was killed after she was allegedly thrown out of a running train for fighting back a man who tried to molest her in Haryana's Fatehbad district, she was on the train with her nine-year-old son, says the police. When the train pulled into the station at Tohana town in Fatehbad, the woman's husband saw the child alone, crying, the police says, adding the child then told his father what happened. The entire coach was empty, except for the three passengers, Fatehbad police chief Astha Modi tells reporters. 5. Prime Minister Narendra Modi commissions INS Vikrant, India's first home-built aircraft carrier, in a grand ceremony at Cochin Shipyard. The 45,000-tonne warship is built at a cost of Rs 20,000 crore. 262 metres long and 62 metres wide, INS Vikrant is the largest warship to be built in India. It can have 30 aircraft on board, including MiG-29K fighter jets and helicopters. The warship can accommodate a crew of nearly 1,600. Speaking on the occasion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says INS Vikrant is the reflection of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat mission.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi commissions INS Vikrant, India's first home-built aircraft carrier, in a grand ceremony at Cochin Shipyard. The 45,000-tonne warship is built at a cost of Rs 20,000 crore. 262 metres long and 62 metres wide, INS Vikrant is the largest warship to be built in India. It can have 30 aircraft on board, including MiG-29K fighter jets and helicopters. The warship can accommodate a crew of nearly 1,600. Speaking on the occasion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says INS Vikrant is the reflection of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat mission. 'Today, India has entered the list of countries that can build such large warships indigenously. Vikrant has infused new confidence' he adds. 2. Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, a leader of Karnataka's Lingayat community who has been arrested for alleged sexual abuse of high school girls and sent to judicial custody, is taken to the district hospital in Chitradurga after developing some health complications in jail, police sources say. 3. The Enforcement Directorate summons Mamata Banerjee's nephew and Trinamool Congress's national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee for questioning in connection with its probe into the 'coal pilferage scam'. The officers from Delhi will interrogate Mr Banerjee at the Enforcement Directorate in Kolkata today. 4. Terrorists fire upon a migrant labourer in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir, police say. The victim is identified as Muneerul Islam, a resident of West Bengal, he is rushed to a nearby hospital where his condition is currently stable, Jammu and Kashmir Police say. 5. Germany's flag carrier Lufthansa airline has cancelled 800 flights globally due to a one-day strike by pilots, resulting in around 700 passengers being stranded at the T3 terminal at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport. Stranded passengers and their relatives register strong protests at Delhi airport. 6. Onam festivities begin in India and celebrations will continue this month. Onam festivities return after a two year of COVID-19 halt.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi commissions INS Vikrant, India's first home-built aircraft carrier, in a grand ceremony at Cochin Shipyard. The 45,000-tonne warship is built at a cost of Rs 20,000 crore. 262 metres long and 62 metres wide, INS Vikrant is the largest warship to be built in India. It can have 30 aircraft on board, including MiG-29K fighter jets and helicopters. The warship can accommodate a crew of nearly 1,600. Speaking on the occasion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says INS Vikrant is the reflection of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat mission. 'Today, India has entered the list of countries that can build such large warships indigenously. Vikrant has infused new confidence' he adds. 2. Shivamurthy Sharanaru, a leader of Karnataka's Lingayat community, is arrested after massive pressure from the civil society. Two minor girls have accused him of rape and a case was filed 6 days ago. He has been named in a case under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and under the law protecting Scheduled Castes and Tribes, as one of the survivors belongs to the Dalit community. The arrest took place after daylong protests by the civil society and various organisations across Karnataka's Chitradurga and Mysuru districts. He was then presented before the magistrate court which sent him to 14-day judicial custody. The police exercised extreme caution in view of law and order issues barricading the front door of the mutt hours before the arrest and taking him out by the back door.
- Shivamurthy Sharanaru, a religious leader of Lingayat community was arrested yesterday after massive pressure from the civil society. Two minor girls have accused him of rape and a case was filed 6 days ago. 2. Leaders of Jharkhand's ruling JMM-Congress coalition meet Governor Ramesh Bais amid uncertainty over Hemant Soren's continuation as the Chief Minister and alleged attempts by the BJP to 'destabilise' the government. The MLAs have complained that 'leaks' from the Governor's office are causing the commotion and in a letter, requested that he 'clear the air'. 3. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee says that if her family members get a notice from any of the central government probe agencies, she would fight them legally though it has become a tough affair these days. Her comment comes after the Enforcement Directorate issues a fresh summons to her nephew and Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee in connection with its ongoing investigation into the coal smuggling scam. 4. INS Vikrant, India's first home-built aircraft carrier, will be formally commissioned today after completing almost a year of sea trials. The 45,000-tonne warship has been built at a cost of Rs 20,000 crore. The aircraft carrier will be commissioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Cochin Shipyard. During the event, PM Modi will also unveil the new Naval Ensign. The Navy had earlier said the new insignia will be befitting the rich Indian maritime heritage. 5. Onam festivities begin as India immerses itself in celebration over the next eight days.
- Congress's Rahul Gandhi will walk all the way from Kanyakumari to Kashmir during the 148-day Bharat Jodo Yatra and sleep in a shipping container cabin at night, says Congress. The container cabins are expected to arrive in Kanyakumari by September 5. The 3500-km yatra will be flagged off from Kanyakumari on September 7 with a massive public rally. Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party convenor and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal is set to launch an all-India campaign on September 7 from Haryana to build party organisation and increase party's influence with an eye on the 2024 general election and assembly polls in seven crucial states. 2. A veritable political 'storm in a tea cup' has arisen over Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee's assertions that all in RSS are not bad and there are many who do not support BJP. While AIMIM, Congress and CPM attack her for what they see as opportunism on Ms Banerjee's part, BJP says it does not need certificates from her. 3. A press conference by two Chief Ministers, vital for projecting opposition unity, serves up a viral moment when Telangana's K Chandrashekhar Rao tackles questions on a Prime Ministerial candidate while his Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar tries to leave. 'Please sit', says Mr Rao as Mr Kumar insists, 'Let's go'. 4. Leaders of Jharkhand's ruling JMM-Congress coalition meet Governor Ramesh Bais amid uncertainty over Hemant Soren's continuation as the Chief Minister and alleged attempts by BJP to destabilise the government. The MLAs complain that leaks from the Governor's office are causing commotion and in a letter request that he clear the air. 5. India's GDP grew at 13.5 pc in the quarter ending June 2022, much lower than the 16.2 pc forecast by the Reserve Bank of India's Monetary Policy Committee and the 15.5 pc projection by a Bloomberg poll of economists. Having surprised significantly on the downside, the latest GDP numbers raise questions about the economy's growth prospects this fiscal. 6. India will unfurl a new naval flag that retires a British colonial symbol to mark the formal debut of the country's first locally built aircraft carrier, says Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office. The current ensign features a prominent cross of Saint George, the national flag of England and a legacy from India's nine decades as a crown dependency, which ended with independence in 1947. PM Modi will reveal the new design Friday in Kerala at the commissioning of the Vikrant, which his office touts as 'a significant step' for military self-reliance. 7. United Nations releases a bombshell report into serious human rights abuses in China's Xinjiang region, saying torture allegations are credible and cite possible crimes against humanity. The report, in the making for around a year, is released in Geneva at 11:47 pm, just 13 minutes before Michelle Bachelet's four-year term as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights expired. 8. Twitter is finally adding support for a feature that has been requested by users for several years, the ability to edit tweets. The company announces that it will roll out the much-awaited edit button to select Twitter Blue subscribers over the coming weeks. The feature will allow users to make changes to tweets for up to half an hour after they are posted, and an edited tweet will display indicators to reveal that the tweet has been edited. Users will also be able to see the original tweet, along with subsequent changes. 9. Serena Williams dramatically extends her iconic career with a never-say-die, three-set victory over world number two Anett Kontaveit at the US Open. The 40-year-old, 23-time Grand Slam title winner, reaches the third round of a tournament she has won six times. 10. Onam festivities begin in Kerala. Onam, also known as Thru-Onam or Thiruvonam, is one of the biggest festivals in Kerala. It falls during the Malayali month of Chingham and marks the homecoming of legendary King Mahabali. It is Kerala's annual harvest festival, called Kolla Varsham. It is basically a celebration of Malayali culture and traditions. The festival is celebrated with great pomp and enthusiasm. 11. Portugal's Health Minister Marta Temido resigns after widespread criticism of her decision to temporarily close emergency obstetric services and the death of an Indian pregnant woman during transfer between hospitals.
- Leaders of Jharkhand's ruling JMM-Congress coalition meet Governor Ramesh Bais amid uncertainty over Hemant Soren's continuation as the Chief Minister and allege attempts by BJP to destabilise the government. The MLAs complain that leaks from the Governor's office are causing commotion and in a letter request that he 'clear the air'. Pointing out that the disqualification of the Chief Minister will not affect the government since the coalition has the numbers, the letter requests that the Governor 'declare the opinion, if any, received from the Election Commission'. 2. Supreme Court poses several questions to Gujarat regarding case against social activist Teesta Setalvad, who is under custody since June 25 over alleged fabrication of documents to file cases in relation to 2002 Gujarat riots. A bench led by Chief Justice of India UU Lalit at one point of the hearing even indicates that it will grant interim bail to Teesta Setalvad but ultimately adjourns the hearing to tomorrow at 2 PM at the repeated requests made by Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta. 3. A video showing a woman being pushed and slapped by activists of Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena in Mumbai has gone viral. The woman, Prakash Devi, had objected to a pole being installed for publicity boards by the MNS men, led by Vinod Argile, on August 28. In the video, some people are seen pulling Mr Argile away, but he persists with the assault, slapping, shoving, pushing her, at which she falls on the street. Passers-by do not interfere, shows the 80-second clip. 4. In a shocking incident of medical negligence in Madhya Pradesh, a five-year-old boy dies in his mother's arms without any treatment at a government health centre in Jabalpur district. Sanjay Pandre and his family had brought little Rishi to the local health centre. However, even after waiting for hours outside the facility, not a single doctor or medical officer attended to the ailing child, and he died in the presence of his helpless parents. 5. Confidence motion tabled in Delhi Assembly by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal a few days ago is passed in the House today, unopposed. During the Assembly proceedings, Kejriwal says that his party is 'hardcore honest' and none of its MLAs is ready to be poached even as, he alleges, that BJP-ruled Centre tried to buy 40 AAP MLAs to topple the Delhi government.
- Ruckus in the Delhi Assembly ahead of the trust vote. The BJP MLAs are removed after which BJP members hold protest outside the Assembly. It is day-five of the Delhi Assembly session that is meant to be a one-day special assembly for the trust vote where Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal wants to prove that all his MLAs are with him. He alleges that there is an 'Operation Lotus' in play in Delhi in which the BJP is trying to topple his government and money is being offered to MLAs. 2. The anticipatory bail plea of Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, the chief pontiff of Murugha Math, booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act for alleged sexual abuse of high school girls, is adjourned to September 2, by a local court. 3. In a shocking incident of medical negligence in Madhya Pradesh, a five-year-old boy died in his mother's arms without any treatment at a government health centre in Jabalpur district. Sanjay Pandre and his family brought little Rishi to the local health centre. However, even after waiting for hours outside the facility, not a single doctor or medical officer attended to the ailing child, and he died in the presence of his helpless parents. 4. Portugal's Health Minister Marta Temido resigns after the widespread criticism of her decision to temporarily close emergency obstetric services and the death of an Indian pregnant woman during transfer between hospitals. Ms Temido in a sentence says that she 'no longer has the conditions' to exercise the position, which the prime minister accepted, Portugal's National Public broadcaster, RTP News reports. Her resignation was announced five hours after the news of the death of a pregnant woman in Lisbon. 5. A case has been filed against eight people in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj over a viral video that shows a 'hookah party' taking place on a boat near 'Sangam' or the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers, a holy site visited by thousands every day. The video also purportedly shows chicken getting cooked on the boat in the middle of Ganga River. In a statement, the city police say the case has been filed against two named accused and six unidentified people. 6. Delhi returns to the old excise policy regime with the opening of government-run liquor vends in the city and exit of private players from retail business. The Excise department claims that four Delhi government undertakings have readied 300 liquor stores across the city. However, trade experts say around 240 of them would open on the first day after closure of private vends on Wednesday.
- A local court in Chitradurga in Karnataka will hear the anticipatory bail application filed by Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, head of the Murugha Math, in a case of alleged sexual assault of a minor girl. A Mysuru based non-profit group which backed the minor is opposing the anticipatory bail. 2. A minister in the Nitish Kumar government, who is an accused in a 2014 kidnapping case, resigns amid protests by the opposition. Yesterday, Bihar Law Minister Kartik Kumar, a leader from the alliance partner Rashtriya Janata Dal, was moved to the sugracane department over kidnapping allegations. The resignation is accepted and forwarded to the Governor, says a statement from the Chief Minister's Office. Kartik Kumar was made the Law Minister after Nitish Kumar formed the new Bihar government by dumping the BJP. 3. The Haryana police have booked a person for allegedly duping Pundri independent MLA Randhir Golan's son of Rs 49 lakhs in lieu of a job to his cousin in the state police. As per the police complaint filed by the MLA's son Amit Singh at sector 14 police station in Panchkula, accused Vinod Kharab had promised him to help his cousin in selection for the post of assistant sub-inspector of the Haryana Staff Selection Commission in 2020. 4. Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez was aware of conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar's criminal history and 'cooked up a false story' to wriggle out of investigations in a multi-crore money laundering case, the Enforcement Directorate says in chargesheet. Jacqueline Fernandez's claim that she never knew of Sukesh Chandrashekhar's cases is false, the Enforcement Directorate says in the chargesheet that has been accessed by NDTV. 5. Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, sharing dais with Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar, takes on the BJP, tweaking its slogan of 'Congress-mukt Bharat'. 'What we need now is BJP-mukt Bharat (BJP-free India),' says Mr Rao, who has been trying to formulate a non-Congress non-BJP front for several years. BJP challenges K Chandrashekar Rao and Nitish Kumar to fight them in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. 6. Suspended Jharkhand BJP leader Seema Patra, arrested for allegedly torturing her domestic help, was exposed when her son tipped off a friend, who then went to the police. Ayushman Patra, disturbed by the woman's abuse, went to his friend Vivek Anand Baskey, a government officer. On August 2, Vivek Baskey received a frantic call from his friend, who said there was a tribal girl at his home who needed to be rescued. 7. Super Typhoon Hinnamnor which is threatening Japan and is 2022's strongest storm is expected to approach Okinawa's main island soon. The Japan Meteorological Agency says that the storm has wind speed as high as 198 kilometres per hour near its centre, with gusts of up to 270 kilometres per hour, reports NHK World.
- Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena threatens to sue Aam Aadmi Party leaders, including MLAs Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj, for 'highly defamatory and false' corruption allegations against him. AAP alleges that Mr Saxena pressured two employees to change banned currency notes worth Rs 1,400 crore when he was chairman of a government Khadi body during the demonetization of 2016. Mr Saxena refutes the AAP charge as a 'figment of their imagination'. 2. Rival leaders from Aam Aadmi Party and BJP fight on camera on the streets of Delhi, outside schools. AAP's Saurabh Bharadwaj and BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia both tweet videos that show their version of the brawl. The trigger is BJP's claim of a school scam involving allegations that the Arvind Kejriwal government inflated the cost of rebuilding schools in the capital and misused funds. The party also accuses AAP government of falsely promising 500 new schools, which were never really built. 3. Heavy rain causes waterlogging in parts of Karnataka's capital Bengaluru disrupting normal life. Trees are found uprooted in several areas and a holiday is declared for schools and colleges. A video shows vehicles stranded on a long waterlogged stretch on Bengaluru-Mysuru highway, while pedestrians struggled to walk. 4. Case registered against Karnataka Tourism, Ecology and Environment Minister Anand Singh for allegedly threatening a family, whose members later attempt to set themselves on fire, over a land dispute. FIR has been registered against the minister and three others following a complaint lodged by D Polappa, under the Prevention of Atrocities Against SC-ST Act, and sections 504 and 506 of the IPC. The case pertains to a dispute over a piece of land in a village in the district, between members of a community and Mr Polappa, who belongs to SC community.
- Suspended BJP leader Seema Patra, accused of torturing her domestic help at her Jharkhand home, even smashing her teeth with an iron rod and starving her, arrested. Ms Patra is caught after her son reveals the horrific abuse to his friend, a government officer, and asks for help. While being led away by the police, Ms Patra tells media that she is framed and is innocent. 2. A girl in a Madhya Pradesh village is critically injured after being stabbed by a man for allegedly turning down his marriage proposal, say officials. The incident has been reported from Bangarda village in Madhya Pradsh's Khandwa district. The accused, Babloo, stabbed the 20-year-old girl multiple times at her home in Bangarda after she refused to marry him. The girl was then taken to the hospital where she is undergoing treatment. 3. As many as four women who attended the Double Puncture Laparoscopy sterilization camp at a government hospital in Ranga Reddy district in Telangana five days ago have died, say officials. With protests by the relatives of the women alleging medical negligence, the state government orders a comprehensive inquiry headed by State Director of Public Health G Srinivasa Rao into the tragedy and will submit his report in seven days. Ibrahimpatnam police say protests were held on Monday evening demanding justice. 4. Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations on an Eidgah ground in Karnataka can proceed as planned, says the High Court, turning down a petition filed after the Supreme Court ordered a freeze in case of the Bengaluru Eidgah Maidan. In a midnight hearing, the High Court says the 'serious dispute' over ownership in case of the Bengaluru Eidgah land does not exist in the Hubballi case. So, the order of the Supreme Court is not applicable. 5. In the countdown to Karnataka's assembly elections, BJP government under Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is facing mounting charges of corruption by the state's contractor association, who have repeatedly alleged paying bribes of up to 40 per cent of the project value to government officials to secure contracts. 6. Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations underway. It is being celebrated with much pomp and zeal in several states across the country. 2022 marks the return of its celebration after two years of Covid-induced restrictions. 7. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launches a virtual school and says students from across the country will be eligible for admission. The application process for the Delhi Model Virtual School begins on Wednesday. The school is for classes 9-12. 'The admission to the schooling platform will be open for students across India and they will also be prepared by experts for entrance exams like NEET, CUET and JEE along with skill-based training,' says Mr Kejriwal at an online media briefing.
- Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations on an Eidgah ground in Karnataka can proceed as planned, the High Court says, turning down a petition filed after the Supreme Court ordered a freeze in case of the Bengaluru Eidgah Maidan. In a midnight hearing, the High Court says the 'serious dispute' over ownership in case of the Bengaluru Eidgah land does not exist in the Hubballi case. So the order of the Supreme Court is not applicable, says Justice Ashok S Kinagi. 2. New Chief Justice of India Uday Umesh Lalit comes with new announcements. Two-constitution benches to sit three-days of the week, demonetisation and citizenship cases to be heard. 3. JMM-Congress MLAs head to Raipur from Ranchi, six days but no decision from the Governor on the fate of the Chief Minister Hemant Soren. Meanwhile, the BJP says last resort for the Government and Chief Minister is BJP operation Lotus. 4. Shashi Tharoor may run for Congress president, reports say, citing his article calling for 'free and fair election' for the party chief's post. Mr Tharoor have not confirmed or denied the report when reporters asked him whether he would contest the October election, Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Prithviraj Chavan meet Ghulam Nabi Azad. Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir exodus will join Mr Azad. 5. A man has been arrested in Gurgaon after he is seen repeatedly slapping his apartment's security guard and another person right after he was rescued from a lift. The incident is reported from The Close N society in Gurgaon's Sector 50. 6. Flooding in Pakistan from the highest rainfall in more than three decades has killed at least 1,100 people since June and caused more than USD 10 billion worth of damage. 7. Bombay Shaving Company CEO Shantanu Deshpande is being slammed for an online post suggesting freshers must put in 18 hours at work in the first few years of their career. In a LinkedIn post, Mr Deshpande asks young employees to 'worship your work' and says work-life balance is not important in the early stages of one's career.
- Terming summons to its leader Abhishek Banerjee in connection with alleged coal pilferage scam as 'vendetta politics', Trinamool Congress claims the move has come following the ruling party's recent mega rally, which left BJP 'ruffled'. ED has issued summons to TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee for questioning in connection with its probe into the 'coal pilferage scam'. 2. After veteran Ghulam Nabi Azad's exit, Congress faces an exodus in Jammu and Kashmir, his home turf. Over 60 leaders resign in support of Mr Azad, who is planning to launch his own party. Tara Chand, former Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister and several former ministers and legislators are among those who have quit Congress. 3. Actor Kamal R Khan, also known as KRK, arrested in Mumbai. According to the police, KRK has been arrested in a case against his controversial social media posts in 2020. The case was lodged on the basis of a complaint by Yuva Sena leader Rahul Kanal on April 30, 2020, where he alleged that KRK's tweets on the late actors, Irrfan Khan and Rishi Kapoor, allegedly spread hatred. 4. Jharkhand's ruling JMM-Congress coalition moves its MLAs to neighbouring Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh after alleged poaching attempts by BJP. Jharkhand is undergoing a political crisis already with the opposition BJP seeking Chief Minister Hemant Soren's disqualification from the Assembly in an office of profit case. Sources say Mr Soren's party, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, believes BJP may take advantage of the crisis and make an attempt to poach MLAs of the ruling coalition to overturn the elected government. 5. Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor is exploring the possibility of running for the post of Congress president, though he is yet to take a final call on it, say sources. They say he has not made up his mind, but can take a call on it soon. While Mr Tharoor declines to comment on whether he would throw his hat into the ring, he has written an article for the Malayalam daily 'Mathrubhumi' calling for a 'free and fair' election. 6. Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar, the alleged mastermind behind the murder of Sidhu Moosewala, on May 28 had informed his gang's sharpshooters that the Punjab government has trimmed the security cover provided to the singer-politician and asked them to hurry up and execute the killing, says Punjab Police in an 1,850-page chargesheet filed in the case.
- Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia says, 'The CBI found nothing during its search of my locker. A four-member team of the CBI conducted the search at a Punjab National Bank branch in Vasundhara, Ghaziabad, for nearly two hours. Mr Sisodia and his wife were present at the time. The CBI was acting under pressure, Mr Sisodia tells reporters after the search was over. He says, 'I am happy that I got a clean chit from the CBI in searches today. They have found nothing (incriminating) from searches of my locker or residence.' 2. The Enforcement Directorate issues a summon to Trinamool Congress' national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee for questioning in connection with its probe into the 'coal pilferage scam'. The central agency asks Mr Banerjee, the nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, to appear at its Kolkata office on Friday morning. A senior ED officer tells PTI, 'We have summoned Abhishek Banerjee to appear before our sleuths. Our officers from New Delhi will come to interrogate him'. Meanwhile attacking the BJP during a programme, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee had on Monday apprehended that the central agencies might send notices to her nephew, considered the second in command in the party, and other senior leaders. 3. Amid the political turmoil in Jharkhand, Chief Minister Hemant Soren hits out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by accusing them of political horse-trading. Mr Soren says, 'They only buy and sell MLAs but we work for the public and don't do horse-trading. People will give answers to those who are doing business in politics'. 4. As many as 64 senior Congress leaders, including former deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, resign from the party in support of Ghulam Nabi Azad, asserting that Mr Azad's vision will shape a new and bright future for Jammu and Kashmir. 5. Actor Kamal R Khan, also known as KRK is arrested by Malad Police. According to the police, KRK is arrested over FIR against his controversial social media posts back in 2020. The FIR is lodged on the basis of a complaint by Yuva Sena leader Rahul Kanal on April 30, 2020, where he alleged that KRK's tweets on the late Irrfan Khan and Rishi Kapoor allegedly spread 'hatred'. 6. Serena Williams delays her farewell to tennis on an electrifying opening night at the US Open as the sporting icon battls to victory in front of a star-studded crowd. The 23-time Grand Slam winner, who earlier this month signalled she plans to retire from tennis after the tournament, draws on all of her experience to down lowly ranked Montenegrin opponent Danka Kovinic 6-3, 6-3.
- Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren orders the Dumka administration to provide an assistance of Rs 10 lakh to the kin of the girl who succumbed to her injuries after she was set ablaze alive. According to the Chief Minister's Office, Mr Soren also directed the proceedings against the accused arrested to be done from the fast-track court. The Director General of Police has also been directed to give an early report on the progress of research by the ADG rank officer in the said case. 2. A seer in Karnataka, booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), breaks his silence on the issue, claiming it was part of a long-drawn conspiracy against him, indicates an inside job and vows to come out clean in a case of sexual abuse of high school girls. Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, the chief pontiff of Murugha Math, one of the Lingayat seminaries in the State, also says he was law-abiding and would cooperate with the investigation. 3. Reliance Jio will invest Rs 2 lakh crore for the 5G services rollout, beginning with metro cities in October as it looks to take lead in the launch of ultra-high-speed internet services. Jio's superfast 5G services will be launched in key cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata by Diwali, Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani says as he underlines the company's commitment to make India the largest data-powered economy in the world, beating China and the United States. Mr Ambani lays bare the succession plan at India's most valuable company, identifying twins children Akash and Isha for telecom and retail leadership, and youngest son Anant for new energy unit. 4. Ghulam Nabi Azad, who quit the Congress last week with a trenchant critique of Rahul Gandhi's 'childish behaviour and immaturity', says that he is a 'nice man' but has no aptitude for politics. The veteran leader also slams what he calls 'Rahul Gandhi's policy of attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi left, right and centre.' Mr Azad, 73, also rules out joining the BJP, confirming reports that he wants to launch his own party in Jammu and Kashmir. 5. A man is arrested for repeatedly slapping and hurling expletives at a security guard and a lift operator of his high-rise residential society in Sector 50, Gurugram, after he was trapped inside an elevator. The man, who is identified as Varun Nath (39), a businessman, allegedly also threatened to kill the guard, Ashok Kumar, and the lift operator. 6. Singapore is overhauling visa rules to attract foreign workers and ease a tight labor market that's contributing to wage and price pressures. The new rules will allow foreigners earning a minimum SGD 30,000 (USD 21,431) per month to secure a five-year work pass, with a provision to allow their dependents to seek employment, according to the Ministry of Manpower. Exceptional candidates in sports, arts, science and academia who don't meet the salary criteria are also eligible for the long-term visa under the so-called Overseas Networks and Expertise (ONE) pass that will take effect Jan 1.
- A prominent seer in Karnataka booked under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act breaks his silence over the issue, claiming it is part of a long drawn conspiracy against him, indicated an inside job and vows to come out clean in a case of abuse of high school girls. Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, the chief pontiff of Murugha Math also says he is law-abiding and will cooperate with the investigation. 2. Prohibitory orders put in place in Jharkhand's Dumka following massive protests over death of a class 12 girl who was set on fire by her alleged stalker because she rejected his romantic advances. The case turns political because the victim and the accused are from different communities. The victim, who succumbed to injuries after being set ablaze by the accused named Shahrukh, was cremated on Monday morning. 3. Reliance Jio's 5G services will be rolled out in the next two months, says the telecom firm. The announcement is made at the 45th Annual General Meeting of Reliance Industries Limited by its chairman Mukesh Ambani. He says, 'With 5G, we will connect 100 million homes with unparalleled digital experiences and Smart Home solutions.' 4. Ghulam Nabi Azad, who quit Congress last week with a trenchant critique of Rahul Gandhi's 'childish behaviour and immaturity', says Mr Gandhi is a nice man but has no aptitude for politics. The veteran leader also slams what he calls 'Rahul Gandhi's policy of attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi left, right and centre'. 5. Arvind Kejriwal calls for a confidence vote in the house to prove all Aam Aadmi Party MLAs are with him despite what he claims are BJP's attempts to break his party as part of 'Operation Lotus'. The voting will take place tomorrow. Today, BJP legislators raised slogans against the ruling AAP and demanded discussions on various issues, including the Excise Policy case. Just before the trust vote, BJP MLAs were marshalled out of the Delhi Assembly for creating a ruckus. Meanwhile, AAP MLAs allege a scam of Rs 1400 crore when Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena was Khadi and Village Industries Commission chairman. The AAP MLAs are going to spend the night in state Assembly in protest against the Lt Governor. 6. Mumbai Police records the statement of Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh in a case registered against him for posting nude photographs of himself on social media. An FIR was registered against Mr Singh at Chembur police station in Mumbai last month on the basis of a complaint filed by an office-bearer of a non-governmental organisation. The police subsequently served him a notice to join the probe into the case.
- Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tables a confidence motion in the Delhi Assembly, saying it is meant to prove that 'Operation Lotus' could have been successful in other states but failed here as all AAP MLAs were 'hardcore honest'. Maintaining that the BJP's 'Operation Lotus' to topple his government failed as it could not poach any of the AAP MLAs, Mr Kejriwal alleges that the BJP will try to topple the Jharkhand government in the next 15 days. He also accuses the Centre of waiving loans of billionaires but not that of students and farmers. 2. Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, a prominent Lingayat mutt seer, detained after he was booked for sexually assaulting minors in Karnataka. The seer, who is the chief pontiff of the prominent Murugha mutt in Karnataka's Chitradurga, is detained from Haveri district. He is accused of sexually assaulting girl students at the institution run by the mutt. The Mysuru city police have registered an FIR against Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru after a complaint was filed on behalf of two minors. He has been booked under sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. 3. A girl who was allegedly set on fire by a person after she did not reciprocate his proposal in Jharkhand's Dumka district succumbs to her burn injuries. The police says the accused has been arrested. Accused Shahrukh poured petrol on her and set her ablaze on August 23. She was set on fire in a case of unrequited love. A student of class 12, Ankita Kumari had been first admitted to Phulo Jhano Medical College and Hospital in Dumka in critical condition. Later she was referred to Ranchi's Rajendra Institute of Medical Science for better treatment. 4. The Mumbai Police recorded the statement of Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh in a case registered against him for posting nude photographs of himself on social media, says an official. A First Information Report was registered against Mr Singh at Chembur police station last month on the basis of a complaint filed by an office-bearer of a non-governmental organisation.
- Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will table a motion of confidence in the house today amid claims that the BJP was trying to topple the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the national capital. The vote of confidence is proposed by Arvind Kejriwal to prove that there is no defection in his party, after he made a scathing attack on the BJP claiming that his legislators were offered Rs 20 crore each by the party for switching sides. In an apparent show of strength last week, Arvind Kejriwal led prayers at the Mahatma Gandhi's memorial Rajghat along with his party MLAs, followed by a meeting at his residence that was attended by 53 of AAP's 62 MLAs in Delhi, while others joined virtually. 2. A day after the demolition of the Supertech towers, now tough task is to safely remove all the debris left behind. 3. The Supreme Court today will hear a batch of appeals challenging the Karnataka High Court's order which had upheld the state government's order to ban hijabs in school and college classrooms. A bench of Justices Hemant Gupta and Sudhanshu Dhulia will hear the pleas today, the first working day of the new Chief Justice of India UU Lalit. Earlier, the pleas were mentioned before a bench headed by the then CJI NV Ramana for urgent hearing on several occasions but the case was not listed for hearing. The appeals were filed in the apex court challenging the order upholding the Karnataka government's order which directed strict enforcement of schools and colleges' uniform rules. 4. The Supreme Court will also hear the bail plea of Kerala journalist Siddique Kappan today, who was booked by the Uttar Pradesh government under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and other charges in the alleged Hathras conspiracy case. A bench of Chief Justice of India UU Lalit and Justice Ravindra Bhat will hear the way of Mr Kappan. The appeal says that the 'present petition raises seminal questions pertaining to the right to liberty, as well as the freedom of expression and speech vested in independent media under the aegis of the Constitution.' 5. 'Keep dancing,' former US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton tweets, lending her personal support to Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin, whose taste for partying has drawn global attention. Ms Clinton's post includes a photo of herself, dancing with a big smile on her face in a crowded club during a 2012 trip to Colombia while still secretary of state. It concludes with the words 'Keep dancing, marinsanna.'
- The Supertech twin towers in Noida are brought down in a massive explosion. The blast, lasting about nine seconds, caps a nine-year legal battle between residents of Supertech Emerald Court in Sector 93A and the realtor over the two towers. The demolition done, the next challenge for Noida authorities is to clean the mountain of debris generated due to the demolition. Officials involved with the operation had earlier said about 55,000 tonnes of debris would be generated. It may take as many as three months to clear the debris. The waste will be dumped at designated areas. The area had been evacuated hours ahead of the blast and measures put into place to ensure that adjoining structures are not affected by the explosion. Traffic diversions were planned and guidelines laid down to tackle any emergency. 2. Congress's highest decision-making body the Congress Working Committee says the much-awaited election of its new President will be held on October 17 and counting votes will be done two days later, on October 19. The filing of nominations will begin on September 24, and the last date is September 30. Congress President Sonia Gandhi, who has joined virtually as she is travelling abroad for health checkups, presides over the CWC meeting. The meeting comes days after an explosive resignation letter by the party's G-23 dissident and former veteran Ghulam Nabi Azad blasting Rahul Gandhi for 'childish behaviour', 'glaring immaturity' and for letting a 'coterie of inexperienced sycophants' run the party. In his letter, addressed to party president Sonia Gandhi, he also lashed out at Rahul Gandhi for 'demolishing the party's entire consultative mechanism'. The election will be notified on September 22 and candidates can withdraw their nominations by October 8. 3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates Smriti Van memorial, which celebrates the resilience shown by people during the devastating 2001 earthquake in the Kutch region of Gujarat. PM Modi says Smriti Van is a tribute to the lost lives and the remarkable fighting spirit of the people of Kutch. The grand structure, which is the first such memorial in the country according to a Gujarat government official, is spread over 470 acres on Bhujio Hill near Bhuj town. It celebrates the spirit of resilience in the wake of the death of nearly 13,000 people during the earthquake on January 26, 2001, which had its epicentre in Bhuj.
- The Supertech twin towers in Noida are brought down in a massive explosion. The blast, lasting about nine seconds, caps a nine-year legal battle between residents of Supertech Emerald Court in Sector 93A and the realtor over the two towers. The demolition done, the next challenge for Noida authorities is to clean the mountain of debris generated due to the demolition. Officials involved with the operation had earlier said about 55,000 tonnes of debris would be generated. It may take as much as three months to clear the debris. The waste will be dumped at designated areas. The area had been evacuated hours ahead of the blast and measures put into place to ensure that adjoining structures are not affected by the explosion. Traffic diversions were planned and guidelines laid down to tackle any emergency. The two towers were rigged with over 3,700 kg of explosives. Explosives were inserted into nearly 7,000 holes in the pillars of the buildings and 20,000 circuits were set. The blast was planned to ensure that the towers fall straight down in what is called the 'waterfall technique'. 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates Smriti Van memorial, which celebrates the resilience shown by people during the devastating 2001 earthquake in the Kutch region of Gujarat. PM Modi says Smriti Van is a tribute to the lost lives and the remarkable fighting spirit of the people of Kutch. The grand structure, which is the first such memorial in the country according to a Gujarat government official, is spread over 470 acres on Bhujio Hill near Bhuj town. It celebrates the spirit of resilience in the wake of the death of nearly 13,000 people during the earthquake on January 26, 2001, which had its epicentre in Bhuj. 3. The Congress Working Committee (CWC) will meet today to chalk out the schedule for the election of the next party president. The meeting comes in the backdrop of the shock resignation of party veteran Ghulam Nabi Azad on Friday and his letter to party president Sonia Gandhi in which he lashed out at Rahul Gandhi for 'demolishing the party's entire consultative mechanism'. Sources say besides giving approval to the polls schedule, the members of the CWC, the party's highest decision-making body, could also express confidence in the leadership provided by Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
- As the Supertech Twin Towers in Sector 93A, Noida are all set to be imploded today, the Noida Commissioner of Police Alok Kumar says that they are moving towards the countdown. Alok Kumar, Noida CP says, 'Everything is fully ready, we are moving towards the countdown'. The towers, Apex (32 storeys) and Ceyane (29 storeys), part of the Emerald Court, were found to be in violation of multiple regulations regarding construction following which a long legal battle was fought in the Allahabad High Court and then the Supreme Court of India which culminated in favour of the Residents Welfare Association. Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajesh S informs that the expressway will be closed around 2.15 pm and will be resumed to people's service half an hour after the explosion. Ganesh Prasad Saha, DCP, Traffic says, 'A green corridor has been established to attend to any emergency situation. Traffic diversion plans are being implemented in the area'. Two housing societies, including 40 towers, next to the Supertech Twin Towers are fully evacuated, ahead of demolition at 2.30 pm with 560 police personnel, 100 people from reserve forces, 4 Quick Response Teams and NDRF team deployed in the area. For the successful demolition of the Twin Tower in Noida, a Special dust machine has been installed at the site to monitor pollution levels after it collapses in Sector 93A, of Uttar Pradesh's Noida. 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates Smriti Van memorial, which celebrates the resilience shown by people during the devastating 2001 earthquake in the Kutch region of Gujarat. PM Modi says Smriti Van is a tribute to the lost lives and the remarkable fighting spirit of the people of Kutch. The grand structure, which is the first such memorial in the country according to a Gujarat government official, is spread over 470 acres on Bhujio Hill near Bhuj town. It celebrates the spirit of resilience in the wake of the death of nearly 13,000 people during the earthquake on January 26, 2001, which had its epicentre in Bhuj. 3. The Congress Working Committee (CWC) will meet today to chalk out the schedule for the election of the next party president. The meeting comes in the backdrop of the shock resignation of party veteran Ghulam Nabi Azad on Friday and his letter to party president Sonia Gandhi in which he lashed out at Rahul Gandhi for 'demolishing the party's entire consultative mechanism'. Sources say besides giving approval to the polls schedule, the members of the CWC, the party's highest decision-making body, could also express confidence in the leadership provided by Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
- Facing the threat of disqualification from the assembly, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and his ally Congress round up their MLAs, the standard tactic of dodging attempts at poaching lawmakers and bringing down governments. Sources say, before their departure, Hemant Soren held a marathon third round of a meeting of legislators of the ruling alliance to chalk out a strategy to deal with the emerging scenario. There are 43 MLAs in the group that was moved. 'All ruling MLAs will be sent to a single destination if the need arises. All the MLAs have come with their luggage to the Chief Minister's house to attend the crucial meeting which is underway,' a leader tells news agency PTI. 2. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia hits out at the BJP after Delhi Lieutenant Governor seeks a report from the Chief Secretary over the construction of additional rooms and government schools. Aam Aadmi Party suggests the BJP is frustrated with failed CBI raids against Mr. Sisodia. 3. Two associations representing at least 13,000 schools in Karnataka have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing the Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government of corruption. The Associated Managements Of Primary And Secondary Schools and The Registered Unaided Private Schools Management Association have urged PM Modi to look into alleged bribes that are being demanded by the state education department to issue recognition certificates to educational institutions. 4. Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai refutes buzz of an impending leadership change in the government, reiterating that he has been given a 'free hand' by the BJP leadership. In an exclusive interview with NDTV, he says 'nothing is there', when asked a direct question whether he will be replaced. 5. Goa Police says, two more people have been arrested in connection with the murder case of actor and BJP leader Sonali Phogat. Police say they have arrested the owner of Curlies beach shack in Anjuna and a suspected drug peddler Dattprashad Gaonkar taking the total arrests in the case to four. On Friday Phogat's PA Sudhir Sangwan and his associate, Sukhwinder Singh were arrested in connection with the alleged murder. 6. Project officials say, the final check-up of explosives and related arrangements for demolition of Supertech's illegal twin towers in Noida are underway. They say, all work related to placement of explosives and connecting them is already complete.
- Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia hits out at the BJP after Delhi Lieutenant Governor seeks a report from the Chief Secretary over the construction of additional rooms and government schools. Aam Aadmi Party suggests the BJP is frustrated with failed CBI raids against Mr. Sisodia. 2. Facing the threat of disqualification from the assembly, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and his ally Congress rounded up their MLAs, the standard tactic of dodging attempts at poaching lawmakers and bringing down governments. Following a meeting at the Chief Minister's residence, Mr Soren and the MLAs were seen getting on buses with luggage and leaving. Later they arrived at Khunti, around 30 km from Ranchi, and were seen going for a boat ride in a lake near the Latratu dam. Sources said they plan to return to Ranchi by night. 3. Two associations representing at least 13,000 schools in Karnataka have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing the Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government of corruption. The Associated Managements Of Primary And Secondary Schools and The Registered Unaided Private Schools Management Association have urged PM Modi to look into alleged bribes that are being demanded by the state education department to issue recognition certificates to educational institutions. 4. Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai refutes buzz of an impending leadership change in the government, reiterating that he has been given a 'free hand' by the BJP leadership. 5. Goa Police says, two more people have been arrested in connection with the murder case of actor and BJP leader Sonali Phogat. Police say they have arrested the owner of Curlies beach shack in Anjuna and a suspected drug peddler Dattprashad Gaonkar taking the total arrests in the case to four. On Friday Phogat's PA Sudhir Sangwan and his associate, Sukhwinder Singh were arrested in connection with the alleged murder. 6. Project officials say the final check-up of explosives and related arrangements for demolition of Supertech's illegal twin towers in Noida are underway. They say, all work related to placement of explosives and connecting them is already complete. The only element remaining was interconnecting the twin towers and placing a 100-metre-long cable from the structures to the exploder, from where the button would be pressed on Sunday. 7. Virat Kohli all set to play against Pakistan in the T20 on Sunday, says, not shy to admit he was facing mental struggle.
- Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren calls for a meeting again today of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led ruling alliance legislators, a day after he met the MLAs twice at his official residence here, amid speculation that he might be disqualified from the state assembly over a mining lease contract. On Friday MLAs of the ruling coalition assured Mr Soren of their support. Congress leader and Jharkhand Health Minister Banna Gupta said yesterday that the JMM-Congress coalition is 'standing strong'. 2. Justice Uday Umesh Lalit is sworn in as 49th Chief Justice of India. President Droupadi Murmu administers the oath of office of the Chief Justice of India to Justice Lalit at Rashtrapati Bhavan. He succeeds Justice NV Ramana, who retired on August 26. Justice Ramana had recommended Justice Lalit as his successor in keeping with convention and norms of seniority. The President subsequently confirmed Justice Lalit's appointment as the new CJI. Justice Lalit will have a brief tenure of 74 days as the head of India's judiciary and would demit office on 8 November. 3. Goa Police says, two more people have been arrested in connection with the murder case of actor and BJP leader Sonali Phogat. Police say they have arrested the owner of Curlies beach shack in Anjuna and a suspected drug peddler Dattprashad Gaonkar taking the total arrests in the case to four. On Friday Phogat's PA Sudhir Sangwan and his associate, Sukhwinder Singh were arrested in connection with the alleged murder. 4. Protests over the release of Bilkis Bano's rapists and murderers of her family continue. People of Bengaluru seek review in the matter. 5. Two associations representing at least 13,000 schools in Karnataka have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing the Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government of corruption. The Associated Managements Of Primary And Secondary Schools and The Registered Unaided Private Schools Management Association have urged PM Modi to look into alleged bribes that are being demanded by the state education department to issue recognition certificates to educational institutions. 6. With the arrests of a Madrassa teacher Mufti Hafizur Rehman in Goalpara district of Assam, till now 4 people have been arrested in connection to the busting of a new sleeper cells module of Ansarul Bangla Team or ABT in Goalpara district earlier this week, all arrested are said to be linked with Alqueda in Subcontinent or AQIS. 7. Delhi BJP hits the streets demanding the removal of Manish Sisodia over the Delhi Excise Policy issue. 8. Project officials say, the final check-up of explosives and related arrangements for demolition of Supertech's illegal twin towers in Noida are underway. They say, All work related to placement of explosives and connecting them is already complete. The only element remaining was interconnecting the twin towers and placing a 100-metre-long cable from the structures to the exploder, from where the button would be pressed on Sunday. 9. Virat Kohli all set to play against Pakistan in the T20 on Sunday, says, not shy to admit he was facing mental struggle.
- Basavaraj Bommai takes on 'change CM buzz', in an exclusive interview to NDTV saying on being replaced, 'nothing is there, everyday is not a Sunday. BJP Has Given me a free hand'. 2. Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has been disqualified as MLA for giving a government contract of mining lease to himself. But the Election Commission does not debar him from contesting elections. 3. Veteran Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad resigns from all posts of the party citing the 'immaturity' of Rahul Gandhi whom he blames for 'demolishing the consultative mechanism' in the party. In a hard-hitting 5 page note to party interim president Sonia Gandhi, Mr Azad claims that a coterie runs the party while she was just a nominal head and all the major decisions were taken by 'Shri Rahul Gandhi or rather worse his security guards and PAs'. The development comes days after Mr Azad resigned from the organisational post of Jammu and Kashmir. Recounting his long association with the Congress and his close relationship with Indira Gandhi, Mr Azad says the situation in the Congress party has reached a point of 'no return.' Mr Azad writes, 'The entire organisational election process is a farce and a sham. At no place anywhere in the country have elections been held at any level of the organisation. Handpicked lieutenants of the AICC has been coerced to sign on lists prepared by the coterie that runs the AICC sitting in 24 Akbar Road'. Hyderabad Police says, 'Planning action against not just against T Raja Singh, but action will be taken against whoever has threaten , posted on social media or used offensive language. The police would act impartially in a very tough manner'. 5. World football governing body FIFA lifts the ban imposed on the AIFF after the Supreme Court terminated the mandate of the Committee of Administrators (CoA), clearing the decks for India to host the Women's U-17 World Cup in October. FIFA had suspended the AIFF on August 15 for "undue influence from third parties" and had said the U-17 Women's World Cup "cannot currently be held in India as planned." The suspension, the first time in AIFF's 85-year history, lasted just 11 days after the Supreme Court on Monday dissolved the three-member CoA, constituted by it in May, while modifying its earlier orders to ensure that India hosts the FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup from October 11-30. The FIFA says in a statement, 'The Bureau of the FIFA Council has decided to lift the suspension that was imposed on the All India Football Federation (AIFF) due to undue third-party influence'. 6. India's Linthoi Chanambam claims a historic gold at the World Cadet Judo Championship in Sarajevo, becoming the first from the country to win a medal in the tournament across any age-group. The 15-year-old from Manipur prevailed over Brazil's Bianca Reis to finish on top of the podium in the women's 57kg contest at the Arena Hotel Hills.
- Veteran Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad resigns from all posts of the party citing 'immaturity' of Rahul Gandhi whom he blames for 'demolishing the consultative mechanism' in the party. In a hard-hitting 5 page note to party interim president Sonia Gandhi, Mr Azad claims that a coterie runs the party while she was just a nominal head and all the major decisions were taken by 'Shri Rahul Gandhi or rather worse his security guards and PAs'. The development comes days after Mr Azad resigned from the organisational post of Jammu and Kashmir. Recounting his long association with the Congress and his close relationship with Indira Gandhi, Mr Azad says the situation in the Congress party has reached a point of 'no return.' Mr Azad writes, 'The entire organisational election process is a farce and a sham. At no place anywhere in the country have elections been held at any level of the organisation. Handpicked lieutenants of the AICC has been coerced to sign on lists prepared by the coterie that runs the AICC sitting in 24 Akbar Road'. 2. Actor and BJP leader Sonali Phogat was forcibly made to drink 'some obnoxious substance' mixed in water by her two associates while partying at a restaurant-cum-nightclub in Goa, the police have said, citing security camera footage and alleged confessions. She 'felt uneasy' after it and could barely walk on her own before her associates took her to the hotel where all of them were staying. She was brought dead to a hospital the next morning. Police say that Sudhir Sangwan and Sukhwinder Singh, the two associates accused of murdering the Bigg Boss contestant Sonali Phogat, are arrested so that they could not destroy the evidence. 3. AAP national convenor and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal attacks Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a speech in the Delhi assembly and alleges the recent raids by probe agencies against Delhi ministers are linked to the polls in Gujarat. Mr Kejriwal also says he will bring a confidence motion in the Delhi assembly to prove no AAP MLA has defected. 'The BJP's fortress in Gujarat is under threat and is crumbling now. ED, CBI raids on us are due to the upcoming polls in Gujarat,' he alleges. Mr Kejriwal says the CBI couldn't find a single penny during raids at his deputy Manish Sisodia's residence.
- Veteran Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad resigns from all posts of the party citing 'immaturity' of Rahul Gandhi whom he blames for 'demolishing the consultative mechanism' in the party. In a hard-hitting 5 page note to party interim president Sonia Gandhi, Mr Azad claims that a coterie runs the party while she was just a nominal head and all the major decisions were taken by 'Shri Rahul Gandhi or rather worse his security guards and PAs'. The development comes days after Mr Azad resigned from the organisational post of Jammu and Kashmir. Recounting his long association with the Congress and his close relationship with Indira Gandhi, Mr Azad says the situation in the Congress party has reached a point of 'no return.' Mr Azad writes, 'The entire organisational election process is a farce and a sham. At no place anywhere in the country have elections been held at any level of the organisation. Handpicked lieutenants of the AICC has been coerced to sign on lists prepared by the coterie that runs the AICC sitting in 24 Akbar Road'. 2. A special session of Delhi Assembly is taking place. The Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi calls for this special session of the Assembly today, amid the huge political row over their charge that the BJP is trying to bring down the elected government by breaking the party. Following raids on Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia regarding Delhi's liquor laws, AAP claims that the BJP is attempting to overthrow the Delhi government the way they toppled the Uddhav Thackeray government in Maharashtra. Meanwhile, Delhi Assembly Deputy Speaker Rakhi Birla marshals out all BJP MLAs for the entire day of the special session over a video recording by saffron party legislator Ajay Mahawar. Ms Birla asks Mr Mahawar if he made a video recording of the Assembly proceedings by going against the laws. She says, 'Have you done the video recording, if you have, then why should your phone not be seized, this is against the laws of the House'.
- The Election Commission of India tells Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais that Chief Minister Hemant Soren should be disqualified as an MLA for violating electoral norms, say Raj Bhavan sources. The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), the largest party in the assembly with 30 MLAs, as part of the UPA alliance, exudes confidence that Mr Soren will remain the Chief Minister till 2024, completing his term. It also says the party will move the Supreme Court if Mr Soren is disqualified as an MLA. Meanwhile, CM Hemant Soren dismisses reports of receiving any communication from the Election Commission of India (ECI) or Governor with regards to his disqualification as an MLA on the office of profit matter. The Jharkhand CM also launches an attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party and accuses the BJP leaders of drafting the ECI reports themselves. 2. Suspended BJP MLA T Raja Singh has been detained under the Preventive Detention Act (PD Act) and is being lodged in Central Prison, Cheriapally, says Hyderabad Police. According to the police, 101 criminal cases were registered against the suspended BJP leader who was 'involved in 18 communal offences'. 'T. Raja Singh has been detained under Act No.1 of 1986 on August 25 i.e. P.D Act as per the orders of the Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad City,' say police. 3. Goa Police arrests two associates of Haryana-based BJP leader Sonali Phogat in connection with her `murder' after the post-mortem report said there were 'multiple blunt force injuries' on her body. Accused Sudhir Sagwan and Sukhwinder Wasi had arrived in Goa with Phogat (42) on August 22. Ms Phogat, who first found fame on TikTok, was brought dead to St Anthony Hospital at Anjuna in North Goa district on August 23 morning. Doctors had said prima facie she died of a heart attack. Autopsy was conducted on her body on Thursday morning and soon after Anjuna police added the charge of murder to the case and arrested Sagwan and Wasi. 4. India's first indigenously-built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant will be able to play a role in ensuring peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, Vice Chief of Indian Navy Vice Admiral S N Ghormade says, ahead of the warship's commissioning on September 2. He says the aircraft landing trials on board INS Vikrant will begin in November and they will be completed by mid-2023, adding MiG-29K jets will operate from the warship for the first few years. 5. In an exclusive interview with NDTV, former cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya says, 'Rohit Sharma And Babar Azam My Picks For India Vs Pakistan'.
- Telangana BJP MLA T Raja Singh arrested again, under the stringent Preventive Detention Act, hours after releasing a video about 'communal atmosphere' despite an embargo by court. He pointedly targets minister KT Rama Rao in his new video. 'Police in Telangana are puppets in the hands of Asaduddin Owaisi,' he says in the video shared hours before his arrest. Mr Singh further says that supporters of AIMIM chief Owaisi, who is MP from Hyderabad, 'have been given a free hand to throw stones. No FIR, no arrest'. 2. Murder case registered in the death of BJP leader Sonali Phogat, who was found dead in Goa. Her brother Rinku Dhaka claims she was murdered by two of her associates, who were travelling with her to Goa. Meanwhile, Ms Phogat suffered 'multiple blunt force injuries' to her body, reveals an autopsy hours after the two associates are charged with her murder. 3. Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren says he hasn't yet received any communication while he's seen several media reports and BJP's statements about the Election Commission 'recommending his disqualification as MLA'. The BJP, though, is confident that its plea has succeeded, and has sought mid-term polls 'on moral grounds'. Contents of the EC's report aren't public yet. Mr Soren reacts, 'It apparently seems that BJP leaders, including a BJP MP and his puppet journalists, have themselves drafted the ECI report, which is otherwise a sealed cover report.' 4. Bharatiya Janata Party announces several top-level appointments in various states. In a significant political play, Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary, a minister in the Uttar Pradesh government and a member of the Legislative Council, has been made its UP President. Mr Chaudhary is from Western UP's Jat community and has reportedly been appointed to consolidate Jat votes for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as the traditional BJP voter base might be slipping away from the ruling party after last year's massive protests against the contentious and now-revoked farm bills. 5. Arvind Kejriwal's emergency meeting of Aam Aadmi Party MLAs produces a reassuring headcount as the party accuses BJP of offering Rs 20 crore to its MLAs to topple its government in Delhi. Fifty-three of AAP's 62 MLAs in Delhi attend the meeting at the Chief Minister's home. After the meeting, Mr Kejriwal and his MLAs go in a large group to Mahatma Gandhi's memorial Rajghat 'to pray for the failure of BJP's Operation Lotus'. 6. Supreme Court seeks Gujarat government's response on plea challenging the release of 11 men convicted for the gangrape of Bilkis Bano during the 2002 Gujarat riots. The bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana also asks the petitioners to implead those who have been granted remission as parties in the matter. The bench also posts the matter for hearing after two weeks.
- Arvind Kejriwal's 'emergency' meeting of Aam Aadmi Party MLAs produces a reassuring headcount as the party accuses the BJP of offering Rs 20 crore to its MLAs to topple its government in Delhi. Fifty-three of AAP's 62 MLAs in Delhi attend the meeting at the Chief Minister's home. 'At least 12 MLAs said they had received BJP offers and each pledged support to Mr Kejriwal till their last breath', he says. 2. The Supreme Court issues notice to the Centre on a plea filed by Congress leader Karti Chidambaram seeking a review of last month's Prevention of Money Laundering Act ruling that upheld sweeping powers to the probe agency. The top court agrees to reconsider the PMLA judgment on two aspects that the Enforcement Directorate doesn't need to provide the case information copy to the accused, and the accused has to prove innocence while the probe agency need not prove guilt. 3. The Supreme Court seeks the Gujarat government's response on a plea challenging the release of 11 men convicted for the gangrape of Bilkis Bano during the 2002 Gujarat riots. The bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana also asks the petitioners to implead those who have been granted remission as parties in the matter. 4. '29 phones were examined and malware was found in five, but there's no conclusive proof of Pegasus spyware in them', a Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice NV Ramana says, adding that the committee it appointed to investigate the issue says the Indian government did not cooperate in its probe. 5. Former Pakistan Minister Imran Khan secures an interim pre-arrest bail plea in the terror case filed against him for threatening a sessions judge during a public rally, after he appeared before an anti-terrorism court in Islamabad. 6. The Gupkar alliance in Jammu and Kashmir, formed to fight against the revocation of the erstwhile state's special status, may be falling apart as one of its main constituents Farooq Abdullah-led National Conference has decided to go solo in the next elections. National Conference, which joined hands with arch-rival Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party to set up the alliance, has said it will contest the next assembly elections on its own. 7. The Indian High Commission in Ottawa has asked the Canadian authorities to look into the problems faced by college students enrolled in Canadian universities, who are unable to join the academic courses due to delays in the processing of their visas and student permits.
- Three petitions challenging the release of 11 men convicted for the gangrape of Bilkis Bano during the 2002 Gujarat riots will be heard by the Supreme Court today. The convicts were released by the Gujarat government on Independence Day under an outdated remission policy, which turned into a huge political controversy. In 2019, the Supreme Court had awarded Bilkis Bano the highest-ever compensation in a rape case a job, a house and Rs 50 lakh. 2. The stringent law against money laundering, which received thumbs up from the Supreme Court recently, will be up for review again, with the top court agreeing to hear a petition that has challenged the judgment. The hearing will be held today. In a judgment last month, the court had upheld the Enforcement Directorate's extensive powers to search, seize and arrest, which were challenged in multiple petitions. The petitioners have argued that these powers are mostly misused, especially in cases where opposition leaders are involved. 3. Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal summons all MLAs of the party today amid massive face-off with BJP. Following last week's raids on Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia over Delhi's liquor laws, AAP claims that BJP is attempting to overthrow Delhi government the way they toppled Uddhav Thackeray government in Maharashtra. 4. A Pakistani terrorist captured and two others killed as two infiltration bids are foiled in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district over the last two days, the Indian Army says. The captured man who had earlier been arrested for crossing the Line of Control but sent back on humanitarian grounds was given 30,000 Pakistani rupees by a colonel of the Pakistan army for an attack on an Indian post, it adds. 5. Ashok Gehlot could be the front runner for the Congress top job. Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are out of India with Sonia Gandhi for her treatment. 6. A huge crowd of protesters gathered at Shalibanda in Hyderabad late last night demanding action against T Raja Singh, the suspended BJP MLA from Telangana's Goshamahal, for his alleged derogatory remarks on Prophet Muhammad. Police had to resort to a lathicharge to contain the protest after agitators raised religious slogans, burned effigies and indulged in stone-throwing.
- Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's new Grand Alliance government wins the trust vote in the assembly. BJP walks out in protest during his address ahead of the voting. Mr Kumar gets all 160 votes. With 164 MLAs supporting Nitish Kumar's government in the 243-member Bihar Assembly, the test of majority was mostly a formality. In his speech during the debate on the motion of confidence, Tejashwi Yadav, chief of Rashtriya Janata Dal and Mr Kumar's new deputy, says the new partnership will be historic. 2. Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal summons all MLAs of the party on Thursday amid massive face-off with BJP. Following last week's raids on Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia over Delhi's liquor laws, AAP claims that BJP is attempting to overthrow Delhi government the way they toppled Uddhav Thackeray government in Maharashtra. 3. Haryana BJP leader Sonali Phogat's family raises questions about her death in Goa and demands an investigation by CBI. Sonali Phogat died of a suspected heart attack on Monday night. She was declared dead at a hospital. The police have registered a case of unnatural death, according to news agency PTI. The post-mortem will be carried out by a medical board amid questions. One of her sisters, Rupesh, says, 'I received a call from her the evening before her death. She said she wanted to talk over WhatsApp and said that something fishy is going on. Later, she cut the call and then didn't pick up.'
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates a 2,600 bed private hospital in Faridabad that is equipped with cutting-edge technology, including a centralised fully-automated laboratory. Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya and Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar also attend the event. 2. The Aam Aadmi Party takes on Narendra Modi-led union government, accusing it of trying to topple the Delhi government 'by hook or crook'. 'The BJP is using central investigation agencies against its leaders', the party claims. In a press conference, five senior AAP leaders slam the BJP for allegedly trying to lure AAP MLAs with cash and threats. The BJP has denied the charge and accuses AAP of trying to 'deviate and deflect' from questions around alleged corruption in the liquor policy for which Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was recently raided by the Central Bureau of Investigation. 3. Nitish Kumar, who ended his alliance with the BJP in Bihar and formed a government with the Rashtriya Janata Dal and other parties earlier this month, faces a test of his majority today. The Assembly session started with Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha, a BJP MLA, stepping down from his post. A no-confidence motion was moved against him soon after the 'Mahagatbandhan' or grand alliance came to power. The floor test will now be chaired by Deputy Speaker Maheshwar Hazari, who is from the Janata Dal (United). Mr Sinha, who had refused to resign earlier citing unfounded claims, says he wanted to respond to the motion before stepping down because the allegations against him are 'unacceptable'. The state government is believed to have decided on veteran RJD leader Awadh Bihari Chaudhary as the new Speaker. 4. Homes of three senior leaders of Tejashwi Yadav-led Rashtriya Janata Dal raided by the Central Bureau of Investigation today in connection with the 'land-for-jobs' case that alleges irregularities during his father Lalu Yadav's tenure as Railway minister in the UPA-I government. CBI teams reached the homes of RJD's Rajya Sabha MPs Ahmad Ashfaque Karim and Dr Faiyaz Ahmad, and a Member of Legislative Council in Bihar, Sunil Singh in the morning.
- Telangana's BJP MLA T Raja Singh, arrested for his alleged derogatory comments on Prophet Muhammad, gets bail as the court rejects a police request for custody. He gets a hero's welcome at his office in Goshamal. A case was registered against T Raja Singh under various sections of the Indian Penal Code pertaining to promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs, and criminal intimidation, among others, cops said. The BJP suspended Mr Singh soon after his arrest. 2. Granting remission of sentence is within the government's powers but the 'felicitation' of the convicts in the Bilkis Bano case by some people is distasteful, says U D Salvi, the judge who convicted them 14 years ago. The Supreme Court agrees to consider listing a plea challenging the grant of remission to 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano case. 3. Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni, whose son is in jail over allegations of running over farmers last year, talks about 'dogs barking and chasing his car' in an apparent reference to protesting farmers in a controversial speech live-streamed by his supporters. Ajay Mishra, a Minister of State for Home in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, also describes farmer leader Rakesh Tikait as 'do kaudi ka aadmi (worthless)' in yet another display of his arrogance and defiance. 4. Aam Aadmi Party chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announces jobs calendar in Gujarat, a state the BJP has been ruling for nearly 30 years and where elections are due by the year-end. He says if voted to power, the AAP government will hold a series of exams including for Panchayati posts, teachers and the state police and make recruitment. He also declares that Army recruitments which have shrunk to a short-service scheme will be put right and announces a job quota for Gujaratis. Eighty per cent of private jobs will go to the people from the state, he says. 5. Rahul Gandhi 'can't be forced to become Congress president' if he doesn't want to, party leader Digvijaya Singh says, a day after Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's impassioned appeal to the former Congress chief to change his mind. Top Congress leaders are finally acknowledging publicly that Rahul Gandhi no longer wants to lead the party. 'We can't force Rahul Gandhi if he doesn't want to become Congress president,' Digvijaya Singh tells NDTV.
- Aam Aadmi Party chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announces a jobs calendar in Gujarat, a state the BJP has been ruling for nearly 30 years and where elections are due by the year-end. He says if voted to power, the AAP government will hold a series of exams, including for Panchayati posts, teachers and the state police and make recruitment. He also declares that Army recruitments which have shrunk to a short-service scheme will be put right and announces a job quota for Gujaratis. He says, eighty per cent of private jobs will go to the people from the state. 2. Aam Aadmi Party accuses BJP of trying to lure its MLAs with Rs 5 crore and topple the Arvind Kejriwal government in Delhi. AAP also promises a big reveal soon after Manish Sisodia alleges BJP offer to drop cases against him and make him Chief Minister candidate if he switches sides. 3. Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni, whose son is in jail over allegations of running over farmers last year, talks about 'dogs barking and chasing his car' in an apparent reference to protesting farmers in a controversial speech live-streamed by his supporters. Mr Teni, a Minister of State for Home in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, also describes farmer leader Rakesh Tikait as 'worthless' in yet another display of his arrogance and defiance. 4. The BJP suspends its Telangana MLA T Raja Singh following his controversial remarks allegedly aimed at Prophet Mohammad and seeks his reply within 10 days as to why he should not be expelled from the party. Mr Singh, known for his hardline religious rhetoric, is suspended by the party following protests in Hyderabad against his comments leading to his arrest by the Telangana Police. The BJP's action against the 45-year-old legislator comes months after it had suspended its national spokesperson Nupur Sharma for making derogatory comments against the Prophet. Her comments sparked protests abroad as well with several Islamic countries objecting and taking up the matter with India.
- Aam Aadmi Party accuses BJP of trying to lure its MLAs with Rs 5 crore and topple the Arvind Kejriwal government in Delhi. AAP also promises a big reveal soon after Manish Sisodia alleges BJP offer to drop cases against him and make him Chief Minister candidate if he switches sides. 2. Telangana BJP MLA T Raja Singh arrested for his alleged derogatory comments against Prophet Muhammad following protests in Hyderabad last night demanding action against him. Mr Singh had released a 10-minute video allegedly making derogatory comments about Prophet Muhammad. A case was registered under sections of the law relating to insulting religious beliefs, says P Sai Chaitanya, Deputy Commissioner of Police, South Zone, Hyderabad. 3. Supreme Court agrees to consider listing plea challenging grant of remission to 11 convicts in Bilkis Bano case. The top court has heard a Public Interest Litigation filed by Communist Party of India-Marxist Politburo Member Subhashini Ali, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, and one other petitioner. All the eleven convicts sentenced to life imprisonment were freed after the Gujarat government allowed their release under its remission policy on August 15 amid a massive outcry. 4. Atleast six people killed and lakhs displaced due to heavy rain in Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan since Sunday, say officials. While three rain-related deaths were reported in Odisha in the 24 hours leading upto Monday, Madhya Pradesh reported two deaths in the same time period, according to inputs from respective state disaster management officials. 5. Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni, whose son is in jail over allegations of running over farmers last year, talks about 'dogs barking and chasing his car' in an apparent reference to protesting farmers in a controversial speech live-streamed by his supporters. Mr Teni, a Minister of State for Home in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, also describes farmer leader Rakesh Tikait as 'worthless' in yet another display of his arrogance and defiance. 6. NASA's powerful new James Webb space telescope captures images of Jupiter that show the gas giant in great detail. The agency, in a blog post about the images, says they will give scientists even more clues to Jupiter's inner life. Captured on July 27, the images have been digitally enhanced and artificially coloured to make specific features stand out. 7. Supreme Court criticizes yoga guru Baba Ramdev for his disparaging remarks on modern medicine systems like allopathy. A bench led by Chief Justice N V Ramana says he can run campaigns to popularise Ayurveda, but should not criticise other systems. 8. Former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa kicks off Savarkar Rath yatra in Mysore with the slogan 'Bolo Bharat mata ki..Vande Mataram'. Senior BJP leader says, 'It is an honour to kick off this rath yatra. On one side, India is on the path to becoming a 'Vishwa guru', but on the other side, we are facing issues. Some incidents are tarnishing the image of the country. I'm saddened by the controversy over Savarkar in Karnataka, who was called 'Veer Savarkar' by Indira Gandhi.'
- Telangana BJP MLA T Raja Singh arrested for his alleged derogatory comments against Prophet Muhammad following protests in Hyderabad last night demanding action against him. Mr Singh had released a 10-minute video allegedly making derogatory comments about Prophet Muhammad. A case was registered under sections of the law relating to insulting religious beliefs, says P Sai Chaitanya, Deputy Commissioner of Police, South Zone, Hyderabad. 2. Atleast six people killed and lakhs displaced due to heavy rain in Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan since Sunday, say officials. While three rain-related deaths were reported in Odisha in the 24 hours leading upto Monday, Madhya Pradesh reported two deaths in the same time period, according to inputs from respective state disaster management officials. 3. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia to interact with youth in Gujarat's Bhavnagar city today on the issues of education and employment. Today is the second day of their visit to the state where elections are due later this year. On Monday, the two Aam Aadmi Party leaders participated in a programme in Himmatnagar where they interacted with voters. 4. Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni, whose son is in jail over allegations of running over farmers last year, talks about 'dogs barking and chasing his car' in an apparent reference to protesting farmers in a controversial speech live-streamed by his supporters. Mr Teni, a Minister of State for Home in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, also describes farmer leader Rakesh Tikait as 'worthless' in yet another display of his arrogance and defiance. 5. As the countdown begins for the election of Congress president, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot says the party is unanimously in favour of Rahul Gandhi for the post. The party's election authority says it will stick to the schedule of electing a new chief by September 20. Mr Gehlot says that considering the sentiments of Congress workers across the country, Rahul Gandhi should accept the role.
- Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has an audio recording of a BJP leader calling him with an offer to drop a CBI case against him if he leaves the Aam Aadmi Party and helps bring it down, claim sources from his party. 'We don't need to release the conversation at this point. But if needed, AAP will release the phone conversation,' says an AAP leader, requesting not to be named. 2. An ISIS terrorist detained by Russian security agency for planning an attack in India confesses that he was preparing an act of terror targetting 'one of the representatives of the ruling circles of India', reports Russian news agency. The detained terrorist says he planned to execute the act in the wake of the row triggered by remarks. 3. Hundreds of aspirants for teachers' posts protesting against the delay in their recruitment lathicharged by police in Bihar's capital Patna. A video from the protest goes viral, showing a bureaucrat thrashing a protester as he lies on the ground. The protest was taking place at Dak Bangla Chauraha in Patna. In the video, the bureaucrat, identified as Patna's Additional District Magistrate KK Singh, can be seen dragging the man and thrashing him while he is lying on the ground and holding the National Flag in his hand. The flag is later snatched away by the police. 4. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tells a group of civil society representatives that the party's upcoming 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' is like a 'tapasya' for him and that he is ready for the 'long battle' to unite the country. Congress had announced last week that it will launch on September 7 the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', being billed by the party as the longest yatra mounted in this country over the last century. Interacting with civil society members at the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra Conclave' at the Constitution Club in Delhi, Mr Gandhi says, 'I know uniting India is going to be a long battle and I am ready for it.' 5. The markets are on a downhill drive with both Nifty and Sensex declining 1.5 per cent in trade on Monday. This is the worst fall for the markets in two months. 6. China issues its first drought emergency this year as scorching temperatures dry up areas of the Yangtze River and put pressure on the power grid while the country battles the record-breaking heatwave. Authorities issued the national yellow alert late on Thursday after China's central and southern provinces endured weeks of extreme heat, with temperatures in dozens of cities surpassing 40 degrees Celsius, or 104 degrees Fahrenheit. 7. China to issue visas to hundreds of Indian students stranded at home for over two years due to Beijing's strict Covid restrictions, besides various categories of travel permits for Indians including business visas. As per the announcement, X1-Visa, will be issued to students who intend to go to China to pursue long-term study for higher academic education, including newly-enrolled students and students who return to China to resume their studies.
- Hundreds of aspiring teachers were lathicharged in Patna today as they protested against the delay in their recruitment. A video shows K K Singh, Patna's Additional District Magistrate, thrashing a protester with a stick while he lies on the ground holding the national flag. An inquiry committee has been ordered by the District Magistrate of Patna. The officer also expresses his displeasure over the incident. Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav too takes note of the incident and says action will be taken against those found guilty. 2. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy CM Manish Sisodia guaranteed free and quality education and healthcare in poll-bound Gujarat along the lines of Delhi if the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is voted to power. Mr Sisodia, who holds the portfolio of Education besides other departments, says good education is the right of every child in Gujarat, irrespective of whether he lives in a village, or city, or studies in a government or private school. In a joint press conference, Mr Kejriwal promises free and quality healthcare to all in Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Reacting to the Gujarat government's decision to hike the compensation for families of martyred soldiers from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1 crore, Mr Kejriwal says the move came after he made a similar promise to the protesting ex-servicemen in Gujarat during his visit two months back. 3. Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, charged by CBI over allegations linked to a liquor policy, claims that the BJP had offered to shut all cases against him if he quit Aam Aadmi Party and crossed over. Refuting the charge, BJP leader Manoj Tiwari claims the AAP leader has been caught in corruption and hence is making up stories. Meanwhile, BJP protests outside Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's residence. 4. TRS MLC Kavitha Kalvakuntla slams the BJP for dragging her and her family in the ongoing row over the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy and would file a defamation suit against two saffron party leaders, one of whom had claimed she was a 'middleman' between the liquor mafia and the AAP government. Kavitha, daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, says the allegations made by the BJP leaders are 'baseless' and sources in the ruling TRS says she would file a defamation case against BJP MP Parvesh Verma and party leader in Delhi Manjinder Singh Sirsa.
- Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, charged by CBI over allegations linked to a liquor policy, claims that the BJP had offered to shut all cases against him if he quit Aam Aadmi Party and crossed over. Refuting the charge, BJP leader Manoj Tiwari claims the AAP leader has been caught in corruption and hence is making up stories. Meanwhile, BJP protests outside Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's residence. 2. Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal are on a two-day visit to poll-bound Gujarat. Mr Kejriwal is accompanied by Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who is facing a CBI probe in connection with the AAP government's previous excise policy. The AAP leaders will address a town hall meeting in Himmatnagar. They will also attend a town hall meeting in Bhavnagar on Tuesday. 3. Hundreds of farmers from various states are protesting against unemployment at Delhi's Jantar Mantar today amid tight security arrangements made by police to avoid any untoward incident. Some farmers have also been detained by the police. The 'mahapanchayat' has been called by some farmer organisations, including Bharatiya Kisan Union, over rising unemployment in the country. Some farmers are seen overturning the barricades put up by police, and raising slogans at Jantar Mantar. 4. National Conference holds an all-party meeting in Srinagar to discuss the issue of inclusion of non-local voters in the revised electoral rolls in Jammu and Kashmir. Parties like the NC and Mehbooba Mufti's People's Democratic Party claim the administration has not addressed their main concern on whether 'outsiders' ordinarily residing in JK will be allowed to enrol as voters and the meeting is held to discuss the clarification issued by the administration on the matter. 5. Supreme Court scraps the Committee of Administrators, the panel it appointed last year to run the All India Football Federation, and directs that the day-to-day management of the Indian football body be looked after by the AIFF administration led by the acting Secretary General. The court also modifies the election process by granting one-week extension. The Centre had proposed deferment of AIFF elections scheduled for August 28 by a week because of proposed changes in the nomination process.
- Anand Sharma, who has stepped down from the 'steering committee' of Congress's Himachal Pradesh unit, unleashes a crisis in the state unit, says he has been 'vilified and humiliated' despite giving his entire life to the party. Speaking to NDTV in an exclusive interview, Mr Sharma says, 'I am not saying I am the only one. We all have challenges. I have had issues over the years where I could have withdrawn, of a challenged autistic son. I gave up my profession, I gave up my life. I don't need to be vilified. I am deeply hurt and humiliated. I am sorry.' 2. Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia says that he is being targeted by CBI because the Centre is furious over the shout-out to the Aam Aadmi Party, at home and abroad, for its 'commendable' work in education and healthcare sector. Mr Sisodia adds, 'They don't care about any fraud in excise policy, otherwise they would have first probed the corruption in BJP-ruled Gujarat where Rs 10,000 crore excise tax evasion is happening every year. Thousand die there after consuming toxic liquor.' 3. While attending an Indian community event in Sao Paulo in Brazil, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar says that China has disregarded the border pacts and the Galwan Valley standoff has been casting a shadow as ties between the two nations continue to go through a very difficult phase. Mr Jaishankar meets the Indian community in Brazil's Sao Paulo on the first leg of a three-nation visit. He will also visit Paraguay and Argentina. 4. Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga issues a public apology after a video of his daughter assaulting a doctor goes viral. The Chief Minister's daughter Milari Chhangte was reportedly upset after the doctor, a dermatologist with a clinic in state capital Aizawl, refused to see her without an appointment. The incident, it is learnt, took place on Wednesday. The doctor had asked the Chief Minister's daughter to take an appointment before turning up at the clinic for consultation.
- Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia hits out at the Centre over the CBI raids against him and says, it's an attempt to stop the Aam Aadmi Party in the Gujarat polls. Meanwhile, the BJP alleges that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is the 'kingpin' of the excise policy 'scam' and says handcuffs are getting close to him as nodes of corruption are being unravelled. Addressing a press conference, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia alleges that Mr Kejriwal was busy indulging in corruption when Covid-affected people needed his help. 2. Congress leader Anand Sharma resigns from the post of the chairman of the Steering Committee for Himachal Assembly polls. He assures the party's interim president Sonia Gandhi via his letter that he will participate in campaigns for the Congress candidates. However, the reason for the resignation stays unknown. This comes days before the state assembly elections of Himachal Pradesh are slated to be conducted and the political parties have pulled up their socks. 3. At least 31 deaths have been reported over the last two days as heavy rain pounds several states, including Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha and Uttarakhand, triggering flash floods and landslides. At least 22 people have been killed in Himachal Pradesh, including eight members of a family, as heavy rain since Friday causes landslides and flash floods in several parts of the state. 10 people have been injured in rain-related incidents in the state, while six who went missing in Mandi are feared dead. 4. A 'distraught' Gokulam Kerala women's team will return home on Monday from Uzbekistan after it was removed from the AFC Women's Club Championships following the FIFA ban on India. The 23-member team, led by India captain Ashalata Devi, are left stranded in Tashkent for six days since arriving at the Uzbekistan capital on August 16, the day the news of the ban imposed on the AIFF by the world governing body FIFA reached India. 5. According to the police, a woman was arrested for allegedly abusing security personnel of a housing society in Uttar Pradesh's Noida. The woman is identified as Bhavya Rai who was caught on video misbehaving with the personnel in Jaypee Wish Town.
- Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia says that he is being targeted by CBI because the Centre is furious over the shout-out to the Aam Aadmi Party, at home and abroad, for its commendable work in education and healthcare sector. Speaking exclusively to NDTV, Manish Sisodia, who has been named an accused in a First Information Report filed by CBI on liquor policy violations, accuses Prime Minister Narendra Modi of misusing the central investigating agencies against political rivals. 2. Hours after Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia says on Twitter that CBI has issued a lookout notice against him, CBI officials clarify that the agency has not issued such circular as of now against Sisodia or any other accused in the excise policy case. 3. At least 31 deaths have been reported over the last two days as heavy rain pounds several states, including Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha and Uttarakhand, triggering flash floods and landslides. At least 22 people have been killed in Himachal Pradesh, including eight members of a family, as heavy rain since Friday causes landslides and flash floods in several parts of the state. 10 people have been injured in rain-related incidents in the state, while six who went missing in Mandi are feared dead. 4. Heavy police force has been deployed in Noida ahead of the mahapanchayat called by members of the Tyagi community in support of Shrikant Tyagi, who was recently arrested. Mr Tyagi, self-proclaimed member of BJP, was arrested on August 9, days after a video of his misbehaviour with a woman for opposing encroachment in a Noida housing society went viral.
- A day after being raided by the CBI over allegations of corruption in liquor policy, Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia launches a scathing attack on the Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for misusing the central agencies. Addressing a press conference, Mr Sisodia, who also handles the Excise Department, alleges that CBI officials were instructed by the 'high command' to raid his home. He claims that all this is being done to stop Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal because his work in the education and health sector is being discussed globally. Meanwhile, Union minister Anurag Thakur takes a dig at Mr Sisodia stating that he must have changed his name to 'Money Shh', alleging that he is good at taking money and keeping quiet about it. 2. Even in election week, the stalemate over who will be the next Congress chief shows no signs of a breakthrough. The latest efforts to sway Rahul Gandhi to accept the role have been fruitless, say sources. He has been steadfast in his reluctance, turning down the appeals by his party members since resigning after the 2019 general election debacle. Sonia Gandhi too rules out returning as party president because of her health. 3. Rajasthan BJP leader Gyan Dev Ahuja is caught on camera urging a crowd to 'kill anyone involved in cow slaughter'. He says, 'We have so far killed five people, be it in Lalawandi or Behror,' in a direct reference to the lynching of Rakbar Khan and Pehlu Khan. Both of those murders, one in 2017, the other in 2018, took place in Ramgarh, the area from where Gyan Dev Ahuja was the MLA when BJP was in power in the state. It isn't immediately clear which other three murders he is referring to. 4. In a case of suicide apparently over delay in student visa for Canada, the body of a 23-year-old man, missing since two days, has been found from a canal in Haryana's Kurukshtera district. His visa had come on Thursday but he couldn't be told as he was missing, probably dead already by then, says a family friend. 5. Thirty-one deaths have been reported on Saturday as heavy rain pounds several states, including Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha and Uttarakhand, triggering flash floods and landslides. At least 22 people have been killed in Himachal Pradesh, including eight members of a family, as heavy rain since Friday causes landslides and flash floods in several parts of the state. 10 people have been injured in rain-related incidents in the state, while six who went missing in Mandi are feared dead.
- Union Minister Anurag Thakur takes a dig at Manish Sisodia saying that the Delhi Deputy Chief Minister might have changed his name to 'Money Shh' alleging that he is good at taking money and keeping quiet about it. Mr Thakur's remarks comes a day after CBI conducted raids at Mr Sisodia's official residence, in connection with alleged violations in the now withdrawn Delhi Excise Policy of the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam admi Party government. The Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Union Minister challenges the Delhi Chief Minister to respond answers to his questions within 24 hours. 2. Delhi Congress leaders and workers stage a protest outside the Aam Admi Party office demanding the resignation of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in connection with the alleged corruption in the implementation of the Delhi Excise Policy. The protesters marched from the Delhi Congress office at DDU Marg towards AAP headquarters raising slogans against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Mr Sisodia. Delhi Congress demands that Mr Kejriwal should remove Mr Sisodia from his Cabinet as he is named in an FIR registered by the CBI in the excise policy 'scam', says Delhi Congress media department vice chairman Parvez Alam. 3. In a case of suicide apparently over delay in student visa for Canada, the body of a 22-year-old man, missing since two days is found from a canal in Haryana's Kurukshtera district. His visa had come on Thursday but he couldn't be told as he was missing, probably dead already by then, says a family friend. 4. Flood fury in three states, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. Railway Bridge collapses in Himachal Pradesh's Kangra, flash floods near Vaishno Devi. Shrine halts the yatra for a while and flash floods after heavy rain in Dehradun as well. 5. The number of people killed in an hours-long attack by jihadist terrorists on a hotel in the Somali capital Mogadishu has risen to 13, says a security commander. Fighters from the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab group stormed the popular Hayat Hotel in a hail of gunfire and bomb blasts. 6. Japan reports a staggering 261000 new coronavirus cases, the biggest one-day increase so far. The average daily deaths are now also at a record high of over 250.
- A day after being raided by the CBI over allegations of corruption in the liquor policy, Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia launches a scathing attack on the centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for 'misusing' the central agencies. 'The BJP-ruled central government is not worried about the excise fraud, it is worried about Arvind Kejriwal because they see him as the prime challenger to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the upcoming general elections,' Mr Sisodia says, adding that the 2024 election will be battle between the AAP and the BJP. 2. Delhi Congress leaders and workers stage a protest outside the Aam Admi Party office demanding the resignation of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in connection with the alleged corruption in the implementation of the Delhi Excise Policy. The protesters march from the Delhi Congress office at DDU Marg towards AAP headquarters raising slogans against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Sisodia. 3. Flood fury in three states, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. Railway Bridge collapses in Himachal Pradesh's Kangra, flash floods near Vaishno Devi. Shrine halts the yatra for a while and flash floods after heavy rain in Dehradun as well. 4. At least eight civilians have been confirmed dead in an attack by Islamist terrorists on a hotel in the Somali capital Mogadishu, an official says, as security forces continue to battle gunmen holed up inside. Fighters from the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab group stormed the popular Hayat Hotel in a hail of gunfire and bomb blasts. 5. Japan reports a staggering 261000 new coronavirus cases, the biggest one-day increase so far. The average daily deaths are now also at a record high of over 250. 6. A week after author Salman Rushdie was stabbed onstage at a literary event, writers and friends of the Mumbai-born author gather at the New York Public Library and read from his works, expressing their solidarity with him and his 'relentless' advocacy for free expression. 7. Apple discloses serious security vulnerabilities for iPhone, iPad and Mac models that could potentially allow attackers to take complete control of these devices. Apple releases two security reports about the issue, although they haven't received wide attention outside of tech publications. Apple's explanation of the vulnerability means a hacker could get 'full admin access' to the device. That would allow intruders to impersonate the device's owner and subsequently run any software in their name, says Rachel Tobac, CEO of SocialProof Security. 8. A member of the notorious Islamic State kidnap-and-murder cell known as the 'Beatles' is sentenced to life in prison by a US court for the deaths of four American hostages in Syria. El Shafee Elsheikh, 34, is given eight concurrent life sentences with no possibility of parole after being convicted in April of hostage-taking, conspiracy to murder US citizens and supporting a terrorist organization.
- Manish Sisodia, the Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, has underscored that the good works of the Aam Aadmi Party government will not stop come what may. Speaking to reporters after the 14-hour raid at his home, he denies any wrongdoing and says the BJP is misusing the Central agencies for political purposes. 'But the work of providing good education and health will continue, the Delhi government will not stop,' he says. The CBI carried out day-long searches at Mr Sisodia's Delhi home and 31 other locations across seven states over allegations that the liquor policy of the Delhi government is steeped in corruption. Mr Sisodia handles the excise department. The policy, which was put in place in November, was scrapped in July after investigations started. Mr Sisodia says his computer and phone have been seized. 2. At least two people died due to overcrowding during Janmashtami celebrations at a temple in Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, the police say. The incident took place during midnight celebrations at Banke Bihari temple, police officials add. 3. Six people are killed and over 20 injured in a road accident in Rajasthan's Pali district, police say. Sumerpur police station incharge Rameshwar Bhati says a tractor-trailer carrying pilgrims and a truck collided in the district. The Prime Minister's Office in a tweet says PM Narendra Modi expresses grief over the incident. 4. The movement of pilgrims to Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Katra town in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir resumes, after a temporary suspension due to flash floods triggered by heavy rainfall in the region. 5. Women footballers stuck in Tashkent having reached there hour after FIFA's ban on the Indian Federation, but have now got a 48-hour extension in Uzbekistan following the ministry's intervention. 6. The Telangana government has organised fortnight-long celebrations to mark 75 years of India's Independence, till August 22. From August 9 onwards, multiple events have been organised throughout the state, and the administration is gearing up to ensure wide participation. To engage school students, the Telangana government is screening the 1982 film Gandhi that won eight Oscars.
Manish Sisodia, Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister, is raided by the CBI over the Centre's allegations of corruption in the Delhi liquor policy, which have been strongly denied by the Aam Aadmi Party government. The CBI carries out searches at Manish Sisodia's home in Delhi and 20 other locations across seven states. The probe agency has filed an FIR and is investigating the Delhi Excise Policy launched in November, under which liquor shop licenses were handed over to private players. Manish Sisodia, who oversees the Excise department, says the policy was meant to tackle corruption in government liquor outlets. Mr Sisodia tweets,'CBI is here at my residence. I will cooperate with the probe agency, they will not find anything against me'. Mr Sisodia says the Centre is troubled by the 'excellent work done by the Delhi government in the health and education sector' and that is why ministers of both departments are targeted. Satyendar Jain, the Delhi Health Minister, has been in jail since May. Delhi Chief Minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal addresses a press conference and says that no raids could stop his party from doing good work for the people of the country. 'Many obstacles will be created in our path in our mission. There have been raids in the past too, but nothing came out, and nothing will come out this time as well. We will fully cooperate with the CBI' he says. AAP accuses the BJP of relentlessly targeting its ministers as part of its political plan to crush rivals. Mr Kejriwal says the CBI landed at Mr Sisodia's doorstep the 'day on which the Delhi education model is praised and Manish Sisodia's picture is printed on the front page of America's largest newspaper NYT. He says the NYT coverage proves Manish Sisodia is the best education minister in the world. Alleging corruption by the Delhi government in the new excise policy, BJP Minister Anurag Thakur says the fear of a CBI probe had compelled Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia to link the CBI raids to the work done by them in the education sector. 'This is not about education, but about the excise policy. The corruption in excise policy has revealed the true face of Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia' Mr Thakur says. Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena had recommended a CBI probe, accusing AAP of bringing the Excise policy 'with the sole aim' of benefiting private liquor barons for financial benefits to 'individuals at the highest echelons of the government leading up to Manish Sisodia'. On July 30, Mr Sisodia announced a rollback of the policy, and questioned why there was no investigation into deaths from spurious liquor in BJP-ruled Gujarat, a dry state. Meanwhile, sources say, the agency officials seized confidential official files relating to the new excise policy from the home of a public servant. The location of the seizure is yet to be revealed. No cash recovery has been made so far. The searches are expected to continue.
- Manish Sisodia, Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister, is raided by the CBI over the Centre's allegations of corruption in the Delhi liquor policy, which have been strongly denied by the Aam Aadmi Party government. The CBI carries out searches at Manish Sisodia's home in Delhi and 20 other locations across seven states. The probe agency has filed an FIR and is investigating the Delhi Excise Policy launched in November, under which liquor shop licenses were handed over to private players. Manish Sisodia, who oversees the Excise department, says the policy was meant to tackle corruption in government liquor outlets. Mr Sisodia tweets,'CBI is here at my residence. I will cooperate with the probe agency, they will not find anything against me'. Mr Sisodia says the Centre is troubled by the 'excellent work done by the Delhi government in the health and education sector' and that is why ministers of both departments are targeted. Satyendar Jain, the Delhi Health Minister, has been in jail since May. Delhi Chief Minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal addresses a press conference and says that no raids could stop his party from doing good work for the people of the country. 'Many obstacles will be created in our path in our mission. There have been raids in the past too, but nothing came out, and nothing will come out this time as well. We will fully cooperate with the CBI' he says. AAP has accused the BJP of relentlessly targeting its ministers as part of its political plan to crush rivals. Mr Kejriwal says the CBI landed at Mr Sisodia's doorstep the 'day on which the Delhi education model is praised and Manish Sisodia's picture is printed on the front page of America's largest newspaper NYT. 'He says the NYT coverage proves Manish Sisodia is the best education minister in the world. Alleging corruption by the Delhi government in the new excise policy, BJP Minister Anurag Thakur says the fear of a CBI probe had compelled Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia to link the CBI raids to the work done by them in the education sector. 'This is not about education, but about the excise policy. The corruption in excise policy has revealed the true face of Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia' Mr Thakur says. Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena had recommended a CBI probe, accusing AAP of bringing the Excise policy 'with the sole aim' of benefiting private liquor barons for financial benefits to 'individuals at the highest echelons of the government leading up to Manish Sisodia'. On July 30, Mr Sisodia announced a rollback of the policy, and questioned why there was no investigation into deaths from spurious liquor in BJP-ruled Gujarat, a dry state. 2. As outrage rise over the release of Bilkis Bano rapists, new troubling details are emerging about the remission panel that freed those convicts. In the 10-member jail advisory committee that recommended the remission of these 11 convicts, five of the members were linked to the BJP.
- India's top women's football club awaits a decision from Asian Football Confederation on whether they can play in the Club Championship. 23 girls are stuck in Tashkent after FIFA's ban. The decision will come today. 2. Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis says the boat carrying three AK-47s belongs to an Australian couple who abandoned it after engine trouble. Prima facie, there is no terror angle, but it is unclear why it is carrying arms. The damaged boat has been found near Harihareshwar Beach in Raigad, 190 km from Mumbai, by fishermen. 3. Satellite images sourced by NDTV indicate that China's naval base in Djibouti, on the Horn of Africa, is now fully operational and supports Chinese warships deployed in the Indian Ocean region. 4. The raging point-counterpoint between the centre and the Delhi government over rehabilitation of Rohingya refugees in the national capital reaches a fever pitch with Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia demanding that the centre order a probe into the entire episode. Mr Sisodia alleged a 'conspiracy' to settle Rohingya in Delhi, while keeping the Aam Aadmi Party, or AAP, government led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal completely in the dark. Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Wednesday tweeted Rohingya refugees would be shifted to flats for the economically weaker section in Delhi's Bakkarwala. Hours later, the Home Ministry in a series of tweets denied the centre would provide flats to Rohingya in the national capital. 5. A little boy's garlanded photo, surrounded by his grieving family at his home in Rajasthan, illustrates the unspeakable tragedy of caste discrimination in parts of the country. On July 20, the nine-year-old Dalit boy in Rajasthan's Jalore, a Class 3 student, made the 'mistake' of drinking from a pitcher meant for upper castes. His teacher thrashed him for touching the pitcher, so badly that he was left practically immobile, with severe wounds in his eye and ear. 'We found out at 4 pm. His limbs were not working,' says his uncle at the Surana village around 250 km from Jodhpur. 'We took him to seven hospitals, but no one could treat him. We finally took him to Ahmedabad, where he died on August 13,' he tells NDTV. 6. People planning to visit the United States are in for a rude shock as they will have to wait till 2024 to get a visitor visa. NDTV checked the website of US State Department and found that the average waiting time was about one-and-a-half years, which means those planning to apply now will get an appointment for March-April 2024. The website shows that average wait for a visa appointment in the US consulate at New Delhi is 522 days for visitor visas and 471 days for student visas. 7. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announces that 'Dahi-Handi' will now be recognised as an official sport in the state. He further states that 'Pro-Dahi-Handi' competitions will be introduced in the state. 8. Over 6,000 citizens, including grassroot workers and women and human rights activists, have urged the Supreme Court to revoke the remission of sentences for 11 men convicted of rape and murder in the 2002 Bilkis Bano case.
- Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis says the boat carrying three AK-47s belongs to an Australian couple who abandoned it after engine trouble. Prima facie, there is no terror angle, but it is unclear why it is carrying arms. The damaged boat has been found near Harihareshwar Beach in Raigad, 190 km from Mumbai, by fishermen. 2. Hours after Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri's tweets announcing homes and security for Rohingya refugees from Myanmar are contradicted by his own government, they set the stage for a new clash between the Centre and the Delhi government. While the Delhi government accuses the Centre of secretly trying to give permanent residence to Rohingya refugees in the national capital, the Union Home Ministry accuses AAP administration of dragging its feet on declaring the locality where they live a detention centre. 3. Jammu and Kashmir to get around 25 lakh additional voters including outsiders after the special summary revision of electoral rolls being held for the first time after the abrogation of Article 370, says an election official. Former Chief Ministers Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah sharply criticize the move, calling it a dangerous attempt to influence elections. 4. All is seemingly not well within the newly sworn-in Bihar government with Janata Dal United MLA Bima Bharti taking a dig at her party colleague and five-time MLA Leshi Singh, who is inducted as the State Minister of Food and Consumer Protection. Ms Bharti is apparently upset at not being included in the Cabinet while Ms Singh is inducted as a minister for the third time during Tuesday's expansion. JDU MLA Bima Bharti says, 'I'm upset with only JDU MLA Leshi Singh that she's always chosen in the Cabinet. What does the CM see in her. She is repeatedly involved in incidents in her area, brings disrepute against the party. Why are we not heard. Is it because we're from a backward caste.' 5. A 15-year-old girl is shot in the neck in Patna allegedly over a love affair, the chilling visuals of which are captured on CCTV. The incident occurred in Indrapuri area of Sipara at around 7:30 pm on Wednesday when she was returning from coaching. The footage shows a man, who had been stalking the girl, pulling out a gun from his bag and shooting her. He then escapes the spot. 6. Jacqueline Fernandez, the Bollywood actor named in Rs 200 crore extortion case by the Enforcement Directorate, received a series of expensive gifts from conman Sukesh Chandrashekar. The list includes designer handbags, car and diamonds. Ms Fernandez's lawyer claims the actor is a victim of conspiracy. The statement comes a day after a chargesheet is filed against the actor in a money laundering case.
- The private school in Jalore district of Rajasthan denies caste angle in the death of a Scheduled Caste nine-year-old boy. However, the boy's family says he was beaten brutally for touching the drinking water pot meant for the upper caste. 2. Bilkis Bano, the survivor of one of the most horrific rape cases during the 2002 Gujarat riots, says the release of the 11 rapists 'shakes' her faith in justice. Her first statement since the release two days ago hints at a sense of deep hurt and betrayal. She says it has left her 'numb' and 'bereft of words'. 'How can justice for any woman end like this, I trusted the highest courts in our land. I trusted the system, and I was learning slowly to live with my trauma. My sorrow and my wavering faith are not for myself alone but for every woman who is struggling for justice in courts,' says the woman, whose fight for justice went on for 18 long years. 3. Nearly 10,000 farmers from Punjab take part in a 72-hour protest in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri against the Centre from today. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha has called for the protest to seek justice in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case. 4. Jacqueline Fernandez, the Bollywood actor named in Rs 200 crore extortion case by the Enforcement Directorate, received a series of expensive gifts from conman Sukesh Chandrashekar. The list includes designer handbags, car and diamonds. Ms Fernandez's lawyer claims the actor is a victim of conspiracy. The statement comes a day after a chargesheet is filed against the actor in a money laundering case. 5. A huge explosion strikes a mosque in Kabul during evening prayers, say witnesses and police, with many feared dead or injured. Police say there are multiple casualties. One Taliban intelligence official tells Reuters that as many as 35 people may have been wounded or killed, and the number can rise further. Al Jazeera quotes an unidentified official as giving a total death count of twenty. 6. The Indian government gets YouTube to block access to eight channels, seven Indian and one run from Pakistan over 'fake, anti-India content', taking the number to 102 since December last year. A Facebook account has also been blocked in this latest action, using emergency powers under IT Rules 2021, says the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in a release. 7. Jammu and Kashmir to get around 25 lakh additional voters including outsiders after the special summary revision of electoral rolls being held for the first time after the abrogation of Article 370, says an election official. Former Chief Ministers Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah sharply criticize the move, calling it a dangerous attempt to influence elections. 8. Hours after Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri's tweets announcing homes and security for Rohingya refugees from Myanmar were contradicted by his own government, they set the stage for a new clash between the Centre and the Delhi government. While the Delhi government accuses the Centre of 'secretly' trying to give 'permanent residence' to Rohingya refugees in the national capital, the Union Home Ministry accuses the AAP administration of dragging its feet on declaring the locality where they live a 'detention centre'. 9. The Enforcement Directorate conducts raids at multiple locations in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi as part of a money laundering investigation against mafia-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, say official sources. The searches are being conducted at premises located in Ghazipur, Lucknow and Delhi which are linked to Ansari and his alleged associates.
- Bilkis Bano, the survivor of one of the most horrific rape cases during the 2002 Gujarat riots, says the release of the 11 rapists 'shakes' her faith in justice. Her first statement since the release two days ago, hints at a sense of deep hurt and betrayal. It has left her 'numb' and 'bereft of words', she says. 'How can justice for any woman end like this, I trusted the highest courts in our land. I trusted the system, and I was learning slowly to live with my trauma... My sorrow and my wavering faith is not for myself alone but for every woman who is struggling for justice in courts,' says the woman, whose fought for justice went on for 18 long years. 2. Nearly 10,000 farmers from Punjab will take part in a 72 hour protest in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri against the Centre starting today. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha calls for the protest to 'seek justice' in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case. 3. Andhra Pradesh's ruling YSR Congress files an affidavit in the Supreme Court, asking to join the proceedings in the case regarding the distribution of 'freebies'. An elected government, the petition says, has a responsibility to implement schemes to alleviate poverty and give people better healthcare, education and employment opportunities. Though such expenditure is often classified as revenue expenditure, it has a long-term impact in asset creation and improvement of quality of life, the YSR Congress argues. 4. Jacqueline Fernandez, the Bollywood actor named in Rs 200 crore extortion case by the Enforcement Directorate, had received a series of expensive gifts from conman Sukesh Chandrashekar. The list includes designer handbags, car and diamonds. 5. A huge explosion struck a mosque in Kabul during evening prayers, witnesses and police say, with many feared dead or injured. Police say there are multiple casualties. One Taliban intelligence official tells Reuters that as many as 35 people may have been wounded or killed, and the number could rise further. Al Jazeera quotes an unidentified official as giving a total death count of 20.
- Actor Jacqueline Fernandez writes a note to herself, 'Dear me', and posts it on her Instagram account hours after she is named in a chargesheet by the Enforcement Directorate in a Rs 200 crore extortion case, linked to jailed conman Sukesh Chandrashekar. Ms Fernandez posts, 'Dear me, I deserve all good things, I'm powerful, I accept myself, it'll all be okay. I'm strong, I will achieve my goals and dreams, I can do it.' 2. Supreme Court asks what a 'freebie' really means, among other observations, during a hearing in which it asks political parties to file their responses. Centre, however, continues with its argument against 'freebies', also defined as 'revdi' by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying, 'We are not opposed to socialism but if social welfare means distributing everything for free then it's an immature understanding of the term.' 3. Supreme Court tells government to work on lifting FIFA's suspension of All India Football Federation. The apex court hears the case a day after FIFA suspends India's top football body for 'undue influence from third parties' and says the U-17 Women's World Cup 'cannot currently be held in India as planned'. 4. Milks prices increase with dairy brands Amul and Mother Dairy announcing a Rs 2 hike in their prices due to a rise in procurement and other input costs. Amul says, 'This price hike is being done due to an increase in an overall cost of operation and production of milk. The cattle feeding cost alone has increased to approximately 20 per cent compared to last year. Considering the rise in input costs, our member unions have also increased farmers' prices in the range of 8-9 per cent over the previous year.' 5. In a setback for AIADMK leader E Palaniswami, Madras High Court rules that his appointment as the party's general secretary is not valid. The ruling comes as a shot in the arm for O Panneerselvam, who is caught in a bitter power tussle with Mr Palaniswami. On the issue of party leadership, the court orders a status quo as before June 23, this means that the party will be under joint leadership, with Mr Panneerselvam as coordinator and Mr Palaniswami as his deputy. 6. Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, long upset with the party, resigns from a key party post in Jammu and Kashmir, signalling a revolt within. Made the chairman of party's campaign committee, he steps down from the post shortly after his appointment. He also resigns from the party's Jammu and Kashmir political affairs committee. 7. Equity benchmarks rise early on Wednesday, extending gains from previous session, with Sensex index breaching the 60,000 level, tracking a fall in oil prices that drops to lowest level since mid-February amid concerns over global growth outlook. Indian stocks open higher as a softening inflation print steers expectation of slowing pace of interest rate hikes, with sentiment boosted by that fall in crude prices and strength in Asia from global markets. 8. India Meteorological Department says active monsoon conditions are likely over West Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat along with depression over east Rajasthan and adjoining west Madhya Pradesh. According to the weather department, a fresh low-pressure area is likely to form over the north Bay of Bengal on August 19. It will bring rainfall over east and central India from Friday.
- Actor Jacqueline Fernandez named an accused in the money laundering case against conman Sukesh Chandrashekar, who faces charges of extortion amounting to a massive Rs 200 crore. The actor is named an accused in the supplementary chargesheet filed in a Delhi court by the Enforcement Directorate, which is probing the money trail in the extortion case. Earlier, Delhi Police had arrested Mr Chandrashekar for allegedly extorting around Rs 215 crore from Aditi Singh and Shivender Singh, members of the former promoters of pharmaceutical giant Ranbaxy. Taking cognizance of the Delhi Police case, the ED started its money laundering probe. 2. The Supreme Court asks what a 'freebie' really means, among other observations, during a hearing in which it asks political parties to file their responses. The Centre, however, continue with its argument against 'freebies', also defined as 'revdi' by Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying, 'We are not opposed to socialism but if social welfare means distributing everything for free... then it's an immature understanding of the term'. The bench, comprising Chief Justice NV Ramana and Justice Krishna Murari, set the next hearing for Monday after asking all those party to the case to make their submissions in writing. 3. The Supreme Court tells the government to work on lifting FIFA's suspension of the All India Football Federation. The top court hears the case a day after FIFA suspended India's top football body for ' undue influence from third parties' and says the U-17 Women's World Cup 'cannot currently be held in India as planned'. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, says that the government has already held talks with FIFA following the suspension of AIFF. 4. Leading milk suppliers Amul and Mother Dairy increases milk prices by Rs 2 per litre from today on account of rising input costs. This is the second hike by Amul and Mother Dairy in nearly six months. In the beginning of March, both had increased milk prices by Rs 2 per litre. 5. In a setback for AIADMK leader E Palaniswami, the Madras High Court rules that his appointment as the party's general secretary is not valid. The ruling comes as a shot in the arm for O Panneerselvam, who is caught in a bitter power tussle with Mr Palaniswami. On the issue of party leadership, the court has ordered a status quo as before June 23, this means that the party will be under joint leadership, with Mr Panneerselvam as coordinator and Mr Palaniswami as his deputy. 6. Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, long upset with the party has resigned from a key party post in Jammu and Kashmir, signalling a revolt within. Made the chairman of the party's campaign committee, he stepped down from the post shortly after his appointment. He has also resigned from the party's Jammu and Kashmir political affairs committee. 7. Equity benchmarks rise early, extending gains from previous session, with the Sensex index breaching the 60,000 level, tracking a fall in oil prices that dropped to their lowest level since mid-February amid concerns over global growth outlook. 8. Monsoon shifts to Rajasthan and Gujarat, heavy rain is expected in both these states. Also, heavy rain is expected in Uttarakhand between the 18 and 21 of August.
- A Kashmiri Pandit is shot dead by terrorists at an apple orchard in Shopian district in Jammu and Kashmir. His brother gets injured in the firing. This comes about three months after the killing of a Kashmiri Pandit at a government office in Budgam sparked widespread protests by the community. Since then, over 5000 Kashmiri Pandit employees are not attending their duties, fearing targeted attacks. They are demanding relocation to Jammu till the time situation in the Valley improves. 2. Twelve Congress councillors in the Rajasthan's Baran Municipal Council send their resignation letters to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, expressing anguish over atrocities against the Dalits and backing party MLA Pana Chand Meghwal. The Baran-Atru MLA sends his resignation letter to Gehlot, two days after the death of a nine-year-old Dalit boy who was allegedly beaten up by his schoolteacher for touching a drinking water pot in Jalore. 3. The governments at the Centre and Gujarat, both run by BJP, seem to differ in how to treat rape convicts, evident in the release of 11 men, who were serving life imprisonment for the gangrape of Bilkis Bano and the murder of her family during the 2002 Gujarat riots. In June this year, proposing a special release policy for convicted prisoners to mark 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav', the Centre issued guidelines to states. Rape convicts are listed among those who are not to be granted release under this policy. Technically, the Centre's guidelines may not apply to the Bilkis Bano case. In freeing the 11 men, the Gujarat government followed its own policy of 1992 as per the Supreme Court's directions in May to consider a remission plea by one of the convicts. 4. Leading milk suppliers Amul and Mother Dairy increases milk prices by Rs 2 per litre from today on account of rising input costs. This is the second hike by Amul and Mother Dairy in nearly six months. In the beginning of March, both had increased milk prices by Rs 2 per litre. 5. India records a total of 8,813 new COVID-19 infections, taking the total number of cases to 44,277,194. The active caseload stands at 1,11,252, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare informs. Meanwhile, with Delhi reporting a spike in COVID-19 cases and the positivity rate touching nearly 20 per cent, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia says people who have taken the booster dose of vaccines are safer from the coronavirus infection than others. 6. A Chinese ship with abilities to track satellites and intercontinental missiles docks at Sri Lanka's Hambantota port in morning amid snooping concerns expressed by India. Harbour Master Captain Nirmal de Silva tells NDTV that the Chinese ship, Wang Yang 5, has arrived at the Sri Lankan port. Sri Lanka, which had earlier asked China to postpone the visit of the high-tech ship amidst India's concern over the vessel's presence in its neighbourhood, clears it for docking.
- Karnataka Law Minister JC Madhuswamy's comments, leaked to the press, cause new embarrassment to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who confirms that the comments are authentic but taken out of context. 'We are not running the government, we are just managing it,' Mr Madhuswamy is heard saying in the audio clip. The comments come amid speculation that Mr Bommai will be replaced mid-term by BJP on account of growing dissatisfaction with his governance. 2. The governments at the Centre and Gujarat, both run by BJP, seem to differ in how to treat rape convicts, evident in the release of 11 men, who were serving life imprisonment for the gangrape of Bilkis Bano and the murder of her family during the 2002 Gujarat riots. In June this year, proposing a special release policy for convicted prisoners to mark 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav', the Centre issued guidelines to states. Rape convicts are listed among those who are not to be granted release under this policy. Technically, the Centre's guidelines may not apply to the Bilkis Bano case. In freeing the 11 men, the Gujarat government followed its own policy of 1992 as per the Supreme Court's directions in May to consider a remission plea by one of the convicts. 3. A Kashmiri Pandit is shot dead by terrorists at an apple orchard in Shopian district. His brother gets injured in the firing. This comes about three months after the killing of a Kashmiri Pandit at a government office in Budgam sparked widespread protests by the community. Since then, over 5000 Kashmiri Pandit employees are not attending their duties, fearing targeted attacks. They are demanding relocation to Jammu till the time situation in the Valley improves. 4. Six border police personnel dead after the bus they were travelling in skids down a road and falls into a river in Jammu and Kashmir. At least 32 other personnel travelling in the bus suffer injuries in the accident that occurred at Chandanwari in Anantnag district reportedly due to brake failure. 5. In a major setback and embarrassment for the country, world football governing body FIFA suspends India for 'undue influence from third parties' and says the U-17 Women's World Cup 'cannot currently be held in India as planned'. The country is scheduled to host its first FIFA event from October 11-30. This is the first time the All India Football Federation has been banned by FIFA in its 85 year history.
- A Kashmiri Pandit is dead and his brother injured after they are shot by militants in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir, say police. A police official identifies the deceased as Sunil Kumar and the injured as Pintu Kumar. 'Terrorists fired upon civilians in an apple orchard in Chotipora area of Shopian. One person died and one injured. Both belong to minority community. Injured person has been shifted to hospital. Area cordoned off. Further details shall follow,' says a police spokesperson. 2. A bus carrying personnel of Indo Tibetan Border Police and Jammu and Kashmir Police rolls down into a roadside river bed in Pahalgam after its breaks reportedly failed. The civilian bus, carrying 37 ITBP personnel and two J-K Police, was on its way from Chandanwari to Pahalgam when the mishap occurred, says a senior ITBP official. The incident happened at Frislan in Pahalgam. The jawans were deputed in the area for the Amarnath Yatra. 'We are in touch with local administration and teams of disaster management have been rushed to the site for rescue operation,' says the official. 3. A total of 31 ministers are inducted into the Bihar cabinet today from various parties that are part of the Mahagathbandhan or the Grand Alliance in the state. The RJD gets 16 ministerial berths and the Janata Dal (United) 11. Two legislators from the Congress, one from Jitin Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha and the lone Independent MLA, Sumit Kumar Singh, also take oath as cabinet ministers. 4. All the 11 convicts sentenced to life imprisonment in the 2002 post-Godhra Bilkis Bano gang rape case on Monday walked out of the Godhra sub-jail after the Gujarat government allowed their release under its remission policy, says an official. A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Mumbai on January 21, 2008, sentenced the eleven accused to life imprisonment on the charge of gang rape and murder of seven members of Bilkis Bano's family. Their conviction was later upheld by the Bombay High Court. 5. The Karnataka Police imposes section 144 in parts of Shivamogga district after a poster of Veer Savarkar was installed at Ameer Ahmed circle on Independence Day. It has been reported that a group of Tipu Sultan's followers tried to remove Veer Savarkar's banner. The situation remains tense after the incident and following this police did a lathi charge. 'Section 144 of the CrPC imposed for next three days after a group of Tipu Sultan followers tried to remove banners of VD Savarkar to install Tipu Sultan's banners in the Ameer Ahmad circle of the city,' says the police. 6. Chinese research ship Yuan Wang 5 arrives and docks at Sri Lanka's Hambantota Port, according to local media. The vessel is capable of tracking satellites and intercontinental missiles. The research and survey vessel was earlier scheduled to dock at the Chinese-leased Hambantota Port on August 11 but was deferred for a while after India raised its concerns. This morning the ship docked at the Sri Lankan Port, reports Daily Mirror. 7. FIFA suspends the All India Football Federation (AIFF) with immediate effect citing 'undue influence' from third parties. 'The Bureau of the FIFA Council has unanimously decided to suspend the All India Football Federation (AIFF) with immediate effect due to undue influence from third parties, which constitutes a serious violation of the FIFA Statutes,' FIFA says in a statement.
- The Bihar Cabinet expansion will take place today and chances are high that alliance partner Rashtriya Janata Dal is likely to get a large number of seats. Janata Dal (United) and Congress are also expected to get a fair share of seats. The ceremony will be held around 11:30 am at the Raj Bhavan in Patna. The newly formed 'Mahagathbandhan' government will be expanded nearly a week after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar broke the BJP-led alliance and formed a new government in alliance with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress. A series of meetings were held among the Mahagathbandhan partners before the cabinet expansion. The Bihar cabinet can have a maximum of 36 ministers. 2. The Karnataka Police imposes section 144 in parts of Shivamogga district after a poster of Veer Savarkar was installed at Ameer Ahmed circle on Independence Day. It has been reported that a group of Tipu Sultan's followers tried to remove Veer Savarkar's banner. The situation remains tense after the incident and following this police did a lathi charge. 'Section 144 of the CrPC imposed for next three days after a group of Tipu Sultan followers tried to remove banners of VD Savarkar to install Tipu Sultan's banners in the Ameer Ahmad circle of the city,' says the police. 3. Sri Lanka's President Ranil Wickremesinghe thanks India for gifting a Dornier aircraft to the island nation and says it will help start cooperation between the Sri Lanka Air Force and Sri Lanka Navy with the Indian Navy in maritime surveillance. Sri Lankan President Wickremesinghe was present at the handover ceremony of the maritime surveillance aircraft which took place on a day when India celebrated its 75th Independence Day. 4. The Taliban marks a year in power, but celebrations were muted as Afghanistan struggles with rising poverty, drought, malnutrition and fading hope among women that they will have a decisive role in the country's future. 5. FIFA suspends the All India Football Federation (AIFF) with immediate effect citing 'undue influence' from third parties. 'The Bureau of the FIFA Council has unanimously decided to suspend the All India Football Federation (AIFF) with immediate effect due to undue influence from third parties, which constitutes a serious violation of the FIFA Statutes,' FIFA says in a statement.
- UK's drug regulator says it has approved an updated Moderna vaccine against coronavirus that targets the Omicron variant as well as the original form. The Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency says in a statement that it has approved the vaccine for adult booster doses after it has been found to meet the UK regulator's standards of safety, quality and effectiveness. It is the first such 'bivalent' Covid vaccine to be approved by the British regulator. 2. PM Narendra Modi, leading the celebrations for 75 years of Independence, sets people a series of goals for the next 25 years. He says India must become a developed nation before it marks the Centenary of Independence. In his address, PM Modi calls upon the people to move forward with five pledges to fulfill the dreams of freedom fighters by 2047, a theme President Droupadi Murmu also underscored in her speech on the eve of Independence Day. The five pledges for 2047 are having developed India, removing any sign of servility, pride in heritage, unity and fulfilling our duties. 3. Karnataka Congress takes out mega 'Freedom March' in Bengaluru to commemorate 75 years of independence with thousands of people participating from various parts of the state. The event is seen as a show of strength by Congress ahead of state Assembly elections next year. The party says, 'We are organising this event to tell people about the sacrifices made by the great freedom fighters to get independence, whose fruits we all are enjoying today.' 4. India gifts Dornier 228 maritime surveillance aircraft to Sri Lankan Navy at a ceremony in Colombo to enhance its maritime surveillance capabilities and bolster bilateral defence ties. The aircraft is handed over to the Sri Lankan Navy by Vice Chief of the Indian Navy Vice Admiral S N Ghormade who is currently on two-day visit to Sri Lanka. India says, 'Security of India and Sri Lanka is enhanced by mutual understanding, mutual trust and cooperation.'
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi calls on the people of India to take 'panch pran' (five pledges) for a developed nation and aim to fulfil the dreams of the freedom fighters by the year 2047- the 100th year of India's Independence. The Prime Minister while addressing the nation on the 75th Independence Day from the ramparts of the Red Fort talks about the five pledges the country needs to focus on for the next 25 years. 'The first pran is to move forward with bigger resolves and resolve of developed India. The second pran is to erase all traces of servitude. Even if we see the smallest things of servitude, inside us or nearby us, we have to get rid of them. The third is to take pride in our legacy. Four is the strength of unity for our dreams of 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat'. The fifth pran is the duties of citizens which include the Prime Minister and the Chief Ministers also. This is a big pranshakti for fulfilling the dreams of the country in the next 25 years,' says the Prime Minister. 2. An unidentified person on Monday made a phone call to a hospital in Mumbai and threatened to kill the family of industrialist Mukesh Ambani, says a police official. He says, the person made three to four calls on a landline number of the Reliance Foundation Hospital in Girgaon area around 10.30 am. After receiving information about the calls, the Mumbai police initiated a probe into it. A preliminary enquiry suggested the caller was mentally unstable, says the official. 3. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar asserts that his new government was not only committed to fulfilling the promise of 10 lakh jobs, made by his deputy Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, but would like to exceed the employment generation target twice over. The 'historic announcement, made on a historic day', is applauded by Mr Yadav, who has returned as the deputy CM after five years.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays tributes to freedom fighters and leaders from across the political spectrum for their contribution in the independence struggle and nation building, including former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Veer Savarkar, Ram Manohar Lohia and others. Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the 76th Independence Day, PM Modi says the citizens of the country are grateful to Bapu (Mahatma Gandhi), Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Babasaheb Ambedkar and Veer Savarkar who spent their lives on the path of duty. The nation is also grateful to Mangal Pandey, Tatya Tope, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru, Chandrashekhar Azad, Ashfaqulla Khan and Ram Prasad Bismil. Many such innumerable revolutionaries shook the foundation of the British rule, says PM Modi. He says the citizens are proud of the strength of the women of India like Rani Laxmibai, Jhalkari Bai, Rani Chennamma, and Begum Hazrat Mahal. Indian women symbolise sacrifice and struggle. Further, Prime Minister Narendra Modi adds the completion of 75 years of Independence was a time to step towards a new direction with a new resolve. PM Modi says, 'During our freedom struggle, there was not one year where our freedom fighters did not face brutality and cruelty. Today is the day when, as we pay them our respects, we need to remember their vision and dream for India'. In line with the 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav' celebrations, PM Modi, who wore the traditional kurta and churidar paired with a blue jacket and black shoes, chose to wear a white safa with tricolour stripes and a long trail for his Independence Day look. The safa trail also had similar tricolour stripes as the headgear PM Modi wore on the occasion. The August 15 ceremony is particularly significant this year as it marks the 75th anniversary of the country's independence, with the government launching a host of exercises to add to the verve around the celebrations.
- In view of the 76th Independence Day celebration on Monday, security has been stepped up across the national capital with more than 10,000 personnel manning the Red Fort from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the country. From facial recognition system cameras to multi-layered security cover and deployment of over 400 kite catchers and fliers, security forces have left no stone unturned to ensure protection at the historic fort, where 7,000 invitees are expected to gather for the event. 2. Ace stock market investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala dies at a Mumbai hospital. He was also the co-founder of Akasa Air, India's newest airline which began commercial operations last week. Mr Jhunjhunwala was discharged from the same hospital a few weeks ago after being treated for kidney-related issues. He will be cremated this evening at Banganga crematorium in Mumbai. The veteran trader-cum-investor, known as the Big Bull of Dalal Street, was reported to have a net worth of around USD 5.8 billion, according to Forbes. He was the 36th richest billionaire in India. 3. A minor boy who was a Dalit was allegedly beaten to death by a teacher in Surana village of Rajasthan. Family members of the nine-year-old boy who died on Saturday in Ahmedabad hospital allege that the child was assaulted by a teacher on July 20 for touching a drinking pot that was meant for upper caste people. As per the police report, the incident took place on July 20 at a private school in Surana village of Rajasthan's Jalore district, where the teacher allegedly beat up the minor for touching the pot of water in the school. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot promises action. 4. In Haryana's Hisar, the army is organising a rally for recruitments under the 'Agnipath' scheme from August 11 to 25. Thousands of youths from the neighbouring districts are taking part in it to join the armed forces. 5. India at 75: 'Har Ghar Tiranga', the campaign is in full swing from Assam to Kashmir. 6. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal says with the initiative of installing 500 high mast national flags across the national capital, Delhi has become the 'City of Tricolours'. He speaks at an event to celebrate the 75th anniversary of India's independence. 7. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis scores the big ministries of Home and Finance as cabinet roles are handed out in Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's government, seven weeks after he took oath, displacing Uddhav Thackeray. Mr Shinde, who expanded his two-member cabinet on Tuesday by inducting 18 ministers, has kept the Urban Development portfolio with himself. A statement from the Chief Minister's Office says Mr Fadnavis will also handle the Planning ministry, and BJP minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil will be the new Revenue minister.
- Ace stock market investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala dies at a Mumbai hospital. He was also the co-founder of Akasa Air, India's newest airline which began commercial operations last week. Mr Jhunjhunwala was discharged from the same hospital a few weeks ago after being treated for kidney-related issues. He will be cremated this evening at Banganga crematorium in Mumbai. The veteran trader-cum-investor, known as the Big Bull of Dalal Street, was reported to have a net worth of around USD 5.8 billion, according to Forbes. He was the 36th richest billionaire in India. 2. A minor boy who was a Dalit was allegedly beaten to death by a teacher in Surana village of Rajasthan. Family members of the nine-year-old boy who died on Saturday in Ahmedabad hospital allege that the child was assaulted by a teacher on July 20 for touching a drinking pot that was meant for upper caste people. As per the police report, the incident took place on July 20 at a private school in Surana village of Rajasthan's Jalore district, where the teacher allegedly beat up the minor for touching the pot of water in the school. 3. The Delhi Police is making constant attempts to ensure impregnable security in the national capital on the occasion of Independence Day, by keeping an eye on the potential terror modules and 'anti-social elements' in the city, informs the police. The police informs that however, they have tightened the security and vigilance at all the eight borders of Delhi as well as the busy markets of the city, the security near the Red Fort has been beefed up with many layers of protection as the inputs received from International Border are not only specific but are considered strong enough. 4. In Haryana's Hisar, the army is organising a rally for recruitments under the 'Agnipath' scheme from August 11 to 25. Thousands of youths from the neighbouring districts are taking part in it to join the armed forces.
- The Himachal Pradesh Assembly, in line with a few other BJP-ruled states, passes a bill to curb 'mass conversion' and raise the maximum punishment to 10 years of imprisonment in its 2019 law against any change of religion through force or allurement. Speaking on the Freedom of Religion Amendment Bill 2022, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur says to reporters, 'I respect all religions. Religion is a matter of an individual's personal devotion and beliefs. In the past few decades, in an organized and premeditated fashion, specific communities of the state have been systematically targeted for 'illegal conversion' - through falsification of facts, misrepresentation, financial/monetary enticements gullible citizens in large numbers have been converted to other religions.' 2. After the Punjab governor gave his assent to a bill limiting multiple pensions to former MLAs, the AAP government issues a notification in this regard with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann saying it will save Rs 100 crores in five years. The notification implementing 'One MLA, One Pension' in Punjab will revolutionise and reform the country's political system, says Mr Mann. 3. Local media reports, Sri Lanka granted permission to Chinese vessel Yuan Wang-5, widely believed to be a spy ship, to dock at its Hambantota port. According to a report by Times Online, the Sri Lankan government gave approval to the Yuan Wang-5 ship to dock at the port on Friday. 4. Salman Rushdie was on a ventilator with damaged liver and may lose an eye after the Mumbai-born controversial author was stabbed in the neck and abdomen by a man at a speaking event in New York state, sending shockwaves across the literary world which condemns the incident as an attack on freedom of expression. Mr Rushdie, who faced Islamist death threats for years after writing 'The Satanic Verses', was stabbed by a 24-year-old New Jersey resident identified as Hadi Matar on stage while he was being introduced at a literary event of the Chautauqua Institution in Western New York.
- The Indian contingent that represented the country in the recently-concluded Commonwealth Games contingent meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence. The Indian contingent ended the mega event with 61 medals to their kitty, including 22 gold. Stars like PV Sindhu, Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Lakshya Sen ended up winning the gold medal. 2. Ahead of the 75th anniversary of India's independence, Union ministers celebrate 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign by raising the tricolour across the country. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and his wife Sonal Shah raise the Indian flag at their residence. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman shares a photo of her family taking part in the campaign at her residence in Bangalore. 3. Author Salman Rushdie stabbed in the neck and abdomen at a literary event in New York, US. The 75 year old author is on ventilator and can lose an eye. The author's agent says that Mr Rushdie has suffered severed nerves in an arm, liver damage, and he can also lose an eye. Police have identified his attacker. Mr Rushdie was repeatedly stabbed by Hadi Matar who rushed to the stage and attacked him. Henry Reese, the interviewer, has also suffered a head injury in the attack. 4. While the battle for the claim to Shiv Sena is on in the Supreme Court, the Shinde camp is looking for a new Shivsena Bhavan, a party office for the breakaway faction. Many claim the rebel faction is trying to set up a parallel Sena headquarters. Apart from Shivsena Bhavan, they are also planning to open new shakhas or local party offices everywhere, say sources. 5. FBI agents recover documents marked 'top secret' during the search of former US President Donald Trump's Florida estate. The Wall Street Journal says the agents have removed 11 sets of classified documents from Mr Trump's Mar a Lago home in the raid. The newspaper says some of the documents are marked 'top secret' and are 'meant to be only available in special government facilities'. 6. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announces that Governor Banwarilal Purohit has given his assent to the 'One MLA-One Pension' Bill passed by the state legislature in June this year.
- In a massive crackdown on the terror ecosystem, the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha dismisses the services of four government employees including terror accused Bitta Karate's wife and Syed Salahuddin's son for having terror links. Assbah Arzoomand Khan, wife of top Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front terrorist Farooq Ahmed Dar alias Bitta Karate, is a 2011 batch Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service officer. Muheet Ahmad Bhat, Scientist-D is working with Kashmir University. Majid Hussain Qadri, Senior Assistant Professor, Kashmir University, and Syed Abdul Mueed, Manager IT, Jammu and Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute, are all removed by invoking Article 311 of the Constitution of India. 2. The Indian contingent that represented the country in the recently-concluded Commonwealth Games contingent meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence. The Indian contingent ended the mega event with 61 medals to their kitty, including 22 gold. Stars like PV Sindhu, Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Lakshya Sen ended up winning the gold medal. 3. Ahead of the 75th anniversary of India's independence, Union ministers celebrate 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign by raising the tricolour across the country. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and his wife Sonal Shah raise the Indian flag at their residence. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman shares a photo of her family taking part in the campaign at her residence in Bangalore. 4. Author Salman Rushdie stabbed in the neck and abdomen at a literary event in New York, US. The 75-year-old author is on ventilator and can lose an eye. The author's agent says that Mr Rushdie has suffered severed nerves in an arm, liver damage, and he can also lose an eye. Police have identified his attacker. Mr Rushdie was repeatedly stabbed by Hadi Matar who rushed to the stage and attacked him. Henry Reese, the interviewer, has also suffered a head injury in the attack. 5. While the battle for the claim to Shiv Sena is on in the Supreme Court, the Shinde camp is looking for a new Shivsena Bhavan, a party office for the breakaway faction. Many claim the rebel faction is trying to set up a parallel Sena headquarters. Apart from Shivsena Bhavan, they are also planning to open new shakhas or local party offices everywhere, say sources. 6. FBI agents recover documents marked 'top secret' during the search of former US President Donald Trump's Florida estate. The Wall Street Journal says the agents have removed 11 sets of classified documents from Mr Trump's Mar-a-Lago home in the raid. The newspaper says some of the documents are marked 'top secret' and are 'meant to be only available in special government facilities'.
- Author Salman Rushdie stabbed in the neck and abdomen at a literary event in New York, US. The 75-year-old author is on ventilator and can lose an eye. The author's agent says that Mr Rushdie has suffered severed nerves in an arm, liver damage, and he can also lose an eye. Police have identified his attacker. Mr Rushdie was repeatedly stabbed by Hadi Matar who rushed to the stage and attacked him. Henry Reese, the interviewer, has also suffered a head injury in the attack. 2. Uttar Pradesh Police arrests Jaish-e-Muhammad terrorist tasked to kill BJP leader Nupur Sharma. The terrorist has been identified as Mohammed Nadeem, a resident of Kunda Kala village of UP's Saharanpur. Ms Sharma was suspended as spokesperson for BJP after her comments about the Prophet triggered huge protests in India and a series of official complaints by Gulf countries. 3. Two days after demanding photos of houses that don't put up the national flag, and framing 'Har Ghar Tiranga' drive as a trust test, Uttarakhand BJP chief Mahendra Bhatt issues another clarification. He says his demand for photos was only for BJP workers' houses, not of the public at large. 4. Actor Ranveer Singh called for questioning by Mumbai Police later this month in case registered against him for posting nude photographs of himself on social media. The 37-year-old actor is called to Chembur police station on August 22 to join the investigation. 5. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to host the medal winners of Commonwealth Games 2022 at his official residence today. India completed in the fourth position with 61 medals, including 22 gold, 16 silver and 23 bronze, at the Commonwealth Games 2022 that was held in Birmingham. From 28 July to 8 August, nearly 200 Indian athletes competed for medals across 16 different sports at the Games. 6. FBI agents recover documents marked 'top secret' during the search of former US President Donald Trump's Florida estate. The Wall Street Journal says the agents have removed 11 sets of classified documents from Mr Trump's Mar-a-Lago home in the raid. The newspaper says some of the documents are marked 'top secret' and are 'meant to be only available in special government facilities'.
- A hotel management student was stabbed to death on a road in full public view in Delhi. The attack is captured on CCTV. The incident happened at a market in south Delhi's Malviya Nagar. 2. Two days after demanding photos of houses that don't put up the national flag, and framing the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' drive as a trust test, Uttarakhand BJP chief Mahendra Bhatt issues another clarification. He says his demand for photos was only for BJP workers' houses, not of the public at large. 'I want each one of them (BJP workers) to respond to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call,' news agency PTI quoted him. 3. Days after causing a massive political storm by walking out with his party's ruling alliance with the BJP in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar again says Prime Ministerial ambitions are not on his mind right now. Talking to reporters in the national capital, Mr Kumar says he will try to unite Opposition parties and all of them should work together. 4. A migrant labourer from Bihar is shot dead by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, police say. The attack took place around midnight in Ajas area of Bandipore district. After being shot, Mohammad Amrez, a resident of Bihar's Madhepura, was rushed to the hospital where the doctors declared him dead on arrival. This comes a day after four soldiers were killed in action and one was injured in an attack on an army camp in Rajouri district. 5. A senior Taliban cleric known for his fiery speeches against the ISIS is killed at his madrassa in Kabul, Afghanistan, in a suicide attack claimed by the jihadist group. Rahimullah Haqqani, who had recently spoken publicly in favour of girls being allowed to attend school, had survived at least two previous assassination attempts - including one in Pakistan in October 2020. 6. New satellite photos of explosions at a Russian air base in Crimea compare the condition of the facility as it existed on May 16 and how it looked on August 11. The explosions at the air base in Russia-annexed Crimea this week have been explained by Moscow as an accident but experts say satellite imagery points to a likely attack by Ukrainian forces. 7. Former Rajya Sabha MP Pavan Varma resigns from the Trinamool Congress, just 10 months after joining the party. Announcing his exit from Trinamool on Twitter, Mr Varma says 'Dear Mamata Banerjee ji, Please accept my resignation from the Trinamool Congress. I want to thank you for the warm welcome accorded to me, and for your affection and courtesies. I look forward to remaining in touch. Wishing you all the best'. 7. The raid during which Rs 390 crore-worth unaccounted assets were seized on thursday by the Income Tax department in Maharashtra's Jalna was nothing short of a movie scene, complete with officials disguised as a wedding party. An elaborate arrangement was put in place which resulted in the seizure which included Rs 56 crore in cash, 32 kgs of gold, and diamonds worth Rs 14 crore, besides other property documents and digital data. 8. In the second round of bitter verbal battles between the Centre and the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government over electoral promises, the national capital's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia reiterates that even while the Centre writes off 'their friends' loans worth lakhs of crores, they call welfare measures undertaken by the AAP government 'freebies'. He hit out at the BJP-led union government, accusing them of deliberately 'destroying' the education system so that the common people are forced to send their children to private schools which he claimed are owned by 'their friends'.
- Days after causing a massive political storm by walking out with his party's ruling alliance with the BJP in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar again says Prime Ministerial ambitions are not on his mind right now. Talking to reporters in the national capital, Mr Kumar says he will try to unite Opposition parties and all of them should work together. 2. A migrant labourer from Bihar is shot dead by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, police say. The attack took place around midnight in Ajas area of Bandipore district. After being shot, Mohammad Amrez, a resident of Bihar's Madhepura, was rushed to the hospital where the doctors declared him dead on arrival. This comes a day after four soldiers were killed in action and one was injured in an attack on an army camp in Rajouri district. 3. A senior Taliban cleric known for his fiery speeches against the ISIS is killed at his madrassa in Kabul, Afghanistan, in a suicide attack claimed by the jihadist group. Rahimullah Haqqani, who had recently spoken publicly in favour of girls being allowed to attend school, had survived at least two previous assassination attempts - including one in Pakistan in October 2020. 4. New satellite photos of explosions at a Russian air base in Crimea compare the condition of the facility as it existed on May 16 and how it looked on August 11. The explosions at the air base in Russia-annexed Crimea this week have been explained by Moscow as an accident but experts say satellite imagery points to a likely attack by Ukrainian forces. 5. The FBI Agents Association says that the surge of threats against them after the raid on the home of former president Donald Trump encouraged violence against law enforcement and was 'unacceptable.' 6. The two twin towers of the bankrupt builder Supertech in Noida will be demolished on August 28. The Supreme Court has given the go-ahead to the Noida Authority to raze the two towers by September 4.
- A migrant labourer from Bihar is shot dead by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, police say. The attack took place around midnight in Ajas area of Bandipore district. After being shot, Mohammad Amrez, a resident of Bihar's Madhepura, was rushed to the hospital where the doctors declared him dead on arrival. This comes a day after four soldiers were killed in action and one was injured in an attack on an army camp in Rajouri district. 2. Tejashwi Yadav, the Number Two in Nitish Kumar's brand-new Grand Alliance government, cheers his boss over his move to end the alliance with the BJP. Asked if he was not concerned about action by the Enforcement Directorate - which the opposition alleges is used against them by the BJP-led Central government for political vendetta - he says, 'I invite the Enforcement Directorate to come and stay'. Asked if Nitish Kumar is the best placed person to lead the country in 2024, Tejashwi Yadav says, 'He has administrative experience. If Narendra Modi can, why not Nitish Ji? Anyone can become PM. If he can become PM, then anyone can become PM'. 3. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind alleges the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been piling on taxes on the masses but waiving it off for the rich. Hitting back, Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman demands a debate on the distribution of freebies. 4. The family of Mandeep Kaur, an Indian woman who died by suicide in the United States, launches an online petition on change.org seeking justice for her. The 30-year-old killed herself citing years of abuse by her husband 'for giving birth only to daughters'. Ms Kaur's father lives in Uttar Pradesh and has filed a case against her husband at the local police station. 5. Social media influencer Bobby Kataria, facing a police case for smoking inside a SpiceJet aircraft, claims that it was a dummy aircraft in which he was seen lighting a cigarette.
- Jagdeep Dhankhar, the political veteran from Rajasthan who also served as Governor of Bengal, takes oath as the 14th Vice-President of India. In the election on August 6, he defeated the Congress's Margaret Alva, who was the Opposition candidate, getting 74.36 per cent of the votes - the highest winning margin in the last six V-P elections since 1997. 2. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar rejects claims by BJP MP and his former deputy Sushil Kumar Modi that some people in Mr Kumar's party gave feelers to nominate the Chief Minister for the Vice President's post. 'We supported the NDA candidates in the presidential and vice-presidential elections. It's a joke about me wanting to become the Vice President,' Mr Kumar says a day after taking oath as Bihar Chief Minister for a record eighth time. 3. Day after taking oath as Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's deputy, Tejashwi Yadav praises the Janata Dal (United) leader for his 'fearless' stand despite BJP's 'vindictive' stand towards the Opposition. In an exclusive interview with NDTV, Mr Yadav also says allegations that his party can't govern are 'rubbish'. The BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have mastered the 'art of lying', he says. 4. Three soldiers were killed in action and two were injured in a pre-dawn attack on an army camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri. Two terrorists, who were detected trying to scale a fence to enter the army camp, were shot dead. 'Subedar Rajendra Prasad, Rifleman Manoj Kumar and Rifleman Lakshmanan D succumbed to their injuries making the supreme sacrifice while neutralising 2 terrorists on a suicide attack. We condole their loss and pray for strength for their family member,' the army's White Knight Corps tweets. 5. The CBI arrests senior Trinamool Congress leader Anubrata Mondal from his residence in Bengal's Bolpur for allegedly not cooperating in its probe into a cattle smuggling case, an official says. Mr Mondal was arrested after an almost hour-long interrogation by a CBI team that arrived at the Birbhum district president's house early this morning, he adds. 6. A police constable in Firozabad district of Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday drew a huge crowd as he stood on the road and wept bitterly over the quality of food served in the police mess. In a video that is going viral on social media, constable Manoj Kumar is seen sobbing on the road with a plate of rotis, dal and rice while a senior official tries to pacify him in a bid to take him back to the police station. 7. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind alleges the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been piling on taxes on the masses but waiving it off for the rich. The BJP hit back, challenging Mr Kejriwal to prove his allegations within 24 hours.
- Jagdeep Dhankhar, the political veteran from Rajasthan who also served as Governor of Bengal, takes oath as the 14th Vice-President of India. In the election on August 6, he defeated the Congress's Margaret Alva, who was the Opposition candidate, getting 74.36 per cent of the votes - the highest winning margin in the last six V-P elections since 1997. The oath was administered by President Droupadi Murmu, who too was elected recently. Mr Dhankhar succeeds M Venkaiah Naidu, whose term ended yesterday. He also becomes chairperson of the Rajya Sabha by default. 2. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar rejects claims by BJP MP and his former deputy Sushil Kumar Modi that some people in Mr Kumar's party gave feelers to nominate the Chief Minister for the Vice President's post. 'We supported the NDA candidates in the presidential and vice-presidential elections. It's a joke about me wanting to become the Vice President,' Mr Kumar says a day after taking oath as Bihar Chief Minister for a record eighth time. 3. Day after taking oath as Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's deputy, Tejashwi Yadav praises the Janata Dal (United) leader for his 'fearless' stand despite BJP's 'vindictive' stand towards the Opposition. In an exclusive interview with NDTV, Mr Yadav also says allegations that his party can't govern are 'rubbish'. The BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have mastered the 'art of lying', he says. 4. Three soldiers were killed in action and two were injured in a pre-dawn attack on an army camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri. Two terrorists, who were detected trying to scale a fence to enter the army camp, were shot dead. 'Subedar Rajendra Prasad, Rifleman Manoj Kumar and Rifleman Lakshmanan D succumbed to their injuries making the supreme sacrifice while neutralising 2 terrorists on a suicide attack. We condole their loss and pray for strength for their family member,' the army's White Knight Corps tweets. 5. The CBI arrests senior Trinamool Congress leader Anubrata Mondal from his residence in Bengal's Bolpur for allegedly not cooperating in its probe into a cattle smuggling case, an official says. Mr Mondal was arrested after an almost hour-long interrogation by a CBI team that arrived at the Birbhum district president's house early this morning, he adds. 6. A police constable in Firozabad district of Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday drew a huge crowd as he stood on the road and wept bitterly over the quality of food served in the police mess. In a video that is going viral on social media, constable Manoj Kumar is seen sobbing on the road with a plate of rotis, dal and rice while a senior official tries to pacify him in a bid to take him back to the police station.
- Former West Bengal Governor and National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate Jagdeep Dhankhar will take oath as the next Vice President of India' today. President Droupadi Murmu will administer the Oath of Office to the elected Vice-President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar at Rashtrapati Bhavan. 2. After taking oath as Bihar Chief Minister an eighth time, thus continuing in the chair with a change of partners, Nitish Kumar takes a shot at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the next Lok Sabha elections: 'He won in 2014, but will he in 2024?'. 3. Soon after his swearing-in, Bihar's deputy CM and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav tweets asking his supporters to get to work instead of celebrating. He writes, 'Thank you Bihar! I pray that I live up to the expectations of the people of Bihar. 4. Authorities in Haryana's Karnal district suspend the licence of a ration depot holder for allegedly forcing people to buy the national flag with the ration under the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign and telling them to purchase tricolour as a precondition to the ration otherwise, senior officials say. People at a PDS shop in Hemda village in Karnal district were allegedly forced to buy Rs 20 tri-colour flags otherwise they won't get a ration. 5. Numbers show that Nitish Kumar's image is not 'teflon-coated', election strategist Prashant Kishor tells NDTV hours ahead of the ceremony in which the Janata Dal United leader took oath as Bihar Chief Minister for the eighth time. 6. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hits out at the Congress over their recent black clothes protest against price rise, saying, 'Those who believe in black magic will never be able to earn the trust of the people. Some people are resorting to black magic as they are immersed in despair and negativity. We saw on August 5 that there was an attempt to propagate black magic. These people think that by wearing black clothes, their period of despair will end,' the Prime Minister was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
- The Supreme Court agrees to Nupur Sharma's request to club all the police cases against her so that she does not have to defend herself in different states. Ms Sharma was suspended in June as spokesperson for the BJP after her comments about Prophet Muhammad triggered huge protests in India and a series of official complaints by Gulf countries. 2. Airlines will be free to decide what to charge passengers from August 31, the government has ended the limits it had placed on airfares when the pandemic began. Airlines have been reporting large losses but some said that with no restrictions on fares now, both upper and lower limits have been removed, they may discount tickets to ensure that the volume of passengers increases. 'The decision to remove air fare caps has been taken after careful analysis of daily demand and prices of air turbine fuel. Stabilisation has set in and we are certain that the sector is poised for growth in domestic traffic in the near future,' tweets Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. 3. Stand-up comedian Raju Srivastava suffers a cardiac arrest while working out in a gym and is rushed to Delhi's All India Institutes of Medical Sciences. He was working out on a treadmill in a gym when he had chest pain and collapsed. His trainer took him to AIIMS where he was given cardiopulmonary resuscitation twice and revived. 4. After taking oath as Bihar Chief Minister an eighth time, thus continuing in the chair with a change of partners, Nitish Kumar takes a shot at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the next Lok Sabha elections, 'He won in 2014, but will he in 2024'.
Nitish Kumar takes oath as the Chief Minister of Bihar for a record eighth time, forming a government with Tejashwi Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal and other parties as a new 'Grand Alliance'. Tejashwi Yadav takes oath as his deputy. Speaking after the oath ceremony, Mr Kumar throws a challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, questioning whether he would be re-elected in 2024. 'I'm not an aspirant for the PM's post. The question to ask is if the person who came in 2014 will win in 2024,' says Mr Kumar. He also repeatedly assures that he will work hard for 'Opposition unity'. Mr Kumar has formed government with Tejashwi Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal and other parties as a new 'Grand Alliance', following a bloodless coup where he ended alliance with BJP within just 48 hours. Mr Kumar says, 'I didn't want to be the Chief Minister after the 2020 results but I was put under pressure.' Countering BJP accusation that he has let down people and betrayed their mandate, he says, 'Whether I stay or not, let the people say what they have to say'. Meanwhile, BJP holds massive protest in Patna and declares that they will hold protests in the districts too. State BJP chief Dr Sanjay Jaiswal says the people of Bihar will never forgive Nitish Kumar.
- Nitish Kumar to take oath as Chief Minister of Bihar today at 2 pm, after he ditches BJP and announces a new 'Grand Alliance' which includes Tejashwi Yadav and other Opposition parties. Mr Kumar will take the oath as Chief Minister for the eighth time and Tejashwi Yadav will be sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister. No other MLA will be sworn in as a minister today. 2. BJP accuses Nitish Kumar of betraying the mandate of the people by switching partners mid-term. This is an established trait of Mr Kumar's however, and one that has triggered vast criticism of his ideological flexibility and willingness to trade principles for power. 3. A total of 18 MLAs, nine each from BJP and Shiv Sena faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, swear-in as ministers at a grand ceremony in Mumbai on Tuesday. This much awaited cabinet expansion comes 40 days after a rebellion by Sena faction led by Mr Shinde brought down the Uddhav Thackeray-led government. Meanwhile, three of the 18 ministers have been mired in controversies. Newly inducted minister Sanjay Rathod, who also served as a minister in the previous Uddhav Thackeray-led state government, had resigned last year after he was linked to a woman's death in Pune. When Shiv Sena MLA Eknath Shinde rebelled against the party leadership in June this year, Mr Rathod joined his camp. Newly inducted minister and BJP leader Vijaykumar Gavit was five years back found guilty of corruption and irregularities in the tribal development department led by him between 2004 and 2009. Another newly inducted minister and rebel Sena MLA Abdul Sattar was at the centre of a row. 4. Shrikant Tyagi, arrested by Uttar Pradesh Police for allegedly abusing and assaulting a woman in Noida, says that woman is like her sister and that a conspiracy has been hatched to politically decimate him. Surajpur court sends Tyagi to 14-day judicial custody in connection with assaulting and abusing a woman at Grand Omaxe society in Noida. 5. The India 'B' team settles for a bronze medal in the Open section while the India 'A' women's side also finishes third in the 44th Chess Olympiad in Chennai on Tuesday. India 'B' defeats Germany 3-1 in their final round match to end at third position. Uzbekistan springs a surprise by bagging the gold medal with a 2-1 win over the Netherlands ahead of a strong Armenian team, which beat Spain 2.5-1.5 in the final round, in the Open section. War-torn Ukraine wins an emotional gold in the women's event, pipping Georgia to the top prize.
- Hours after resigning as Bihar Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar says that he has submitted a list of 164 MLAs to the Bihar Governor and staked claim to form a new government. Mr Kumar tells reporters, 'We submitted a list of 164 MLAs to the governor and staked claim to form a new government. He will let us know when oath-taking can take place'. Notably, JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar has been elected as the leader of Mahagathbandhan or the Grand Alliance. Nitish Kumar called off the alliance between the JD(U) and BJP in Bihar and resigned as the state's Chief Minister. Nitish Kumar met Tejashwi Yadav after resigning as CM and the duo met the Governor to stake claim to the government. After meeting the Bihar Governor, JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar says, 'We have the support of seven parties and one Independent MLA. The letter of support has been signed by all.' Former Union minister RCP Singh, who quit JD(U) amid a rift with Nitish Kumar, says that JD(U) snapping ties with BJP and joining hands with Tejashwi Yadav is a betrayal of the 2020 mandate. Earlier, in the JD(U) meeting today, all MLAs and MPs of the party supported Chief Minister Kumar's decision and said that they were with him. They also asserted that they will continue to support Mr Kumar in his decision.
- Nitish Kumar ends his alliance with BJP in Bihar and will meet the Governor early this evening to resign as Chief Minister. Mr Kumar met with his MLAs before coming to his decision on dumping BJP for a second time. 'Expect explosive news,' a senior leader from his party tells NDTV ahead of the meeting. For his meeting with the Governor, Mr Kumar will be accompanied by Tejashwi Yadav and, possibly, other Opposition leaders who are likely to support his claim to head a new government, say sources. 2. A total of 18 MLAs, nine each from BJP and Shiv Sena faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, swear in as ministers at a grand ceremony in Mumbai. This much awaited cabinet expansion comes 40 days after a rebellion by Sena faction led by Mr Shinde brought down the Uddhav Thackeray-led government. Chief Minister Shinde met MLAs of his camp ahead of the ceremony this morning. He is backed by 40 of the 55 Sena MLAs. The Opposition had criticised the delay in expanding the cabinet following the swearing-in of Mr Shinde as chief minister and the BJP's Devendra Fadnavis as his deputy in June. 3. Uttar Pradesh police arrests Noida politician Shrikant Tyagi, who was on the run after a video of him verbally abusing a woman went viral, from Meerut. The arrest comes after Tyagi's lawyer moved a surrender application in a Greater Noida court and the UP police announced a reward of Rs 25,000 for information about him. According to police sources, Tyagi has been arrested from his aide's home at Shraddhapuri on the outskirts of Meerut. He had planned to go to Saharanpur via Dehradun, Haridwar and Rishikesh, say sources, adding that the politician was in touch with his wife and lawyer.
- A marvelous final day for the Indian contingent at the Commonwealth Games as it wins four gold medals, one silver and one bronze. With the final day heroics, India finishes fourth in the medals tally with 22 gold, 16 silver and 23 bronze. PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen clinch the women's and men's singes titles respectively in badminton to give India a good start. Sindhu beats Canada's Michelle Li in the women's singles final while Lakshya Sen defeats Malaysia's Tze Yong NG in three games in badminton men's singles. The badminton men's doubles pair of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy then beat England's Ben Lane,Sean Vendy to make it three gold medals from badminton. In table tennis, Achanta Sharath Kamal clinches yet another gold medal from the Games as he wins the men's singles final defeating England's Liam Pitchford. G Sathiyan wins the TT men's singles bronze medal. 2. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to hold a meeting with his party MLAs today as speculation about his break-up with BJP grows to a fever pitch. Congress and RJD have indicated they are ready for Grand Alliance 2.0 if he dumps BJP. BJP, which reached out to Mr Kumar twice on Monday, says it will wait for his decision. Sources say the party's chief strategist Amit Shah has reached out to Mr Kumar and had a telephonic conversation with him. 3. The cabinet expansion in Maharashtra will happen today, say sources. The new cabinet comes 40 days after BJP and Shiv Sena form new government under Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Sources say BJP MLAs who will take oath as ministers are Chandrakant Patil, Sudhir Mungantiwar, R Vikhe Patil, Girish Mahajan and Suresh Khade. From Team Eknath Shinde's camp, the MLAs are Uday Samant, Gulabrao Patil and Sandipan Bhumare. 4. Monsoon session of Parliament ends, four days ahead of schedule. This is the seventh time when parliament is adjourned ahead of its due date. Government sources say that the members of various parties were in favour of the earlier conclusion of the session as they wanted to visit their constituencies due to upcoming festivals. Meanwhile, Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu is accorded farewell in the House with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top leaders in attendance. 5. Bulldozers roll into Noida housing society and bring down illegal structures by a politician accused of abusing and assaulting a woman. Shrikant Tyagi, who says he is from BJP's Kisan Morcha, a claim refuted by BJP, is on the run. Police also detains Mr Tyagi's supporters who created a ruckus at the housing society following an incident involving Mr Tyagi and a woman. Noida police invokes Gangster Act against Mr Tyagi. 6. Steep increase in fuel prices in Bangladesh sees protests erupting across the country. The hike, which according to Bangladeshi media is highest ever, has increased the prices of petrol and diesel by more than 50 per cent. Bangladesh is another of India's neighbour after the island country of Sri Lanka, to have been hit by such demonstrations. 7. The 44th Chess Olympiad being held at Mamallapuram to conclude with the 11th and final round and the closing ceremony later today. The Olympiad being held in India for the first time ever sees a record number of teams taking part in the Open and women's sections.
- A marvelous final day for the Indian contingent at the Commonwealth Games as it wins four gold medals, one silver and one bronze. With the final day heroics, India finishes fourth in the medals tally with 22 gold, 16 silver and 23 bronze. PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen clinch the women's and men's singes titles in badminton to give India a good start. Sindhu beats Canada's Michelle Li in the women's singles final while Lakshya Sen defeats Malaysia's Tze Yong NG in three games in badminton men's singles. The badminton men's doubles pair of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy then beat England's Ben Lane,Sean Vendy to make it three gold medals from badminton. In table tennis, Achanta Sharath Kamal clinches yet another gold medal from the Games as he wins the men's singles final defeating England's Liam Pitchford. G Sathiyan wins the TT men's singles bronze medal. 2. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to hold a meeting with his party MLAs today as speculation about his break-up with BJP grows to a fever pitch. Congress and RJD have indicated they are ready for Grand Alliance 2.0 if he dumps BJP. BJP, which reached out to Mr Kumar twice on Monday, says it will wait for his decision. Sources say the party's chief strategist Amit Shah has reached out to Mr Kumar and had a telephonic conversation with him. 3. The cabinet expansion in Maharashtra will happen today, say sources. The new cabinet comes 40 days after BJP and Shiv Sena form new government under Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Sources say BJP MLAs who will take oath as ministers are Chandrakant Patil, Sudhir Mungantiwar, R Vikhe Patil, Girish Mahajan and Suresh Khade. From Team Eknath Shinde's camp, the MLAs are Uday Samant, Gulabrao Patil and Sandipan Bhumare. 4. Monsoon session of Parliament ends, four days ahead of schedule. This is the seventh time when parliament is adjourned ahead of its due date. Government sources say that the members of various parties were in favour of the earlier conclusion of the session as they wanted to visit their constituencies due to upcoming festivals. Meanwhile, Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu is accorded farewell in the House with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top leaders in attendance. 5. Bulldozers roll into Noida housing society and bring down illegal structures by a politician accused of abusing and assaulting a woman. Shrikant Tyagi, who says he is from BJP's Kisan Morcha, a claim refuted by BJP, is on the run. Police also detains Mr Tyagi's supporters who created a ruckus at the housing society following an incident involving Mr Tyagi and a woman. Noida police invokes Gangster Act against Mr Tyagi. 6. Steep increase in fuel prices in Bangladesh sees protests erupting across the country. The hike, which according to Bangladeshi media is highest ever, has increased the prices of petrol and diesel by more than 50 per cent. Bangladesh is another of India's neighbour after the island country of Sri Lanka, to have been hit by such demonstrations. 7. The 44th Chess Olympiad being held at Mamallapuram to conclude with the 11th and final round and the closing ceremony later today. The Olympiad being held in India for the first time ever sees a record number of teams taking part in the Open and women's sections.
- Led by the iconic PV Sindhu, Indian shuttlers own the badminton arena by winning all three titles on offer on the day while paddler Sharath Kamal yet again reminds everyone of his class and awe-inspiring longevity with a coruscating show, as the country wraps up its CWG campaign with 61 medals to finish a creditable fourth. India's final tally reads 22 gold, 16 silver and 23 bronze, and they stand behind third-placed Canada. 2. The long-standing conflict between Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and BJP reaches an off-the-charts scale. Sniping at each other is par for the course since they got together in 2017. But for the first time, there is a very real and present danger. Nitish Kumar's party, Janata Dal-United, accuses BJP of two major conspiracies to weaken the Chief Minister's hold over his party. The condemnation is issued less than 24 hours ago by Rajiv Ranjan Singh aka Lalan Singh, who is the president of JDU. Meanwhile, Nitish Kumar calls a meeting of all MLAs and MPs of his party JDU on Tuesday. At the same time, the Congress has convened a meeting of its legislature party in Bihar on Monday to discuss the political situation in the state and will 'welcome' Chief Minister Nitish Kumar into the opposition camp if he chose to snap ties with BJP, say party sources. 3. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will expand his 40-day-old ministry on August 9, says a close aide of the CM. Mr Shinde was sworn in as the CM on June 30 along with Devendra Fadnavis, who took oath as Deputy CM. A dozen ministers will take oath at Tuesday's ceremony, scheduled at Raj Bhavan at 12 pm, a close aide of Shinde tells PTI. The next round of expansion would take place later, says the aide. 4. Vice-President and Chairman Venkaiah Naidu gets emotional as members of the House bid him farewell. Speaking in the Rajya Sabha for Mr Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, 'You have always said that you have retired from politics but are not tired of public life. Your term in the office may be coming to an end but your experiences will continue to guide the nation for years to come.' 5. Bulldozers roll into Noida housing society and bring down illegal structures by a politician accused of abusing and assaulting a woman. Shrikant Tyagi, who says he is from BJP's Kisan Morcha, a claim refuted by BJP, is on the run. Authorities along with police personnel reach Grand Omaxe Society in Sector-93 B in Noida and demolish the illegal structure at the property of Shrikant Tyagi. Police also detains Mr Tyagi's supporters who created a ruckus at the housing society following an incident involving Mr Tyagi and a woman. 6. Students from various educational institutions in the Bangladeshi capital stage demonstrations protesting the massive hike in fuel prices across the country.
- The long-standing conflict between Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and BJP reaches an off-the-charts scale. Sniping at each other is par for the course since they got together in 2017. But for the first time, there is a very real and present danger. Nitish Kumar's party, Janata Dal-United, accuses BJP of two major conspiracies to weaken the Chief Minister's hold over his party. The condemnation is issued less than 24 hours ago by Rajiv Ranjan Singh aka Lalan Singh, who is the president of JDU. Meanwhile, Nitish Kumar calls a meeting of all MLAs and MPs of his party JDU on Tuesday. At the same time, the Congress has convened a meeting of its legislature party in Bihar on Monday to discuss the political situation in the state and will 'welcome' Chief Minister Nitish Kumar into the opposition camp if he chose to snap ties with BJP, say party sources. 2. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will expand his 40-day-old ministry on August 9, says a close aide of the CM. Mr Shinde was sworn in as the CM on June 30 along with Devendra Fadnavis, who took oath as Deputy CM. A dozen ministers will take oath at Tuesday's ceremony, scheduled at Raj Bhavan at 12 pm, a close aide of Shinde tells PTI. The next round of expansion would take place later, says the aide. 3. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal claims an atmosphere is being created against free government welfare services by terming them freebies, rather than planning to strengthen them in the 75th year of independence. During an online briefing, Mr Kejriwal demands the Centre to provide free good education, healthcare, 300 units of electricity to every household and offer an 'unemployment allowance' 'There are some people who call the provision of free education, free treatment by government facilities as 'rewadi' or 'freebies'. An atmosphere is being created in the country against provisions of free education at government schools and free treatment at government hospitals.'
- The long-standing conflict between Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and BJP reaches an off-the-charts scale. Sniping at each other is par for the course since they got together in 2017. But for the first time, there is a very real and present danger. Nitish Kumar's party, Janata Dal-United, accuses BJP of two major conspiracies to weaken the Chief Minister's hold over his party. The condemnation is issued less than 24 hours ago by Rajiv Ranjan Singh aka Lalan Singh, who is the president of JDU. Meanwhile, Nitish Kumar calls a meeting of all MLAs and MPs of his party JDU on Tuesday. 2. Bulldozers roll into Noida housing society and bring down illegal structures by a politician accused of abusing and assaulting a woman. Shrikant Tyagi, who says he is from BJP's Kisan Morcha, a claim refuted by BJP, is on the run. Authorities along with police personnel reach Grand Omaxe Society in Sector-93 B in Noida and demolish the illegal structure at the property of Shrikant Tyagi. Police also detains Mr Tyagi's supporters who created a ruckus at the housing society following an incident involving Mr Tyagi and a woman. 3. Three people dead and two others injured in a stampede at Khatu Shyam Ji temple in Rajasthan's Sikar. The two injured have been shifted to a hospital in Jaipur for treatment. The stampede took place at around 5 am in the morning at the entrance of the temple. According to the police, a large crowd was gathered outside the temple waiting for the gates to open. As soon as the gates opened, people tried to push in, a woman reportedly fainted and fell, causing others behind her to fall as well. 4. Vice-President and Chairman Venkaiah Naidu gets emotional as members of the House bid him farewell. Speaking in the Rajya Sabha for Mr Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, 'You have always said that you have retired from politics but are not tired of public life. Your term in the office may be coming to an end but your experiences will continue to guide the nation for years to come.' 5. On the 10th day of CWG 2022, Achanta Sharath Kamal and Sreeja Akula win gold medal in table tennis mixed doubles category. Three boxers, Nikhat Zareen, Amit Panghal and Nitu Ganghas, also win their respective finals. In the men's triple jump, India wins the top two medals, courtesy Eldhose Paul and Abdulla Aboobacker Narangolintevid. Meanwhile, Annu Rani and Sandeep Kumar bag bronze medals for India in the women's javelin throw and men's 10km race walk, respectively. Kidambi Srikanth finishes with a bronze medal in men's singles while Treesa Jolly-Gayatri Gopichand win bronze in women's doubles semi-final. In Squash, Saurav Ghosal and Dipika Pallikal win bronze in mixed doubles. India also wins bronze medal in women's hockey after beating New Zealand in a shootout.
- Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar calls a meeting of all MLAs and MPs of his party Janata Dal-United, a telltale move that indicates his anger and growing friction with alliance partner BJP may come to a head. Mr Kumar wants the Bihar Assembly Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha removed. The Chief Minister had lost his temper more than once at Mr Sinha, who Mr Kumar has accused of openly violating the Constitution by raising questions against his government. Former Union Minister RCP Singh, who left JD-U on Sunday, says, 'What is the need to join the Union Cabinet. The Chief Minister had decided in 2019 we won't be part of the Union Cabinet.' 2. Two satellites that were onboard the first flight of a new Indian Space Research Organisation rocket got placed in an unstable orbit and are no longer usable, says the space agency, citing that the overall mission objectives of the launch are not met. 3. A scathing report by judges, ex-babus describes the human rights situation in Kashmir as 'A New Turn For The Worse'. There has been a decline in civilian security after three years of the Lt Governor's rule, says the report. This annual report is chaired by Justice AP Shah, ex-Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court and Gopal Pillai, former Home Secretary. 4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi says states should develop a clear time-bound road map for the implementation of National Education Policy and focus on promoting trade, tourism and technology. He also asks for collective action to increase Goods and Services Tax collections. During the 7th meeting of the NITI Aayog Governing Council, states, on the other hand, seek central assistance to help crop diversification. 5. On the 10th day of the CWG 2022, Achanta Sharath Kamal and Sreeja Akula win gold medal in table tennis mixed doubles category. Three boxers, Nikhat Zareen, Amit Panghal and Nitu Ganghas, also win their respective finals. In the men's triple jump, India wins the top two medals, courtesy Eldhose Paul and Abdulla Aboobacker Narangolintevid. Meanwhile, Annu Rani and Sandeep Kumar bag bronze medals for India in the women's javelin throw and men's 10km race walk, respectively. Kidambi Srikanth finishes with a bronze medal in men's singles while Treesa Jolly-Gayatri Gopichand win bronze in women's doubles semi-final. In Squash, Saurav Ghosal and Dipika Pallikal win bronze in mixed doubles. India also wins bronze medal in women's hockey after beating New Zealand in a shootout.
- Two satellites that are onboard the first flight of a new Indian Space Research Organisation rocket get placed in an unstable orbit and are no longer usable, the space agency says, citing that the overall mission objectives of launch are not met.. 2. Former judges and bureaucrats slam the human rights situation in Kashmir, come out with a report that says 'restore statehood as was promised'. 3. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel makes five demands for the welfare of the people of the state. He urges the revision of the royalty rate of the main minerals, including coal. Asks that MGNREGA be implemented in rural areas located near cities and in other cities having a population lesser than 20 thousand. He also raises the issues of GST compensation in the seventh meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog at Rashtrapati Bhawan Cultural Centre. 4. After quitting the JDU, RCP Singh speaks exclusively to NDTV, rubbishes allegations of irregularities in assets. 5. In Manipur, mobile data services have been suspended for five days across the state in an urgent order passed by the state government after a report by the Superintendent of Police of Bishnupur district that a vehicle was set ablaze by three to four men at Phougakchao Ikhang on Saturday evening. The crime has created communal tension, the order says. 5. 'Her husband had been torturing her for years, demanding a son. But she said she won't leave him as she couldn't raise her two daughters. We understood,' says the father of Mandeep Kaur, a 30-year-old woman from Uttar Pradesh who died by suicide in the US on August 4 after detailing her ordeal in a video. Her family in UP's Bijnor district is now scared for her two daughters, aged 6 and 4, and want them taken away from their father, Ranjodhbeer Singh Sandhu, whose family is also from Bijnor. 'We should get their custody. I will raise them like a mother,' her younger sister, Kuldeep Kaur, tells NDTV. 6. Boxer Nitu Ghanghas produces a masterful display to beat England's Demie-Jade Resztan in the final of the women's minimum weight category to give India its first gold medal in the sport in Birmingham Commonwealth Games. Nitu is in full flow, punching her way to glory as the bout is decided in her favour unanimously by all the judges. Just minutes later, ace boxer Amit Panghal was equally good inside the ring as he outpunches Englishman Kiaran Macdonald in the men's 51kg final to win his first Commonwealth Games gold, having finished with a silver in 2018.
- The first flight of a new Indian Space Research Organisation rocket carrying two satellites onboard runs into trouble after rocket experiences data loss in the final phase of the flight. ISRO scientists and engineers are presently trying to understand if the 120 tonne Small Satellite Launch Vehicle was able to inject the two satellites onboard into a stable orbit. Until this becomes clear, the mission cannot be declared a success. 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi chairs the seventh governing council meeting of the government's think tank Niti Aayog at Rashtrapati Bhawan's cultural centre in the national capital. Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar are two big leaders who skip the meeting. KCR earlier wrote a letter to PM Modi saying that his decision is a mark of protest against what he terms as Centre's alleged blatant discrimination against states including Telangana. Nitish Kumar, who just recovered from COVID-19, is skipping an event led by the PM for the second time in a month. 3. Aam Aadmi Party's national convener Arvind Kejriwal says if his party comes to power in Gujarat in the coming Assembly elections it will ensure a round-the-clock power supply in the state and waive off the bills from the previous year. Kejriwal arrived in BJP-ruled Gujarat, where elections are due by year-end, for a two-day visit on Saturday. Last month, Kejriwal had promised that his party will provide free electricity up to 300 units per month if voted to power in Gujarat. He also said power dues up to December 2021 will be waived off if AAP is voted to power in the state where BJP has been in power since 1998. 4. An Indian-origin woman's suicide in New York, citing years of abuse by her husband 'for giving birth only to daughters', sparks off angry conversation about stigmas in the community. Mandeep Kaur says in a video that's gone viral, 'I tolerated all of it, hoping that he will mend his ways one day. It's been eight years. I cannot take daily beatings now.' 5. It's yet another hat-trick of gold medals in the sport of wrestling for India as Ravi Kumar Dahiya, Vinesh Phogat and Naveen win the yellow metal in their respective categories. Their efforts come a day after the trio of Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Deepak Punia won gold medals on Friday. The total tally of golds from wrestling now stand at six, the most from any single discipline at CWG 2022 for India.
- Former Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar elected as the Vice President. He bests Opposition's Margaret Alva to emerge winner. BJP-led NDA candidate wins the election comfortably with 528 votes against Ms Alva's 182. The Vice President is also the ex officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. 2. In an angry letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with charges of ignoring states' rights, besides jibes over price-rise, bulldozers and communal statements, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao says he will not attend today's meeting of NITI Aayog's governing council 'as a mark of strong protest'. PM is the chairperson of the government's policy thinktank. 3. Amid a rise in coronavirus infections in some parts of the country, the central government asks Delhi and six states to ensure adequate testing, promote Covid-appropriate behaviour and increase the pace of vaccination to contain the surge. In a letter to Delhi, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Telangana, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan says upcoming festivals and mass congregations in different parts of the country may potentially facilitate transmission of infectious diseases, including Covid. 4. A group of men attacked a resident of Karjat in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district on August 4, leaving him severely injured. Police are now probing allegations that it was linked to his support to Nupur Sharma, the since-suspended BJP leader whose comments on Prophet Mohammed and Islam two months ago sparked off a row. Four arrests have been made so far. 5. Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe appears dismissive of trade agreements in South Asia, says there is 'too much politics' and that the country needs to broaden its partnerships with 'whoever it wants'. Though he does not name India, the remarks can trigger consternation in New Delhi. The main engine of South Asian engagement, India has long strived to steer Sri Lanka away from China, in efforts that come to a head this week amid a planned visit by a Chinese 'spy' ship to a port in the country. 6. China stops all dialogue with the United States on major issues, from climate change to military relations, over House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan. The White House summons China's ambassador to protest what it calls China's 'irresponsible' actions since the visit. China's military exercises off Taiwan in reaction to Pelosi's visit earlier this week are of 'concern to Taiwan, to us, and to our partners around the world,' says spokesman John Kirby in a statement. 7. Vinesh Phogat wins her third successive Commonwealth Games Gold medal, emulating wrestler Sushil Kumar's feat, in Birmingham. It was a comprehensive show from the 27-year-old, who nearly quit the sport after her heartbreak at the Tokyo Olympics. The total tally of golds from wrestling now stands at six, the most from any single discipline at CWG 2022 for India.
- Jagdeep Dhankhar, former Bengal Governor, is declared elected as the Vice President. He bests Opposition's Margaret Alva to emerge winner. The BJP-led NDA candidate wins the election comfortably with 528 votes against Ms Alva's 182. 2. In a terse letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with charges of ignoring states' rights, besides jibes over price-rise, bulldozers and communal statements, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao says he will not attend the August 7 meeting of Niti Aayog's governing council 'as a mark of strong protest'. PM Modi is the chairperson of the government's policy thinktank. For the second time in a month, even Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will be skipping an event led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 3. A group of men attack a resident of Karjat in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district leaving him severely injured and police are now probing allegations that it is linked to his support to Nupur Sharma, the since suspended BJP leader whose comments on Prophet Mohammed and Islam two months ago sparked off a row. Four arrests have been made so far, police say. 4. The Delhi government accuses the national capital's former Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal of corruption in the new excise policy which has been rolled back following a CBI probe into its implementation causing a loss of 'thousands of crores' to the state government. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who also heads the excise department, hits out at the former LG, recommending a CBI probe into his alleged sudden change of mind which the Aam Aadmi Party claims is done to benefit a few liquor shop owners. Mr Sisodia also asks for a probe to find out if the LG took the decision under pressure and whether any Bharatiya Janata Party leader had anything to do with it. 5. Amid a rise in coronavirus infections in some parts of the country, the central government has asked Delhi and six states to ensure adequate testing, promote Covid appropriate behaviour and increase the pace of vaccination to contain the surge. In a letter to Delhi, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Telangana, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan says upcoming festivals and mass congregations in different parts of the country may potentially facilitate transmission of infectious diseases, including COVID-19. 6. Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe appears dismissive of trade agreements in South Asia, saying there is 'too much politics' and that the country needs to broaden its partnerships with 'whoever we want'. 'Unfortunately, I don't think there will be overseas trade integration in the South Asian region. No, there has to be a bilateral agreement with whoever we want,' he says, speaking at a conference on rebuilding the Island nation's economy that is reeling under its worst crisis. 7. Taiwan accuses the Chinese army of simulating an attack on its main island, as Beijing doubles down on its retaliation for US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taipei after announcing a suspension of cooperation with Washington on key issues.
- The election to choose the next Vice-President of India is being held today, in which NDA candidate Jagdeep Dhankar is expected to sail through with BJP support alone. Opposition's Margaret Alva looks set to be a very distant second. 2. The ruling Janata Dal United in Bihar seeks a reply from former national president RCP Singh on all the properties he has acquired in the last nine years. The message comes just a week after videos emerges of him raising slogans projecting himself as the future Chief Minister. In a letter to Mr Singh, the party claims that several irregularities had been noticed in properties that he had acquired. 3. In a terse letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with charges of ignoring states' rights, besides jibes over price-rise, bulldozers and communal statements, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao today said he will not attend the August 7 meeting of Niti Aayog's governing council 'as a mark of strong protest'. PM is the chairperson of the government's policy thinktank. 4. The Delhi government today accused the national capital's former Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal of corruption in the new excise policy which has been rolled back following a CBI probe into its implementation causing a loss of 'thousands of crores' to the state government. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who also heads the excise department, hit out at the former LG, recommending a CBI probe into his alleged sudden change of mind which the Aam Aadmi Party claimed was done to benefit a few liquor shop owners. Mr Sisodia also asked for a probe to find out if the LG took the decision under pressure and whether any Bharatiya Janata Party leader had anything to do with it. 5. The National Commission for Women has sought the arrest of a politician accused of abusing and assaulting a woman in Noida. While accused Shrikant Tyagi claimed to be a member of the BJP's Kisan Morcha and his pictures with senior leaders surfaced on social media, the party's local unit distanced itself from him. 6. Uttar Pradesh parliamentarian Atul Rai, in jail since 2019, is acquitted of a rape charge by a court in Varanasi. He will however not be released from prison because of other pending cases against him. Mr Rai is the Lok Sabha MP from Ghosi in the eastern part of the state from the Bahujan Samaj Party. He had surrendered after winning the 2019 national election. 7. CWG: Bajrang Punia gives India its first gold medal in the sport of wrestling, as he beat Canada's Lachlan McNeil in the men's 65kg freestyle wrestling final. At the same time, 2016 Rio Olympics bronze medallist Sakshi Malik outwits Canada's Ana Gonzalez in the women's 62kg category to add a second gold from the sport for India. The joy on the mat didn't end there as Deepak Punia adds the third gold by beating Pakistan's Muhammad Inam in the men's 86kg category.
- Polling to elect the next Vice President of India is underway, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi being among the first ones to cast vote. The polling will continue till 5 pm, following which the counting of ballots will take place. National Democratic Alliance (NDA) nominee and former West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar (71) is pitted against joint Opposition candidate Margaret Alva (80). With the ruling BJP having an absolute majority in the Lok Sabha and 91 members in the Rajya Sabha, Dhankhar has a clear edge over his rival. He is likely to succeed incumbent M Venkaiah Naidu, whose tenure ends on August 10. 2. Varsha Raut, wife of arrested Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, appears before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the redevelopment of a 'chawl' and related transactions. The central agency had issued summons to Varsha Raut earlier this week. She is expected to be confronted with her husband, who is currently in the ED custody, and some other accused involved in the case. 3. The ruling Janata Dal United in Bihar seeks a reply from former national president RCP Singh on all the properties he has acquired in the last nine years. The message comes just a week after videos emerged of him raising slogans projecting himself as the future Chief Minister. In a letter to Mr Singh, the party claims that several irregularities had been noticed in properties that he had acquired. 4. Uttar Pradesh parliamentarian Atul Rai , in jail since 2019 , is acquitted of a rape charge by a court in Varanasi. He will however not be released from prison because of other pending cases against him . Mr Rai is the Lok Sabha MP from Ghosi in the eastern part of the state from the Bahujan Samaj Party. He had surrendered after winning the 2019 national election. 5. Israel hit Gaza with air strikes and a Palestinian militant group retaliates with a barrage of rocket fire, in the territory's worst escalation of violence since a war last year. 6. CWG: Bajrang Punia gives India its first gold medal in the sport of wrestling, as he beat Canada's Lachlan McNeil in the men's 65kg freestyle wrestling final. At the same time, 2016 Rio Olympics bronze medallist Sakshi Malik outwits Canada's Ana Gonzalez in the women's 62kg category to add a second gold from the sport for India. The joy on the mat didn't end there as Deepak Punia adds the third gold by beating Pakistan's Muhammad Inam in the men's 86kg category.
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah hits out at the Congress, saying the party chose August 5 for protest and its leaders wore black clothes because they 'want to give a subtle message to further promote their appeasement politics' on a day Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation of a grand Ram temple at Ayodhya two years back. The Home Minister refers to Enforcement Directorate's probe in the National Herald case and says the agency 'neither summoned nor inquired nor conducted a raid' and the Congress had held a protest. Meanwhile, Hitting back at Amit Shah for his jibe Congress leader Jairam Ramesh says that the BJP leader has 'a desperate attempt to divert, distract, polarise and give a malicious twist' to party's protests against price rise, unemployment and GST. 2. India and China hold military talks to avoid any potential breach after reports of Chinese aircraft flying dangerously close to LAC in the last week of June. 3. The Reserve Bank raises the key interest rate by 50 basis points, the third straight increase since May in an effort to cool stubbornly high inflation and defend the rupee. The repurchase rate is raised by 50 basis points to lift the interest rate to the pre-pandemic level. The 5.40 per cent repo rate was last seen in August 2019. Announcing the rate hike, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das did not offer any indication of a change in the stance or a possible pause in the next policy due in late September. 4. Technical glitches continue on the second day of the Common University Entrance Test-Undergraduate, forcing the National Testing Agency (NTA) to postpone the exam at 50 centres across the country. Some students also claim to have received communication from the NTA late night, telling them that their exam scheduled for Saturday has been postponed due to 'administrative and logistical reasons'. 5. India hits out at the Organisation of Islamic for its latest statement on Jammu and Kashmir and says it 'reeks of bigotry'. In a strong reaction, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi says such statements only expose the OIC as an organization devoted to a 'communal agenda being pursued through terrorism'. On the third anniversary of the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status and its bifurcation, the OIC called on the international community to take steps to resolve the 'dispute' in accordance with the relevant UN resolutions. 6. The United States declares monkeypox a public health emergency, a move that should free up new funds, assist in data gathering and allow the deployment of additional personnel in the fight against the disease.
- Union home minister Amit Shah accuses the Congress of appeasement politics, declaring their black clothes protest are actually against the foundation ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Pointing out that today is the anniversary of the foundation ceremony, he says the Congress, by holding the protest in black clothes, 'is sending a subtle message that they are protesting against the foundation ceremony for Ram Janmabhoomi and is taking forward their policy of appeasement'. 2. The Reserve Bank raises the key interest rate by 50 basis points, the third straight increase since May in an effort to cool stubbornly high inflation and defend the rupee. The repurchase rate is raised by 50 basis points to lift the interest rate to the pre-pandemic level. The 5.40 per cent repo rate was last seen in August 2019. 3. Senior Indian Air Force officers were part of military talks with China on Tuesday to ensure that there is no breach of Indian airspace in the Ladakh region. While there has been no immediate incident in the last few days, a Chinese military aircraft did fly within 10 km of the Line of Actual Control in the Ladakh region in the last week of June, which triggered a response from the Indian Air Force. 4. Technical glitches mars the second day of CUET-UG exam, with several students complaining that they waited for two hours only to be informed that the exams scheduled for the day had been called off. The National Testing Agency, however, says the first shift of the Common University Entrance Test-Undergraduate exam is carried out smoothly at 95 per cent of the centres across the country. 5. The United States declares monkeypox a public health emergency, a move that should free up new funds, assist in data gathering and allow the deployment of additional personnel in the fight against the disease. 6. South superstar Dulquer Salman sings for NDTV.
- Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi. The discussion is likely to revolve around multiple issues, including the dues for Goods and Services Tax and other pending dues under the Central schemes, which her government is demanding for long. Bengal frequently accuses the BJP-ruled Centre of delaying GST dues to states, especially the ones ruled by the opposition. 2. The Enforcement Directorate searches premises belonging to a director of Zanmai Lab, the company that runs popular cryptocurrency exchange WazirX in Hyderabad, and orders a freeze on its bank balance of Rs 64.67 crore, officials say. 3. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal calls upon people to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Independence by holding the tricolour and sing the national anthem at 5 pm on August 14. The Aam Aadmi Party government decides to distribute 25 lakh flags across the city. Government school students will also be given flags so that they could take them home, he says. 4. The Delhi Police detain Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other party leaders during their protest against unemployment and inflation. Congress began staging a protest despite being denied permission by the police. Congress party's interim chief Sonia Gandhi, party leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and MP Mallikarjun Kharge among others chose to sport black outfits to mark their support for the protest. In Delhi, the party leaders march to the Rashtrapati Bhawan from the Parliament. The party's state units hold similar protests in other parts of the country including Chandigarh, Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh), Hyderabad, and Bihar. 5. In an embarrassing incident for the organisers, the wrestling bouts at the Commonwealth Games stopped and spectators were asked to vacate the hall after a speaker fell from the ceiling, minutes after the first session began. Only five bouts could be completed when a speaker, used to relay announcement, fell near one of the mat chairmen, raising a safety issue at the Ceventary stadium and arena on the opening day of the wrestling competitions.
- The Delhi Police detains Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other party leaders during their protest against unemployment and inflation. Congress today began staging a protest despite being denied permission by the police. Congress party's interim chief Sonia Gandhi, party leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and MP Mallikarjun Kharge among others chose to sport black outfits to mark their support for the protest. In Delhi, the party leaders are marching to the Rashtrapati Bhawan from the Parliament. The party's state units are holding similar protests in other parts of the country including Chandigarh, Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh), Hyderabad, and Bihar. 2. The second phase of Common University Entrance Test (CUET)-UG had a bad start with technical glitches and administrative issues forcing the NTA to cancel second shift exam across all 489 centres and postpone first shift at some locations in 17 states. Sadhana Parashar, Senior Director, National Testing Agency says, 'Reports were asked from the observers and city coordinators on ground. Based on their recommendations, the second shift scheduled for August 4 (from 3 pm to 6 pm) is cancelled and the same will now be conducted between August 12 and 14, 2022. The NTA is conducting CUET(UG) 2022 from July 15 to August 20 (excluding the days of other undergraduate examinations and gazetted holidays) at 489 centres located in approximately 259 cities across India and nine cities outside India. 4. The Reserve Bank raises the key interest rate by 50 basis points, the third straight increase since May in an effort to cool stubbornly high inflation and defend the rupee. The repurchase rate is raised by 50 basis points to lift the interest rate to the pre-pandemic level. The 5.40 per cent repo rate was last seen in August 2019. Announcing the rate hike, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das did not offer any indication of a change in the stance or a possible pause in the next policy due in late September. 5. Former Chancellor Rishi Sunak convincingly wins over an audience of Conservative Party members in a head-to-head television debate with rival Foreign Secretary Liz Truss in the leadership contest to elect a new Tory party leader and British Prime Minister.
- The Reserve Bank of India is expected to raise interest rates today for the third time since the beginning of the current financial year to bring down inflation from above the upper threshold of the central bank's target since January. The focus shifts to the RBI's growth and inflation outlook and the tone of the monetary policy path. 2. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis arrives in Delhi amid speculation of the much-delayed expansion of the state council of ministers. Mr Fadnavis is expected to meet top BJP leaders, including Home Minister Amit Shah and party chief J P Nadda, to discuss the political situation in the state even as the Supreme Court continued to hear a bunch of petitions in connection with the change of government in Maharashtra. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who was indisposed and advised rest by doctors, stayed back in Mumbai. Speculation has been rife in Mumbai about an impending expansion of the council of ministers either today or early next week. 3. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee arrives in Delhi on a four-day visit and is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi today to discuss multiple issues, including GST dues for her state. Ms Banerjee, who is also the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo, met her party's MPs and discussed with them the current session of Parliament and the road to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, say sources. 4. More than 50 cattle die under mysterious circumstances at a cow shelter in Hasanpur area of Uttar Pradesh's Amroha district. The deaths that took place on Thursday prompted Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to order a probe and direct Animal Husbandry Minister Dharam Pal Singh to reach Amroha. District Magistrate of Amroha BK Tripathi tell media persons that the cows fell ill in the evening after eating fodder. 5. China ship heads to Lanka port, India says monitoring situation closely. 6. Former Chancellor Rishi Sunak convincingly wins over an audience of Conservative Party members in a head-to-head television debate with rival Foreign Secretary Liz Truss in the leadership contest to elect a new Tory party leader and British prime minister. 7. The United States declares monkeypox a public health emergency, a move that should free up new funds, assist in data gathering and allow the deployment of additional personnel in the fight against the disease. 8. Commonwealth Games: Murali Sreeshankar clinches a silver in men's long jump event to give India a second medal in athletics.
- Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi says that a meeting will be held on Friday regarding the upcoming Vice-Presidential polls. Addressing media persons after attending BJP Parliamentary party meeting on Tuesday, Mr Joshi said, 'We will be meeting again on August 5 regarding Vice-Presidential polls.' BJP Parliamentary party meeting began on Tuesday morning in the Parliament Library Building in the presence of BJP national president JP Nadda. Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Ashwini Vaishnaw, S Jaishankar, Anurag Thakur and Pralhad Joshi were among those who attended the meeting. 2. Enforcement Directorate conducts search at an apartment in South Kolkata linked to a teacher recruitment scam, in which since-ousted minister Partha Chatterjee and his aide, actor Arpita Mukherjee, have been arrested. A locksmith was called in as the apartment in Fort Oasis complex was locked. Since the arrests on July 23, there have been multiple raids on flats linked to Ms Mukherjee across Kolkata, in which around Rs 50 core cash has been seized. The probe agency claims it's linked to bribes for appointments of teachers and other staff when Mr Chatterjee, a Trinamool Congress leader, was Education Minister in 2016. 3. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday afternoon left Kolkata for a four-day trip to New Delhi, where she is likely to meet senior opposition leaders, besides attending a NITI Aayog programme, scheduled to be held on Sunday. The Trinamool Congress supremo will also be meeting party MPs at Rajya Sabha member Sukhendu Sekhar Roy's residence in the national capital. 4. Arrested Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut's wife, Varsha Raut, summoned by Enforcement Directorate on money-laundering charges in alleged scam in a housing project. This came just hours after Sanjay Raut's ED custody is extended till August 8 by a special court in Mumbai. Varsha Raut has repeatedly been named by the central probe agency but she hasn't been questioned so far. 5. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is on way to Delhi to confer with BJP leadership about the final list for the state cabinet, which needs urgent decision with the assembly session due to begin later this month. Cabinet expansion has been pending since June 30, when Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Mr Fadnavis took oath. If signed off by BJP's central leaders, the Cabinet expansion might happen on Friday. Mr Shinde, who is unwell, is skipping the trip.
- China kicks off its largest ever military exercises encircling Taiwan, in a show of force straddling vital international shipping lanes following a visit by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to the self-ruled island. Ms Pelosi left Taiwan yesterday after a less than 24 hour visit that defied a series of increasingly stark threats from Beijing, which views the island as its territory. 2. The Southeast Asian Foreign Ministers express concern as China begins the massive military drills around Taiwan and warn that the situation could spark 'open conflicts' and 'unpredictable consequences' among major powers. 'ASEAN is concerned with the international and regional volatility, especially in the recent development in the area adjacent to the ASEAN region which could destabilize the region and eventually could lead to miscalculation, serious confrontation, open conflicts and unpredictable consequences among major powers,' as per the statement released by ASEAN. 3. In a big relief to Uddhav Thackeray in the fight over control of the Shiv Sena, the Supreme Court tells the Election Commission not to decide on a plea by Eknath Shinde, Maharashtra Chief Minister, to recognise his group as the real party. The Supreme Court is likely to take a call on Monday on whether the matter needs to be referred to a constitution bench. 4. The Enforcement Directorate in its remand plea for Partha Chatterjee and his aide Arpita Mukherjee says they have recovered around Rs 50 crores in cash, gold worth Rs 5 crore and nine flats. They say they need to confront the duo together. 5. The Congress calls a meeting of all Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha MPs to discuss their strategy after the Enforcement Directorate sealed the office of the Young Indian in Delhi over a case linked to the National Herald newspaper. Rahul Gandhi says he is not afraid of the government or the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 6. Delhi reports five coronavirus related deaths along with 2,073 new cases as the positivity rate remains above 10 per cent for the third day in a row. At 11.64 per cent, it is the highest since January 24 when it was 11.79 per cent. 7. In Maharashtra, cabinet expansion is likely to take place tomorrow. According to sources, eight BJP MLAs and seven MLAs from Chief Minister Eknath Shinde group may take oath as ministers. 8. Former Congress leader Kuldeep Bishnoi joins BJP at the party headquarters in Delhi. Kuldeep Bishnoi, 53, who was expelled by the Congress from all party positions for cross-voting in the June Rajya Sabha polls, resigned from the state Assembly on Wednesday. 9. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is likely to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi during her Delhi visit in evening, people familiar with the matter tell NDTV. She will stay in the national capital for four days. Though Ms Banerjee's visit is linked to a meeting of the government's think tank NITI Aayog on Sunday, she would be in the city during the vice presidential election scheduled on Saturday. 10. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare holds a high-level meeting over the rising cases of Monkeypox in the country. India has so far reported nine cases of monkeypox including one death.
- Congress MPs meet to discuss their strategy after the Enforcement Directorate sealed the office of the Young Indian in Delhi over a case linked to the National Herald newspaper. Sources in the Enforcement Directorate say the office of the Young Indian at Delhi's Herald House is temporarily sealed as there was no one from their side in whose presence searches could be conducted on Tuesday and Wednesday. 2. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is likely to meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during her Delhi visit this evening, people familiar with the matter told NDTV. She will stay in the national capital for four days. Though Ms Banerjee's visit is linked to a meeting of the government's think tank NITI Aayog on Sunday, she would be in the city during the vice presidential election scheduled on Saturday. 3. China kicks off its largest ever military exercises encircling Taiwan, in a show of force straddling vital international shipping lanes following a visit to the self-ruled island by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Pelosi left Taiwan yesterday after a less than 24 hour visit that defied a series of increasingly stark threats from Beijing, which views the island as its territory. 4. Delhi reports five coronavirus related deaths along with 2,073 new cases as the positivity rate remains above 10 per cent for the third day in a row. At 11.64 per cent, it is the highest since January 24 when it was 11.79 per cent. 5. Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren in an interview to NDTV on the Congress MLAs being caught with cash says the BJP is trying to engineer a split in the Congress, but he says he will fight for his government. 6. West Bengal CID claims that Delhi Police detained and restrained its team from conducting a search operation in the national capital. The Delhi Police have now denied that allegation.
- Congress MPs will meet today to discuss their strategy after the Enforcement Directorate sealed the office of the Young Indian in Delhi over a case linked to the National Herald newspaper. Sources in the Enforcement Directorate say the office of the Young Indian at Delhi's Herald House is temporarily sealed as there was no one from their side in whose presence searches could be conducted on Tuesday and Wednesday. 2. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is arriving Delhi today for a four-day visit during which she is likely to meet senior leaders and attend a Niti Aayog meeting on August 7, sources say. The TMC chief, who is expected to land by afternoon, will hold a meeting in the evening with her party MPs who have been in the forefront of protests against the government in the ongoing Parliament session. 3. China kicks off its largest-ever military exercises encircling Taiwan, in a show of force straddling vital international shipping lanes following a visit to the self-ruled island by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Pelosi left Taiwan yesterday after a less than 24-hour visit that defied a series of increasingly stark threats from Beijing, which views the island as its territory. 4. Delhi reports five coronavirus-related deaths along with 2,073 new cases as the positivity rate remains above 10 per cent for the third day in a row. At 11.64 per cent, it is the highest since January 24 when it was 11.79 per cent. 5. Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren in an interview to NDTV on the Congress MLAs being caught with cash says the BJP is trying to engineer a split in the Congress, but he says he will fight for his government. 6. West Bengal CID claims that Delhi Police detained and restrained its team from conducting a search operation in the national capital. The Delhi Police have now denied that allegation.
- Twenty-seven Chinese warplanes flow into Taiwan's air defence zone as US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi makes her controversial visit to the self-ruled island that Beijing considers its territory. The defence ministry says in a tweet, '27 PLA aircraft entered the surrounding area of Republic of China on August 3, 2022.' Taiwan maintains a defiant tone as it hosted Pelosi, with a furious China gearing up for military exercises dangerously close to the island's shores in retaliation for the visit. 2. Enforcement Directorate seals the office of Young Indian over case linked to National Herald newspaper. Police deployed outside the residence of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, questioned recently by ED. Sources in the ED say the offices of the Young Indian are temporarily sealed as there is no one from their side in whose presence searches can be conducted. 3. Amid signs of rumbling within, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urges party's Karnataka unit leaders to work unitedly for 2023 assembly polls and not speak out publicly on leadership and internal matters. The former Congress president attends Karnataka unit's political affairs committee meeting, where discussions are held on organisational matters and preparations for the upcoming assembly polls. 4. Mamata Banerjee cabinet in West Bengal witnesses its biggest reshuffle since 2011 when the Trinamool Congress came to power. Among the new ministers is Babul Supriyo, a former Union minister and BJP leader. Apart from Mr Supriyo, district level leaders of TMC, Snehashish Chakraborty, Partha Bhowmik, Udayan Guha and Pradip Majumder find berths after the cabinet reshuffle. The new ministers are administered oath by Governor La Ganeshan at a small programme at Raj Bhavan attended by Chief Minister Banerjee and others. 5. Personal Data Protection Bill, which seeks to regulate how an individual's data can be used by companies and the government, withdrawn after joint parliamentary committee suggests 81 changes to it. According to government sources, considering the report of joint parliamentary committee, a comprehensive legal framework is being worked upon that will pave way for a new bill. 6. Supreme Court observes that political parties promising to distribute freebies during election campaigns is a serious economic issue and says there is a need for a body to examine the issue. A bench of Chief Justice NV Ramana and Justices Krishna Murari and Hima Kohli says there is a need for an apex body, consisting of NITI Aayog, Finance Commission, ruling and opposition parties, Reserve Bank of India, and other stakeholders to make suggestions on how to control freebies by political parties. 7. India Meteorological Department in its forecast says that parts of Karnataka are likely to experience heavy to very heavy rains for the next two days. It also issues 'Orange and Yellow warnings' for the next few days. Meanwhile, rain Red alert warning continues for Kerala for next 48 hours.
- Mamata Banerjee cabinet in West Bengal witnesses its biggest reshuffle since 2011 when the Trinamool Congress came to power. Among the new ministers is Babul Supriyo, a former Union minister and BJP leader. Apart from Supriyo, district level leaders of TMC, Snehashish Chakraborty, Partha Bhowmik, Udayan Guha and Pradip Majumder find berths after the cabinet reshuffle. The new ministers are administered oath by Governor La Ganeshan at a small programme at Raj Bhavan attended by Chief Minister Banerjee and others. 2. Amid signs of rumbling within, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urges party's Karnataka unit leaders to work unitedly for 2023 assembly polls and not speak out publicly on leadership and internal matters. The former Congress president attends Karnataka unit's political affairs committee meeting, where discussions are held on organisational matters and preparations for the upcoming assembly polls. 3. BJP leader Amit Malviya questions the absence of opposition MPs at the Tiranga bike rally that is held in Delhi to pay tribute to the freedom fighters as part of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. The rally started at the Red Fort. Is the absence of an 'unequivocal admission' that BJP is the 'sole custodian of the Tiranga', asks Mr Malviya as Congress joins the Tiranga celebration with a 'Nehru' twist. 4. US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says her delegation's visit to Taiwan is a show of support for the island, as she concludes one-day visit that leaves China seething. Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen says the island will 'not back down'. During an event with President Ing-wen, Ms Pelosi says, 'Today, our delegation came to Taiwan to make unequivocally clear we will not abandon our commitment to Taiwan and we are proud of our enduring friendship.' The trip by Ms Pelosi, who is second in line to the presidency and the highest-profile elected US official to visit Taiwan in 25 years, has ignited a diplomatic firestorm. 5. China insists its military exercises around the Taiwan Strait are 'necessary and just' in the wake of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to the self-ruled island. 'The Chinese military's conducting of military exercises in the sea near China's Taiwan are necessary and just measure to resolutely protect national sovereignty,' says foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying. 6. The India Meteorological Department in its forecast says that parts of Karnataka are likely to experience heavy to very heavy rains for the next two days. It also issues 'orange and yellow warnings' for the next few days. Meanwhile, rain red alert warning continues for Kerala for next 48 hours.
- Amid rumblings in the Congress' Karnataka unit less than a year ahead of the state elections, party leader Rahul Gandhi holds a key meeting with senior party leaders and urges the party unit to be united and fight for the common cause of ousting the BJP in the upcoming elections. In the state to soothe nerves and project a united front, he also urges the party leaders not to discuss internal matters and leadership issues of the party on public platforms. There have been fears that the party might implode ahead of the state elections if the rivalry between two leaders, legislature party leader Siddaramaiah and state president DK Shivakumar over the chief minister's post is not resolved. 2. Stung by recent raids on her former minister and close confidante Partha Chatterjee, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is all set to expand the cabinet today, featuring four to five new faces. 3. Enforcement Directorate continues searches in the 'teachers recruitment scam' in which Partha Chatterjee is one of the main accused. 4. Congress leaders join the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign as they change their social media display pictures to an image of India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru holding the national flag, after the Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged people to put Tiranga as their profile picture. 5. US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says her delegation's visit to Taiwan is a show of support for the island, after the trip sparked a furious response from China. Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen says the island would 'not back down'. 'Today, our delegation came to Taiwan to make unequivocally clear we will not abandon our commitment to Taiwan and we are proud of our enduring friendship,' Ms Pelosi says during an event with President Tsai Ing-wen. The trip by Ms Pelosi, who is second in line to the presidency and the highest-profile elected US official to visit Taiwan in 25 years, has ignited a diplomatic firestorm. 6. China says that a series of military exercises would be held in Xiamen. Also economic curbs with imports bans on Taiwanese items imposed.
- US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says that her delegation has come to Taiwan in 'peace for the region' after the visit enraged Beijing and set off a diplomatic firestorm. She landed in Taiwan yesterday, defying a string of increasingly stark warnings and threats from China, which views Taiwan as its territory and had warned it would consider her visit a major provocation. 'We come in friendship to Taiwan, we come in peace to the region,' she says during a meeting with Tsai Chi-chang, the deputy speaker of Taiwan's parliament. 2. Stung by recent raids on her former minister and close confidante Partha Chatterjee, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announces that there will be a cabinet reshuffle in the state today, featuring four to five new faces. 3. In an exclusive interview with NDTV, former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan says, 'even though India has higher growth than many economies in the world, we are not creating enough jobs. In the last few years, growth has been insufficient for the kind of jobs we need. This 7 per cent growth is partly a rebound from pretty bad rates a few years ago. But I don't think 7 per cent is something to be sneered at'. 4. KT Rama Rao slams the Centre for importing flags from China. The states make big preparations for the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' flag fest. Also Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other ministers have changed their display picture to the tricolor. 5. Rain red alert warning is issued in Karnataka and that will continue till Friday, while the rain red alert warnings continue for Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry for the next 48 hours.
- Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri, one of the world's most wanted terrorists and a mastermind of the September 11, 2001 attacks, killed in a drone strike carried out by the US in the Afghan capital Kabul. In a televised address, US President Joe Biden says that he hopes Zawahiri's death will bring closure to families of the 3,000 people killed in the United States on 9/11. He adds that there have been no civilian casualties in the operation that was conducted over the weekend. The US President says, 'Justice has been delivered, and this terrorist leader is no more.' 2. A woman from West Bengal's Amtala area throws her shoes at suspended Trinamool Congress leader Partha Chatterjee when the latter was being escorted out of a hospital here by Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials. However, the footwear flung by the woman missed Mr Chatterjee. The middle-aged woman, Shubra Ghorui, is said to have harboured anger against Mr Chatterjee after the seizure of around Rs 50 crore in cash, along with jewellery, by the Enforcement Directorate from two apartments of Arpita Mukherjee, a close associate of the suspended TMC leader. 3. An FIR is registered against the managing director of a private school in Uttar Pradesh after some parents and right-wing members objected to the recitation of Islamic verses during the morning assembly. Assistant Commissioner of Police (Seesamau) Nishank Sharma says, 'A case has been registered against Sumeet Makhija, managing director, Florets International School under IPC section 295A (deliberate malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class) and section 5(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021'. 4. As per officials, more than forty locations across Tamil Nadu were searched by the Income Tax Department over suspected tax evasion by some Tamil film producers and distributors. The raids were conducted at the properties linked to about 10 Tamil film producers and distributors, including Kalaipuli Thanu, SR Prabhu, Anbu Chezhiyan and Gnanavel Raja. 5. The rupee makes a significant and swift comeback to hit one-month high in a reversal from repeated all-time lows. The range of the rupee's moves is below 79-to-a-dollar mark for the first time since early July. The reversal in the rupee's fortunes has been driven by foreign investors turning into net buyers of Indian assets and the rampant dollar stumbling to its lowest since mid-June on easing bets of aggressive Federal Reserve monetary action amid recession fears. 6. A 30 year-old man, who came to Kerala from UAE last month, has tested positive for monkeypox, making him the fifth case of the virus from the southern state, says Health Minister Veena George. She says, his health condition is stable. 7. Monkeypox has been declared a public health emergency in New York City, with officials declaring that the city is currently the epicentre of the outbreak and an estimated 150,000 New Yorkers may currently be at the risk of exposure. At the same time, California Governor Gavin Newsom also declares a state of emergency to combat rising monkeypox cases in the state.
- Days after the Enforcement Directorate questioned Congress chief Sonia Gandhi in an alleged money laundering case connected to the National Herald newspaper, the probe agency raids around 12 locations including the offices of the newspaper in Delhi and several other premises linked to Associated Journals Limited, the company that runs the newspaper. Sources say the probe agency is likely to attach properties linked to the case after searches. Congress hits back saying the Opposition's questions on crucial issues like inflation and unemployment have put the government on the back foot. They are unable to answer the people of the country so they are trying to humiliate and blackmail those who are asking uncomfortable questions, says the party. 2. Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri, one of the world's most wanted terrorists and a mastermind of the September 11, 2001 attacks, killed in a drone strike carried out by the US in the Afghan capital Kabul. In a televised address, US President Joe Biden says that he hopes Zawahiri's death will bring closure to families of the 3,000 people killed in the United States on 9/11. He adds that there have been no civilian casualties in the operation that was conducted over the weekend. The US President says, 'Justice has been delivered, and this terrorist leader is no more.' 3. The rupee makes a significant and swift comeback to hit one-month high in a reversal from repeated all-time lows. The range of the rupee's moves is below 79-to-a-dollar mark for the first time since early July. The reversal in the rupee's fortunes has been driven by foreign investors turning into net buyers of Indian assets and the rampant dollar stumbling to its lowest since mid-June on easing bets of aggressive Federal Reserve monetary action amid recession fears.
- Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri, one of the world's most wanted terrorists and a mastermind of the September 11, 2001 attacks, killed in a drone strike carried out by the US in the Afghan capital Kabul. In a televised address, US President Joe Biden says that he hopes Zawahiri's death will bring closure to families of the 3,000 people killed in the United States on 9/11. He adds that there have been no civilian casualties in the operation that was conducted over the weekend. The US President says, 'Justice has been delivered, and this terrorist leader is no more.' 2. The United States carried out a drone strike on a residence in Kabul over the weekend, says Taliban's chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid in a statement. He condemns it as a violation of international principles and 2020 agreement on US troop withdrawal. 3. Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman, responding to the debate on price rise in the Lok Sabha, gives an account of all the parameters to assess the economy, and says there is no chance of the country going into recession or stagflation. In the middle of her response, Congress stages a walkout, saying they are not satisfied with her response. 'The pandemic, second wave of Covid, Omicron, Russia-Ukraine, in spite of all this we have held the inflation at 7 per cent or below. And that has to be recognised,' says Ms Sitharaman. 4. Stating that BJP can't survive without power like a fish can't without water, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren says the saffron party's 'nefarious intentions' to topple his government have failed. He was referring to the arrest of three Congress MLAs with Rs 50 lakh cash in West Bengal on Saturday. 5. As heavy rains continue to lash Kerala, the India Meteorological Department issues a red alert in seven districts of the state for the day. IMD issues red alerts for Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam and Idukki districts. 6. As the monkeypox caseload in the US stood at 5,189 on Sunday the highest in the world, New York City declares a public health emergency. Due to the monkeypox outbreak, Mayor Eric Adams and city Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan make the announcement in a joint statement that 'New York City is currently the epicentre of the outbreak, and we estimate that approximately 150,000 New Yorkers may currently be at risk for monkeypox exposure'.
- A week after suspending them from the House for 'unruly' behaviour, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla revokes the suspension of four Congress members, after seeking assurance from the Opposition that they will not bring placards to the House. Mr Birla also warns the members that he will take stringent action against those who violated the rules of procedure, which bars members from bringing any 'exhibits' to the House. Manickam Tagore, Ramya Haridas, T N Prathapan and S Jothimani were suspended last Monday from LS for the rest of the monsoon session for carrying placards and raising slogans inside the House. 2. At least eight people were killed in a massive fire at a private hospital in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur on Monday, say the official. The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh announces an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to the nearest kin of the deceased. 3. A special court remands Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut to the custody of the Enforcement Directorate till August 4 in a money laundering case. The ED produced Mr Raut before the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court judge MG Deshpande and sought his remand for eight days. The ED, represented by special public prosecutor Hiten Venegaonkar, told the court that Raut and his family were direct beneficiaries of the proceeds of crime. Senior advocate Ashok Mundargi, appearing for Mr Raut, submitted that the allegations are vague and raised due to political vendetta. 4. Senior officials of the Uttar Pradesh Police and administration reach Kanpur's Florets International school after the news of children being taught Kalma there went viral. A complaint was filed against the private school for allegedly teaching 'Kalma' to Hindu students. The case gained momentum after a video of a tweet went viral on Sunday. In the clarification given by the school management to the police, it claims that prayers of all four religions were recited at the school during the morning assembly to boost the 'Sarva Dharma Samman' ideology.
- Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut brought out of the Enforcement Directorate office in Mumbai, to be taken to JJ Hospital for a medical checkup. Mr Raut was arrested in the early hours of Monday in an alleged money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the redevelopment of a Mumbai chawl. 2. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma says he continues to be in contact with Congress leaders because of his long association with the party, downplaying the allegations of his involvement in a ploy to topple the JMM-led Jharkhand government. Mr Sarma, the BJP strongman of the Northeast, says Congress leaders are his old friends and there is nothing much to read into it. Mr Sarma, who switched over to the BJP in 2015, makes the statement after Congress claims that three of its Jharkhand MLAs arrested in the cash haul in West Bengal's Howrah were in touch with the Assam Chief Minister. 3. Kerala Health Minister Veena George initiates high-level inquiry into the death of a youth, presenting with monkeypox-like symptoms. The youth hailed from Chavakkad Kuranjiyur in Thrissur district and tested positive in a foreign country. 4. Days after 30 students are vaccinated using a single syringe in Madhya Pradesh's Sagar, another shocking incident of medical negligence has surfaced in the state. In the Shahdol district, a man is forced to tie his dead mother's body to a motorcycle and ride it back to his village 80 km away as the district hospital does not provide a hearse van. The man could not afford private vehicle that asked for Rs 5,000 for the trip. 5. India wins its third gold medal of the ongoing Commonwealth Games after weightlifter Achinta Sheuli brings the biggest prize in 73kg men's finals. 20-year-old Sheuli breaks the Games record by lifting a total of 313kg to win the yellow metal. 6. Stung by recent raids on her former minister and close confidante Partha Chatterjee, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announces that there will be a cabinet reshuffle in the state on Wednesday, featuring four to five new faces. She says, 'We lost ministers Subrata Mukherjee, Sadhan Pande. Partha is in jail so all their work has to be done. Not possible for me to handle alone.' 7. Actor Salman Khan issued Arms licence after he applies for it for self-protection following threat letters that he received recently. The actor and his father got death threat in early June, just days after singer Sidhu Moose Wala was shot dead near Punjab's Mansa on May 29.
- Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut arrested after hours of questioning in connection with the re-development of a chawl in Mumbai. Mr Raut alleges he is being targeted by the Centre to weaken Team Thackeray. The Sena MP's brother Sunil Raut says, 'Sanjay Raut has been arrested. BJP is afraid of him and got him arrested. They haven't given us any document regarding his arrest. He has been framed. He will be produced in court at 11.30 am.' 2. Congress suspends three of its MLAs in Jharkhand, Irfan Ansari, Rajesh Kachhap and Naman Bixal, who were allegedly detained in West Bengal on Saturday after a huge amount of cash was found in their vehicle. The party linked the recovery of cash to attempts to destabilise the JMM-Congress government in Jharkhand and claimed that the chief minister of a state had been directly contacting some of the MLAs. 3. Days after heaps of cash and kilos of gold were seized from his aide Arpita Mukherjee's homes in Kolkata, sacked Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee claims the money does not belong to him. The Enforcement Directorate has seized around Rs 50 crore cash from two homes belonging to Ms Mukherjee during raids in connection with alleged irregularities in recruitment of teachers. Both Mr Chatterjee and Ms Mukherjee were arrested earlier this month. 4. Indian weightlifter Jeremy Lalrinnunga creates history by winning a gold medal with a record-breaking combined lift of 300 kg in men's 67 kg category at the ongoing Commonwealth Games. With this, Lalrinnunga wins India's fifth medal at the Games, and second gold after Mirabai Chanu had successfully defender her title in the women's 49kg on Saturday. Speaking to NDTV, Lalrinnunga says that he is happy to win the gold for India, but highlights the fact that he could've done even better.
- Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut is detained by the Enforcement Directorate after he skipped summons twice to appear for questioning in an alleged land scam case. The probe agency officials searched his home for most part of the day before he was detained. 2. The Congress suspends three Jharkhand MLAs, who were caught allegedly with a huge amount of cash in West Bengal's Howrah. Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters, party's Jharkhand in-charge Avinash Pande says Congress president Sonia Gandhi has suspended the three MLAs with immediate effect. Acting on a tip-off, police on Saturday intercepted an SUV in which Congress MLAs Irfan Ansari, Rajesh Kachchap and Naman Bixal Kongari were travelling on national highway-16 at Ranihati in Howrah and allegedly found a huge amount of cash in the vehicle. 3. Days after heaps of cash and kilos of gold were seized from his aide Arpita Mukherjee's homes in Kolkata, sacked Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee claims the money did not belong to him. The Enforcement Directorate seized around Rs 50 crore cash from two homes belonging to Ms Mukherjee during raids in connection with alleged irregularities in recruitment of teachers. Both Mr Chatterjee and Ms Mukherjee were arrested earlier this month. 4. The medal rush from the sport of weightlifting continues for India at the 2022 Commonwealth Games as Jeremy Lalrinnunga won a gold in the men's 67kg category. This is India's second gold medal of the campaign after ace lifter Mirabai Chanu kept her promise and delivered a gold on Saturday. Jeremy created a new Commonwealth Games record in the snatch event, by picking up 140 kg. 5. Sanjay Arora, an Indian Police Service officer from the Tamil Nadu cadre, will succeed Rakesh Asthana as Police Commissioner of Delhi. He will leave his current post of Director General, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, to join on August 1. He may serve until his retirement on July 31, 2025, or until further orders, as per the Union Home Ministry.
- The Congress suspends three Jharkhand MLAs, who were caught allegedly with a huge amount of cash in West Bengal's Howrah. Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters, party's Jharkhand in-charge Avinash Pande says Congress president Sonia Gandhi has suspended the three MLAs with immediate effect. Acting on a tip-off, police on Saturday intercepted an SUV in which Congress MLAs Irfan Ansari, Rajesh Kachchap and Naman Bixal Kongari were travelling on national highway-16 at Ranihati in Howrah and allegedly found a huge amount of cash in the vehicle. 2. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted a search at Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut's residence in Mumbai in connection with a money laundering case, says an official. The action follows two summonses issued by the ED against Raut, the latest being on July 27. Mr Raut was summoned for questioning by the ED in a money laundering case linked to the alleged irregularities in the re-development of a Mumbai 'chawl' and related transactions involving his wife and 'associates'. He had appeared before the agency in Mumbai to record his statement on July 1 in connection with the case. After that, the ED had summoned him twice, but he had skipped the summonses citing his engagement with the ongoing Parliament session. 3. After the shocking episode of junior MBBS students being ragged in MP's biggest Government MGM Medical College in Indore, ragging of junior students by their seniors has now been reported from government medical college in Ratlam district. A video of junior students standing in a queue and being slapped by seniors one by one reportedly at the boys hostel of the state government medical college in Ratlam district goes viral. 4. Indian weightlifters shine at the Commonwealth Games. Four medals for India on day 2 of the CWG.
- Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray lashes out at Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari who has kicked up controversy for saying that if Gujaratis and Rajasthanis are taken out of Maharashtra, the state will have no money left. Accusing the Governor of 'dividing Hindus', he says the remark is an insult to 'Marathi Manoos' and Marathi pride. 'The government should decide whether to send him back home or to prison,' says fumed Mr Thackeray, demanding an apology. 2. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia accuses BJP of 'threatening shopkeepers and officers' with Enforcement Directorate, CBI cases and alleges that BJP wants to close legal liquor shops in Delhi and earn money from illegal outlets like in Gujarat, a dry state. His reaction comes after Delhi government decides to go back to the old regime of retail liquor sales for six months amid an ongoing investigation into the new excise policy. 3. Activists of the All India Students' Association hold a protest as BJP President JP Nadda comes to Patna College, where he once studied. Raising slogans of 'JP Nadda, go back', they demand rollback of the National Education Policy of 2020, and grant of central status to Patna University. 4. A day after being humiliated on camera by Punjab Health Minister Chetan Singh Jouramajra, the vice-chancellor of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences in Faridkot, Dr Raj Bahadur, resigns from his post. He writes to the state government. The state Health Minister, after complaints regarding cleanliness in hospital wards, had entered the government hospital, accompanied by press and cameramen, and asked Dr Bahadurl to lay on a bed for patients. At this point, someone lifts up the mattress and points to its poor condition.
- Sanket Mahadev Sargar opens India's kitty at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham by winning the silver medal in the men's 55kg category weightlifting. It was a comprehensive show by the Indian who led clearly in the snatch event with a lift of 113 kgs. He then produced a great performance in the clean and jerk too where he lifted 135kg in his first attempt and then failed at both his attempts to lift 139 kgs. He finished with a total lift of 248 kgs. Sargar also injured himself during one of his final attempts. 2. Slogans for his long afterlife rented the air, as coffin of Flight Lieutenant Advitiya Bal arrives at his home in Jinder Mehlu hamlet of border belt of RS Pura, where thousands of people gathered to pay their last respects to the fighter pilot. 3. Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari's controversial remark triggers a political storm. Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray launches a blistering attack accusing him of 'dividing' Hindus, and the Chief Minister distance himself. During a speech on Friday, the Maharashtra governor says, 'If Gujaratis and Rajasthanis are removed from Maharashtra, especially Mumbai and Thane, no money would be left here,' adding that Mumbai would not be able to remain the financial capital of the country. 3. The Delhi government has decided to withdraw the new Excise Policy for the time being and directed the sale of liquor only through government-run vends, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia says. Targeting the BJP, he alleges they are 'running an illegal liquor business in Gujarat' and they want to do it in Delhi also. BJP hits out, alleges corruption over liquor sale. 4. In a breakthrough during the investigation into the terrorist attack on a Punjab Police building in May, cops have identified two people with links to gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, the alleged mastermind behind the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala. Cops zeroed in on the attackers with help from CCTV footage of the area. Sources say that a henchman of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang is the prime accused in the RPG attack case. 5. Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury tenders an apology to President Droupadi Murmu over his controversial 'Rashtrapatni' remark. 'I am writing to express my regret for having mistakenly used an incorrect word to describe the position you hold. I assure you that it was a slip of tongue. I apologise and request you to accept the same,' reads a letter written by Mr Chowdhury. At the same time, Adhir Ranjan also writes to Om Birla, says 'the way Smriti Irani yelled President's name without prefixing wasn't proper'. 6. Amid the ongoing orange alert in the northern state of Uttarakhand, a part of the Badrinath National Highway-7 was washed away due to the rising water in the Khachda drain located at Lambagad, say officials. Following the incident, pilgrims were stranded on both sides of the highway.
- With the lieutenant governor recommending a CBI probe into the implementation of the new excise policy, the Delhi government has decided to go back to the old regime of retail liquor sale in the city, say officials. The Excise Policy 2021-22, which was extended twice after March 31 for a period of two months each, will come to an end on July 31. The excise department is still working on the Excise Policy 2022-23 that recommends, among other things, home delivery of liquor in Delhi. The draft policy is yet to be sent to Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena for his approval, say officials. 2. Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari says that there will be no money left in Mumbai and it will cease to be the financial capital of the country if Gujaratis and Rajasthanis are removed from the city. As his statement made during an event on Friday evening kicked up a row with political parties objecting to it, the governor says his comments were 'misconstrued', and also makes it clear that he had 'no intention of belittling the hard work of the Marathi-speaking people in the progress and development of Maharashtra'. 3. In a breakthrough during the investigation into the terrorist attack on a Punjab Police building in May, cops have identified two people with links to gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, the alleged mastermind behind the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala. Cops zeroed in on the attackers with help from CCTV footage of the area. Sources say that a henchman of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang is the prime accused in the RPG attack case. 4. Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury tenders an apology to President Droupadi Murmu over his controversial 'Rashtrapatni' remark. 'I am writing to express my regret for having mistakenly used an incorrect word to describe the position you hold. I assure you that it was a slip of tongue. I apologise and request you to accept the same,' reads a letter written by Mr Chowdhury. At the same time, Adhir Ranjan also writes to Om Birla, says 'the way Smriti Irani yelled President's name without prefixing wasn't proper'. 5. An NDTV expose finds booze in the dry state of Gujarat despite 50 deaths. Cheap, home-made as well as high-end liquor easily available in Gujarat. 6. Amid the ongoing orange alert in the northern state of Uttarakhand, a part of the Badrinath National Highway-7 (NH-7) was washed away due to the rising water in the Khachda drain located at Lambagad, say officials. Following the incident, pilgrims were stranded on both sides of the highway.
- Former West Bengal Minister Partha Chatterjee says that he is being framed in a conspiracy, after he was stripped of his portfolios and his positions in the Trinamool Congress by chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday, six days after he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with an alleged teacher recruitment scam, in which the agency recovered cash worth RS 50 crore. Mr Chatterjee says, 'I've been framed, I'm a victim of conspiracy'. 2. After a near washout of House proceedings for two weeks, Lok Sabha will have a debate on price rise on Monday, followed by Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, say political sources. Since the beginning of the session on July 18, the Opposition in both the House had been raising the issue of rising prices and GST, leading to near washout of proceedings. Meanwhile, Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury tenders an apology to President Droupadi Murmu over his controversial 'Rashtrapatni' remark. 'I am writing to express my regret for having mistakenly used an incorrect word to describe the position you hold. I assure you that it was a slip of tongue. I apologise and request you to accept the same,' reads a letter written by Mr Chowdhury. 3. Indian Army Chief General Manoj Pande proceeds on a visit to Bhutan to enhance the unique and time-tested bilateral relationship, characterised by utmost trust, goodwill and mutual understanding. During the visit, the COAS is scheduled to meet Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuckand and Jigme Singye Wangchuck. An official statement reads, 'The Army Chief will also engage in extensive discussions with his counterpart in the Royal Bhutan Army to exchange views on taking forward the strong cultural and professional bonds between both the Armies.' 4. The rupee notches up its biggest single-day gain in nine months to close at a three-week high of 79.24 against the US dollar on fresh capital inflows and a weak green back in global markets. The rupee shoots up by 45 paise, posting its biggest single-day gain since October 20, 2021. 5. The Enforcement Directorate conducts raids in Hyderabad on two men, Chikoti Praveen and his aide Madhav Reddy, described as organisers of casinos. Chikoti Praveen says his casino business is legal but what the ED is looking at is whether the big volumes of transactions he carried out took the hawala route.
- Chief of Army Staff Gen Manoj Pande begins a two-day visit to Bhutan amid China's persistent attempts to enhance infrastructure around Bhutanese territory in the Doklam plateau. The Indian Army says Gen Pande is scheduled to meet King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the fourth king of Bhutan besides holding talks with his counterpart in the Royal Bhutan Army. 2. The Enforcement Directorate is searching for four cars owned by Arpita Mukherjee, an actor linked to sacked Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee, searches at whose various flats in Kolkata have yielded a record Rs 50 crore in cash, a record for the probe agency. The cars, an Audi A4, a Honda City, a Honda CRV, and a Mercedes Benz are loaded with cash, sources in the agency say. 3. Three Congress leaders are ordered to delete, within 24 hours, their tweets, videos and retweets accusing Union Minister Smriti Irani's daughter of running an illegal bar in Goa. Jairam Ramesh, Pawan Khera and Netta D'souza are also ordered to appear in court on August 18 in a Rs 2-crore defamation suit filed by Smriti Irani. The High Court says if the Congress leaders failed to remove their tweets, Twitter would have to do so. 4. On June 14, 2016, two young sisters watched helplessly as their father, along with some relatives, burnt their mother alive inside their home in Uttar Pradesh. Manoj Bansal, 48, is sentenced to life in jail by a court in Bulandshahr. The testimonies of his two daughters nail his conviction. 5. Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai says, if the situation demands, the 'Yogi model' government that exists in Uttar Pradesh will come into force in the southern state too to deal with anti-national and communal elements that are trying to create unrest. Mr Bommai says, 'For the situation in Uttar Pradesh, Yogi (Adityanath) is the right Chief Minister. Similarly, there are different methods to deal with the situation in Karnataka and all of them are being used. If the situation demands, Yogi model government will come in Karnataka too'. 6. According to the police sources, a young man was stabbed to death outside a textile shop at Surathkal in Mangaluru on the outskirts of the city by a group of unidentified assailants. The incident occurred while Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai was on a visit to the house of Praveen Nettar, BJP youth wing leader who was hacked to death at Bellare. They say, the deceased has been identified as Mohammed Fazil, a resident of Mangalpete near Surathkal. 7. History made at the Edgbaston Satdium as women's cricket debut at the Commonwealth Games.
- An FIR has been registered against Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, after his controversial 'Rashtrapatni' remark. The FIR has been filed in Madhya Pradesh. 2. The Opposition has chosen the entrance of parliament for its 50-hour protest against the suspension of MPs which will end today. Several Opposition leaders shared photos of the five MPs who spent their second night out in the open, on the lawns near Mahatma Gandhi's statue. In the photos, the MPs can be seen sleeping in mosquito nets in the photos. Trinamool MP Derek O'Brien, in a tweet at 1 am, urged parliament to cancel the suspension of 27 MPs who were suspended for seeking a discussion on price rise. 3. Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai says, if the situation demands, the 'Yogi model' government that exists in Uttar Pradesh will come into force in the southern state too to deal with anti-national and communal elements that are trying to create unrest. Mr Bommai says, 'For the situation in Uttar Pradesh, Yogi (Adityanath) is the right Chief Minister. Similarly, there are different methods to deal with the situation in Karnataka and all of them are being used. If the situation demands, Yogi model government will come in Karnataka too'. 4. According to the police sources, a young man was stabbed to death outside a textile shop at Surathkal in Mangaluru on the outskirts of the city by a group of unidentified assailants. The incident occurred while Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai was on a visit to the house of Praveen Nettar, BJP youth wing leader who was hacked to death at Bellare. They say, the deceased has been identified as Mohammed Fazil, a resident of Mangalpete near Surathkal. He was grievously inured in the attack and died on the way to hospital. The murder comes close on the heels of the killing of BJP youth wing leader Praveen Kumar Nettar in Bellare in the district on Tuesday night. 5. India logged 20,409 new coronavirus infections pushing the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 4,39,79,730, while the active cases declined to 1,43,988, according to the Union Health Ministry data. 6. Huge spikes in Monkeypox infections in the United States. San Francisco Mayor declares a state of emergency to tackle Monkeypox. 7. In NDTV impact story, a couple who was forced to live on the staircase in their own flat in Greater Noida. Now they have been given access to their flat, after NDTV highlighted their plight.
- According to the police sources, a young man was stabbed to death outside a textile shop at Surathkal in Mangaluru on the outskirts of the city by a group of unidentified assailants. The incident occurred while Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai was on a visit to the house of Praveen Nettar, BJP youth wing leader who was hacked to death at Bellare. They say, the deceased has been identified as Mohammed Fazil, a resident of Mangalpete near Surathkal. He was grievously inured in the attack and died on the way to hospital. The murder comes close on the heels of the killing of BJP youth wing leader Praveen Kumar Nettar in Bellare in the district on Tuesday night. 2. Accusing the Congress of 'demeaning' President Droupadi Murmu, the BJP demands an apology from Sonia Gandhi after her party leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury called Ms Murmu 'Rashtrapatni'. Smriti Irani launches a scathing attack on Sonia Gandhi, demanding an apology from her. She says, 'Sonia Gandhi sanctioned the humiliation of a woman at the highest constitutional office in the country'. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury swiftly clarifies saying it is a mere slip of the tongue and the BJP is 'making a mountain out of a molehill'. Speaking to NDTV, Sonia Gandhi says Mr Chowdhury has already apologised. 3. The Opposition has chosen the entrance to the Parliament as its new protest site as it wants to remind Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the promise he made when he entered the House for the first time in 2014, say its leaders. The protests against the suspension of Opposition Members of Parliament started on Wednesday under the sky near the Gandhi statue. 4. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee relieves Partha Chatterjee, who has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in the school jobs scam case, of his duties as minister in charge of several heavyweight portfolios including commerce and industry. Mr Chatterjee is also removed from all party posts and suspended from the Trinamool Congress. 5. The US economy contracted for a second straight quarter between April and June, government data shows, fueling recession fears just months before key midterm elections in a blow for President Joe Biden. Gross domestic product declined at an annual rate of 0.9 percent in the second quarter, following a bigger drop in the first three months of the year, according to the Commerce Department. Though Biden says he is confident the US economy is not suffering a downturn, his critics are sure to seize on the report as proof of the veteran Democrat's mismanagement of the economy. Though Biden says he is confident the US economy is not suffering a downturn, his critics are sure to seize on the report as proof of the veteran Democrat's mismanagement of the economy. Though Biden says he is confident the US economy is not suffering a downturn, his critics are sure to seize on the report as proof of the veteran Democrat's mismanagement of the economy. 6. A surge in Covid cases are being noted in the Unites States, Japan and also in India the cases are going up. 1 million cases of Covid-19 are being reported globally so in a single day. Meanwhile, cases of Monkeypox are also on surge as far as the United States is concerned.
- West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee removes Partha Chatterjee as a minister, five days after he was arrested for alleged corruption in recruitment of teachers and other staff in state government schools. Partha Chatterjee's sacking comes hours after another Rs 29 crore in unaccounted for cash besides five kilograms of gold jewellery was allegedly found at a second flat owned by his aide Arpita Mukherjee in Kolkata, during a raid by the Enforcement Directorate. 2. Accusing the Congress of 'demeaning' President Droupadi Murmu, the BJP demands an apology from Sonia Gandhi after her party leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury calls Ms Murmu 'Rashtrapatni'. Ms Irani launches a scathing attack on Sonia Gandhi, demanding an apology from her. 'Sonia Gandhi sanctioned the humiliation of a woman at the highest constitutional office in the country,' she says. An irate Ms Irani also calls Mrs Gandhi 'anti-Adivasi, anti-Dalit, and anti-woman'. Another protest led by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who has just recovered from Covid, saw her standing with fellow MPs with placards on the Parliament premises protesting the remark. Inside the lower house, Ms Sitharaman calls it a 'deliberate sexist abuse' and demands that the Congress President apologise on behalf of the party. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury swiftly clarifies saying it is a mere slip of the tongue and the BJP is 'making a mountain out of a molehill'. Speaking to NDTV, Sonia Gandhi says Mr Chowdhury has already apologised. 3. Two men are arrested in connection with the July 26 murder of BJP youth wing leader Praveen Nettaru at Bellare in Karnataka's Dakshin Kannada district that had led to massive protests and the Chief Minister's intervention. The two men, identified as Bellare local resident Mohammed Shafiq, 27, and Zakir, 29, from Savanoor in Haveri district are suspected of 'links' with the Popular Front of India. 'We are investigating all of those angles and also the motives of these men,' says Alok Kumar, ADGP, law and order. Both had been taken into custody for questioning on Wednesday, and are arrested on Thursday 'on the basis of evidence'. More arrests may be made after interrogating them, says the police. 4. The row over Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's 'Rashtrapatni' comment for President Droupadi Murmu quickly spirals into a whodunit after an angry exchange between Sonia Gandhi and Smriti Irani in parliament. The confrontation took place after MPs of the ruling BJP, led by Union Minister Smriti Irani, demanded an apology from Sonia Gandhi over her party MP's comment. 'Sonia Gandhi, apologise. You sanctioned the humiliation of Droupadi Murmu. Sonia ji sanctioned humiliation of a woman in the highest constitutional post,' Smriti Irani says.
- The Rajya Sabha adopts a motion to suspend three more members, AAP's Sushil Kumar Gupta and Sandeep Kumar Pathak besides independent MP Ajit Kumar Bhuyan, for the rest of the week for 'unruly behaviour' in the House. So far 23 members of the opposition have been suspended by the Rajya Sabha for 'unruly behaviour'. 2. Accusing the Congress of 'demeaning' President Droupadi Murmu, the BJP demands an apology from Sonia Gandhi after her party leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury called Ms Murmu 'Rashtrapatni'. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury swiftly clarifies saying it is a mere slip of the tongue and the BJP is 'making a mountain out of a molehill'. He accuses the BJP of distracting from crucial discussions on price rise, GST, the Agnipath scheme, unemployment, and other issues. Speaking to NDTV, Sonia Gandhi says Mr Chowdhury has already apologised. 3. Nearly Rs 30 crore cash and five kilograms of gold ornaments are found in the second flat of West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee's aide Arpita Mukherjee in Kolkata during a raid in connection with a school jobs scam. 4. The US Federal Reserve again raises the benchmark interest rate by three-quarters of a percentage point in its ongoing battle to tamp down raging price pressures that are squeezing American families. It is the second straight 75 basis point increase, and the fourth rate hike this year, as policy makers move aggressively to cool the strongest surge in inflation in more than four decades, without derailing the world's largest economy. 5. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 44th Chess Olympiad, with the marquee event being hosted by India for the first time. Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi, Chief Minister M K Stalin and Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur among others will be present during the opening ceremony at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor stadium in the city. 6. Commonwealth games begin in Birmingham, PV Sindhu and Manpreet Singh to be India's flagbearers.
- About Rs 29 crore in cash and five kilograms of gold jewelry recovered from the second flat of Arpita Mukherjee in Kolkata, a close aide of arrested West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee, during a raid conducted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a school jobs scam, officials say. The probe agency officials left Arpita Mukherjee's home in the Belgharia area of Kolkata early this morning with 10 trunks of cash after concluding an an18-hour raid. Sources say that ED officials used three note-counting machines to know the exact amount of cash seized from Ms Mukherjee's second flat. 2. Twenty suspended Rajya Sabha members Wednesday started a 50-hour relay protest inside the Parliament complex, with sources saying the Opposition declined the Chairman's offer that they express regret over their members' behaviour in the House to get the suspension revoked. They were later joined by four Congress MPs who have also been suspended from Lok Sabha for remainder of the Monsoon session. The 20 MPs, suspended over Monday and Tuesday, include seven from the Trinamool, six from the DMK, three from the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, two from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and one each from the Communist Party of India and the Aam Aadmi Party. 3. The Shiv Sena faction led by Uddhav Thackeray files another petition in the Supreme Court against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla over the removal of their MPs from Lok Sabha posts. The petition calls for their reinstatement and cancellation of the appointments made from the Eknath Shinde faction, including that of Rahul Shewale as leader of Shiv Sena in the Lok Sabha. They have also asked for the removal of Bhavana Gawali as the party's chief whip, alleging that the appointments were made at the behest of MPs guilty of anti-party activities. 4. The US Federal Reserve again raises the benchmark interest rate by three-quarters of a percentage point in its ongoing battle to tamp down raging price pressures that are squeezing American families. It was the second straight 75 basis point increase, and the fourth rate hike this year, as policy makers move aggressively to cool the strongest surge in inflation in more than four decades, without derailing the world's largest economy. 5. Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says Europe and the Americas have been affected the most by the monkeypox outbreak. These two regions have reported 95 per cent of the diagnosed cases, he says, warning against stigma and discrimination in monkeypox messaging. He adds, over 18,000 monkeypox cases have been reported to the WHO from 78 countries. More than 70 per cent of these came from the European region and 25 per cent from the Americas. 6. World's biggest event, the 44th edition Chess Olympiad begins in Chennai from today. For the first time, in nearly 100 years of the history of the Chess Olympiad, India will play host. For two weeks, Chennai will host nearly 2,000 players from 188 countries.
- BJP leader Mithun Chakraborty claims that 38 Trinamool Congress MLAs have very good relations with his party. Out of the 38, 21 are in direct contact, the actor-turned-politician says in Kolkata. 'Do you want to hear breaking news. At this moment, 38 TMC MLAs have very good relations with us, out of which 21 are in direct (contact with us),' says Mr Chakraborty. 2. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is leaving for Delhi amid talks of the imminent expansion of the state cabinet which has not taken shape even almost a month after a government led by him and the Bharatiya Janata Party came to power. 3. The Union Cabinet approves a Rs. 1.64 lakh crore package for the revival of state-owned telecom firm BSNL, Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw says. The package has three elements, to improve services, de-stress balance sheet, and expansion of fibre network. Briefing reporters on the decision taken by the Union Cabinet, he says the government will make administrative allocation of spectrum BSNL needs to offer 4G services. 4. Backing the Enforcement Directorate with a crucial judgment, the Supreme Court rejects almost all objections raised against the probe agency regarding several powers including initiating an investigation, the power to arrest, and others. The top court upholds almost all the stringent provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act in proceeds of crime, search and seizure, power of arrest, attachment of properties, and bail, which were under challenge in the court. Section 19, which deals with the power to arrest, does not suffer from the 'vice of arbitrariness', it says, adding that Section 5 of the Act relating to the attachment of property of those involved in money laundering is also constitutionally valid. 5. Congress president Sonia Gandhi's questioning by the Enforcement Directorate on money laundering allegations linked to the National Herald case ends. She was asked over 100 questions in 12 hours spread over three days. Sonia Gandhi, 75, spent three hours with the probe agency on the third day of questioning.
- Backing the Enforcement Directorate with a crucial judgment, the Supreme Court rejects almost all objections raised against the probe agency regarding several powers including initiating an investigation, the power to arrest, and others. The top court upholds almost all the stringent provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act in proceeds of crime, search and seizure, power of arrest, attachment of properties, and bail, which were under challenge in the court. Section 19, which deals with the power to arrest, does not suffer from the 'vice of arbitrariness', it says, adding that Section 5 of the Act relating to the attachment of property of those involved in money laundering is also constitutionally valid. 2. Congress president Sonia Gandhi's questioning on money laundering allegations linked to the National Herald case is likely to end today, say sources in the Enforcement Directorate. Mrs Gandhi was asked over 70 questions in the last two days of questioning, say sources. She was at the Enforcement Directorate's office for eight hours. She reached the agency's office around 11 am this morning. The Enforcement Directorate officials say Sonia Gandhi was quick in answering questions. 3. Nineteen opposition MPs suspended from Rajya Sabha for the rest of the week for disrupting the session. 'The decision to suspend opposition MPs from Rajya Sabha was taken with a heavy heart. They kept on ignoring the Chairman's appeals,' says BJP's Piyush Goyal, leader of the house in Rajya Sabha. 'The government is ready for a debate on price rise once Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman recovers and returns to parliament,' adds Mr Goyal. 4. Adding to the series of schoolgirl deaths in Tamil Nadu over the past couple of weeks, a Class 11 student has been found dead at her home in Sivakasi. This is suspected to be a case of suicide. A police officer tells NDTV, 'We will not say anything till this investigation is completed'. The girl has been found hanging at her home. No suicide note has been found yet. An officer says she often suffered from severe stomach ache. 5. Four minor accused released on bail in Hyderabad gangrape case, which had set off outrage and political clashes in Telangana a month ago. All four accused have been released from a juvenile home where they had been detained since the first week of June. The four have been directed to cooperate with investigating officers, and record their attendance before the District Probation Officer on the first Monday of every month.
- Congress chief Sonia Gandhi questioned for six hours by the Enforcement Directorate in an alleged money laundering case connected to the National Herald newspaper. She has been summoned again. Mrs Gandhi reached the ED office accompanied by her son Rahul Gandhi and daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra at 11 am. Medical staff were kept on standby and her daughter, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, waited throughout in case she needed medical attention. The questioning of the Gandhis has stirred up the Congress, which held massive protests. The police say 57 MPs, including Rahul Gandhi, were detained while holding a march from Parliament to Vijay Chowk. 2. Nineteen opposition MPs suspended from Rajya Sabha for the rest of the week for disrupting the session. 'The decision to suspend opposition MPs from Rajya Sabha was taken with a heavy heart. They kept on ignoring the Chairman's appeals,' says BJP's Piyush Goyal, leader of the house in Rajya Sabha. 'The government is ready for a debate on price rise once Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman recovers and returns to parliament,' adds Mr Goyal. 3. The United States has recorded more than 3,400 confirmed or suspected monkeypox cases, making it the country with the most known infections since the outbreak began. A massive surge in cases has prompted United States President Joe Biden to declare monkeypox a national health emergency. The country also holds the grim record of registering the highest number of coronavirus cases worldwide since the start of the pandemic. Spain has reported the next highest number of cases, at 3,125, followed by Germany, with 2,352 cases. 4. The International Monetary Fund cuts global growth forecasts again, warning that downside risks from high inflation and the Ukraine war are materializing and can push the world economy to the brink of recession if left unchecked. Global real GDP growth will slow to 3.2 per cent in 2022 from a forecast of 3.6 per cent issued in April, says the IMF in an update of its World Economic Outlook. It adds that world GDP actually contracted in the second quarter due to downturns in China and Russia.
- A day after four Congress MPs were suspended from Lok Sabha for 'disrupting proceedings and unruly behaviour', 19 Opposition MPs including TMC leaders Sushmita Dev, Santanu Sen, and Dola Sen are now suspended from Rajya Sabha for the remaining part of the week for 'misconduct'. They are suspended for storming well of the House and sloganeering against the government over inflation. Following the incident, Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day to meet at 11am tomorrow. 2. The Supreme Court asks the Central government to take a stand on the need to control the issue of political parties promising to distribute irrational freebies from public funds during election campaigns. A bench of Chief Justice of India NV Ramana, Justices Krishna Murari and Hima Kohli asks the Centre to consider whether the suggestions of the Finance Commission can be sought for a solution. During the hearing, advocate Amit Sharma appearing for the Election Commission of India tells the apex court that it was held in previous judgments that a manifesto was part of the promises of a political party and suggests that the Central government could bring in a law to deal with the issue. 3. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) files a supplementary chargesheet against former JK Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah in the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association Fund scam. 'Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has filed a supplementary Prosecution Complaint under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA), before the Special PMLA Court, Srinagar, against Dr Farooq Abdullah, Ahsan Ahmad Mirza, Mir Manzoor Gazanffer And others on June 4, 2022,' says the official statement. 4. Rahul Gandhi detained after he leads a protest and sits on a road in the heart of the capital while his mother Sonia Gandhi is being questioned by the Enforcement Directorate. The Congress leader, surrounded by scores of policemen, sat on Rajpath, the high security avenue near parliament and top government offices, as he protested over a range of issues from price rise and GST to the targeting of opposition leaders by probe agencies. After a stand-off that lasted for about 30 minutes, the Congress MP was detained by the policemen who lifted him and put him in the bus along with other MPs who had already been detained. 5. West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee is brought to the Central Government Office complex in Kolkata, a day after he and his aide Arpita Mukherjee are sent to the custody of Enforcement Directorate till 3 August. He reached the Kolkata airport this morning, after being discharged from AIIMS Bhubaneswar. The Calcutta court has also given orders to conduct medical check-ups of both the arrested accused after every 48 hours. 6. The Supreme Court comes down strongly on the Uttar Pradesh government and Allahabad high court for not taking prompt action to release on bail undertrial prisoners languishing in jails for more than 10 years, despite its order. The Supreme Court pulls them for 'not being sensitive' and says it is prepared to 'take the burden' and decide the cases by itself. The Court warns that it 'Will pass blanket order granting bail'. 7. As India commemorates 23 years of its victory over Pakistan in the Kargil War, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh pays tribute to soldiers who lost their lives in the 1999 Kargil War and lays a wreath at the National War Memorial in Delhi. Each year, Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated on July 26 to honour the valour and sacrifice of the soldiers who laid down their lives in the line of duty during the Kargil War.
- Rahul Gandhi detained after he leads a protest and sits on a road in the heart of the capital while his mother Sonia Gandhi is being questioned by the Enforcement Directorate. The Congress leader, surrounded by scores of policemen, sat on Rajpath, the high security avenue near parliament and top government offices, as he protested over a range of issues from price rise and GST to the targeting of opposition leaders by probe agencies. After a stand-off that lasted for about 30 minutes, the Congress MP was detained by the policemen who lifted him and put him in the bus along with other MPs who had already been detained. 2. West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee is brought to the Central Government Office complex in Kolkata, a day after he and his aide Arpita Mukherjee are sent to the custody of Enforcement Directorate till 3 August. He reached the Kolkata airport this morning, after being discharged from AIIMS Bhubaneswar. The Calcutta court has also given orders to conduct medical check-ups of both the arrested accused after every 48 hours. 3. A class 12 girl, student of Sacred Heart School in Tamil Nadu's Tiruvallur district, is found dead at her hostel. The student was found hanging. Police say no suicide note has been recovered yet and investigation is underway. The case has been transferred to the CB-CID wing of the state police. 4. In yet another incident of moral policing, members of a right-wing group allegedly barge into a pub in Karnataka's Mangaluru and forcefully stop a party that was organised by students of a private college. The activists belonging to Bajrang Dal reportedly asked the management of the Recycle Pub in Balmata area of Mangaluru to stop the event, alleging that the students were indulging in some 'illegal activities'. 5. India slams China and Pakistan for their efforts to encourage third countries to join projects relating to their multi-billion dollar connectivity corridor that passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. In a sharp reaction, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi says such activities under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor are 'inherently illegal, illegitimate and unacceptable', and will be treated accordingly by India. 6. As India commemorates 23 years of its victory over Pakistan in the Kargil War, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh pays tribute to soldiers who lost their lives in the 1999 Kargil War and lays a wreath at the National War Memorial in Delhi. Each year, Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated on July 26 to honour the valour and sacrifice of the soldiers who laid down their lives in the line of duty during the Kargil War.
- Droupadi Murmu takes oath as the India's 15th President. She is the first tribal and the second woman to be elected to the highest post. In her first tweet as President, Droupadi Murmu greets the country with 'Johar, Namaskar' and says Indians' wishes will give her strength to fulfil her duties in the country's highest office. 'Johar' is a traditional greeting among tribals. Addressing the joint sitting of Parliament after taking the oath, President Murmu says, 'My election is proof that the poor in the country can have dreams and also fulfil them.' 2. Four Congress MPs suspended from the Lok Sabha for the entire monsoon session ending August 12 for holding protests with placards inside the house over price rise. Speaker Om Birla had earlier warned them to behave and hold the placards outside the house if they wanted to protest. The suspended Congress MPs are Manickam Tagore, Jothimani, Ramya Haridas and TN Prathapan. Meanwhile, PM Modi says the Opposition keeps their political interests above that of the country. He further alleges that the Opposition keeps obstructing the government's development work. 3. Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee breaks her silence on her minister Partha Chatterjee's arrest two days ago. 'I don't support corruption or any wrongdoing,' she says, appearing to distance herself from the Trinamool Congress leader she once counted among her closest aides. The Chief Minister also says that 'BJP is wrong if it thinks it can break my party using agencies'. 4. Alt News fact-checker Mohammed Zubair was released from jail last week, 23 days after his arrest over a 2018 tweet. The Supreme Court had only released the operative portion of the order on July 20. The full judgment copy has been uploaded now. It mentions, 'A blanket order directing the petitioner to not express his opinion would be disproportionate to the purpose of imposing conditions on bail. The imposition of such a condition would tantamount to a gag order against the petitioner. Gag orders have a chilling effect on the freedom of speech.' 5. A class 12 girl, student of Sacred Heart School in Tamil Nadu's Tiruvallur district, is found dead at her hostel. The student was found hanging. Police say no suicide note has been recovered yet and investigation is underway. The case has been transferred to the CB-CID wing of the state police. 6. Actor Ranveer Singh takes the internet by storm with his nude pictures. His pictures have become the talk of the town. But it looks like Ranveer has been trapped in a legal trouble owing to his bold pictures. A complaint has been filed against the actor for 'hurting women's sentiments'. The complaint has been filed with Mumbai Police. More details regarding the complaint are still not known.
- Four Congress MPs including Manickam Tagore, Ramya Haridas, Jothimani and TN Prathapan have been suspended from the Lok Sabha for the entire Monsoon session for their 'unruly behaviour and disrupting proceedings.' The MPs are suspended according to Rule 374 on 'unruly and disrespectful behaviour towards the Chair.' Meanwhile, the Congress describes it as a 'blot on democracy', saying the government is trying to 'intimidate' it but it would not be cowed down. Earlier, Speaker Om Birla had warned the protesting members, including from the Congress, TMC and DMK, that those who continue to shout slogans and display placards will have to do it outside the House after 3 pm. TMC MPs, who were part of the protesting opposition parties till 2 PM, did not join the protests after the House assembled at 3 PM. They were seen sitting in their seats. 2. West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee, arrested in connection with a school job scam, was flown to AIIMS Bhubaneswar, where doctors say that he suffers from chronic diseases but does not need immediate hospitalization. The Calcutta High Court had on July 24 directed the ED, which arrested Mr Chatterjee in connection the scam, to take him to the health facility in the neighbouring state by an air ambulance. 'We have conducted a thorough screening. He has some chronic diseases, but does not need immediate hospitalisation,' AIIMS executive director Ashutosh Biswas tells reporters. 3. There is now a tussle for the Chief Minister's post in Karnataka that's heating up. It's Congress' President DK Shivkumar vs leader of opposition Siddaramaiah. 4. Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha launches two-day Tiranga Yatra on Kargil Vijay Diwas starting today under the leadership of BJYM National President and MP Tejasvi Surya. According to the BJYM statement, the yatra commenced from Lal Chowk in Srinagar and will culminate at Kargil. National office bearers, executive members and state presidents of BJYM are participating in this yatra. 5. Droupadi Murmu takes oath as the India's 15th President. She is the first tribal and the second woman to be elected to the highest post. In her first tweet as President, Droupadi Murmu greets the country with 'Johar, Namaskar' and says Indians' wishes will give her strength to fulfil her duties in the country's highest office. 'Johar' is a traditional greeting among tribals. Addressing the joint sitting of Parliament after taking the oath, President Murmu says, 'My election is proof that the poor in the country can have dreams and also fulfil them.'
- Droupadi Murmu takes oath as the India's 15th President. She is the first tribal and the second woman to be elected to the highest post. In her first tweet as President, Droupadi Murmu greets the country with 'Johar, Namaskar' and says Indians' wishes will give her strength to fulfil her duties in the country's highest office. 'Johar' is a traditional greeting among tribals. Addressing the joint sitting of Parliament after taking the oath, President Murmu says, 'My election is proof that the poor in the country can have dreams and also fulfil them.' 2. West Bengal Minister Partha Chatterjee made three calls to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after his arrest but all three went unanswered, reveals an official document. Partha Chatterjee's 'Arrest Memo' says the 70-year-old chose his boss Mamata Banerjee for his phone call to a 'relative or friend whom the person taken in custody intends to inform'. His first call, after his arrest at around 1.55 am, was made at 2.33 am. 'He called her but she didn't take his call,' records the memo. 3. Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha launches two-day Tiranga Yatra on Kargil Vijay Diwas starting today under the leadership of BJYM National President and MP Tejasvi Surya. According to the BJYM statement, the yatra commenced from Lal Chowk in Srinagar and will culminate at Kargil. National office bearers, executive members and state presidents of BJYM are participating in this yatra. 4. A class 12 student is found dead inside the hostel of a private school in Kilacheri in Tamil Nadu's Tiruvallur district. Police personnel have been deployed at the school premises after the incident. Parents and relatives of the victim hold a protest in Thekkalur. 5. Actors Katrina Kaif and Vicky Kaushal receive death threat from an unidentified man through social media. The police say they have registered a case at Mumbai's Santacruz police station and an investigation has been initiated. According to the police, the actors were receiving threats on Instagram and the accused is also stalking Katrina Kaif and threatening her. 6. Eight people die and nearly 20 get injured in a collision of double-decker buses on Uttar Pradesh's Purvanchal expressway. Three people are reported to be critical and have been referred to Trauma Center in Lucknow for treatment. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expresses grief and extends condolences to the families of the victims who died in the accident.
- A day after West Bengal Commerce and Industry Minister Partha Chatterjee, arrested in connection with the alleged school job scam, was admitted to government-run SSKM Hospital in Kolkata, the Calcutta High Court orders the Enforcement Directorate to shift him to AIIMS Bhubaneswar through air-ambulance. In its order, Justice Bibek Chaudhuri states, 'In the recent past, more than one high-ranking political leaders belonging to the ruling party were arrested or directed to appear before the Investigating Authority for interrogation, and they successfully avoided interrogation by taking shelter in the said hospital. When they found that there was no possibility for the investigating agency to interrogate the suspects having strong political background, they were discharged from the hospital.' 2. Delhi reports its first monkeypox case, fourth in India with the previous three cases reported from Kerala, as a 31-year-old man with no foreign travel history is diagnosed with the viral disease. The monkeypox outbreak, which the World Health Organisation has termed 'unusual' has affected nearly 17,000 people in 74 countries with the UN health agency sounding its highest alarm, calling the infection's spread 'a global health emergency'. 3. Union Minister Smriti Irani, following up on her word, sends a legal notice to three Congress leaders and their party for alleging that her 18-year-old daughter is running an 'illegal bar' in Goa. The legal notice has been sent to Opposition party's Pawan Khera, Jairam Ramesh and Netta D' Souza. The Union Minister has sought a written unconditional apology and withdrawal of allegations against her daughter with immediate effect from the Congress. 4. Delhi government event was 'hijacked' on orders of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office by the police who put up his towering photos on stage and threatened to arrest anyone who removed them, alleges Aam Aadmi Party, prompting Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to skip the function. Posters of Mr Kejriwal were torn down, police were seen clicking photos of the re-done decorations, and uniformed cops in large numbers were seen guarding the event in photos posted by AAP on Twitter.
- Six people die following an explosion inside the home of a firecracker businessman in Khudai Bagh village in Khaira police station area of Bihar's Saran district. The businessman is identified as Shabir Hussain. The explosion caused a portion of the house to blow up while the remaining part caught fire. According to the police, the house is located on the banks of a river, into which a major part of the house collapsed. 2. Delhi reports its first monkeypox case, fourth in India with the previous three cases reported from Kerala, as a 31-year-old man with no foreign travel history is diagnosed with the viral disease. The monkeypox outbreak, which the World Health Organisation has termed 'unusual' has affected nearly 17,000 people in 74 countries with the UN health agency sounding its highest alarm, calling the infection's spread 'a global health emergency'. 3. Delhi government event was 'hijacked' on orders of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office by the police who put up his towering photos on stage and threatened to arrest anyone who removed them, alleges Aam Aadmi Party, prompting Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to skip the function. Posters of Mr Kejriwal were torn down, police were seen clicking photos of the re-done decorations, and uniformed cops in large numbers were seen guarding the event in photos posted by AAP on Twitter. 4. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attacks Centre over Agnipath military recruitment scheme, saying the country's security and the future of the youth are in danger with this 'new experiment' of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'laboratory'. Sixty soldiers retire every year, out of which only 3,000 are getting government jobs, says Mr Gandhi in a tweet in Hindi. 'What will be the future of thousands of Agniveers retiring after four-year contracts,' asks the former Congress chief.
- Delhi reports its first monkeypox case as a 31-year-old man with no foreign travel history was diagnosed with the disease, say sources. This is the fourth monkeypox case reported in India with the previous three cases being reported from Kerala. The man had attended a party in Manali in Himachal Pradesh, news agency PTI reports citing sources. The West Delhi resident was hospitalised with symptoms of the disease three days ago, it says, adding that his samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology yesterday. The World Health Organisation has declared the monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency. 2. India's ace athlete Neeraj Chopra creates history yet again as he becomes the first man from the country and only the second Indian ever, after long jumper Anju Bobby George, to win a medal at the Athletics World Championships, as he seals a silver medal with a throw of 88.13 metres in the final at Oregon in the USA. World champion Anderson Peters defends his title in style with three throws of over the 90 metre mark. Neeraj, who ha d a slow start to the final, produced a big throw in his fourth attempt, which helped him land a podium spot. 3. Thousands of Hungarians march in Budapest to defend LGBTQ rights, a year after the passage of a law widely described as discriminatory. Brightly dressed revellers take to the streets by the Danube under scorching heat, sporting rainbow umbrellas, flags and a giant heart. Participants, who included foreign diplomats, condemned the text adopted in 2021 prohibiting 'the representation or promotion' of LGBTQ among minors. 4. USAID chief Samantha Power met with Kenyan community members as she continues an East African trip aimed at spotlighting a starvation crisis in the region residents of Kachoda village in Turkana spoke of the protracted drought conditions that have devastated their communities and brought the looming threat of famine
- West Bengal Minister Partha Chatterjee is arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case linked to the alleged teacher recruitment scam in the state. The arrest comes hours after Rs 20 crore was recovered from a close aide of the minister. During the questioning, Mr Chatterjee did not co-operate with the investigators as a result of which he was arrested, official sources tell NDTV. Meanwhile, TMC, the ruling party in the state says it will not tolerate any discrepancy or malpractice in the government while adding that the central agency is politically influenced by the BJP. 2. Looking at the expanding monkeypox outbreak in more than 70 countries, the World Health Organization declares the virus a public health emergency of international concern. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says, 'I have decided that the global monkeypox outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern.' 3. Outgoing President Ram Nath Kovind asks citizens to use Gandhian means to express opposition and pursue demands, and says parties should shun partisan politics to deliberate on what is necessary for people's welfare by keeping in mind that the nation is supreme. In his farewell address to parliamentarians at Parliament's Central Hall, the President likenes the Indian parliamentary system to a big family and emphasises on the values of peace, harmony and dialogue to resolve all 'family differences'. 4. Delhi BJP and Congress leaders and workers protest against the new Liquor Policy of the AAP Government, outside the residence of Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia. They demand the resignation of Mr Sisodia over alleged violation of rules and procedural lapses in the Kejriwal government's Excise Policy, 2021-22. Meanwhile, Arvind Kejriwal defends Sisodia as a 'dead honest' man and claims that he could be arrested in a 'fake' case. 5. The Samajwadi Party tells allies Omprakash Rajbhar and Shivpal Singh Yadav that they are free to go, signalling a break-up after the two supported the BJP presidential candidate in the just concluded polls. 6. The Congress demands Union Minister Smriti Irani's sacking, alleging her daughter is running an illegal bar in Goa, but the BJP leader claims the 'malicious' charge is made at the Gandhi family's behest due to her vocal stand in the National Herald case and vowed to fight back. Meanwhile, Smriti Irani says, 'My daughter's fault is that her mother holds a press conference on the loot of Rs 5,000 cr by Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. Her fault is that her mother fought against Rahul Gandhi in 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls'.
- West Bengal Minister Partha Chatterjee is arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case linked to the alleged teacher recruitment scam in the state. The arrest comes hours after Rs 20 crore was recovered from a close aide of the minister. The Trinamool leader was questioned throughout the night following the recovery of the cash. During the questioning, Mr Chatterjee did not co-operate with the investigators as a result of which he was arrested, official sources tell NDTV. 2. Delhi BJP leaders and workers protest against the new Liquor Policy of the AAP Government, outside the residence of Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia. The protesters are being detained by police. Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announces a 'free' Spoken English programme for youngsters with an aim to enhance their communication skills and help improve their job prospects. 3. Kangaroo courts on TV debates and social media are taking the country backwards, Chief Justice of India NV Ramana says, in searing criticism and calls their behaviour 'biased', 'ill-informed' and 'agenda-driven'. The remarks assume great significance following the backlash to a verdict earlier this month on former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma's comments on Prophet Muhammad, which the Supreme Court said has stoked communal tension across the country. 4. Four railway employees have been arrested in connection with the gang-rape of a 30-year-old woman on a platform at New Delhi railway station, say police. Police say all the four accused are employees of the Railways' Electrical Department. The gang-rape, police say, took place inside a train lighting hut on the platform late on Thursday night. While two of the accused allegedly raped the woman, the others stood guard outside. 5. Body of the Tamil Nadu student who allegedly died by suicide laid to rest. The family accepts the body after alleging foul play and insisting on second autopsy by doctor of their choice. 6. Six persons, part of a group of Kanwar Yatra pilgrims on their way to Bhopal from Haridwar, get crushed to death by a speeding truck in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras district in the early hours of the morning, say police.
- Delhi BJP leaders and workers protest against the new Liquor Policy of the AAP Government, outside the residence of Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia. The protesters are being detained by Police. 2. West Bengal Minister Partha Chatterjee is arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case linked to the alleged teacher recruitment scam in the state. The arrest comes hours after Rs 20 crore was recovered from a close aide of the minister. The Trinamool leader was questioned throughout the night following the recovery of the cash. During the questioning, Mr Chatterjee did not co-operate with the investigators as a result of which he was arrested, official sources tell NDTV. 3. Kangaroo courts on TV debates and social media are taking the country backwards, Chief Justice of India NV Ramana says, in searing criticism and calls their behaviour 'biased', 'ill-informed' and 'agenda-driven'. The remarks assume great significance following the backlash to a verdict earlier this month on former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma's comments on Prophet Muhammad, which the Supreme Court says has stoked communal tension across the country. 4. Four railway employees have been arrested in connection with the gang-rape of a 30-year-old woman on a platform at New Delhi railway station, police say. Police say all the four accused are employees of the Railways' Electrical Department. The gang-rape, police say, took place inside a train lighting hut on the platform late on Thursday night. While two of the accused allegedly raped the woman, the others stood guard outside. 5. Body of the Tamil Nadu student who allegedly died by suicide laid to rest. The family accepts the body after alleging foul play and insisting on second autopsy by doctor of their choice. 6. Six persons, part of a group of Kanwar Yatra pilgrims on their way to Bhopal from Haridwar, get crushed to death by a speeding truck in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras district in the early hours of the morning, police say.
- Responding to Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena's sensational allegations against his deputy Manish Sisodia regarding corruption and patronage to liquor mafia, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal says the allegations are 'totally false'. He says Mr Sisodia is working very hard to strenghten Delhi's education system, earning praise and electoral support because of it, which is why the Centre is trying to stop them. Calling BJP leaders 'children of Savarkar', he says his party leaders are the children of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh who refused to bow down before the British and chose to be hung to death instead. 'We are not afraid of going to jail,' he says. 2. Margaret Alva, the joint opposition candidate running for Vice President, has criticised the Trinamool Congress's decision to abstain from voting in the election. Mr Alva in a tweet reminds West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's party that the Vice Presidential election 'isn't the time for whataboutery, ego or anger'. "The TMC's decision to abstain from voting in the VP election is disappointing. This isn't the time for 'whataboutery', ego or anger. This is the time for courage, leadership and unity. I believe, Mamata Banerjee, who is the epitome of courage, will stand with the opposition,' Ms Alva tweets. 3. President-elect Droupadi Murmu, who started her political career as a councillor in Odisha, has firmly put her name in history as India's first tribal President and the second woman in the post, Odisha celebrates her victory. 4. Girls outshine boys in the CBSE Class 10 and 12 exams which see a pass percentage of 94.4 and 92.71 respectively, according to results announced. The pass percentage in the CBSE Class 12 exam has gone up by over 9 percentage points in comparison to the pre-pandemic academic session of 2018-19 while a similar jump has been seen in the number of candidates scoring above 95 and 90 per cent marks. Similar trends have been witnessed in the class 10 results, announced by the board. The board officials, however, claim that this academic session was a 'special one' and cannot be compared with previous sessions. 5. Lankan forces evict protestors from the main protest site in Colombo, hours after President Ranil Wickremesinghe takes oath. Dinesh Gunawardena sworn in as the Prime Minister. 6. Actor Salman Khan has applied for a gun licence after he and his father got a death threat in early June, just days after singer Sidhu Moose Wala was shot dead near Punjab's Mansa on May 29. The actor comes to the Mumbai Police headquarters and meets with top cop Vivek Phansalkar for a gun licence, people with direct knowledge of the matter say. Salman Khan wants to own a gun to protect himself and his family, they say.
- Delhi's Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena recommends an investigation by probe agency Central Bureau of Investigation into the Arvind Kejriwal-led government's contentious new excise policy. A July 8 report by the Chief Secretary establishes several violations of established law 'in addition to deliberate and gross procedural lapses to provide post tender undue benefits to liquor licensees', says a media release from Mr Saxena's office. However, the Aam Aadmi Party claims that the new excise policy was formulated to ensure the generation of optimum revenue, and eradicate the sale of spurious liquor or non-duty paid liquor in Delhi, besides improving user experience. AAP national spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj tells reporters the CBI investigation has been ordered at the behest of the central government. 2. Opposition's vice presidential candidate Margaret Alva describes the Trinamool Congress' decision to abstain from voting in the VP election as 'disappointing' and says this was not the time for 'whataboutery, ego or anger'. 3. A team of Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials raided the residences of Bengal ministers Partha Chatterjee and Paresh Adhikari on Friday as part of its probe into a teacher recruitment scam, says a source in the agency. According to the ED source, officials had also carried out a simultaneous raid at the residence of the former chairman of the West Bengal Board of Primary Education, Manik Bhattacharya, in the Jadavpur area of the city. 4. Leaders of various Opposition parties stage a protest in Parliament against the recent hike in Goods and Services Tax on essential items and seek its rollback. The Opposition members also seek a discussion on the issue of price rise in both houses of Parliament. 5. The Central Board of Secondary Education declares the Class 10, 12 result 2022 today. According to the result, girls outperformed boys in the CBSE Class-10 exam, which saw the pass percentage of the candidates dipping by 4.64, even as the number of students scoring above 90 per cent and 95 per cent witnessed a jump as against last year's figure.
- Delhi's Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena recommends an investigation by probe agency Central Bureau of Investigation into the Arvind Kejriwal-led government's contentious new excise policy. A July 8 report by the Chief Secretary establishes several violations of established law 'in addition to deliberate and gross procedural lapses to provide post tender undue benefits to liquor licensees', a media release from Mr Saxena's office says. 2. A team of Enforcement Directorate officials raids residences of Bengal ministers Partha Chatterjee and Paresh Adhikari as part of its probe into a teacher recruitment scam, a source in the agency says. At least seven to eight ED personnel arrived at Mr Chatterjee's Naktala residence in Kolkata, and carried out searches till 11 am with CRPF personnel keeping guard outside, the source says. 3. Responding to Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena's sensational allegations against his deputy Manish Sisodia regarding corruption and patronage to liquor mafia, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal says the allegations are 'totally false'. He says Mr Sisodia is working very hard to strenghten Delhi's education system, earning praise and electoral support because of it, which is why the Centre is trying to stop them. 4. A large number of opposition MLAs cross-voted in favour of the BJP's presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu, who is set to become India's first tribal President. Around 125 MLAs and 17 opposition MPs cross-voted in Droupadi Murmu's support, according to sources. Soon after Droupadi Murmu was elected winner versus the opposition's Yashwant Sinha, the BJP's Chief Ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Himanta Biswa Sarma put out messages 'thanking' opposition MLAs who voted according to their conscience.
- India gets its first tribal President as NDA choice Droupadi Murmu scoops up over 60 per cent of the total vote value. Opposition's Yashwant Sinha concedes defeat after three rounds of counting. The President-elect will take oath on July 25. 2. The NDA's presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu emerges victorious in the presidential election by bagging a total of 6,76,803 votes over her rival Yashwant Sinha who polled 3,80,177 votes. Making an official announcement after the fourth round of counting, Returning Officer P C Mody declares Murmu as the winner with 64.03 per cent votes. Sinha got 36 per cent of the valid votes polled. Murmu bagged votes from a total of 2824 electors, including 540 MPs, while her rival Sinha got votes of 1,877 electors including 208 MPs in the election. 3. Mamata Banerjee's party says it will abstain from voting in the Vice President election, in which the ruling BJP's candidate is Jagdeep Dhankhar, the Governor of Bengal. The Vice Presidential election will be held on August 6. Jagdeep Dhankhar's opposition rival is Congress veteran Margaret Alva. 4. Sonia Gandhi, 75, was questioned for nearly three hours by the Enforcement Directorate on Thursday, on the first day of her appearance before the probe agency in an alleged money laundering case linked to the National Herald newspaper. Sonia Gandhi has been called for another round of questioning on Monday. Mrs Gandhi, who recently recovered from Covid, was questioned keeping in mind Covid protocol with everyone participating equipped with a Covid negative certificate, officials say. 5. In a significant order, the Supreme Court expands the scope of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act to include 'unmarried woman' and allows a woman to abort her 24-weeks pregnancy arising out of a consensual relationship.
- Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray resigns after the Supreme Court allows a no-trust vote. The no-trust vote will be held on Thursday in the Maharashtra Assembly. But the court says that both parties will have two days to file a rejoinder, and the final result of no-trust vote will be dependent on the outcome of the writ petition. The petitions, if any, will be heard on July 11. Uddhav Thackeray says, 'I am resigning as the Chief Minister. I don't want a hand in the blood of Shiv Sainiks that may be spilled tomorrow.' 2. One of the killers of Udaipur tailor Kanhaiya Lal had links with Pak-based terror groups and had 10 Pak numbers on his phone, say sources. Five more have been detained in the case, which is being handled by the National Investigation Agency. One of the accused, Mohammad Riyas Ansari, was in contact with Pakistan-based terror groups. Gulam Gaus had visited Karachi in 2014. Before killing Kanhaiya Lal, they had watched many ISIS videos and made multiple calls to Pakistan, say sources in the police and the Special Investigation Team formed by the Ashok Gehlot government. 3. Rupee breaches psychologically significant level of 79 per dollar level for the first time ever, marking sixth straight session of all-time weak closes as worries about elevated oil prices and inflation return to the forefront and weigh on emerging market assets. 4. According to the Finance Ministry, the tax rates on certain goods and services will rise from July 18, including some new products brought into the tax net under Goods and Services Tax. The GST Council accepts the recommendations of a panel of State Finance Ministers and Fitment Committee to bring unbranded but packed dairy and agricultural products within the ambit of a 5 per cent tax rate slab. 5. Former US president Donald Trump tried to take the steering wheel from his Secret Service limousine driver in an attempt to join the crowd marching on the US Capitol last year, testifies a top aide in his administration. Trump got into his car after addressing a rally near the White House, Cassidy Hutchinson tells a congressional panel, and was told he couldn't be with his supporters who were gathering ahead of the protest at the Capitol that turned into a deadly insurrection.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, ordered to prove his majority tomorrow, approaches the Supreme Court. Shiv Sena rebels, who have ignored Mr Thackeray's appeals to return, will move from Guwahati to Goa today for the big vote. Team Thackeray has gone to the Supreme Court with the argument that Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari's order is illegal as 16 rebel MLAs have yet to respond on their possible disqualification. The Governor ordered the test of strength a day after BJP leaders met him and told him the Uddhav Thackeray-led coalition has lost its majority. The lawyer for the rebels' camp, NK Kaul, tells the Supreme Court that the pending hearing for possible disqualification has nothing to do with proving majority. The Supreme Court says it will hear the matter at 5 pm today. The Governor had acted with 'jet speed', says Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, alleging that the call for an assembly vote is illegal when the Supreme Court has yet to decide on the disqualification of rebel MLAs. Shiv Sena argues that 16 MLAs served disqualification notices cannot participate in the floor test until the court decides on their status. BJP Mumbai Secretary Vivekanand Gupta says the Governor is not a respondent to the disqualification matter before the Supreme Court. 'Hence no order of Supreme court is binding on him. The Governor being the constitutional head is well with his rights to call for floor test, when MLAs have shown no confidence in the government,' tweets Mr Gupta. Nearly 40 Shiv Sena MLAs have deserted Uddhav Thackeray and joined Eknath Shinde, who moved from Mumbai, first to Surat in Gujarat and later to Assam's Guwahati, with a group of MLAs that has been expanding by the day. After a week at a five-star hotel in Guwahati, the MLAs are set to fly to Goa, around 600 km from Mumbai, to participate in the no-trust vote. 'We will reach Mumbai tomorrow. 50 MLAs are with us. We've two-thirds majority. We are not worried about any floor test. We will pass the test and no one can stop us. In a democracy majority matters and we have that,' Mr Shinde tells reporters in Guwahati.
- The tussle for Maharashtra moves into its final phase, with the BJP telling the Governor that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has lost majority in the assembly and a floor test is in order. The Governor is yet to respond on the issue. The BJP's Devendra Fadnavis, who led the party delegation for the meet with Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari says, 'We have written to the Governor and told him that Shiv Sena's 39 MLAs are repeatedly saying they don't want to be in an alliance with the Congress-NCP. This means they are not with the government'. 'So we have told the Governor that he should ask the Chief Minister to conduct a floor test and prove majority' adds Mr Fadnavis, who met the Governor on his way back from Delhi. He was accompanied by Girish Mahajan and state BJP chief Chandrakant Patil. In Delhi, Mr Fadnavis had a 30-minute strategy session with BJP chief JP Nadda amid speculation that the party is about to stake claim to form government. 2. The murder of a tailor, filmed by his killers, has sparked massive tension in Udaipur. Large gatherings have been banned and internet suspended across Rajasthan for 24 hours. The attackers seen on camera, Gos Mohammad and Riyaz, have been arrested. Two men entered Kanhaiya Lal's shop at a crowded market in Udaipur and slit his throat with a cleaver. They tried to behead him but couldn't, say the police. A video filmed by them shows Kanhaiya Lal measuring one of the men before he was attacked. The killers gloated on camera about the murder and also threatened Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 3. The Union Home Ministry dispatches a team of investigators of the anti-terror probe agency NIA to Rajasthan's Udaipur in the wake of killing of a tailor there, officials say. 4. A Delhi court sends journalist Mohammed Zubair to four more days of police custody in a case over a tweet from 2018 that allegedly hurt religious sentiments. While Mr Zubair's lawyer argues that he is being targeted for his 'name, faith and profession', the court gives the police custody to take him to Bengaluru to recover his laptop from his home. 5. Four people have died after a helicopter carrying seven passengers and two pilots fell into the Arabian Sea while attempting to land at the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited Sagar Kiran rig at Mumbai High. All nine people were pulled out after successful rescue operations but four have now been reported dead. The helicopter was a newly leased Pawan Hans Sikorsky S-76. 6. Pallonji Mistry, the chairman of Shapoorji Pallonji Group, dies at his residence in Mumbai early this morning. 93-year-old Pallonji Mistry was the largest individual shareholder in the Tata Group with 18.4 per cent holding in the conglomerate. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Smriti Irani take to Twitter to condole Mr Mistry's death.
- Eknath Shinde, who has caused the Shiv Sena to fold in on itself, is headed to Mumbai, finally. His travel plans suggest that he's ready to fuel the next big move against Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, a no-confidence vote which would force Mr Thackeray to prove that his government has not been dwarfed to a minority. Perhaps in recognition of this, Mr Thackeray sends a letter to the 40 MLAs from his own party who have deserted him, metaphorically and literally, by forming a bio-bubble at the five-star Radisson Blu hotel in Guwahati, where they have elected Mr Shinde as their leader and authorised him to decide their future. 'Come back to Mumbai, let's talk, we'll find a way out,' reads Mr Thackeray's emotional appeal to Camp Shinde. 2. The murder of a tailor, filmed by his killers who also issued threats for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sparks massive tension in Rajasthan's Udaipur. Internet is suspended and 600 more cops have been called in. Two men have been arrested in the case. Two men entered Kanhaiya Lal's shop at a crowded market in Udaipur this afternoon and slit his throat with a cleaver. The police say he had also sustained multiple stab wounds. 3. Delhi court sends journalist Mohammed Zubair to four more days of police custody in a case over a tweet from 2018 that allegedly hurt religious sentiments. While Mr Zubair's lawyer argued that he is being targeted for his 'name, faith and profession', the court gave the police custody to take him to Bengaluru to recover his laptop from his home. Mr Zubair's legal team will challenge the order of the chief metropolitan magistrate in a sessions court tomorrow, sources tell NDTV. 4. Four people die after a helicopter carrying seven passengers and two pilots falls into the Arabian Sea while attempting to land at the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited Sagar Kiran rig at Mumbai High. All nine people have been pulled out after successful rescue operations but four have been reported dead. The helicopter was a newly leased Pawan Hans Sikorsky S-76.
- Eknath Shinde, the leader of a staggering coup against Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, claims that he has the backing of around 50 MLAs, nearly 40 from the Shiv Sena. Acting on the pleas filed by the rebels, the Supreme Court also seeks responses from the Deputy Speaker, chief whip of Shiv Sena Sunil Prabhu and leader of Shiv Sena Legislature Party Ajay Chaudhary and the Centre. As both sides have refused to blink and appear prepared for a long fight, sources say Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari may ask the Maharashtra government to prove majority in the house sometime this week. 2. Delhi Police arrests journalist Mohammed Zubair, one of the founders of fact-checking website AltNews, on charges of hurting religious sentiments and promoting enmity. The case is based on a complaint made by Twitter handle 'balajikijaiin' this month, alleging that Mr Zubair had tweeted a 'questionable' image to 'deliberately insult the God of a particular religion'. Mr Zubair had sent out that tweet in March 2018. 3. The rupee falls 41 paise to hit its intra-day record low of 78.78 against the US dollar, weighed down by persistent foreign capital outflows. Emkay Global Financial services says in a research note, 'We believe India's external position remains relatively healthy, but with portfolio outflows expected to continue amid weakening global equity performance, and further deterioration in BoP in coming months, the risks of INR underperformance cannot be discounted'. 4. As per the authorities, at least 46 migrants were found dead in and around a tractor-trailer that was abandoned on the side of a road in San Antonio, in central Texas. The grim discovery is one of the worst disasters involving migrants in the United States in recent years and comes five years after a similar deadly incident in the same city, a few hours from the Mexican border. San Antonio Fire Chief Charles Hood tells reporters, 'At this time we have processed approximately 46 bodies that have been triaged and tagged and declared deceased'.
- Supreme Court issues notices to Maharashtra Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal, chief whip Sunil Prabhu, leader of Legislature party Anil Chaudhary and Centre as the tussle for control of Shiv Sena reaches the apex court. Acting on Eknath Shinde's petition challenging disqualification notices issued to him and 15 other rebel MLAs last week, the SC also extends the deadline given to rebel MLAs to file their responses to disqualification notices till July 12. Earlier, they were asked to submit their replies by Monday, 27th June, 5.30 pm. 2. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, facing massive mutiny in Shiv Sena ranks, strips nine rebel ministers of their portfolios. Among these nine, five are cabinet ministers and four Ministers of State. According to an order, the responsibilities of these rebel ministers, now stationed at a hotel in Guwahati along with other rebel MLAs, have been redistributed among other ministers so that 'public welfare work does not stall'. 3. Enforcement Directorate summons Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut, among the most vociferous backers of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray amid a revolt in the party, in Mumbai for questioning tomorrow in case of alleged money laundering. Mr Raut, a Rajya Sabha member, responds with the charge that this is a conspiracy to stop him. Team Thackeray has been saying that the mutiny led by Eknath Shinde is a result of 'pressure of ED, CBI and other agencies' under the BJP-led central government. In his tweet, Mr Raut adds that he 'will not take the Guwahati route', referring to the rebels camping in the capital of BJP-ruled Assam. 4. The Bharatiya Janata Party's Maharashtra unit holds a core committee meeting to discuss the state's political situation amid the crisis faced by the MVA government due to the revolt in Shiv Sena. The BJP decides that the party will follow the 'wait and watch' approach. Sudhir Mungantiwar tell reporters after the meeting, 'BJP core committee meeting was held. After the Supreme Court's order, the state's political situation was assessed and discussed. Eknath Shinde said that his faction is the original Shiv Sena, this too was discussed. We discussed what role should we assume in future in the current scenario'. 5. No proposal from Shiv Sena's rebel leader Eknath Shinde yet, says the BJP. 6. Delhi Police arrests journalist Mohammed Zubair, one of the founders of fact-checking website AltNews, on charges of hurting religious sentiments and promoting enmity. The case is based on a complaint made by Twitter handle 'balajikijaiin' this month, alleging that Mr Zubair had tweeted a 'questionable' image to 'deliberately insult the God of a particular religion'. Mr Zubair had sent out that tweet in March 2018.
- Supreme Court issues notices to Maharashtra Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal, chief whip Sunil Prabhu, leader of Legislature party Anil Chaudhary and Centre as the tussle for control of Shiv Sena reaches the apex court. Acting on Eknath Shinde's petition challenging disqualification notices issued to him and 15 other rebel MLAs last week, the SC also extends the deadline given to rebel MLAs to file their responses to disqualification notices till July 12. Earlier, they were asked to submit their replies by 5.30 pm today. 2. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, facing massive mutiny in Shiv Sena ranks, strips nine rebel ministers of their portfolios. Among these nine, five are cabinet ministers and four Ministers of State. According to an order, the responsibilities of these rebel ministers, now stationed at a hotel in Guwahati along with other rebel MLAs, have been redistributed among other ministers so that 'public welfare work does not stall'. 3. Enforcement Directorate summons Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut, among the most vociferous backers of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray amid a revolt in the party, in Mumbai for questioning tomorrow in case of alleged money laundering. Mr Raut, a Rajya Sabha member, responds with the charge that this is a conspiracy to stop him. Team Thackeray has been saying that the mutiny led by Eknath Shinde is a result of 'pressure of ED, CBI and other agencies' under the BJP-led central government. In his tweet, Mr Raut adds that he 'will not take the Guwahati route', referring to the rebels camping in the capital of BJP-ruled Assam. 4. BJP holds core committee meeting, strategy on Maharashtra government formation on agenda. 5. Yashwant Sinha, the joint opposition Presidential candidate, files his nomination in the presence of several opposition leaders. He was flanked by Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar and former Congress president Rahul Gandhi. Addressing the media later, Rahul Gandhi says all opposition parties are united in supporting Mr Sinha's candidature for the top constitutional post. Echoing the sentiment, Mr Sinha calls the Presidential poll 'a battle between the ideology of absolute power and that of freedom'. 6. As the second largest city of Assam remains inundated, family members of flood victims are unable to even cremate or bury their family members. Most crematoriums in Silchar are filled with flood water. 7. Delhi Police arrests journalist Mohammed Zubair, one of the founders of fact-checking website AltNews, on charges of hurting religious sentiments and promoting enmity. The case is based on a complaint made by Twitter handle 'balajikijaiin' this month, alleging that Mr Zubair had tweeted a 'questionable' image to 'deliberately insult the God of a particular religion'. Mr Zubair had sent out that tweet in March 2018.
- SC issues notices to Maharashtra Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal, Chief Whip Sunil Prabhu, leader of Legislature party Anil Chaudhary and Centre as the tussle for control of Shiv Sena reaches the apex court. Acting on Eknath Shinde's petition challenging disqualification notices issued to him and 15 other rebel MLAs last week, the SC also extends the deadline given to rebel MLAs to file their responses to disqualification notices till July 12. Earlier, they were asked to submit their replies by 5.30 pm today. 2. Enforcement Directorate summons Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut, among the most vociferous backers of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray amid a revolt in the party, in Mumbai for questioning tomorrow in case of alleged money laundering. Mr Raut, a Rajya Sabha member, responds with the charge that this is a conspiracy to stop him. Team Thackeray has been saying that the mutiny led by Eknath Shinde is a result of 'pressure of ED, CBI and other agencies' under the BJP-led central government. In his tweet, Mr Raut adds that he 'will not take the Guwahati route', referring to the rebels camping in the capital of BJP-ruled Assam. 3. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, facing massive mutiny in Shiv Sena ranks, strips nine rebel ministers of their portfolios. Among these nine are five cabinet ministers and four Ministers of State. According to an order, the responsibilities of these rebel ministers, now stationed at a hotel in Guwahati along with other rebel MLAs, have been redistributed among other ministers so that 'public welfare work does not stall'. 4. Yashwant Sinha, the joint opposition Presidential candidate, files his nomination in the presence of several opposition leaders. He was flanked by Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar and former Congress president Rahul Gandhi. Addressing the media later, Rahul Gandhi says all opposition parties are united in supporting Mr Sinha's candidature for the top constitutional post. Echoing the sentiment, Mr Sinha calls the Presidential poll 'a battle between the ideology of absolute power and that of freedom'.
- The Supreme Court today will hear the plea of Maharashtra Shiv Sena MLA and minister Eknath Shinde against the disqualification notice issued by the Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal against him and 15 other rebel legislators. A vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and JB Pardiwala will hear the cases which are listed as items number 34 and 35. Two petitions have been filed, one by Mr Shinde and the other by the rebel MLAs, challenging the disqualification notice issued by the Deputy Speaker and the appointment of Ajay Chaudhary as leader of the legislative party. They call the action to issue disqualification notices to them on June 21 as 'illegal and unconstitutional' and seek a stay on it. They seek directions to the Deputy Speaker to not take any action in the disqualification petition against them. 2. Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut, the closest aide of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray who is back-to-the-wall trying to save his party and the Maharashtra government, lashed out at the rebels holed up with Eknath Shinde in Guwahati. 'The one who betrays Balasaheb is finished... From now on, we have to decide who to trust,' he says in Mumbai, declaring that he 'doesn't consider this a crisis'. He says how people change fathers after being at the party for 40 years. 3. Supporters of Eknath Shinde plan a huge show of strength in Thane today. A bastion of MLA leading the rebellion against Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. 4. AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam says the meeting of top office bearers is a violation of the party by-law. Pannerselvam or OPS as he is known, adds that meetings could be convened only with the approval of both coordinator and co-coordinator. This comes amid the battle for single leadership in the AIADMK between former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and party co-coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami and his former deputy CM and coordinator O Panneersevelam. 5. Opposition presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha files his nomination papers for the July 18 election, with a host of leaders including Rahul Gandhi, Sharad Pawar, Akhilesh Yadav and Farooq Abdullah accompanying him. Sinha, a former bureaucrat and a union minister during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, was decided as the joint candidate for the presidential election on June 21 at a meeting of several opposition leaders. He is likely to launch his campaign from June 28 from Chennai in Tamil Nadu and will cover the southern states of Kerala and Karnataka as well during his first round of campaigning.
- Amid the political crisis in Maharashtra triggered by a rebellion by a large section of Shiv Sena MLAs, who are currently camping in Assam, Maharashtra Minister Eknath Shinde approaches the Supreme Court against the disqualification notices issued by the Deputy Speaker against rebel MLAs. The plea also challenges the appointment of Ajay Chaudhary as the Shiv Sena's legislative leader in the House in place of Mr Shinde. The petitioner Mr Shinde seeks to issue direction to Deputy Speaker to not take any action in the disqualification petition under Rule 6 of MLA Defection Rules seeking disqualification of the rebel MLAs and also not to take any action on the same until the resolution for removal of the Deputy Speaker is decided. 2. Consolidating its position, the BJP wrests high-profile Rampur and Azamgarh Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh from the Samajwadi Party and wins three assembly seats, including that of Chief Minister Manik Saha, in Tripura in by-election results. While the AAP loses Punjab's Sangrur parliamentary constituency, vacated by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, to Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), whereas it retains Rajinder Nagar assembly seat in Delhi that party leader Raghav Chadha had given up after he was elected to Rajya Sabha. The Congress wins a seat each in Tripura, where it opened its account after drawing nil in the last assembly polls, and Jharkhand, while the ruling YSR Congress emerges victorious in Atmakuru Assembly seat in Andhra Pradesh. 3. As the second largest city of Assam remains inundated, family members of flood victims are unable to even cremate or bury their family members. Most crematoriums in Silchar filled with flood water. 4. Terming the imposition of Emergency in 1975 as a 'black spot' on the vibrant history of India's democracy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi targets the Congress Party and says that democracy, which is in DNA of every Indian, was trampled and suppressed 47 years ago, but the people have answered it in a democratic way all the conspiracies to crush it. Prime Minister Modi, who is visiting Germany to attend the G7 Summit, makes the remarks while addressing thousands of members of the Indian community at a grand event held at the Audi Dome stadium in Munich.
- Emergency imposed 47 years ago is a black spot on India's vibrant democracy, says PM Modi as he praises the country's democratic values. Addressing the Indian diaspora during a massive event at the Audi Dome indoor arena in Munich, he says that democracy is in the DNA of every Indian. 2. Bypoll results of three Lok Sabha and seven assembly seats across five states and Delhi have been announced. In Uttar Pradesh's Rampur, BJP candidate Ghanshyam Lodhi wins with a margin of over 40,000 votes. In Azamgarh too, BJP candidate Dinesh Lal Yadav 'Nirahua' wins over his nearest rival, Dharmendra Yadav of Samajwadi Party. Aam Aadmi Party candidate Durgesh Pathak wins Delhi's Rajinder Nagar bypoll by over 11,000 votes. 3. Aam Aadmi Party faces huge defeat in Punjab by-elections with Shiromani Akali Dal Amritsar candidate Simranjit Singh Mann defeating the ruling party's candidate on a Lok Sabha seat held last by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. With this, the AAP will have no MP in the lower house of parliament. Simranjit Singh Mann beat his AAP rival Gurmail Singh by a margin of over 5,800 votes from the Sangrur Lok Sabha seat, after a close fight between the two. 4. The political battle of Maharashtra's alliance government's future goes into the legal zone with rebel MLA Eknath Shinde challenging Shiv Sena's move to disqualify him and 15 other MLAs in the Supreme Court. The matter will be heard on Monday. The Eknath Shinde camp has also challenged the appointment of Ajay Choudhari as the Shiv Sena Legislature Party leader by the Thackeray camp and also the rejection of no-confidence motion against Deputy Speaker Narahari Zirwal. The rebels have asked the SC to order the Deputy Speaker not to take any action on the disqualification plea till the matter of his removal is decided. They have also asked the court to direct the Maharashtra government to provide security to their families. 5. The residents in Assam's Silchar city are facing problems as all the crematory and burial grounds are submerged in water due to floods. People are seen waiting with lifeless bodies of their loved ones in buildings, desperately looking for help. Some carry the bodies in makeshift boats in search of burial grounds.
- Bypoll results of three Lok Sabha and seven assembly seats across five states and Delhi have been announced. In Uttar Pradesh's Rampur, BJP candidate Ghanshyam Lodhi wins with a margin of over 40,000 votes. In Azamgarh too, BJP candidate Dinesh Lal Yadav 'Nirahua' wins over his nearest rival, Dharmendra Yadav of Samajwadi Party. The ruling BJP wins three assembly seats and Congress bags one in the high-stakes Tripura by-elections. Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, who needed to get elected to keep his post, wins in Town Bardowali by a margin of over 6,000 votes. Shiromani Akali Dal Amritsar candidate Simranjit Singh Mann wins bypoll in Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's stronghold Sangrur with a margin of over 5,000 votes. Aam Aadmi Party candidate Durgesh Pathak wins Delhi's Rajinder Nagar bypoll by over 11,000 votes. 2. Centre extends Y-plus security cover of CRPF commandos to at least 15 rebel Shiv Sena MLAs. Those who are provided the security cover include Ramesh Bornare, Mangesh Kudalkar, Sanjay Shirsat, Latabai Sonawane, Prakas Surve and 10 others. Their families living in Maharashtra too will be secured as the security blanket entails house protection teams. Officials say security has been sanctioned to legislators following recommendation made by central security agencies to the Ministry of Home Affairs, stating they and their families are facing potential threats to their physical security owing to the current political scenario in Maharashtra. 3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in Germany to attend the G7 Summit, scheduled from June 26-27, where he will hold meetings with G7 and guest countries and exchange views on contemporary issues. PM Modi will also travel to UAE while coming back to India. 4. Drones being used to carry out flood mapping and provide essentials in Assam's Silchar in a game-changing use of technology that is making its mark in relief operations. Two drones have been deployed in Silchar for carrying water and other relief materials to inaccessible areas where the flood situation remains grim. Floods and landslides have claimed over 120 lives across the state this year. As many as 25 lakh people still remain affected in 25 districts though floodwater has been receding in parts of the state. Silchar in Cachar district is among the worst-affected areas.
- Tripura holds bypolls for four Assembly seats, Agartala, Jubarajnagar, Surma and Town Bardowali. Chief Minister Manik Saha, who needed to get elected to keep his post, wins in Town Bardowali by a margin of over 6,000 votes. Meanwhile in Agartala, Congress's Sudip Roy Barman defeats BJP's Dr Ashok Sinha. 2. Centre extends Y-plus security cover of CRPF commandos to at least 15 rebel Shiv Sena MLAs. Those who are provided the security cover include Ramesh Bornare, Mangesh Kudalkar, Sanjay Shirsat, Latabai Sonawane, Prakas Surve, and 10 others. Their families living in Maharashtra too will be secured as the security blanket entails house protection teams. Officials say the security has been sanctioned to the legislators following a recommendation made by central security agencies to the Ministry of Home Affairs, stating they and their families are facing potential threats to their physical security owing to the current political scenario in Maharashtra. 3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi says he is looking forward to 'fruitful discussions' with world leaders on topical issues like climate, energy, food security, counter-terrorism, environment, gender equality and democracy as he arrives in Munich to attend the G7 Summit. Prime Minister Modi is attending the G7 summit, to be held on June 26 and 27, following an invitation by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. The summit is being hosted by Germany in its capacity as the chair of G7, a grouping of the world's seven richest nations. 4. Silchar administration deploys drones for carrying out the flood inundation mapping as well as to provide relief materials to the affected people. The death count rises to 121 with Silchar submerged for the seventh straight day.
- Shiv Sena rebel MLA Eknath Shinde and the BJP's Devendra Fadnavis met in Gujarat's Vadodara last night to discuss possible government formation in Maharashtra, sources say. Home Minister Amit Shah was also in Vadodara last night, people with direct knowledge of the matter say. Mr Shinde came to Vadodara on a special flight from Assam's Guwahati last night, sources say. 2. Shiv Sena passes resolution against rebels. Uddhav Thackeray is given the right to take strict action. Aaditya Thackeray says it is a battle of truth and lies against the rebels. 3. In a setback to rebel MLAs Maharashtra Assembly Deputy speaker rejects the no confidence motion moved by Shinde camp against him. Deputy speaker issues notices to the 16 rebel MLAs on the disqualification plea. Shinde faction says will challenge in court. 4. Activist Teesta Setalvad is taken into custody by the Gujarat Police's Anti-Terrorism Squad from Mumbai, a day after the Supreme Court lashed out at those who had 'kept the pot boiling' on the 2002 Gujarat riots. 5. Meghalaya Governor again targets Modi governent. Speaking to NDTV Satyapal Malik says the plan shows distance between the government and villages is increasing, appeals to the Prime Minister to withdraw the scheme. 5. Flood situation in Assam continues to be grim. Death count rises to 118 and the Silchar town submerged for the sixth straight day. 6. Abortion rights defenders fans out across America for a second day of protest against the Supreme Court's thunderbolt ruling, as state after conservative state moves swiftly to ban the procedure. The deeply polarized country wakes up to a new level of division, between states that will now or soon deny the right to abortion, enshrined since 1973, and those that still allow it. After protests went late into the night, several hundreds of people thronged the streets outside the fenced-off Supreme Court again, in hot summer weather, carrying signs that read 'War on women, who's next' and 'No uterus, No opinion'.
- The national executive of the Shiv Sena passes a resolution authorizing Maharashtra Chief Minister and party chief Uddhav Thackeray to take action against 'those who have betrayed the party', but refrains from taking immediate action against rebel leader Eknath Shinde. Party MP Sanjay Raut tell reporters in Mumbai, 'The executive decided that Shiv Sena belongs to Bal Thackeray and is committed to taking forward his fierce ideology of Hindutva and Marathi pride. Shiv Sena will never deviate from this path. It passed a resolution, giving all powers to take action against those who have betrayed the party to Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray. Meanwhile, dissident Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde alleges that the Maharashtra government has withdrawn the security cover provided at the residences of 16 rebel legislators, including himself, and dubs the action as 'political vendetta', although Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil denies any such move. At the same, in a setback for the Shiv Sena rebel MLAs, the Maharashtra Assembly Deputy Speaker rejects the no-confidence motion moved by minister Eknath Shinde's camp against him. 2. Taking a jibe at Congress' 'satyagraha' over ED questioning Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case, Union Home Minister Amit Shah says that when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the Gujarat Chief Minister, he appeared before the SIT concerning the probe over post-Godhra violence but the BJP did not resort to 'drama or dharna' during the questioning. Mr Shah makes the remarks in an interview with ANI after the Supreme Court dismissed the plea challenging the clean chit given by Special Investigation Team to then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and several others in the 2002 riots. The plea was filed by Zakia Jafri. 3. As per officials, the flood situation in Assam remained grim with the death count rising to 118 and Silchar town in the Cachar district submerged for the sixth straight day. 4. The US Supreme Court ends the right to abortion in a seismic ruling that shreds half a century of constitutional protections on one of the most divisive and bitterly fought issues in American political life. The conservative-dominated court overturns the landmark 1973 'Roe v Wade' decision that enshrined a woman's right to an abortion, saying that individual states can now permit or restrict the procedure themselves. 'The Constitution does not confer a right to abortion; Roe and Casey are overruled; and the authority to regulate abortion is returned to the people and their elected representatives,' the court says. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a Conservative who worked closely with former president Donald Trump, whose judicial nominations paved the way for Friday's decision says the Supreme Court decision will have 'massive impacts' worldwide. 'I think it's a big step backwards. I've always believed in a woman's right to choose and I stick to that view, and that's why the UK has the laws that it does,' Johnson says on a visit to Rwanda.
- Taking a jibe at Congress' 'satyagraha' over ED questioning Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case, Union Home Minister Amit Shah says that when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the Gujarat Chief Minister, he appeared before the SIT concerning the probe over post-Godhra violence but the BJP did not resort to 'drama or dharna' during the questioning. Mr Shah makes the remarks in an interview with ANI after the Supreme Court dismissed the plea challenging the clean chit given by Special Investigation Team to then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and several others in the 2002 riots. The plea was filed by Zakia Jafri. 2. This morning, Mr Shinde tweeted to say that the state government has withdrawn security cover provided at the residences of 16 rebel legislators, including himself, and dubbed the action as 'political vendetta'. The charges, however, are denied by Sanjay Raut, Sena's chief spokesperson. 3. The US Supreme Court ends the right to abortion in a seismic ruling that shreds half a century of constitutional protections on one of the most divisive and bitterly fought issues in American political life. The conservative-dominated court overturns the landmark 1973 'Roe v Wade' decision that enshrined a woman's right to an abortion, saying that individual states can now permit or restrict the procedure themselves. 'The Constitution does not confer a right to abortion; Roe and Casey are overruled; and the authority to regulate abortion is returned to the people and their elected representatives,' the court says. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a Conservative who worked closely with former president Donald Trump, whose judicial nominations paved the way for Friday's decision says the Supreme Court decision will have 'massive impacts' worldwide. 'I think it's a big step backwards. I've always believed in a woman's right to choose and I stick to that view, and that's why the UK has the laws that it does,' Johnson says on a visit to Rwanda.
- Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar meets Mr Thackeray at his home on as another Shiv Sena MLA joins the rebel camp in Guwahati, already believed to have enough members to wrest control. Earlier, at a party meet, an emotional Uddhav Thackeray tells party workers that the rebels are 'trying to break' the party. 'Why would I feel bad about those who have left. Without using the names of Shiv Sena and Thackeray, how will you move ahead,' Mr Thackeray says, targeting the rebel MLAs who have deserted him. Shiv Sena calls a meeting of the national executive today. 2. Maharashtra Advocate General has been summoned by the assembly secretariat to seek a legal opinion on the current political crisis which involves the disqualification of 16 rebel MLAs requested by the Shiv Sena. Rebel Eknath Shinde says the disqualification move is illegal. 3. Thirty eight out of 55 Sena MLAs are currently with Eknath Shinde and around a dozen with Uddhav Thackeray. MLAs who were with Uddhav yesterday have now joined Shinde. 4. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, reduced to a minority within his party after a rebellion by his minister Eknath Shinde, says 'we have been stabbed in the back by our own' even though the Congress and NCP are supporting the Sena. Aaditya Thackeray meets Shiv Sena office bearers. 5. The Supreme Court upholds the SIT's clean chit to the then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and 63 others in the 2002 communal riots in the state, saying there is no 'tittle of material' to show the violence after the Godhra train carnage was 'pre-planned' owing to the criminal conspiracy allegedly hatched at the 'highest level' in the state. 6. The US Supreme Court ends the right to abortion in a seismic ruling that shreds half a century of constitutional protections on one of the most divisive and bitterly fought issues in American political life. The conservative-dominated court overturns the landmark 1973 'Roe v Wade' decision that enshrined a woman's right to an abortion, saying that individual states can now permit or restrict the procedure themselves.
- The battle for Shiv Sena's control moves from the streets to the drawing room, where the legal teams of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Sena rebel MLA leader Eknath Shinde are working to make a claim as the rightful owner of Maharashtra's ruling party. In the Sena's first tangible move against Mr Shinde, who is camping in Guwahati and claims to have the support of nearly 40 Sena MLAs and 10 others, Maharashtra's Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal accepts Ajay Choudhari as the Sena's Legislature Party leader by replacing Mr Shinde. Pressing on his attack, Mr Thackeray asks the Deputy Speaker to disqualify Mr Shinde and 15 other rebel MLAs, who are camping in a five-star hotel in BJP-ruled Assam. 2. Uddhav Thackeray, reduced to a minority in his own party by a stunning revolt by his minister, says the Shiv Sena rebels are 'trying to break the party' and that he did not feel bad about those who had left as they were like 'the diseased fruits and flowers' of a tree that had to be removed. Mr Thackeray says, 'I did everything for Eknath Shinde. I gave him the department I held. Your son (Shrikant Shinde) can be an MP, shouldn't Aaditya also grow politically'. 3. NCP president Sharad Pawar meets Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray at the latter's residence amid the political crisis caused by Sena leader Eknath Shinde's rebellion. State NCP president Jayant Patil and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar accompanied Pawar as he arrived at `Matoshree', Thackeray's private residence in Bandra area. 4. The Supreme Court upholds the SIT's clean chit to the then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and 63 others in the 2002 communal riots in the state, saying there is no 'tittle of material' to show the violence after the Godhra train carnage was 'pre-planned' owing to the criminal conspiracy allegedly hatched at the 'highest level' in the state. 5. The BJP-led NDA's nominee Droupadi Murmu files her nomination papers for the July 18 presidential election, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi handing over the set of papers to Returning Officer P C Mody. 6. The rupee slips 1 paisa to close at its all-time low of 78.33 against the US dollar amid growing concerns over aggressive monetary policy tightening by central banks and relentless foreign capital outflows. Positive domestic equities and a weak American currency overseas supported the local unit, say forex dealers.
The Shiv Sena seeks disqualification of four more MLAs in its latest attempt to quell the rebellion by rebel leader Eknath Shinde, who reportedly has the backing of 50 MLAs, including 40 from the Sena. 'He is the son of Maharashtra. They are threatening him. Modi ji, Amit Shah, have you heard. Your minister is threatening Sharad Pawar, do you support such threats. Maharashtra wants to know,' says Mr Sanjay Raut, who earlier tweeted the allegation, tells the media. Mr Raut also plays down the show of strength projected by the Eknath Shinde camp. 'Their numbers are only on the papers. Shiv Sena is a big ocean such waves come and go,' Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut is quoted as saying by news agency ANI. Mr Shinde tells NDTV that more than 50 MLAs are backing him in his revolt against his boss Uddhav Thackeray. 'Nearly 40 of them are from the Shiv Sena,' says Mr Shinde. The Deputy Speaker is expected today to send notices to the rebel MLAs against whom disqualification pleas have been filed, party sources tell NDTV. Mr Shinde, 58, has said that the disqualification notices against the rebel MLAs are 'illegal'. Sena has drafted applications for disqualification of four more rebel MLAs. The applications will be submitted to Deputy Speaker today. The rebel MLAs are preparing to move Supreme Court once notices are issued to them, sources have told NDTV. The Eknath Shinde camp is also expected to move the Election Commission staking claim for the party and the symbol, sources add. Thirty-seven MLAs on Thursday wrote to the Governor and Deputy Speaker, naming Eknath Shinde the legislature party leader. The move came shortly after Team Uddav Thackeray filed disqualification applications for 12 rebels with the Deputy Speaker. Mr Shinde, has reached the critical number of MLAs, 37, required to split the party in the assembly without falling foul of the anti-defection law. His total strength is now 42. As the rebel group led by Eknath Shinde gained more numbers, the Shiv Sena on Thursday said it would consider exiting the Maharashtra alliance with Sharad Pawar's NCP and Congress but only if the rebels return 'in 24 hours'. Eknath Shinde has demanded the Sena break its alliance with the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party, saying the party leaders suffered the most in the last two-and-a-half years of the coalition's rule.
- The Maharashtra crisis peaks with 37 Shiv Sena MLAs of the Eknath Shinde faction writing to the Governor and Deputy Speaker, naming him the legislature party leader and completely sidelining Uddhav Thackeray in the party founded by his father. Mr Shinde's explosive move comes shortly after Team Uddav Thackeray fought back, filing disqualification applications for 12 rebels with the Deputy Speaker, which may help tweak the numbers in the Assembly in case of a trust vote. Eknath Shinde has argued that the application is illegal. 'Who are you trying to scare. We know your make-up and the law too. According to the 10th Schedule to the Constitution (Schedule) the whip is for assembly work, not for meeting. There are numerous Supreme Court decisions in this regard,' tweets Eknath Shinde. The Sena threatened MLAs who skipped a legislature party meeting called by Uddhav Thackeray with disqualification. 2. 'Get ready for a struggle' says NCP chief Sharad Pawar while the Congress is ready to quit the government to save the Chief Minister. A meeting is scheduled today at 11 am. 3. The National Democratic Alliance's presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi soon after arriving in the national capital. PM Modi says her candidature for the post of President has been appreciated across India by all sections of society. She is going to file her nomination papers today, with PM Modi tipped to be the first proposer. She is up against Yashwant Sinha, a former Union Minister, and the joint opposition candidate for the July polls. If elected, the 64-year-old will be the first tribal woman to become the President of India. 4. India's first relief consignment reaches Afghanistan a day after the devastating earthquake killed at least 1,000 people.
- Rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde tells NDTV that more than 50 MLAs are backing him in his revolt against his boss Uddhav Thackeray, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. 'Nearly 40 of them are from the Shiv Sena'. 'Those who have faith in our role will join us. We want to carry forward Balasaheb Thackeray's ideology, those who like it will come,' Mr Shinde says, insisting the rebels have not left Balasaheb Thackeray's Shiv Sena. 2. An appeal against the exoneration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a 2002 Gujarat riots case by the wife of a Congress MP killed in the violence is 'devoid of merits', the Supreme Court says. Upholding the clearance issued to the then Chief Minister of the state by a Special Investigation Team, the top court dismisses the petition filed by Zakia Jafri, wife of Ehsan Jafri, who was among the 68 people killed in what came to be known as the Gulbarg Society massacre. It was one of the worst incidents of violence in the riots that began after a train coach carrying pilgrims was burnt in Godhra, killing 59 people, a day ago. 3. National Democratic Alliance's presidential candidate, Draupadi Murmu is going to file her nomination today. She will be accompanied by senior ministers during her nomination as a show of support according to sources. The former Governor of Jharkhand had arrived in the national capital on Thursday for her nomination. 4. India reports 17,336 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, the highest daily figure reported since mid-February, as the country is witnessing an upward tick in infections amid fears of a new wave. The 24-hour figure indicates a massive 30 per cent jump since yesterday's infections. Besides, 13 more people died during this period, increasing the virus-related death count to 5,24,954. 5. The flood situation in Assam remains grim as seven more people, including two children, have died in the last 24 hours taking a toll to 107 since mid-May, according to officials. So far over 50 lakh people have been affected by the flood across 30 districts of the state.
- Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar expresses confidence that Maha Vikas Aghadi government will survive the storm unleashed by rebel MLA Eknath Shinde, who claims the support of over 40 MLAs. 'A floor test will decide who has majority,' says Mr Pawar, whose Nationalist Congress Party, or MVA, is a Shiv Sena ally. Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddav Thackeray calls an emergency meeting as more MLAs join Eknath Shinde-led rebel camp in Guwahati. Mr Shinde has 37 of the 55 Sena MLAs with him, two more are expected to join up. Eknath Shinde has already reached the critical number of MLAs, 37, required to split the party in the assembly without falling foul of the anti-defection law. With two more Sena MLAs, he will have 39. His total strength is now 42, including Independent MLAs. 2. After holding meetings, Congress and Nationalist Congress Party assure their faith in Maha Vikas Aghadi government led by Shiv Sena. The parties say they will continue to support Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut asks rebel MLAs, who are with minister Eknath Shinde in Guwahati, to return to Mumbai and talk to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. He assures them that Shiv Sena will consider their demand to exit the alliance with Congress and Nationalist Congress Party. 3. National Democratic Alliance's presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi soon after arriving in the national capital. The PM says her candidature for the post of President has been appreciated across India by all sections of society. She is expected to file her nomination papers on Friday, with PM Modi tipped to be the first proposer. A host of senior BJP leaders, including Union ministers and functionaries from other parties supporting her bid, are also set to be among the proposers. 4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi says member nations of the BRICS grouping have managed to undertake structural changes over the last few years that has increased the influence of the institution. In his opening remarks at the 14th BRICS summit hosted by China, the PM says cooperation among the member nations in several sectors has benefited our citizens. He adds, 'BRICS members have a similar approach regarding the governance of the global economy. Our mutual cooperation can make a useful contribution to the global post-Covid recovery.' Among other leaders present at annual were Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and top leaders of Brazil and South Africa. 5. India records 13,313 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of cases to 4,33,44,958. According to Union health ministry data, the number of active cases increases to 83,990 in the country. India also reports 38 new Covid related deaths, bringing the total number of fatalities to 5,24,941. 6. The tussle for control of Tamil Nadu's opposition AIADMK takes an ugly turn with water bottles thrown at party chief O Panneerselvam who walks out of key General Council meeting minutes before it concludes while senior leaders back a demand for single leadership by rival Edappadi Palaniswami. The meet, unable to adopt a resolution for a singular leadership pushed by Mr Palaniswami because of a court order, rejects all 23 draft resolutions Mr Panneerselvam had agreed to. 7. Delhi government bans trucks and other heavy vehicles from entering the city between October this year and February 2023 to reduce air pollution in the winter months. The government says no trucks will be allowed to enter the city from October 1 to February 28 next year. Air quality in the national capital has fallen to dangerously low levels in the winter months in recent years.
- Shiv Sena says it will consider exiting the Maharashtra alliance with Sharad Pawar's NCP and Congress but only if the rebels return in 24 hours, a huge climbdown as the rebel group led by Eknath Shinde gains more numbers. Shiv Sena's chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut says, 'We are ready to walk out of Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra, but party rebels should return to Mumbai from Guwahati in 24 hours.' Uddhav Thackeray is reduced to a minority chief in the party founded and led for decades by his father, Bal Thackeray. Only 13 MLAs were present at a meeting called by him, sources tell NDTV. Sanjay Raut says, 'When the MLAs come to Mumbai, you will get to know, it will soon be revealed, in what circumstances, pressure these MLAs left us.' 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi says member nations of the BRICS grouping have managed to undertake structural changes over the last few years that has increased the influence of the institution. In his opening remarks at the 14th BRICS summit hosted by China, the PM says cooperation among the member nations in several sectors has benefited our citizens. He adds, 'BRICS members have a similar approach regarding the governance of the global economy. Our mutual cooperation can make a useful contribution to the global post-Covid recovery.' Among other leaders present at annual were Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and top leaders of Brazil and South Africa. 3. Shiv Sena rebel camp releases photos of party MLA Nitin Deshmukh taking a private jet in leisure along with other rebel MLAs, a day after he claimed he was 'kidnapped' and taken to Gujarat's Surat. After missing for two days amid the revolt by Sena MLAs led by Eknath Shinde, Deshmukh reappears in Surat and pledged allegiance to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. The Sena MLA alleged that he was forcibly taken to a Surat hospital by hundreds of policemen. There, he was injected with something after he was told he had suffered a heart attack. 4. National Democratic Alliance's presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi soon after arriving in the national capital. The PM says her candidature for the post of President has been appreciated across India by all sections of society. She is expected to file her nomination papers on Friday, with PM Modi tipped to be the first proposer. A host of senior BJP leaders, including Union ministers and functionaries from other parties supporting her bid, are also set to be among the proposers. 5. The flood situation in Assam remains grim with over 54.5 lakh people still affected and 12 fresh deaths reported. The death count due to the flood since mid-May is now 101, say officials. Brahmaputra and Barak rivers along with its tributaries are in spate in most of the affected districts and vast tracts of land remains inundated in 32 of the total 36 districts in the state.
Eknath Shinde, leading a revolt against Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, claims the backing of 40 MLAs but this is challenged by party leader Sanjay Raut, who says at least half of them are 'in touch' to come back. Shinde, camping in Guwahati with around 41 MLAs, tweets a stinging letter by a legislator accusing the Maharashtra Chief Minister of shutting his doors to them and keeping them waiting for hours. 'We were denied entry to the Chief Minister's house for 2.5 years,' writes Sanjay Shirsat, one of the MLAs in Guwahati with the rebels. This morning, three Sena MLAs, Deepak Kesakar, Mangesh Kudalkar and Sada Sarvankar took a flight to Assam where the rebels are camping. 'As of yesterday, Eknath Shinde had 37 Shiv Sena MLAs. Today, I along with three others from Shiv Sena and one independent MLA reached here. Two to three are expected to reach in the next few hours,' Kesakar tells NDTV. 'I won't talk about any camp. I will talk about my party. Our party is strong even to this day. About 20 MLAs are in touch with us. When they come to Mumbai, you will get to know,' says Shiv Sena's chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut. He adds, 'It will soon be revealed, in what circumstances and pressure these MLAs left us.' Congress and Sharad Pawar's NCP, the alliance partners of Shiv Sena in Maharashtra have suggested that rebel Eknath Shinde be named as Chief Minister as a way out of the huge political crisis that has engulfed the ruling coalition, say sources. Shinde, who is leading the Sena revolt, claims that the ruling coalition is beneficial only to alliance partners, while ordinary Shiv Sainiks have suffered the most in the last two-and-a-half years of the coalition's rule. 'It is important to take a decision in the interest of the state,' says Shinde. NCP chief Sharad Pawar holds a party meeting amid political instability in the ruling alliance. The meeting is attended by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, state Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil, ministers Jayant Patil and Jitendra Awhad, and party leader Sunil Tatkare. With the last two-and-a-half years of the coalition's existence at stake, Thackeray mentions his father and party founder Balasaheb Thackeray as he makes an emotional address to rebels. 'If my own people don't want me as Chief Minister, he should walk up to me and say so. I'm ready to resign. I am Balasaheb's son, I am not after a post,' says Uddhav Thackeray, who has also tested positive for Covid. BJP says the political crisis in Maharashtra is the Shiv Sena's internal matter and that the party is not staking claim to form a government in the state. 'We haven't spoken to Eknath Shinde. This is Shiv Sena's internal matter. BJP has nothing to do with this. We're not staking claim to form the government,' says Union Minister Raosaheb Patil Danve, who met party leader Devendra Fadnavis. Uddhav Thackeray has moved back to 'Matoshree', his family home from his official residence 'Varsha'. The journey from his official residence at Malabar Hills to his home in Bandra which usually takes 15-20 minutes took almost one hour as Thackeray's entourage negotiated hundreds of Shiv Sainiks who had gathered at the 15 km stretch braving the Mumbai rain. Though Eknath Shinde's rebellion is the first under Uddhav Thackeray, Shiv Sena has seen revolts by prominent figures on four occasions in its 56-year-old history, three of them under the watch of its charismatic founder Bal Thackeray.
- Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray moves back to 'Matoshree', his family home from his official residence 'Varsha', shortly after delivering an emotional speech for the rebels led by Eknath Shinde. Late in the evening, a huge crowd assembled outside Matoshree in a show of solidarity. Videos from the spot show the car having trouble negotiating through the crowd. Mr Thackeray is seen getting out of the car and greeting the visitors. After exchanging civilities, they walk into the house. Mr Thackeray's son and state minister Aaditya Thackeray are also seen greeting the party workers. 2. Eknath Shinde, the Shiv Sena rebel who has triggered the political crisis in Maharashtra, underlines that it is vital to get out of the 'unnatural alliance' of Sharad Pawar's party and the Congress for the party's survival. Shinde, who claims the support of a majority of Shiv Sena MLAs, says more are arriving in Guwahati. 3. The Madras High Court refuses to restrain the AIADMK's General Council meeting, set to meet today, from amending the party's bylaws, which paves the way for second in command and former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Edappadi K Palanisami or EPS, to get himself elevated as General Secretary of the party. EPS's rival and present party boss O Panneerselvam wants the dual leadership format in the party to continue. 4. A massive rescue peration is underway in Silchar town for the past three day. 70 per cent is inundated by overflowing Barak River. The Chief Minister will visit today. 5. Desperate rescuers battle against the clock under pouring rain to pull survivors from the rubble after a powerful quake struck a mountainous border region of Afghanistan, killing at least 1,000 people. The 5.9-magnitude quake strikes hardest in the rugged east, where people already lead hardscrabble lives amid a humanitarian crisis made worse since the Taliban takeover in August. 'People are digging grave after grave,' says Mohammad Amin Huzaifa, head of the Information and Culture Department in hard-hit Paktika, adding that at least 1,000 people have died in that province alone. He says more than 1,500 people are injured, many critically.
- Uddhav Thackeray, fighting a revolt that has endangered his government in Maharashtra, says he is ready to quit anytime but stops short of announcing his resignation as Chief Minister. In a sharp message for Eknath Shinde, the Sena leader leading the rebel faction with BJP hosting him in states where it rules and facilitating every move, says, 'I am ready to quit the Chief Minister's post right now. Positions come and go. But can you promise me the next Chief Minister will be from the Shiv Sena.' 2. Thirty Shiv Sena MLAs write to Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari backing Eknath Shinde as their leader, shoving the ruling coalition into a more precarious spot than ever. Thirty-four MLAs, who are at a hotel in Guwahati in BJP-ruled Assam, write to Mr Koshyari that Mr Shinde is their leader. The signatories to the letter include 30 Sena and four independent MLAs. Mr Shinde needs seven more Sena MLAs on his side to split the party without risking disqualification under the anti-defection law. 3. BJP's presidential pick Droupadi Murmu sweeps the floor of a Shiv temple in Rairangpur in Mayurbhanj district in her home state of Odisha. Ms Murmu was seen arriving at the temple, sweeping the floor before offering prayers. A tribal leader from Odisha, Ms Murmu is named as the ruling NDA's candidate for the upcoming presidential election. 4. Recounting how he handled the marathon questioning sessions with the Enforcement Directorate, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi says that the probe agency's officers were surprised by his patience and endurance. He says that he never felt alone in the office even though he was sitting in a 12 by 12 ft room with three ED officers. He remarks in jest, 'I told them I do Vipassana. You have to sit for long hours in that, you get used to it.' 5. Indian equity benchmarks swing back into red after two-day relief rally fizzled out amid persistent concerns about interest rate hikes by the central banks and recession fears. The 30-share BSE Sensex plunges 710 points or 1.35 per cent to close at 51,823, while the broader NSE Nifty moves 226 points or 1.44 per cent down to settle at 15,413. 6. Thousands of vehicles stranded along Srinagar-Jammu Highway after massive landslides hit NH-44 at multiple places. Officials say it may take at least two days to restore the road for traffic. Several other key roads across Jammu and Kashmir closed due to landslides following heavy rainfall in the region. The higher reaches of the Valley, including holy Amarnath cave, have received snowfall.
As Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray faces a revolt within his Shiv Sena, the party's Sanjay Raut, in a tweet, hints at dissolution of the assembly. Rebel Eknath Shinde, who triggered the crisis, claims the support of 46 MLAs. 'The ongoing political crisis in Maharashtra is heading towards the dissolution of Vidhan Sabha,' Mr Raut tweets in Marathi after Mr Shinde, in an exclusive interview to NDTV, claims the support of 40 Sena MLAs and six Independents. Mr Raut had earlier downplayed the threat of the impending coup in his party. Meanwhile, Uddhav Thackeray chaired a crucial meeting of his cabinet virtually after testing positive for Covid. Shiv Sena has again called a meeting of all MLAs at 5 pm at the Chief Minister's residence. At the same time, as per sources, Maharashtra BJP leader and former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is meeting with his party leaders at his Mumbai residence to discuss Constitutional provisions and the arithmetic required to stake a claim to form a government. He was in Delhi yesterday to meet the party's high command. Earlier this morning, Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari was admitted to a Mumbai hospital with coronavirus symptoms. The governor has said that anyone who wanted to contact him could do so via video conferencing. It is to be mentioned here that Eknath Shinde needs the support of 37 MLAs, a two-third majority in his party to split the party without facing disqualification under the anti-defection law. Mr Shinde says he is not breaking away from Shiv Sena and he wants to carry forward Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray's Hindutva ideology. 'We have not left Balasaheb Thackeray's Shiv Sena and will not leave it. We believe in Hindutva,' he says. Hours after Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray spoke to the rebel leader for 10 minutes last evening, the MLAs made a post-midnight dash to the airport and flew to Assam, another BJP-ruled state. On their arrival in Guwahati, the Sena rebels were welcomed by BJP leaders and taken to a five-star hotel where Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was seen earlier. 'Fifty rooms' were prepped, sources say, hinting at more Sena MLAs arriving today. The Sena's massive crisis is reportedly triggered by a reprimand from Mr Thackeray to Mr Shinde on Monday night after Sena MLAs cross-voted for the BJP in key elections. Their action meant that the BJP won five of a total of 10 seats (its own numbers entitled the party to four seats; the cross-voting allowed a bonus seat). To displace Mr Thackeray and win a vote of confidence, should it come to that, the BJP needs 37 MLAs apart from its own 106. Mr Shinde claims he has enough MLAs with him to enable the coup.
- Droupadi Murmu, former Governor of Jharkhand, is named as the BJP's choice for the post of President. Ms Murmu, a tribal from Odisha, will be pitted against former Union Minister Yashwant Sinha, who is named as the opposition candidate. If elected, the 64-year-old will be the first tribal woman to become the President of India. Elections to choose the next President will be held on July 18, the counting on July 21. The new President will take oath on July 25, the Election Commission has said. 2. Rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde along with other party MLAs arrives in Guwahati in BJP-ruled Assam early this morning. They were received by BJP leaders Sushanta Borgohain and Pallab Lochan Das. Eknath Shinde claims he has support of 40 of 56 Shiv Sena MLAs and six Independents. Mr Shinde needs support of at least 37 party MLAs to ensure he doesn't face disqualification proceedings under the anti-defection law. Mr Shinde says he is not breaking away from Shiv Sena and the MLAs will carry forward Balasaheb Thackery's 'Hindutva' ideology. 'We have not left Balasaheb Thackeray's Shiv Sena and will not leave it. We believe in Hindutva,' he says. 3. Crisis manager Sharad Pawar rushes back to Mumbai. Mr. Pawar rules out allying with BJP, now BJP's big challenge though is numbers to form the BJP government. Meanwhile Kamal Nath is brought in to handle Congress MLAs. 4. Maharashtra Transport Minister Anil Parab appears before the Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday in connection with a money laundering probe. He was questioned for 10 hours and has been summoned again today. The 57-year-old legislator reached the federal agency's office in Ballard Estate, following which his statement was recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. 5. Chiefs of the three Indian military services meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence on Tuesday evening amid an ongoing controversy over the Agnipath recruitment scheme for the armed forces. Meanwhile, amid protests against the Agnipath defence recruitment scheme, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval says that 'there is no question' of a rollback. 'India has among the youngest populations in the world; yet it cannot continue to have an army with a high average age,' he tells ANI in an interview, arguing that the new system will ensure a more tech-savvy army. 6. Amid threats of a US recession, the country's Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has said that though the economy may slow down in the coming months, 'a recession is not inevitable'. Her optimism is in stark contrast to economists' fears of a recession fuelled by rising inflation and Russian invasion of Ukraine.
- The Shiv Sena removes Eknath Shinde as the party's group leader in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, hours after he went incommunicado and travelled to Surat with some MLAs of his party, triggering a crisis in the tripartite MVA government. Sena MP Sanjay Raut tell reporters, 'Shinde has been removed as the Shiv Sena group leader in the Assembly and replaced with Ajay Choudhury'. 2. Former Union minister Yashwant Sinha will be the consensus presidential candidate of several opposition parties, including the Congress, the TMC and the Samajwadi Party, the parties say in a joint statement. Opposition leaders, who gathered at the Parliament annexe for the meeting convened by NCP chief Sharad Pawar to decide on a consensus candidate for the presidential election, unanimously agree on Sinha's name. 'We are happy to announce that we have unanimously chosen Yashwant Sinha as the common candidate of the opposition parties for the presidential election, which will take place on July 18, 2022,' Congress leader Jairam Ramesh says while reading out a joint statement after the meeting. The statement also says, 'In his long and distinguished career in public life, Shri Yashwant Sinha has served the nation in various capacities, as an able administrator, accomplished parliamentarian and acclaimed Union Minister of Finance and External Affairs. He is eminently qualified to uphold secular and democratic character of the Indian Republic and its Constitutional values'. 3. The armed forces say that 'credible' information on the 'Agnipath' scheme recently has dispelled misinformation about the initiative and assert that youngsters preparing to become soldiers have returned to physical activities at several places. Amid misgivings about the recruitment process, Lt Gen Anil Puri, additional secretary, Department of Military Affairs, asserts that the recruitment process will remain unchanged and the traditional regimentation system in the military will continue.
- Maharashtra minister and top Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde has reportedly moved to Meridian hotel in Surat in BJP-ruled Gujarat with 21 other MLAs, setting off alarm bells in the Uddhav Thackeray government. Mr Shinde, who is at the center of the turmoil, has been sacked by the Sena leadership as the party's chief whip. Around the same time, he tweets, 'Balasaheb has taught us Hindutva. We have never and will never cheat for power regarding Balasaheb's thoughts and Dharmaveer Anand Dighe Saheb's teachings.' Sources say there are a total of 21 Sena MLAs at the hotel, five of them ministers, and an Independent MLA. Meanwhile, Mr Uddhav Thackeray calls an emergency meeting at his residence. In what points to a bigger crisis, several MLAs other than those with Mr Shinde, were also absent at the meeting. 2. Sharad Pawar, chief of Sena ally Nationalist Congress Party, says he has full faith in Uddhav Thackeray and assures that a way will be found out of this situation. He also says it is an internal matter of Sena. Mr Pawar, who is in Delhi for the Opposition's meet on Presidential poll, is likely to meet Mr Thackeray tonight, say sources. Mr Pawar says, 'Eknath Shinde has never conveyed to us that he wants to be Chief Minister. The Chief Minister's post belongs to the Shiv Sena. The Deputy Chief Minister's post is that of NCP. This is an internal issue of Shiv Sena, whatever they decide we are with them. We don't think there is any need of changes to the government.'
- Even as the Opposition is yet to choose its candidate for Presidential polls, BJP will hold its parliamentary board meeting today where it is likely to finalise its pick for the election slated to be held on July 18. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to join the meeting virtually. BJP has already formed a 14-member management team to oversee the election. Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat is the convenor of this team. 2. The chiefs of three services Army, Navy and the Air Force will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi today to brief him on the 'Agnipath' recruitment scheme. PM Modi's meeting with the service chiefs comes in the wake of widespread protests against the Centre's short-term recruitment plan for the armed forces. Over 600 trains were cancelled on Monday amid protests in several states as part of 'Bharat Bandh', although the shutdown call over the 'Agnipath' scheme received a tepid response. 3. Joining the bandwagon of several states which have announced benefits to cadets who will be enrolled under the Agnipath scheme, Harayana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar promises job opportunities in the state for Agniveers who return after serving their 4-year term in the Army. This comes at a time when protests against the recently-announced military recruitment scheme are raging across states like Uttar Pradesh, Telangana and Bihar. 4. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is set to appear for the fifth day of questioning by the Enforcement Directorate today. The Wayanad MP has been questioned for over 40 hours in an alleged money laundering case. His questioning is likely to be completed today, say sources. Mr Gandhi's questioning resumed on Monday after a day's break allowing him to visit his hospitalised mother, Congress president Sonia Gandhi. He left the ED office past midnight after Monday's questioning. 5. Five candidates of Maharashtra's ruling alliance and five of the BJP get elected to the Legislative Council amid cross-voting by MLAs believed to be on the government side. The contest for the 10th seat was a prestige battle for the state's ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi after the upset in the recently held Rajya Sabha election, where the Shiv Sena candidate was defeated. 6. The flood situation in Assam remains unchanged. The state has recorded 104 per cent more rains than normal which is not unusual in Assam, especially during the monsoon season but it is facing one of the biggest floods in a decade. In the last 24 hours, 11 people have died as 47 lakh people are affected in 32 of Assam's 35 districts. In the last 7 days, 44 people have lost their lives due to the serious flood situation. Around 5,424 villages have been inundated. 7. Torrential rains continue to hit Meghalaya as Sonapur Tunnel in the East Jaintia Hills district is hit by another round of landslides. The district administration has requested the commuters to avoid all unnecessary travelling across this route. An official, meanwhile, informs that the essential commodity vehicles towards Barak Valley and adjoining states will be given priority. 8. Yoga no longer a part of life, but is becoming a way of life, says Prime Minister Narendra Modi while leading the country's Yoga Day celebrations from Karnataka's Mysuru. Addressing the event at Mysore Palace grounds, the Prime Minister says Yoga is a problem-solver and brings inner peace.
- According to the district magistrate, all tourists who were stuck mid-air in a cable car in Himachal Pradesh's Solan district for over three hours have been rescued. Onkar Chand Sharma, Principal Secretary, Disaster Management Himachal Pradesh says, 'All 11 stranded people have been rescued'. Visuals from the spot show dramatic shots of the tourists being rescued with the help of a trolley that was deployed. Earlier today, the Indian Air Force was put on alert for the rescue operation. 2. In a major breakthrough, Delhi Police arrest three persons, including two main shooters in the killing of famed Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala. A cache of arms and explosives is also recovered by the Delhi Police's Special Cell including 3 pistols with 50 rounds. The police say that a man named Manpreet Manu first shot at Moose Wala. The chief of anti-terror unit (Delhi special cell), HGS Dhaliwal says, 'Manpreet Manu riding in this Corolla car fired at Moose Wala. Soon after the incident Manpreet Manu and Roopa left. Priyavrat-led module also left the spot after the incident'. The Delhi Police Special Cell says, 'All four were travelling in one Bolero car driven by one Kashis. Ankit Sirsa and Deepak, and Priyavrat, the head of this one module of shooters were travelling in the car. There was another car, Corolla, driven by Jagroop Roopa'. 3. Amid protests in several parts of the country, the Army issues a notification for the induction of soldiers under the Agnipath military recruitment scheme under which the online registration of applicants will begin next month. In its notification, the Army says the online registration for the force's recruitment can be done on www.joinindianarmy.nic.in and www.joinindianarmy.nic.in and is mandatory for all the job aspirants under the new model. The Army says 'Agniveers' will form a distinct rank in the Indian Army, which will be different from any other existing ranks. 4. Former West Bengal governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi turns down the opposition parties' request to contest the upcoming presidential election. The 77-year-old is the third political person after Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah to have withdrawn their names as probable opposition nominees for the July elections. 5. The Congress holds a 'Satyagraha' against the Centre's Agnipath scheme and questioning of Rahul Gandhi by the Enforcement Directorate, saying the government has 'betrayed' the youth with the new military recruitment model and is indulging in 'vendetta politics' by targeting the former party chief.
- With the government standing its ground on the 'Agnipath' military recruitment scheme, some organisations call for 'Bharat Bandh' today amid the ongoing protests demanding a rollback of the plan. Over 500 trains have been cancelled today in view of the Bharat Bandh call in parts of the country. The railways suffers a major loss of property due to arson and rioting by the protesters over the last five days. Parts of Delhi witnesses traffic jams as the police tightens security across the city and its bordering areas. 2. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi appears before the Enforcement Directorate for the fourth time in connection with the National Herald case. Mr Gandhi was questioned thrice last week and was summoned for the fourth round on Friday. However, he wrote to the central agency, requesting that it be deferred to Monday as he needed to be with his mother and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who is in hospital for Covid-related issues. 3. Amid widespread protests against the Centre's new military recruitment scheme, 'Agnipath', industrialist Anand Mahindra says he is saddened by the violence and stresses that the discipline and skills of Agniveers would make them 'eminently employable'. Mr Mahindra also says that the business group would like the opportunity to recruit people trained under the scheme. 4. Voting for elections to 10 seats in the Maharashtra Legislative Council is underway. The polling process, which commenced at 9 am, will end at 4 pm and the results will be declared in the evening. A total of 145 MLAs cast their votes till 11.15 am. 11 candidates are in the fray for the 10 seats, with the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi allies Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress fielding two candidates each. 5. The bodies of two policemen who washed away in flood waters in Central Assam's Nagaon district on Sunday night have been recovered. According to Assam Police, a team of Kampur police station was engaged in a rescue operation late on Sunday night when Sub-Inspector Samujjal Kakoti and Constable Rajiv Bordoloi were washed away in flood waters. Meanwhile, the Met office has issued an Orange Alert for Assam and Meghalaya. At least fifty-two people have died in the two states, nearly 44 lakh people have been displaced. 6. Fear and chaos at the Washington, DC street where a shooting reportedly leaves one teenager dead and several others, including a police officer, injured. A clip has been posted on Twitter by National Fraternal Order of Police, a police union in the US. It starts on a crowded street where several police vehicles and men in the uniform are seen. Then four shots are heard and people are seen running for cover in panic. 7. French President Emmanuel Macron loses his parliamentary majority after major election gains by a newly formed left-wing alliance and the far right, in a stunning blow to his plans for major second term reform. The result throws French politics into turmoil, raising the prospect of a paralysed legislature or messy coalitions with Macron forced to reach out to new allies.
- With the government standing its ground on the 'Agnipath' military recruitment scheme, a call for 'Bharat Bandh' has been made by some organisations demanding a rollback of the short-term recruitment plan. Congress leaders sit on a 'Satyagraha' at Jantar Mantar in the national capital to express solidarity with the armed forces aspirants protesting against the 'Agnipath' scheme. Parts of Delhi witness traffic jams as the traffic police closes off several roads. 2. Lt. General Puri says Centre has not given concessions in the 'Agnipath' scheme because of protests and arson, but that those were already in the works. He says the 'Agnipath' planners did not anticipate the protests because the armed forces stand for discipline and only disciplined applicants join the former. 3. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is set to appear before the Enforcement Directorate for the fourth time today in connection with the National Herald case. Mr Gandhi was questioned thrice last week and was summoned for the fourth round on Friday. However, he wrote to the central agency, requesting that it be deferred to Monday as he needed to be with his mother and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who is in hospital for Covid-related issues. 4. Voting for elections to 10 seats in the Maharashtra Legislative Council is underway. The polling process, which commenced at 9 am, will end at 4 pm and the results will be declared in the evening. A total of 11 candidates are in the fray for the 10 seats, with the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi allies Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress fielding two candidates each. 5. The death toll in the northeast floods rises to 71 with nine more deaths reported in the last 24 hours. Four people have also gone missing. Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announces that he will hold a video meeting with his cabinet ministers along with the state's deputy commissioners and civil sub divisional officers to discuss the flood situation. 6. According to Union Health Ministry data, India records 12,781 fresh COVID-19 cases pushing its infection tally to 4,33,09,473, while the number of active cases increases to 76,700. The death count climbs to 5,24,873 with 18 fresh fatalities. 7. Fear and chaos at the Washington, DC street where a shooting reportedly leaves one teenager dead and several others, including a police officer, injured. A clip has been posted on Twitter by National Fraternal Order of Police, a police union in the US. It starts on a crowded street where several police vehicles and men in the uniform are seen. Then four shots are heard and people are seen running for cover in panic. 8. French President Emmanuel Macron loses his parliamentary majority after major election gains by a newly formed left-wing alliance and the far right, in a stunning blow to his plans for major second term reform. The result throws French politics into turmoil, raising the prospect of a paralysed legislature or messy coalitions with Macron forced to reach out to new allies.
- Amid rising demands for the scrapping of the newly launched Agnipath recruitment scheme for the military, senior Army officer Lt General Anil Puri clarifies that the programme will not be rolled back and says that it is the 'only progressive step to make the country young'. The officer informs in connection with the violence that the aspirants willing to join the forces will have to give a certificate that 'they were not part of protest or vandalism' with 100 per cent police verification. 2. Lt. General Puri says Centre has not given concessions in the 'Agnipath' scheme because of protests and arson, but that those were already in the works. He says the 'Agnipath' planners did not anticipate the protests because the armed forces stand for discipline and only disciplined applicants join the former. 3. BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya's offer to hire 'Agniveers' as security guards at the party office in an effort to pacify protesters against the new military recruitment scheme, 'Agnipath', pummelled by the opposition and also a member of his own party. Mr Kejriwal criticises the BJP leader for assuming young people who train to join the armed forces want the job of a security guard. He says, 'Do not disrespect the youth and army personnel of the country so much. The youth of our country work hard day and night to pass the physical exam, pass the test because they want to serve the country for their whole life by joining the army, not because they want to be a guard outside the BJP office.' 4. A bird hit the engine of the flight that made emergency landing in Patna on Sunday, damaging three of its fan blades, says a SpiceJet official as he shares details of what happened when one of its engines caught fire. There was no indication of the engine fire in the cockpit and it was noticed only by people on the ground and the Air Traffic Control, says Captain Gurcharan Arora, Chief of Flight Operations, SpiceJet. The Delhi-bound flight was carrying 185 passengers and all of them were evacuated safely. 5. The flood situation in Assam deteriorates further as incessant rains pound the state and the number of affected people increases to 42.48 lakh in 33 districts. Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announces that he will hold a video meeting with his cabinet ministers along with the state's deputy commissioners and civil sub divisional officers to discuss the flood situation. 6. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launches the historic torch relay for the 44th Chess Olympiad at Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi. This year, for the very first time, the International Chess Body, FIDE, has instituted the Chess Olympiad Torch which is part of Olympic tradition but was never done in the Chess Olympiad. India will be the first-ever country to have the Chess Olympiad Torch Relay.
- Amid the rising demands for the scrapping of the newly launched Agnipath recruitment scheme for the military, a senior Army officer clarifies that the programme will not be rolled back and said that it is the 'only progressive step to make the country young'. 'Coming to the rollback of the scheme, no. Why should it be rolled back. It is the only progressive step to making the country young. Why is it being made young. We are tinkering with 'Desk ki Raksha. There is no space. I will give you an example. Do you know how many casualties are reported just for health purposes from high-altitude areas. Do read about it, then you would come to know why young is important,' the officer says. 'Indian Army's foundation is discipline. There is no space for arson or vandalism. Every individual will give a certificate that they were not part of the protest or vandalism. Police verification is 100 per cent, no one can join without that,' he says. 2. A defence tri-service briefing looked to clear doubts about the new military recruitment scheme 'Agnipath' and explain why the country needs this policy for mass entry to the armed forces. Lt. General Puri also says the centre did not give concessions in the 'Agnipath' scheme because of protests and arson, but that those were already in the works. He says the 'Agnipath' planners did not anticipate the protests because the armed forces stand for discipline and only disciplined applicants join the former. 3. In a bid to address concerns of 'Agnipath' protesters over job security, BJP National General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya had told reporters that young men who have completed the four-year tour of duty under the new scheme 'Agnipath', known as 'Agniveers', would get first preference for security guard jobs at the BJP office. Varun Gandhi, the BJP MP from Pilibhit who has been expressing views divergent from the party's stand on various issues including on Agnipath scheme, takes a swipe at Vijayvargiya. 'Our great army's heroic tales cannot be expressed with mere words and its valour echoes in the entire world,' Gandhi says, accusing the BJP national general secretary of offering the job of a 'chowkidar' to soldiers after retirement. 'Indian Army is a means to serve mother India, not merely a job,' Gandhi says. 4. A Delhi-bound Spice Jet aircraft makes an emergency landing at Patna airport after there were reports of a technical glitch which prompted fire inside the plane. Chandrashekhar Singh, Patna District Magistrate tell media persons, 'The Delhi-bound flight had returned to Patna airport after locals noticed a fire in the aircraft and informed district and airport officials. All 185 passengers were safely deboarded. The reason is a technical glitch, engineering team analysing further'. 5. The flood situation in Assam and Meghalaya continues to remain grim with no signs of a let-up in the rainfall. The Assam State Disaster Management Authority says that more than 31 lakh people have been affected across 32 districts in the State. Eight people have drowned or washed away, taking the death total to 62 since April with landslides claiming lives of 11 of them while 19 people have been reported missing. 6. Amid the protests against 'Agnipath', the centre's new scheme for military recruitments, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has said the new plan will 'finish Army'. Addressing the Congress's Satyagraha on the burning issue, she urges the protesters to continue their agitation peacefully and 'topple' the government.
- A Delhi-bound Spice Jet aircraft makes an emergency landing at Patna airport after there were reports of a technical glitch which prompted fire inside the plane. Chandrashekhar Singh, Patna District Magistrate tell media persons, 'The Delhi-bound flight had returned to Patna airport after locals noticed a fire in the aircraft and informed district and airport officials. All 185 passengers were safely deboarded. The reason is a technical glitch, engineering team analysing further'. 2. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh meets the three service chiefs amid escalating protests against the 'Agnipath' military recruitment scheme in several parts of the country. It is learnt that the focus of the deliberations was on pacifying the protesters. 3. Amid the ongoing protests against the Agnipath Scheme across the country, including Bihar, an official in Patna says that the role of coaching centres was found during questioning of those arrested for violence and arson in the city. Speaking to ANI, District Magistrate of Patna, Chandrashekhar Singh says that WhatsApp messages provocative in nature were found in the phones of the arrested people. He says, 'We are on complete alert. The people are being identified through video footage. We have found out about the role of 7-8 coaching centres through WhatsApp messages from those arrested. These messages were of provocative nature'. 4. A man suspected to be the mastermind behind the Secunderabad railway station violence on Friday has been arrested by the Andhra Pradesh police in Guntur. Avula Subba Rao has been identified as an ex-Army man, who is now running an academy that is training aspiring army job recruits, is apprehended by the police for allegedly being the mastermind behind Friday's violence at the Secunderabad railway station over the Agnipath scheme of recruitment in armed forces, which saw violence and arson, torching of trains besides one person being killed in police firing. 5. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the main tunnel and five underpasses of the Pragati Maidan Integrated Transit Corridor project, an integral part of the Pragati Maidan redevelopment exercise. The Pragati Maidan Integrated Transit Corridor project has been built at a cost of more than Rs 920 crore and is entirely funded by the central government. It is aimed at providing hassle-free and smooth access to the new world-class exhibition and convention centre being developed at Pragati Maidan to facilitate easy participation of exhibitors and visitors in the programmes being held there. 6. The flood situation in Assam and Meghalaya continues to remain grim with no signs of a let-up in the rainfall. The Assam State Disaster Management Authority says that more than 31 lakh people have been affected across 32 districts in the State. Eight people have drowned or washed away, taking the death total to 62 since April with landslides claiming lives of 11 of them while 19 people have been reported missing over the last 36 hours.
- Despite Centre's steps to assuage concerns over 'Agnipath' defence recruitment scheme, there is no let-up in the protests in several states with job aspirants demanding a rollback of the scheme. The Home and Defence ministries promise new 10 per cent quotas each in jobs for 'Agnipath' recruits after their four-year tenure in the armed forces. Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri says that the PSUs under his housing and petroleum ministries are also working on plans to induct 'Agniveers'. 2. Train services suspended in Bihar from 4 am to 8 pm as the state continues to reel under the worst outbreak of violence over the 'Agnipath' military recruitment scheme. A railway station and a police vehicle are torched, and several policemen have got injured in stone-throwing as protesters try to enforce a bandh, calling for a rollback of the new scheme for recruitment in the armed forces. 3. Union Home Ministry accords VIP security cover of the CRPF to 10 Bihar BJP legislators in view of threats posed to them by those protesting against the recently launched Agnipath military recruitment scheme. Those provided the Y category cover comprise Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Renu Devi, state BJP president and Paschim Champaran MP Sanjay Jaiswal, Bisfi MLA Haribhushan Thakur, Darbhanga MLA Sanjay Saraogi and six others, including some MLCs. 4. Punjab's Ludhiana railway station vandalised by agitators demanding a rollback on the Agnipath scheme. Eight to ten people have been rounded up by the police. The cops are combing through videos to identify the protesters, says a senior police official. As protests spread to other districts, security has been tightened at Punjab's Amritsar railway station to prevent damage to public property. 5. Lieutenant General Anil Puri, one of the driving forces behind the new tour of duty 'Agnipath' programme, makes it clear that there is no place for arsonists in the armed forces. The comment comes amid violent protests by military aspirants in several states over job security concerns at the end of the four-year tour of duty period under the 'Agnipath' scheme. 6. The flood situation in Assam and Meghalaya continues to remain grim with no signs of a let-up in the rainfall. The Assam State Disaster Management Authority says that more than 31 lakh people have been affected across 32 districts in the State. Eight people have drowned or washed away, taking the death total to 62 since April with landslides claiming lives of 11 of them while 19 people have been reported missing over the last 36 hours.
- As protesters and police clash in West Bengal for the second day over a suspended BJP leader's remarks on Prophet Muhammad, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee says some political parties want to engineer riots and questioned why the people should suffer for the BJP's 'sins'. 2. As per the officials, two people were killed and many including security personnel were critically injured as violent protests rocked Ranchi over the comments made by two suspended BJP spokespersons on Prophet Mohammad. As per the post-mortem report, the two persons died due to gunshot wounds. They say, prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC have been clamped in 12 police station areas, including Sukhdev Nagar, Lower Bazar, Daily Market and Hindpidi, to prevent any further flareups. 3. A senior police official says, a total of 227 people are arrested from various districts of Uttar Pradesh in connection with Friday violence. In a statement issued, Additional Director General of Police Prashant Kumar says, '227 persons have been arrested in the state for Friday violence. This includes 68 in Prayagraj, 50 in Hathras, 48 in Saharanpur, 28 in Ambedkarnagar, 25 in Moradabad, and eight in Firozabad.' People pelted stones at police personnel in Prayagraj and Saharanpur as people took to rowdiness during their protests after Friday prayers. 4. In a major setback to Maharashtra's ruling alliance of Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress, the BJP wins three of the six Rajya Sabha seats, while the ruling combine questioned the eight-hour delay in counting of votes. 5. The Indian Army kills two terrorists in Naugam sector in Kashmir. Weapons and Pakistani currency recovered by the Army. 6. Justin Bieber tells fans in a video posted on Instagram that he's been diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt Syndrome, which is causing him partial facial paralysis. The 28-year-old pop singer recently announced he is pausing his Justice World Tour due to illness, hours before his first slated concert in Toronto.
- Fresh clashes between protesters and police have been reported in West Bengal's Howrah district after the agitation by a group of people on the remarks by two BJP leaders on Prophet Muhammed turns violent for the second consecutive day today. As per the officials, the police threw tear gas shells to disperse the protesters after stones were thrown at them during the violence at Panchla Bazaar area in Howrah district, news agency ANI reported. The administration has imposed prohibitory orders till June 15. Internet services also remained suspended across the district till June 13. 2. As per the officials, two people were killed and many including security personnel were critically injured as violent protests rocked Ranchi over the comments made by two suspended BJP spokespersons on Prophet Mohammad. As per the post-mortem report, the two persons died due to gunshot wounds. They say, prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC have been clamped in 12 police station areas, including Sukhdev Nagar, Lower Bazar, Daily Market and Hindpidi, to prevent any further flareups. 3. A senior police official says, a total of 227 people were arrested from various districts of Uttar Pradesh in connection with Friday violence. In a statement issued, Additional Director General of Police Prashant Kumar says, '227 persons have been arrested in the state for Friday violence. This includes 68 in Prayagraj, 50 in Hathras, 48 in Saharanpur, 28 in Ambedkarnagar, 25 in Moradabad, and eight in Firozabad.' People pelted stones at police personnel in Prayagraj and Saharanpur as people took to rowdiness during their protests after Friday prayers. 4. In a jolt to the Congress, the BJP's Krishan Lal Panwar and the saffron party-backed Independent candidate Kartikeya Sharma are declared elected for the two Rajya Sabha seats from Haryana, after a high drama over allegations of violations of polling rules that delayed the counting by more than seven hours. At the same time, in a major setback to Maharashtra's ruling alliance of Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress, the BJP wins three of the six Rajya Sabha seats, while the ruling combine questioned the eight-hour delay in counting of votes. Meanwhile, the ruling BJP in Karnataka had the last laugh as it won all the three Rajya Sabha seats it had contested in, out of total four from the state, that went for polls on Friday. 4. The Indian Army kills two terrorists in North Kashmir along the Line of Control. 5. In a significant initiative, the United Nations General Assembly adopts an India-sponsored resolution on multilingualism that mentions the Hindi language for the first time. The resolution encourages the UN to continue disseminating important communications and messages in official as well as in non-official languages, including in Hindi language.
- In a jolt to the Congress, the BJP's Krishan Lal Panwar and the saffron party-backed Independent candidate Kartikeya Sharma are declared elected for the two Rajya Sabha seats from Haryana, after a high drama over allegations of violations of polling rules that delayed the counting by more than seven hours. According to Election Commission officials, Congress candidates Ajay Maken did not get enough votes. The party says one of its MLAs cross-voted while the vote of an MLA was declared invalid. 2. In a major setback to Maharashtra's ruling alliance of Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress, the BJP wins three of the six Rajya Sabha seats, while the ruling combine questioned the eight-hour delay in counting of votes. The BJP winners include Union minister Piyush Goyal and former state minister Anil Bonde, and Dhananjay Mahadik. Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut, NCP's Praful Patel and Congress' Imran Pratapgarhi also won the fiercely-fought elections. Meanwhile, the ruling BJP in Karnataka had the last laugh as it won all the three Rajya Sabha seats it had contested in, out of total four from the state, that went for polls on Friday, while the Congress managed to win only one of the two seats to which it had fielded its candidates. 3. The district administration imposes a curfew in violence-hit areas of Ranchi after a protest erupted against the controversial remarks of suspended Bharatiya Janata Party leader Nupur Sharma and expelled party leader Naveen Jindal. 4. Protests break out after Friday prayers in at least four other cities in Uttar Pradesh over a non-suspended BJP leader's recent remarks on Prophet Mohammad. Police have arrested more than 200 people from six districts of the state. 5. The United States announces that Covid-19 tests will no longer be demanded for international travelers arriving by air, a major step in the country's gradual lifting of pandemic restrictions. White House Assistant Press Secretary Kevin Munoz confirms the news on Twitter, with US media saying the testing requirement will end this weekend after strong lobbying from the travel industry.
- Massive protests erupt across the country including in Delhi, Ranchi and some cities in UP over remarks by suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma and her former colleague Naveen Jindal that have triggered an international row. 2. Lawmakers are voting on 16 seats to the Rajya Sabha in a closely watched contest in four states. Forty-one seats were filled by candidates elected unopposed. The Rajya Sabha Election is crucial in view of the Presidential elections next month. The toughest fights are taking place in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Haryana where MLAs had been corralled to resorts to prevent poaching. 3. The Bombay High Court rejects Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik's petition seeking release from jail to enable him to cast his vote in the Rajya Sabha elections, polling for which is underway. Mr Malik had sought that he be either released from custody on a bond or be permitted to go with a police escort to the Vidhan Bhavan for voting. A single bench presided over by Justice PD Naik says that although Mr Malik had avoided the use of the word 'bail' the tenor of his plea was that of seeking bail and therefore, he must file an appeal challenging the special court that denied him temporary bail on Thursday. 4. The rupee depreciates 8 paise to a record low of 77.82 against the US dollar in opening trade today, tracking the strength of the greenback in the overseas market. 4. India's COVID-19 case tally rises by 7,584 in a day to reach 4,32,05,106 while the number of active cases increase to 36,267, according to Union Health Ministry data. 5. The India Meteorological Department issues a red alert for Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya for the next two days as extremely heavy rainfall has been predicted in these states since the monsoon has covered the entire northeastern region. 6. A police constable posts at the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata fires multiple rounds before shooting himself dead. A woman who was hit in the firing reportedly dies.
- Lawmakers are voting on 16 seats to the Rajya Sabha in a closely watched contest in four states. Forty-one seats were filled by candidates elected unopposed. The Rajya Sabha Election is crucial in view of the Presidential elections next month. The toughest fights are taking place in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Haryana where MLAs had been corralled to resorts to prevent poaching. However, in Karnataka, at least one Janata Dal Secular MLA K Srinivasa Gowda says he voted for the Congress 'because he loved it'. JDS chief HD Kumaraswamy alleges 'horse-trading' and says, '30 out of 32 stood by us.' In Rajasthan, too, the ruling Congress is said to have received two votes from the BJP. Denting the BJP's prospects further. 2. The Bombay High Court rejects Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik's petition seeking release from jail to enable him to cast his vote in the Rajya Sabha elections, polling for which is underway. Mr Malik had sought that he be either released from custody on a bond or be permitted to go with a police escort to the Vidhan Bhavan for voting. A single bench presided over by Justice PD Naik says that although Mr Malik had avoided the use of the word 'bail' the tenor of his plea was that of seeking bail and therefore, he must file an appeal challenging the special court that denied him temporary bail on Thursday. 3. The rupee depreciates 8 paise to a record low of 77.82 against the US dollar in opening trade today, tracking the strength of the greenback in the overseas market. 4. India's COVID-19 case tally rises by 7,584 in a day to reach 4,32,05,106 while the number of active cases increase to 36,267, according to Union Health Ministry data. 5. Curfew is imposed and Internet services have been suspended in major towns of Chinab valley region in Jammu and Kashmir after protests over objectionable social media post. There is also spontaneous shutdown in Srinagar and the internet is suspended in the capital city as well. 6. According to the police, a case has been registered over a 'threat letter' received by the judge who ordered the filming of the Gyanvapi mosque complex in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi. 7. The India Meteorological Department issues a red alert for Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya for the next two days as extremely heavy rainfall has been predicted in these states since the monsoon has covered the entire northeastern region.
- Elections will be held to fill 16 vacant seats in Rajya Sabha, the upper house of parliament, today. 41 candidates have been elected unopposed. The election will be crucial in view of the Presidential elections due in July. Election is due on 16 seats in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Haryana. The 57 vacant seats were spread across 15 states. Of these, the BJP held 23 seats and eight were held by Congress. The rest were divided between the other parties. The toughest contests are expected in opposition-ruled states like Rajasthan and Maharashtra, where both sides have corralled their MLAs to resorts to prevent poaching. 2. The Election Commission of India announces, elections to choose the next President of India will be held on July 18. President Ram Nath Kovind's term will end on July 24, and the successor must be elected before that. The counting, if there is a need, will be held on July 21. The Commission says, the new President will take oath on July 25. There has been speculation that President Ram Nath Kovind will not get a second term in office and the new candidate is likely to be announced soon. So far, only first president Rajendra Prasad was elected twice. 3. According to the police, a case has been registered over a 'threat letter' received by the judge who ordered the filming of the Gyanvapi mosque complex in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi. 4. Curfew has been imposed and the army has been called in to conduct a flag march in Bhaderwah town of Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district over attempts by some elements to create communal tension. The police say they are keeping a close watch on the situation and would act against anyone found violating law and order. Curfew was imposed after attempts were made to create communal tension in the town, local administration officials say without giving more details. 5. A day after RBI move, loans become more expensive. Bad news, as 5 Indian banks have hiked lending rate. 6. A red alert for rain has been sounded for Assam and Meghalaya. Extremely heavy showers expected in the area.
- Elections to choose the next President of India will be held on July 18, the Election Commission announces. The counting, if there is a need, will be held on July 21. The new President will take oath on July 25, the Commission says. President Ram Nath Kovind's term ends on July 24. In 2017, the BJP had picked Mr Kovind, then Governor of Bihar, for the country's highest office, causing a divide in the opposition camp. 2. Resort politics is back in full swing as parties herd their flock to deter horse-trading ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Karnataka, and Haryana tomorrow. Results will be declared the same day. Shiv Sena MLAs in Maharashtra are moved to a resort ahead of the elections. Legislators from other Maha Vikas Aghadi constituents, Nationalist Congress Party and Congress, are also shifted to a resort as the ruling coalition ringfences its MLAs before the voting to the upper house. Congress shifted its Rajasthan MLAs to Udaipur on June 2. They are staying at the same resort where the party recently hosted its brainstorming session (chintan shivir). Also, BJP MLAs in Rajasthan are staying at a resort on the outskirts of Jaipur. In Karnataka, the Janata Dal (Secular) has moved its MLAs to a hotel in Bangalore's Whitefield area to prevent poaching. The party has 32 legislators. Around 20 are in the hotel and the remaining will join them today. 3. The startling revelation by the key accused in the gold smuggling case Swapna Suresh against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his family continue to keep the political pot boiling in Kerala as opposition party activists clash with police across the state even as the Congress continues to demand the resignation of the CM alleging that he is trying to escape the probe through 'blatant abuse of power misusing police'. The workers of the Youth Congress and Yuva Morcha, the youth outfits of the Congress and the BJP respectively, take out marches to the district collectorates in Kozhikode and Kottayam. 4. Two weeks after objectionable statements against Prophet Muhammad and Islam by two BJP leaders, one on national television and the other on Twitter, the police have registered a case against several people for hate speech, inciting groups, and creating situations that disturb society's peace and harmony. Two FIRs have been registered, naming BJP spokespersons, an MP, a journalist, social media users, and members of religious organisations. 'The cases have been registered against those who were posting and sharing messages against the maintenance of public tranquillity and were inciting people on the basis of various divisive lines,' police says. The Delhi police have also named AIMIM chief and MP Asaduddin Owaisi, and hatemonger Yati Narsinghanand who is out on bail in the Haridwar hate speech case. 5. India reports 7,240 fresh Coronavirus cases, nearly 40 per cent higher than a day ago, as infections soar sharply in states like Maharashtra and Kerala. This is the highest jump in the number of daily cases since March 2. Yestreday, India saw a rise of nearly 41 per cent in the daily COVID-19 cases, as the country logs 5,233 infections. Meanwhile, Mumbai reports 1,765 new Covid cases in the last 24 hours, a 42 per cent increase from the previous day's count. The infection count is the highest since January 25. 6. KL Rahul, who was supposed to lead India in the upcoming five-match T20I series against South Africa, has been ruled out due to an injury, BCCI informs through a tweet. Wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant is going to lead India in the series now. Hardik Pandya has been appointed vice-captain. 7. BJP's nine candidates, including Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, on files their nominations for the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council elections.
- Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain, arrested in an alleged money laundering case, will remain in Enforcement Directorate custody till June 13. The Enforcement Directorate, while seeking five-day custody of Mr Jain, tells the court that it has gathered various incriminating documents and digital records against the AAP leader during a recent raid at his premises. 2. Resort politics is back in full swing as parties herd their flock to deter horse-trading ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Karnataka, and Haryana tomorrow. Results will be declared the same day. Shiv Sena MLAs in Maharashtra are moved to a resort ahead of the elections. Legislators from other Maha Vikas Aghadi constituents, Nationalist Congress Party and Congress, are also shifted to a resort as the ruling coalition ringfences its MLAs before the voting to the upper house. Congress shifted its Rajasthan MLAs to Udaipur on June 2. They are staying at the same resort where the party recently hosted its brainstorming session (chintan shivir). Also, BJP MLAs in Rajasthan are staying at a resort on the outskirts of Jaipur. In Karnataka, the Janata Dal (Secular) has moved its MLAs to a hotel in Bangalore's Whitefield area to prevent poaching. The party has 32 legislators. Around 20 are in the hotel and the remaining will join them today. 3. Two weeks after objectionable statements against Prophet Muhammad and Islam by two BJP leaders, one on national television and the other on Twitter, the police have registered a case against several people for hate speech, inciting groups, and creating situations that disturb society's peace and harmony. Two FIRs have been registered, naming BJP spokespersons, an MP, a journalist, social media users, and members of religious organisations. 'The cases have been registered against those who were posting and sharing messages against the maintenance of public tranquillity and were inciting people on the basis of various divisive lines,' police says. The Delhi police have also named AIMIM chief and MP Asaduddin Owaisi, and hatemonger Yati Narsinghanand who is out on bail in the Haridwar hate speech case. 4. India reports 7,240 fresh Coronavirus cases, nearly 40 per cent higher than a day ago, as infections soar sharply in states like Maharashtra and Kerala. This is the highest jump in the number of daily cases since March 2. Yestreday, India saw a rise of nearly 41 per cent in the daily COVID-19 cases, as the country logs 5,233 infections. 5. In the Hyderabad gang-rape of a teenaged girl for which six persons have been arrested, the police will push for the five under-18 accused to be tried as adults so that they do not get lighter punishment on account of being juveniles. This is permitted after a 2015 amendment to the Juvenile Justice Act for those aged 16-18 accused of a 'heinous offence', meaning a crime that attracts a minimum of seven years' jail. Hyderabad Police Commissioner CV Anand says the police will seek this in court 'to ensure maximum punishment'. Otherwise, a juvenile cannot be sentenced to more than three years in jail. 6. KL Rahul, who was supposed to lead India in the upcoming five-match T20I series against South Africa, has been ruled out due to an injury, BCCI informs through a tweet. Wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant is going to lead India in the series now. Hardik Pandya has been appointed vice-captain. 7. Elections to choose the next President of India will be held on July 18, the Election Commission announces. The counting, if there is a need, will be held on July 21. The new President will take oath on July 25, the Commission says. President Ram Nath Kovind's term ends on July 24. In 2017, the BJP had picked Mr Kovind, then Governor of Bihar, for the country's highest office, causing a divide in the opposition camp. 8. In a huge setback to Maharashtra's ruling coalition, a court rejects bail for two arrested leaders, Nawab Malik and Anil Deshmukh, whose votes are critical in the Rajya Sabha elections to be held on Friday. The setback comes a day before an election in which every vote will count and decisions may go down to the wire. Nawab Malik, a Maharashtra Minister, has been in jail since his arrest in February by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case. The state's former home minister Anil Deshmukh is also in jail on similar allegations.
- The Election Commission will announce the schedule for the election of the next President of India, an official release says. The term of President Ram Nath Kovind ends on July 25, and according to Article 62 of the Constitution, the next President has to be elected by then. The President of India is elected by an electoral college that's formed by 776 parliamentarians and 4,120 legislators. 2. Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain, arrested in an alleged money laundering case, will remain in Enforcement Directorate custody till June 13. The Enforcement Directorate, while seeking five-day custody of Mr Jain, tells the court that it has gathered various incriminating documents and digital records against the AAP leader during a recent raid at his premises. 3. Resort politics is back in full swing as parties herd their flock to deter horse-trading ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Karnataka, and Haryana tomorrow. Results will be declared the same day. Shiv Sena MLAs in Maharashtra are moved to a resort ahead of the elections. Legislators from other Maha Vikas Aghadi constituents, Nationalist Congress Party and Congress, are also shifted to a resort as the ruling coalition ringfences its MLAs before the voting to the upper house. Congress shifted its Rajasthan MLAs to Udaipur on June 2. They are staying at the same resort where the party recently hosted its brainstorming session (chintan shivir). Also, BJP MLAs in Rajasthan are staying at a resort on the outskirts of Jaipur. In Karnataka, the Janata Dal (Secular) has moved its MLAs to a hotel in Bangalore's Whitefield area to prevent poaching. The party has 32 legislators. Around 20 are in the hotel and the remaining will join them today. 4. Two weeks after objectionable statements against Prophet Muhammad and Islam by two BJP leaders, one on national television and the other on Twitter, the police have registered a case against several people for hate speech, inciting groups, and creating situations that disturb society's peace and harmony. Two FIRs have been registered, naming BJP spokespersons, an MP, a journalist, social media users, and members of religious organisations. 'The cases have been registered against those who were posting and sharing messages against the maintenance of public tranquillity and were inciting people on the basis of various divisive lines,' police says. The Delhi police have also named AIMIM chief and MP Asaduddin Owaisi, and hatemonger Yati Narsinghanand who is out on bail in the Haridwar hate speech case. 5. India reports 7,240 fresh Coronavirus cases, nearly 40 per cent higher than a day ago, as infections soar sharply in states like Maharashtra and Kerala. This is the highest jump in the number of daily cases since March 2. Yestreday, India saw a rise of nearly 41 per cent in the daily COVID-19 cases, as the country logs 5,233 infections. 6. In the Hyderabad gang-rape of a teenaged girl for which six persons have been arrested, the police will push for the five under-18 accused to be tried as adults so that they do not get lighter punishment on account of being juveniles. This is permitted after a 2015 amendment to the Juvenile Justice Act for those aged 16-18 accused of a 'heinous offence', meaning a crime that attracts a minimum of seven years' jail. Hyderabad Police Commissioner CV Anand says the police will seek this in court 'to ensure maximum punishment'. Otherwise, a juvenile cannot be sentenced to more than three years in jail. 7. KL Rahul, who was supposed to lead India in the upcoming five-match T20I series against South Africa, has been ruled out due to an injury, BCCI informs through a tweet. Wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant is going to lead India in the series now. Hardik Pandya has been appointed vice-captain.
- Reserve Bank of India raises the key lending (repo) rate by 50 basis points in its June policy meeting. The central bank hikes the key interest rate to 4.90 per cent in a bid to cool persistently high inflation. Inflation has been above RBI's 2-6 per cent target band since the beginning of this year. The cost of funds for banks rises when repo rate is increased. Repo rate is the interest rate at which the RBI lends short-term funds to banks. The immediate impact of a repo rate hike is on retail loans such as home loans. 2. Chinese activity near Ladakh is 'eye-opening' and some of the infrastructure being created is alarming, a top US General says. General Charles A Flynn, Commanding General, US Army Pacific describes it as 'destabilizing and corrosive behaviour' by China as he talks about the Chinese infrastructure build-up across the Himalayan frontier. 'I believe that the activity level is eye-opening. I think some of the infrastructure that is being created in the Western Theatre Command is alarming. And so much, like across all of their military arsenal, one has to ask the question, why,' the General, who oversees the Asia-Pacific region, tells a select group of journalists. 3. A 16-year-old boy allegedly shoots his mother after she stops him from playing a mobile phone game and hides her body for two days at their home in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow. The teen then hides his mother's body in a room and stays at home with his nine-year-old sister for two days. 4. Video of a five-year-old's hands and legs tied with a rope and abandoned on the roof of a house under a beating sun in Delhi has gone viral on the internet. The child is seen screaming in pain as the heat apparently makes her skin burn. At first, social media posts said the video was from Karawal Nagar locality from June 2. But police did not find any such incident there. It later got the information that the video was from Khajuri Khas area. When quizzed by the police, the mother said she had punished her daughter 'only for 5-7 minutes' for not having completed her school homework. 5. The lack of masks at airports and in flights has been made actionable again as Covid numbers climb in parts of the country. The civil aviation regulator DGCA says passengers who refuse to comply can be de-boarded ahead of take-off or treated as unruly passengers. The personnel of the CISF will be in charge of enforcing masks. 6. Mumbai records 1,765 new COVID-19 cases in last 24 hours, its highest single day count since January 26, but did not report any fatality linked to the infection during the day.
- Chinese activity near Ladakh is 'eye-opening' and some of the infrastructure being created is alarming, a top US General says. General Charles A Flynn, Commanding General, US Army Pacific describes it as 'destabilizing and corrosive behaviour' by China as he talks about the Chinese infrastructure build-up across the Himalayan frontier. 'I believe that the activity level is eye-opening. I think some of the infrastructure that is being created in the Western Theatre Command is alarming. And so much, like across all of their military arsenal, one has to ask the question, why,' the General, who oversees the Asia-Pacific region, tells a select group of journalists. 2. The Reserve Bank of India raises its key interest rate by 50 basis points, taking the repo rate to 4.9 per cent, and raises its inflation projection for the current fiscal to 6.7 per cent, well above the upper-end of its target range of 2-6 per cent. All the six members of the Monetary Policy Committee, headed by the RBI Governor, unanimously vote for the latest rate hike, taking the repo rate to 4.9 per cent. EMIs set to rise as RBI hikes repo rate; the second increase in 5 weeks. 3. Congress MLA and deputy chief whip of Rajasthan Assembly Mahendra Choudhary has demanded that the Election Commission take action against Bharatiya Janata Party as well as Subhash Chandra, the BJP-backed independent Rajya Sabha candidate, for allegedly adopting horse-trading and corrupt practices, ahead of the June 10 Rajya Sabha polls. 4. A traffic cop in Delhi gets beaten up by a mob which accuses him of physically assaulting a woman after stopping her scooter for travelling on the wrong side of the road. A traffic Inspector who had gone to the Deoli Road area to help clear congestion in the morning stopped the scooter on which three people were travelling. The woman riding it then reportedly got angry and a heated argument ensued after which she allegedly hit the cop, which snowballed into a dramatic fight. 5. A 16-year-old boy allegedly shot his mother after she stopped him from playing a mobile phone game and hid her body for two days at their home in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow. The police say the teenager killed his mother in the early hours of Sunday with his father's licensed revolver, after an argument over the game he was addicted to. The woman, shot in the head, died shortly afterwards. 6. Swapna Suresh, the prime accused in the Kerala Gold Smuggling Case, reveals that she has declared in court about the involvement of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his wife and daughter in the matter. Kerala MLA and former minister K T Jaleel approaches the police seeking a probe into the alleged conspiracy behind the fresh allegations levelled against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his family by key accused in the gold smuggling case, Swapna Suresh, even as opposition Congress warns of legal action if the inquiry did not proceed in the right direction. 7. Former India women's team captain Mithali Raj on announces her retirement from international cricket. Raj, who played 12 Tests, 232 ODIs and 89 T20Is, amassed more than 10,000 runs in international cricket. She releases a statement on social media, saying: 'Thank you for all your love and support over the years. I look forward to my 2nd innings with your blessing and support'. 8. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claims Russia has lost more than 31,000 soldiers since launching its full-scale invasion in February. He adds that, 'the day will come for Russia when the number of losses will go beyond the permissible limit even for Russia'.
- The Reserve Bank of India raises its key interest rate by 50 basis points, taking the repo rate to 4.9 per cent, and raises its inflation projection for the current fiscal to 6.7 per cent, well above the upper-end of its target range of 2-6 per cent. All the six members of the Monetary Policy Committee, headed by the RBI Governor, unanimously vote for the latest rate hike, taking the repo rate to 4.9 per cent. EMIs set to rise as RBI hikes repo rate; the second increase in 5 weeks. Consumer Price Index based inflation, which RBI factors in while arriving at its monetary policy, gallopes for the seventh straight month to touch an 8-year high of 7.79 per cent in April. Retail inflation remains above the RBI's 2-6 per cent target band since the beginning of this year. 2. A 16-year-old boy allegedly shot his mother after she stopped him from playing a mobile phone game and hid her body for two days at their home in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow. The police say the teenager killed his mother in the early hours of Sunday with his father's licensed revolver, after an argument over the game he was addicted to. The woman, shot in the head, died shortly afterwards. 3. The minor son of a MLA of the AIMIM (All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen) has been named as an accused in the Hyderabad gangrape case that has set off outrage and political clashes in Telangana. All six accused - one adult and five minors - are now in custody. 4. A fire breaks out at a metro parking area in southeast Delhi's Jamia Nagar causing damages to at least 90 vehicles, Delhi Fire Service officials say. No causality is reported, they add. 'Several vehicles including, 10 cars, one motorcycle, two scooters, 30 new e-rickshaws, 50 old e-rickshaw catch fire in a metro parking', Atul Garg, Director of Delhi Fire Service says, adding the blaze has been brought under control. 5. Just 48 hours before the crucial Rajya Sabha polls, from Jaipur to Raipur, parties are keeping their MLAs safe in the resorts. 6. Thirty seven cities are recording temperatures above 44 degrees. North India sizzles, the heatwave condition will continue for 48 hours. 7. Two men have been taken into custody for allegedly throwing stones and causing damages to vehicles in the Jahangirpuri area of northwest Delhi, police say. They are identified as Vishal (18) and Veeru (18), both residents of Lakhi Park, Jahangirpuri, police say. The two were under the influence of alcohol during their unruly act, they say. 8. India reports 5,233 new Coronavirus cases, 41 per cent more than a day ago, as infections soar sharply in some states. Daily coronavirus infections in India cross 5,000 after 93 days, taking the total tally of active cases to 28,857, according to the Union Health Ministry.
- BJP leader arrested for his derogatory tweets on Prophet Muhammad, four days after the violence erupted in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur. Harshit Srivastava, an office bearer of the BJP Youth Wing, was trying to spoil the atmosphere through his objectionable posts, police says. 'We will act against anyone who tries to play with religious sentiments,' says Kanpur Police Commissioner Vijay Meena. 2. The ruling BJP has set new boundaries for its spokespersons and leaders joining TV debates as its government faces a huge international backlash over Nupur Sharma's comments on Prophet Muhammad. Only authorised spokespersons and panelists will participate in TV debates, BJP sources say, and they will be assigned by the media cell. The spokespersons have been warned against criticising any religion, its symbols or religious figures. 3. The Defence Ministry issues new guidelines broadening the scope of eligible officers for the post of the Chief Of Defence Staff (CDS) of the Indian armed forces. Any serving or retired Lieutenant General, Air Marshal and Vice Admiral under the age of 62 years will be eligible for the post of Chief of Defence Staff. This essentially opens the doors for the second-highest active rank officers of the tri-services to possibly supersede their seniors - the chief of the army, air force, or navy - to take on the role and widens the pool from which a CDS can be appointed. 4. BJP-backed Independent candidate and media baron Subhash Chandra claims that eight Congress MLAs may vote for him in the Rajya Sabha polls and asks former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot to also cross sides. 'This is an opportunity to take revenge or to give a message. If he misses this opportunity, he will not be able to become the chief minister till 2028,' Mr Chandra says while claiming that Mr Pilot is feeling 'humiliated' in the party. 5. Maharashtra on Tuesday recorded 1,881 new coronavirus cases, 81 per cent more than the previous day and highest since February 18, and also reported one case of B.A.5 variant, the state health department says. Mumbai alone accounted for 1,242 new cases, almost double the Monday's count. No new pandemic-related death was reported during the day. 6. A small group of people with rectal cancer just experienced something of a miracle as their cancer simply vanished after an experimental treatment. According to New York Times, in a very small clinical trial, 18 patients took a drug called Dostarlimab for around six months, and in the end, every one of them saw their tumours disappear. Dostarlimab is a drug with laboratory-produced molecules that act as substitute antibodies in the human body. All 18 rectal cancer patients were given the same drug and as a result of the treatment, cancer was completely obliterated in every patient - undetectable by physical exam; endoscopy; positron emission tomography or PET scans or MRI scans. Dr Luis A. Diaz J. of New York's Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center says this is 'the first time this has happened in the history of cancer'. 7. The minor son of a MLA of the AIMIM (All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen) has been named as an accused in the Hyderabad gangrape case that has set off outrage and political clashes in Telangana. All six accused - one adult and five minors - are now in custody.
- The ruling BJP sets new boundaries for its spokespersons and leaders joining TV debates as its government faces a huge international backlash over party leader Nupur Sharma's comments on Prophet Muhammad. Only authorized spokespersons and panelists will participate in TV debates, BJP sources say, and they will be assigned by the media cell. The spokespersons have been warned against criticising any religion, its symbols or religious figures. BJP panelists have been forbidden from crossing the line during heated discussions. They have been urged to keep their language restrained and not get agitated or excited, sources say. For no provocation can they violate the party's ideology or ideals, they add. The BJP has ordered its spokespersons to first check for the topic of the TV discussion, prepare for it and find out the party's line on it before appearing on any channel. 2. Parked at a resort in Udaipur ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections, the Congress MLAs of Rajasthan were seen enjoying a magic show. Sources say 'Jadugar Anchal', a well-known entertainer, was brought in. The Congress had shifted its MLAs to Udaipur on June 2, saying it was concerned about possible horse trading by the BJP. More than 100 MLAs, including 12 of the 13 Independents and the three Congress candidates, are present at the Udaipur resort. 3. Numbers game narrows down in the countdown to Rajasthan Rajya Sabha. Congress still needs another two MLAs to be sure of victory on all three seats. Congress eyes 2 MLAs of the Bhartiya Tribal Party and two MLAs of the CPM. 4. More than Rs 2 crore cash and gold weighing 1.8 kg have been seized during searches by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case linked to Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain. 5. The Punjab Police say it has arrested eight people so far in connection with the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala. They have been arrested on the charges of providing logistic support, conducting recce and harbouring the shooters of the singer, say police. 6. Sons of 3 politicians are accused in the Hyderabad gang-rape case. The police seek 10-days of police custody of the four accused including three minors.
- Nupur Sharma, the BJP leader suspended amid outrage over her comments on Prophet Muhammad, has been given security after she complained to the Delhi Police about death threats. Security has been given to Nupur Sharma as a 'preventive measure', say the police. 'Sharma and her family have been provided police security after she alleged that she has been receiving threats and was being harassed over her remarks,' says an official, according to news agency PTI. 2. Ahead of Rajya Sabha polls, Shiv Sena MLAs get hotel stays. 3. Sons of 3 politicians are accused in the Hyderabad gang-rape case. The police seek 10-days of police custody of the four accused including three minors. 4. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visits the family of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala in Punjab's Mansa district to express his condolences over the singer's killing. Rahul Gandhi, who reached Chandigarh airport this morning, drove straight to the singer's native village Moosa. Several Congress leaders including Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa, former deputy Chief Minister OP Soni and other party leaders accompanied Rahul Gandhi. Security had been heightened outside the residence of Moose Wala's family for Rahul Gandhi's visit. Sidhu Moose Wala was shot dead by unidentified attackers in Mansa district on May 29. 5. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson wins a confidence vote, seeing off a challenge to his leadership brought by lawmakers within his Conservative Party. Johnson wins the vote 211 to 148, securing the support of 59 percent of his lawmakers, a lower share than his predecessor Theresa May managed in a 2018 confidence vote. She resigned less than six months later. 6. According to the local authorities, a two-year-old boy accidentally shot and killed his father in Florida after his parents left a loaded gun unattended. When police officers, alerted by a 911 call, arrived at the victim's home near Orlando on May 26, they found the child's mother Marie Ayala providing CPR to her husband, Reggie Mabry. 7. India Meteorological Department says, the advancement of southwest monsoon began early this year, and there were hopes that it will cover the entire country ahead of the schedule. But this delay means Delhi will continue to experience heatwave condition, which is expected to last till June 9.
- The diplomatic outrage over the remarks on Prophet Muhammad by BJP leaders Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal continues even as the government seeks to distance itself from these members, asserting that it respects all religions. At least 14 countries, including Iran, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, the UAE, Iran, Jordan, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Maldives, Libya and Indonesia lodge official protests against India over the controversial remarks. The Opposition parties step up pressure for legal action against the two BJP leaders and accuse the party of denting country's image. 2. India hits out at Organisation of Islamic Cooperation after it condemns the derogatory comments made by two BJP leaders on Prophet Muhammed and Islam. The official spokesperson of Ministry of External Affairs, Arindam Bagchi, says OIC's comments are misleading and mischievous. In a strongly worded response, Mr Bagchi says OIC should stop its 'communal approach' and 'it is regrettable that OIC Secretariat has yet again chosen to make motivated, misleading and mischievous comments. This only exposes its divisive agenda being pursued at the behest of vested interests.' 3. Daily Covid cases in India nearly double in the past week, primarily due to Maharashtra and Kerala reporting a spurt in infections. However, deaths continue to be low. In view of the surge in cases, Centre recently advised five states to maintain a strict watch and take pre-emptive action, if needed, to control any emerging spread of the infection. 4. After Congress, BJP in Rajasthan takes to 'resort politics' by sending its legislators to resorts ahead of the crucial Rajya Sabha elections on June 10. BJP shifts more than 60 of its 71 MLAs to Devi Niketan, a resort in Jamdoli on the outskirts of Jaipur. The saffron party terms the stay a 'prashikshan shivir' or a learning camp. 5. Elon Musk threatens to walk away from his USD 44 billion bid to buy Twitter, accusing the company of refusing to give him information about its spam bot and fake accounts. Twitter says that it has been cooperatively sharing information with Musk 'in accordance with the terms of the merger agreement' and notes that the deal is in 'the best interest of all shareholders'.
- Gulf countries including Saudi Arabia condemn remarks on Prophet Muhammed made by two BJP leaders who have since been suspended. The controversy erupted amid Vice President Venkaiah Naidu's tour of Qatar. Saudi Arabia describes BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma's comments as 'insulting' and calls for 'respect for beliefs and religions'. Riyadh is the latest to condemn the remarks. Qatar, Kuwait and Iran summoned the Indian envoy on Sunday amid widespread calls on social media for a boycott of Indian goods in the Gulf. Meanwhile, India also rejects comments by a group of Muslim nations as 'unwarranted' and 'narrow-minded' over the huge controversy. The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, or OIC, based in the Saudi city of Jeddah, has condemned remarks on Prophet Muhmmad by the sacked BJP spokespersons, Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal, saying it came in a 'context of intensifying hatred and abuse towards Islam in India and systematic practices against Muslims'. At the same time, Telangana Minister K T Rama Rao targets the centre over the backlash from the Gulf following remarks by BJP spokespersons on Prophet Muhammad. Mr Rao, popularly known as KTR, questions why India as a country should apologise for the 'hate speeches of BJP bigots'. Addressing the Prime Minister, he says his party should apologise to Indians at home for 'spewing and spreading hatred day in day out'. 2. The Uttar Pradesh Police puts up hoardings carrying pictures of key suspects involved in the Kanpur violence at prominent places in and around the affected areas. The hoardings will also have the contact numbers of Station House Officers and senior police officials so that people can pass on information about suspects to the police. 3. According to the police sources, amid the ongoing investigations of Sidhu Moose Wala's killing gangster Lawerence Bishnoi who's being interrogated in the case was also questioned about the threat letter addressed to Bollywood actor Salman Khan and his father Salim Khan. Addressed to the actor had 'L.B.' written at the end, thus pointing to the gangster's initials. The threat letter was sent to him and his father Salim Khan on June 5. 4. Wading into the Hindi imposition row, senior DMK leader and the party's Rajya Sabha member TKS Elangovan says the language if imposed will reduce Tamils to the status of 'shudras' and claims the Hindi-speaking states in the country are not the developed ones while those with vernacular languages as mother tongue are doing well. Attempts are being made to 'impose Manu dharma through the imposition of Hindi,' Elangovan says in his remarks, that have went viral, while speaking at a conference on the language imposition issue, organised by the Dravidar Kazhagam, recently. 5. Even after JK has transferred and shifted hundreds of Kashmiri Pandit employees 'secure' places within the valley, no Pandit employee has joined back their duties. Pandits say they don't feel safe anywhere after spate of attacks.
- Gulf countries including Saudi Arabia condemn remarks on Prophet Muhammed made by two BJP leaders who have since been suspended. The controversy erupted amid Vice President Venkaiah Naidu's tour of Qatar. Saudi Arabia describes BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma's comments as 'insulting' and calls for 'respect for beliefs and religions'. Riyadh is the latest to condemn the remarks. Qatar, Kuwait and Iran summoned the Indian envoy on Sunday amid widespread calls on social media for a boycott of Indian goods in the Gulf. 2. India rejects comments by a group of Muslim nations as 'unwarranted' and 'narrow-minded' over the huge controversy linked to two spokespersons of the ruling BJP, who were sacked by the party for their remarks on Prophet Muhammad on news channels. The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, or OIC, based in the Saudi city of Jeddah, has condemned remarks on Prophet Muhmmad by the sacked BJP spokespersons, Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal, saying it came in a 'context of intensifying hatred and abuse towards Islam in India and systematic practices against Muslims'. 3. Telangana Minister K T Rama Rao targets the centre over the backlash from the Gulf following remarks by BJP spokespersons on Prophet Muhammad. Mr Rao, popularly known as KTR, questions why India as a country should apologise for the 'hate speeches of BJP bigots'. Addressing the Prime Minister, he says his party should apologise to Indians at home for 'spewing and spreading hatred day in day out'. 4. The eight sharp shooters who killed Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala on May 29 have been identified by the Punjab police. The shooters belong to Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Maharashtra. Police teams have been carrying out raids in all four states. Sidhu Moose Wala was shot dead by a group of attackers last Sunday at Jawahar Ke village in Mansa, a day after his security was pared down by the Punjab government. His body had 19 bullet wounds and he died within 15 minutes of being shot. 5. A week after a teen's assault in Hyderabad by five people including minors from political families, the Innova car in which she was reportedly assaulted has been found from a farmhouse. The white car is suspected to have been cleaned after the assault. A forensic team is scouring the car for clues. 6. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to face a confidence vote after a growing number of lawmakers in the governing Conservative Party question the British leader's flagging authority over 'partygate' scandal. PM Johnson, appointed PM in 2019, has been under growing pressure, unable to move on from a report that documented alcohol-fuelled parties at the heart of power when Britain was under strict lockdowns to tackle COVID-19.
- Twenty-five people killed and three critically injured after a bus carrying pilgrims falls into a gorge in Uttarakhand. The bus, with 28 passengers, was enroute Yamunotri, a major pilgrim spot in the hill state. These 25 pilgrims were from Madhya Pradesh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expresses condolences to those 'who have lost their loved ones' in the accident. 2. Indian envoy summoned by the government in Qatar amid growing anger at home and abroad over the comments on Prophet Muhammad made by several BJP leaders. The party takes action against national spokesperson Nupur Sharma and her colleague Naveen Kumar Jindal, but that is yet to calm the frayed tempers in Arab nations, where calls for a boycott of Indian goods and movies have flooded social media with trending hashtags. 3. Maharashtra Environment and Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray says the state could be seeing the fourth wave of Covid pandemic. He also urges people not to panic. The Maharashtra minister says, 'We are asking everyone to wear masks when stepping outdoors. We have not made wearing masks mandatory but will make it soon. I also appeal to the public to receive the booster dose of the vaccine on time.' 4. Twenty-year-old man hospitalised in Uttar Pradesh after being brutally tortured by Badaun police in connection with a case of cattle theft. A First Information Report has been filed against five policemen, including the station in-charge. Rehan's family says he has been severely injured and unable to walk or speak. He has sustained injuries in his private parts after the cops give him electric shocks and use a stick to violate him. 5. A teenager, the fourth accused in the Hyderabad assault case, taken into custody. The Hyderabad Police says the fifth accused is still on the run, and a search is on to trace him. Meanwhile, BJP MLA Raghunandan Rao releases a video clip and photographs, alleging the presence of an AIMIM MLA's son in a car with the survivor, where the leader says the minor was assaulted. 6. Bollywood star Salman Khan and his father Salim Khan receive a threat letter. The move assumes significance since it comes days after Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala was shot dead allegedly by the members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, which had threatened Salman Khan in 2018. Lawrence Bishnoi's death threat to Salman Khan was linked to the black buck poaching case of 1998, in which Salman Khan was one of the accused.
- BJP suspends party spokesperson Nupur Sharma and expels her colleague Naveen Kumar Jindal over their comments on Prophet Muhammad that have provoked a massive backlash and violence, after saying it 'strongly denounces insult of any religious personalities'. 'During the thousands of years of the history of India, every religion has blossomed and flourished. The Bharatiya Janata Party respects all religions. The BJP strongly denounces insult of any religious personalities of any religion,' it says in a statement. 2. A 20-year-old man has been hospitalised in Uttar Pradesh after being brutally tortured by the Badaun police in connection with a case of cattle theft. A First Information Report has been filed against seven policemen, 'including the station in-charge', the police say. Rehan's family says he has been severely injured and unable to walk or speak. He has sustained injuries in his private parts after the cops gave him electric shocks and used a stick to violate him. He is also 'severely thrashed', his sister-in-law tells reporters. 3. According to the police, a teenager, the fourth accused in the Hyderabad gangrape case, has been taken into custody. The Hyderabad Police says the fifth accused is still on the run, and a search is on to trace him. This comes a day after two teenagers were taken into custody for allegedly raping the girl. One of them is the son of a local leader of Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's Telangana Rashtra Samithi Party. Another accused, identified as Saduddin Malik, was detained on Friday. 4. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal says that Kashmiri Pandits are being forced to leave the valley due to the targeted killings and demands the Centre to declare an action plan to stop the attacks. Addressing the Aam Aadmi Party's 'Jan Aakrosh Rally' at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, he says Kashmiri Pandits are facing a repeat of what happened to them in the 1990s. 'The BJP can't handle Kashmir, they only know how to do dirty politics. Please don't do politics over Kashmir,' the AAP chief says. 'The government has completely failed to provide security to the people living in Kashmir. This is similar to what happened in 1990,' he adds.
- According to the police, a teenager, the fourth accused in the Hyderabad gangrape case, has been taken into custody. The Hyderabad Police says the fifth accused is still on the run, and a search is on to trace him. This comes a day after two teenagers were taken into custody for allegedly raping the girl. One of them is the son of a local leader of Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's Telangana Rashtra Samithi Party. Another accused, identified as Saduddin Malik, was detained on Friday. 2. The Aam Aadmi Party organises a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi against the recent spurt in targeted killings in Kashmir and slams the BJP-led Union government for the situation. Several AAP workers and leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Environment Minister Gopal Rai, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and other MLAs attend the 'Jan Aakrosh Rally'. 3. Sources say, the Hapur factory where 13 people died in a fire was a front for a firecracker factory. The owner and the operator are on the run. Meanwhile, the Kisan Mazdoor Sangh is holding a protest against the incident. State president of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangh Brahm Sing Rana demands a compensation of Rs 1 crore for the victims. Speaking to ANI, the Superintendent of Police, Hapur Deepak Bhuker says that the police got the information about a boiler blast. 'On reaching the spot, there was no boiler burst, but some kind of blast.' 4. Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe speaks exclusively to NDTV, says, counting on India for help and Japan and China are Sri Lanka's are largest creditors. 5. Today is World Environment Day. Spic Macay founder, Dr Kiran Seth completes 2500 km cycle rally to draw attention to the climate crisis.
- In a new twist in Hyderabad teen gangrape case, a BJP MLA releases a video clip and photographs, alleging the presence of an AIMIM MLA's son in a car with the survivor, where the leader says the minor was assaulted. Police have so far maintained that the legislator's son was not present at the time of the alleged crime. Three accused, including two teenagers, have been taken into custody so far. One of the two teenagers detained is the son of a local leader of Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's Telangana Rashtra Samithi party. 2. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia alleges that Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma awarded a contract for Covid Personal Protective Equipment kits to a company linked to his wife and grossly overpaid for the gear. The 'big expose' by the Aam Aadmi Party leader follows a teaser by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and is pitched as a response to the arrest of Delhi's Health Minister Satyendar Jain in an alleged money laundering case. 3. Ranil Wickremesinghe, the Prime Minister of cash-strapped Sri Lanka, speaks exclusively to NDTV on the current situation in the island nation. He says, 'We are counting for help from India. The major country that will be helping us. There are the others, but India has done most of the work for us.' 4. Iga Swiatek cruises to her second French Open title by dominating teenager Coco Gauff in the final, as the world number one claims her 35th successive victory. The 21-year-old Pole storms to a 6-1, 6-3 win in only 68 minutes on Court Philippe Chatrier, equalling Venus Williams' record for the longest winning run by a woman in the 21st century. Swiatek celebrates her sixth straight title this year in the players' box with her friends and family. 5. Rafael Nadal reached his 14th French Open final on Friday when Alexander Zverev was forced to quit their last-four clash after suffering a sickening right ankle injury on a day of drama at Roland Garros. Today, Nadal will play in his 30th Grand Slam final when he tackles Casper Ruud, the first Norwegian man to make a championship match at the majors. 6. Britain goes into full celebration mode to honour Queen Elizabeth II's 70 years on the throne, as a 'party at the palace' concert gets under way featuring an array of stars including Diana Ross and Andrea Bocelli. The concert, the climax of the third day of public events to mark the 96-year-old monarch's record-breaking Platinum Jubilee, sees 22,000 ticket-holders pack a purpose-built 360-degree stage outside the queen's central London residence.
- Biological E's COVID-19 vaccine Corbevax is cleared for booster dose for those 18 and above. It can be administered to people six months after they have taken the primary two doses of either Covaxin or Covishield for restricted use in emergency situation, the company says in a statement. This makes Corbevax India's first heterologous Covid booster. 2. A 28-year-old man is brutally murdered in full public view in Punjab. The incident is captured on CCTV cameras and shows around six men chasing the victim, Desraj, through a market as bystanders look on. The group attacks Desraj, a labourer, with swords and other sharp-edged objects, and leaves deep gashes on his neck, face and foot. The attack took place in the Badhni Kalan area in Moga district. After the attack, the CCTV video shows the men running away as Desraj lies motionless on the road. He dies on the spot. 3. Two teenage boys, accused of allegedly raping a schoolgirl in Hyderabad's Jubilee Hills last week, have been taken into custody, the police says. One of them is the son of a local leader of Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's Telangana Rashtra Samithi party. One accused, identified as Saduddin Malik, was arrested on Friday. The 17-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped by five young men when she was returning home after a party in the Jubilee Hills area of Hyderabad on May 28. The police have identified all five based on CCTV footage and the statement of the survivor. Three of them are minors. 4. Union Home Minister Amit Shah meets the parents of singer Sidhu Moose Wala in Chandigarh, a day after Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann visits their home, promising to have his killers arrested soon. Sidhu Moose Wala was shot dead by a group of attackers on Sunday at Jawahar Ke village, a day after his security was pared down by the Punjab government. 5. According to the police, four migrant labourers are injured in a grenade blast in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir. A police spokesman tweets, 'Militants lobbed grenade at Aglar Zainapora, resulting in minor injuries to two non-locals. Area has been cordoned off'. 6. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut slams BJP, says, 'We wanted to postpone the dates of RS elections so that no horse-trading is being done. BJP's intention is clear, they want to use money and central investigative agencies to destroy the environment. We're in power here, they shouldn't forget this'. 7. Eight people have died in a fire at a chemical factory in Uttar Pradesh's Hapur district. Police and fire-engines have rushed to the spot and rescue operations are on. The accident happened after a boiler burst at an industrial facility in Dhaulana, around 60 kilometres from New Delhi, police spokesman Surendra Singh tell Reuters. Some other workers suffer injuries in the explosion that took place at the factory located in the Dholana area of the district. 8. 'Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma awarded a contract for Covid Personal Protective Equipment kits to a company linked to his wife and grossly overpaid for the gear', Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia alleges. The 'big expose' by the Aam Aadmi Party leader followed a teaser by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and is pitched as a response to the arrest of Delhi's Health Minister Satyendar Jain in an alleged money laundering case. 9. The government has asked Twitter and YouTube to take down two controversial ads by a body spray brand that sparks a massive controversy for their 'derogatory' content. 'The video is detrimental to the portrayal of women in the interest of decency or morality', says the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The action by the government comes after the Advertising Standards Council of India finds the ads in 'serious breach' of their code and against public interest.
- According to the police, thirty-six people have so far been arrested in connection with the violence that erupted in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur over alleged insulting remarks on Prophet Muhammad by a BJP spokesperson. The arrests were made after police scoured video clips to identify the people involved in the violence that left more than 40 injured, officials say, adding that three First Information Reports or FIRs have been registered in the case against unknown persons. Police Commissioner Vijay Singh Meena says, 'More people are being identified on the basis of the videos'. 2. Telangana Police arrests the second accused, who is a juvenile and one of the main culprits, in connection with the alleged gang rape of a teenage girl in Hyderabad's Jubilee Hills last week. The accused is the son of a local leader of Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's Telangana Rashtra Samithi party. So far, two accused have been apprehended in the case. One accused, identified as Saduddin Malik, was arrested yesterday. The 17-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped when she was returning home after a party in the Jubilee Hills area of Hyderabad on May 28. The matter came to light after the minor girl's father submitted a complaint to the police regarding the incident. 3. Union Home Minister Amit Shah will meet singer Sidhu Moose Wala's family in Chandigarh today, a day after Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann visited their home, promising to have his killers arrested soon. 4. BJP can make a big political den in the Punjab Congress as well as Akali Dal. According to the sources, big leaders of both the parties maybe joining the BJP in the presence of Amit Shah today. 5. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut slams BJP, says, 'We wanted to postpone the dates of RS elections so that no horse-trading is being done. BJP's intention is clear, they want to use money and central investigative agencies to destroy the environment. We're in power here, they shouldn't forget this'. 6. According to the police, four migrant labourers were injured in a grenade blast in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir. A police spokesman tweets, 'Militants lobbed grenade at Aglar Zainapora, resulting in minor injuries to two non locals. Area has been cordoned off'.
- According to the police, two migrant labourers were injured in a grenade blast in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir. A police spokesman tweets, 'Militants lobbed grenade at Aglar Zainapora, resulting in minor injuries to two non locals. Area has been cordoned off'. 2. Telangana Police informs that they have arrested one person in connection with the alleged gang rape of a teenage girl in Hyderabad's Jubilee Hills last week. In a press conference, Deputy Commissioner of Police West Zone Joel Davis says the suspect Saduddin Malik was arrested by the police. Out of the five people identified, three are minors. Addressing a press conference, the DCP says the police have identified five culprits as per CCTV footage and the statement of the victim. Of these, three are minors. 3. Delhi police finds a body hanging on a tree in the jungles of the Jawaharlal Nehru University. Police says that the man appears to be in his forties. A senior police officer says, police visited the spot and found a body in a highly decomposed state hanging from a tree in the jungle area. The man appears to be in the 40-45 age group. The body has been sent for post-mortem. Police believe that the man died a few days ago. 4. As per officials, Union Home Minister Amit Shah took stock of the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of a series of targeted killings in the Valley. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Army Chief General Manoj Pande, and Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha are among those who attended the meeting. A ministry official says, the Home Minister reviewed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir. 5. In view of a surge in COVID-19 cases over the past week and in the weekly positivity rate, the Centre advises five states to maintain a strict watch and take pre-emptive action, if needed, to control any emerging spread of the infection. In a letter to Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana, Karnataka and Maharashtra, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan highlights that a few states were reporting a higher contribution to India's caseload, indicating the possibility of a localised spread of the infection. 6. 'We are on the ground, not on the fence' says Foreign Minister in a strong defence of India's stand on the US report on attacks on minorities in India. 7. President Joe Biden takes his on-and-off tensions with billionaire Elon Musk to another level, wishing the SpaceX founder 'lots of luck' on the Moon after he expresses pessimism about the US economy down on Earth.
- A teenager in Hyderabad who went to a pub for a party is allegedly gangraped by schoolboys inside a Mercedes car at an upscale part of town. The accused are Class 11 and 12 students and belong to 'politically influential' families, say the police. An MLA's son is believed to be part of the group, but the police say he may not have been involved in the gang-rape. 2. Union Home Minister Amit Shah leads round meetings in Delhi with top officials from the Jammu and Kashmir administration, the army chief, security and intelligence agencies a day after two men including a bank manager were shot dead, as part of a spate of eight targeted killings within a week in the region. Jammu and Kashmir's Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha is called to Delhi for the meetings that are also attended by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, army chief General Manoj Pande and heads of other agencies including the Border Security Force and Central Reserve Police Force. 3. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann visits the parents of Sidhu Moose Wala, days after the Punjabi singer was shot dead. On his way, the Chief Minister had to face slogan-shouting protesters who tried to stop him from entering the Moosa village in the Mansa district. Moose Wala, 28, was shot dead by some unidentified assailants in Mansa on May 29, a day after the state government pared down his security cover. His cousin and a friend, who were travelling in a jeep with him, were also injured in the attack. 4. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat calls for a 'path through mutual agreement' on the controversy over the filming of Gyanvapi mosque in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi. Hindu and Muslim petitioners are fighting a legal battle over a court-ordered filming of the mosque complex to check whether there are idols of Hindu Gods and Goddesses, and whether a 'Shivling' has been found, as claimed by the Hindu petitioners. The chief of the RSS says, 'We had special devotion towards some places and we spoke about them but we shouldn't bring out a new matter daily. Why should we escalate the dispute, we have devotion towards Gyanvapi and doing something as per that, it's alright. But why look for a Shivling in every masjid'. 5. Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurates the groundbreaking ceremony of the third Uttar Pradesh Investors Summit and lays the foundation stone of 1,406 projects worth over Rs 8,000 crore. The projects are in diverse fields, including agriculture, IT and Electronics, MSME, manufacturing, renewable energy, pharma, tourism, defence and aerospace, handloom and textile. Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani says his group companies would invest Rs 70,000 crore in Uttar Pradesh that would help create around 30,000 jobs in the state. 6. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has a 'super bad feeling' about the economy and wants to cut about 10 per cent of jobs at the electric carmaker, he says in an email to executives seen by Reuters. The message comes two days after the world's richest man tells employees to return to the workplace or leave the company. 7. Ukraine marks 100 days since Russia's invasion on Friday with fighting raging across the east of the country, where Moscow's forces are tightening their grip on the Donbas.
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah will hold a meeting with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, and other top officials on security in Jammu and Kashmir. It is learnt that National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbagh Singh will also participate in the meeting. Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, as well as Director-General of Central Reserve Police Force Kuldiep Singh and Border Security Force chief Pankaj Singh are also expected to attend. This comes in the wake of the recent killings of Kashmiri Pandits in Jammu and Kashmir. 2. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann visits the parents of Sidhu Moose Wala, days after the Punjabi singer was shot dead. On his way, the Chief Minister had to face slogan-shouting protesters who tried to stop him from entering the Moosa village in the Mansa district. Moose Wala, 28, was shot dead by some unidentified assailants in Mansa on May 29, a day after the state government pared down his security cover. His cousin and a friend, who were travelling in a jeep with him, were also injured in the attack. 3. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat calls for a 'path through mutual agreement' on the controversy over the filming of Gyanvapi mosque in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi. Hindu and Muslim petitioners are fighting a legal battle over a court-ordered filming of the mosque complex to check whether there are idols of Hindu Gods and Goddesses, and whether a 'Shivling' has been found, as claimed by the Hindu petitioners. The chief of the RSS says, 'We had special devotion towards some places and we spoke about them but we shouldn't bring out a new matter daily. Why should we escalate the dispute, We have devotion towards Gyanvapi and doing something as per that, it's alright. But why look for a Shivling in every masjid'. 4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the groundbreaking ceremony of the third Uttar Pradesh Investors Summit and lays the foundation stone of 1,406 projects worth over Rs 8,000 crore. The projects are in diverse fields, including agriculture, IT and Electronics, MSME, manufacturing, renewable energy, pharma, tourism, defence and aerospace, handloom and textile. Gautam Adani, Kumar Mangalam Birla and other leading industrialists are attending the mega summit organised by the Uttar Pradesh government. Defence minister Rajnath Singh and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath are among those attending the event. 5. Congress decides to shift its MLAs in Rajasthan to a Udaipur hotel, with party sources saying they fear that BJP will poach them ahead of the June 10 Rajya Sabha elections. Apart from Congress MLAs, independent legislators and those belonging to other parties and supporting the ruling outfit will also be shifted to Udaipur. The MLAs will stay in the hotel where the Congress party's Chintan Shivir was held last month. 6. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra says she had tested positive for COVID-19, a day after her mother and party chief Sonia Gandhi. 7. The US State Department in its annual report to the Congress on international religious freedom alleges that in India in 2021 attack on members of the minority communities, including killings, assaults, and intimidation, occurred throughout the year.
- RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat calls for a 'path through mutual agreement' on the controversy over the filming of Gyanvapi mosque in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi. Hindu and Muslim petitioners are fighting a legal battle over a court-ordered filming of the mosque complex to check whether there are idols of Hindu Gods and Goddesses, and whether a 'Shivling' has been found, as claimed by the Hindu petitioners. The chief of the RSS says, 'We had special devotion towards some places and we spoke about them but we shouldn't bring out a new matter daily. Why should we escalate the dispute, We have devotion towards Gyanvapi and doing something as per that, it's alright. But why look for a Shivling in every masjid'. 2. As per officials, terrorists fired at two non-local labourers at a brick kiln at Magraypora in the Chadoora area of the central Kashmir district. One labourer dead, another worker is injured in the attack and has been shifted to a hospital. 3. A bank manager from Rajasthan is shot dead by a terrorist in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam in the second targeted attack on Hindus in the Valley in three days. A terrorist entered the Areh branch of Elaqahi Dehati Bank and shot Vijay Kumar, the bank manager. CCTV footage shows the killer entering the branch, firing a shot and fleeing. Vijay Kumar was being rushed to the hospital when he breathed his last. A resident of Hanumangarh district in Rajasthan, Kumar recently joined his posting in Kulgam. 4. Congress decides to shift its MLAs in Rajasthan to a Udaipur hotel, with party sources saying they fear that BJP will poach them ahead of the June 8 Rajya Sabha elections. Apart from Congress MLAs, independent legislators and those belonging to other parties and supporting the ruling outfit will also be shifted to Udaipur. The MLAs will stay in the hotel where the Congress party's Chintan Shivir was held last month. 5. Hardik Patel, who recently quit the Congress, joins the BJP, months before the Gujarat election. The 28-year-old is welcomed with a saffron scarf and cap at the BJP office in Gujarat's Gandhinagar. 6. Congress President Sonia Gandhi, who has tested positive for COVID-19 and isolated herself, is determined to appear before the Enforcement Directorate on June eight in connection with a money laundering case, party General Secretary Randeep Surjewala says. Addressing reporters on the sidelines of the Karnataka Congress' 'Nava Sankalpa Shivir' in Bengaluru, he says, 'She is perfectly alright and recovering'. Prime Minister Narendra Modi wishes Congress president and direct rival Sonia Gandhi a speedy recovery. 7. Tens of thousands of people cheer Queen Elizabeth II as she appears on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on the first day of celebrations marking the British monarch's 70 years on the throne.
- A bank manager from Rajasthan is shot dead by a terrorist in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam in the second targeted attack on Hindus in the Valley in three days. A terrorist entered the Areh branch of Elaqahi Dehati Bank and shot Vijay Kumar, the bank manager. CCTV footage shows the killer entering the branch, firing a shot and fleeing. Vijay Kumar was being rushed to the hospital when he breathed his last. A resident of Hanumangarh district in Rajasthan, Kumar recently joined his posting in Kulgam. 2. Union Home Minister Amit Shah meets National Security Advisor Ajit Doval to discuss the recent spate of targeted killings in Kashmir. Union Minister of State, Prime Minister's Office Dr Jitendra Singh also joins the meeting. 3. Congress President Sonia Gandhi, who has tested positive for COVID-19 and isolated herself, is determined to appear before the Enforcement Directorate on June eight in connection with a money laundering case, party General Secretary Randeep Surjewala says. Addressing reporters on the sidelines of the Karnataka Congress' 'Nava Sankalpa Shivir' in Bengaluru, he says, 'She is perfectly alright and recovering'. Prime Minister Narendra Modi wishes Congress president and direct rival Sonia Gandhi a speedy recovery. 4. Congress has decided to shift its MLAs in Rajasthan to a Udaipur hotel, with party sources saying they fear that BJP will poach them ahead of the June 10 Rajya Sabha elections. Apart from Congress MLAs, independent legislators and those belonging to other parties and supporting the ruling outfit will also be shifted to Udaipur. The MLAs will stay in the hotel where the Congress party's Chintan Shivir was held last month. 5. Hardik Patel, who recently quit the Congress, joins the BJP, months before the Gujarat election. The 28-year-old is welcomed with a saffron scarf and cap at the BJP office in Gujarat's Gandhinagar. 6. An Indian delegation and the Taliban meet in Kabul for the first time since August last year, when the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, which is struggling for basic needs after a 20-year war in the largely mountainous region. All Indian mission staff has returned from Afghanistan in August last year when the Taliban took control of the country, following the exit of US forces. 7. India's aviation regulator has fines Air Vistara Rs 10 lakh for violating safety regulations. The airline has been fined by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation for letting an improperly trained pilot land a flight at Madhya Pradesh's Indore airport with passengers on board. 8. US jury finds both Johnny Depp and his ex-wife Amber Heard liable for defamation but sides more strongly with the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' star following an intense trial riding on bitterly contested allegations of domestic abuse. The verdict caps a bitterly-fought six-week trial riding on lurid claims and counterclaims between the Hollywood celebrities. The seven-member jury in Virginia awards the 58-year-old actor USD 15 million in damages after finding that a 2018 article penned by Heard on her experience of sexual violence was defamatory to Depp. 9. Tens of thousands of people cheer Queen Elizabeth II as she appears on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on the first day of celebrations marking the British monarch's 70 years on the throne.
- A COVID-19 outbreak within the Congress, President Sonia Gandhi tests positive among other leaders. The party clarifies that as of now, she would appear before the Enforcement Directorate on June 8 for questioning in the National Herald case. 2. A bank manager from Rajasthan is shot dead by a terrorist in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam in the second targeted attack on Hindus in the Valley in three days. A terrorist entered the Areh branch of Elaqahi Dehati Bank and shot Vijay Kumar, the bank manager. CCTV footage shows the killer entering the branch, firing a shot and fleeing. Vijay Kumar was being rushed to the hospital when he breathed his last. A resident of Hanumangarh district in Rajasthan, Kumar recently joined his posting in Kulgam. 3. Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi, today says his deputy Manish Sisodia is being framed and is likely to be the next Delhi minister to be arrested after Satyendar Jain. 'I request Prime Minister Narendra Modi, throw all of us in jail together,' he says in a video message. Mr Kejriwal says he has learnt 'from credible sources' that the central government is preparing to arrest Manish Sisodia on corruption charges. 4. Congress has decided to shift its MLAs in Rajasthan to a Udaipur hotel, with party sources saying they fear that BJP will poach them ahead of the June 10 Rajya Sabha elections. Apart from Congress MLAs, independent legislators and those belonging to other parties and supporting the ruling outfit will also be shifted to Udaipur. The MLAs will stay in the hotel where the Congress party's Chintan Shivir was held last month. 5. Hardik Patel, who recently quit the Congress, joins the BJP, months before the Gujarat election. The 28-year-old is welcomed with a saffron scarf and cap at the BJP office in Gujarat's Gandhinagar. 6. The dead body of singer Krishnakumar Kunnath, popularly known as KK, is brought to his residence in Mumbai. The last rites of the iconic singer will be performed in Mumbai today, news agency ANI reports. The singer dies while being taken to a hospital after a high-octane performance at a crowded Kolkata auditorium. Questions have been raised about the alleged lack of ventilation amid the extreme heat during the concert. The autopsy's initial report cites cardiac arrest as the cause of the singer's death, news agency PTI reports. 7. US jury finds both Johnny Depp and his ex-wife Amber Heard liable for defamation but sides more strongly with the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' star following an intense trial riding on bitterly contested allegations of domestic abuse. The verdict caps a bitterly-fought six-week trial riding on lurid claims and counterclaims between the Hollywood celebrities. The seven-member jury in Virginia awards the 58-year-old actor USD 15 million in damages after finding that a 2018 article penned by Heard on her experience of sexual violence was defamatory to Depp. 8. Sheryl Sandberg has announced that she is stepping down as the chief operating officer of Facebook's parent company Meta to 'write the next chapter of my life'. In a long note shared on Instagram, Ms Sandberg, 52, reminisce her entire journey at the social network, thanking the founder Mark Zuckerberg and her other colleagues.
- Congress has decided to shift its MLAs in Rajasthan to a Udaipur hotel, with party sources saying they fear that BJP will poach them ahead of the June 10 Rajya Sabha elections. Apart from Congress MLAs, independent legislators and those belonging to other parties and supporting the ruling outfit will also be shifted to Udaipur. The MLAs will stay in the hotel where the Congress party's Chintan Shivir was held last month. 2. Hardik Patel, who quit Congress last week, tweets that he is about to 'start a new chapter' and will work as a 'small soldier' under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, making his switch to BJP official. The 28-year-old Gujarat leader joined Congress in 2019. He quit last month after writing a lacerating resignation note to Sonia Gandhi. 3. BJP takes a dig at Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi over being asked to appear for questioning in a money laundering case by the Enforcement Directorate. BJP chief JP Nadda says, 'Have you ever seen a criminal say I'm criminal. They'll of course deny it. Documents are proof. If a chargesheet is filed, you'd approach court to get it quashed, but they sought bail. It means they're guilty.' 4. Targeted killings of Kashmiri Pandits and other civilians in Kashmir valley prompt Home Minister Amit Shah to seek an explanation over security lapses from the Union Territory's Lieutenant Governor. Mr Shah calls Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to Delhi for a briefing on the ground situation. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval will also attend the meeting. 5. The untimely demise of singer Krishnakumar Kunnath aka KK, has left everyone in a state of shock. As per initial autopsy reports, the singer died due to cardiac arrest. The singer passed away on May 31 at the age of 53 after his live performance at Nazrul Mancha auditorium in Kolkata. The mortal remains of the singer have been brought back to his Mumbai residence. His last rite will be performed today. 6. US jury finds both Johnny Depp and his ex-wife Amber Heard liable for defamation but sides more strongly with the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' star following an intense trial riding on bitterly contested allegations of domestic abuse. The verdict caps a bitterly-fought six-week trial riding on lurid claims and counterclaims between the Hollywood celebrities. The seven-member jury in Virginia awards the 58-year-old actor USD 15 million in damages after finding that a 2018 article penned by Heard on her experience of sexual violence was defamatory to Depp.
- Congress has decided to shift its MLAs in Rajasthan to a Udaipur hotel, with party sources saying they fear that BJP will poach them ahead of the June 10 Rajya Sabha elections. Apart from Congress MLAs, independent legislators and those belonging to other parties and supporting the ruling outfit will also be shifted to Udaipur. The MLAs will stay in the hotel where the Congress party's Chintan Shivir was held last month. 2. Enforcement Directorate summons Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi in connection with a money laundering case. The case is related to National Herald newspaper, which is published by Associated Journals Limited and owned by Young Indian Pvt Limited. ED is probing the alleged money laundering in the allotment of land to AJL. 3. Targeted killings of Kashmiri Pandits and other civilians in Kashmir valley prompt Home Minister Amit Shah to seek an explanation over security lapses from the Union Territory's Lieutenant Governor. Mr Shah calls Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to Delhi for a briefing on the ground situation. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval will also attend the meeting. 4. Testing for Covid to be ramped up in Mumbai as the test positivity rate in the city jumps to six per cent, says civic body Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. It asks officials to immediately increase testing on war footing. Testing labs have also been asked to be proactive and fully staffed. BMC further asks for vaccination drive in 12-18 years category, and booster doses, to be pushed aggressively. 5. A special court in Mumbai permits actor Rhea Chakraborty, an accused in a drugs case related to actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death, to travel to Abu Dhabi for four days to attend the IIFA awards show. Special Judge AA Joglekar directs the Narcotics Control Bureau, the prosecuting agency, to hand over Ms Chakraborty's passport to her, and permits her to travel to Abu Dhabi from June 2 to 5. The court, while imposing a slew of conditions on Ms Chakraborty, says she shall appear before the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi daily to mark her attendance, submit her itinerary to the NCB and resurrender her passport to the NCB once she returns to India. 6. The sudden death of renowned Bollywood singer Krishnakumar Kunnath, known by his stage name KK, after a concert in Kolkata raises several questions about the arrangements at the venue. Kolkata Police registers a case of unnatural death and is scrutinising CCTV footage to ascertain what happened before the singer was taken to the hospital. Staff members of Nazrul Manch auditorium in South Kolkata say that the venue was overcrowded during the KK concert. A video shows some people spraying fire extinguisher outside the venue to try and disperse the large crowd.
- The Enforcement Directorate summons Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her MP son Rahul Gandhi to appear before it in June regarding a money laundering case relating to the National Herald newspaper. Rahul Gandhi has been summoned on June 2 and Sonia Gandhi on June 8, say ED sources. However, Rahul Gandhi has asked for time to appear after June 5 as he is not in the country. Congress MP and senior lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi at a press conference says there is no evidence of money laundering or of any money exchange. The party has accused the Centre of political vendetta and misusing central probe agencies to target the opposition with an eye on assembly elections. 2. Union minister Smriti Irani poses a series of sharp questions to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal over the arrest of his health minister Satyendar Jain by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case. Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal says that Health Minister Satyendar Jain, who is arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in an alleged money laundering case, is a 'patriot' and asserts that he should be given a Padma Vibhushan. 3. A day after singer KK's shocking death following a concert in Kolkata, West Bengal government gives him a gun salute at the Kolkata airport to honour him. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee supervises the proceedings and pays tributes to the singer. 4. The Jammu and Kashmir administration confines Kashmiri Pandits to their transit camps after the community's members threatened mass migration in the wake of targeted killings. About 4,000 Kashmiri Pandits employed under Prime Minister's special package yesterday threatened to leave the Valley if the administration does not relocate them to safe places within 24 hours. 5. Bhartiya Kisan Union leader Dilbag Singh, a witness in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, allegedly attacked by two unidentified men in the district. The attack took place on Tuesday night when the BKU district president was returning home from Aliganj-Muda road in Gola kotwali area in his SUV. Mr Singh, however, sustained no injuries in the attack. Mr Singh is among the witnesses in Tikunia violence of October 3, 2021 in which eight people, including four farmers and a journalist, died. Union minister Ajay Mishra's son Ashish Mishra was arrested in connection with the incident. 6. Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav meets with party leader Azam Khan, who claims they hadn't met for three years. Akhilesh Yadav visitsthe sulking leader at a Delhi hospital, and they chat for two hours amid speculation of a rift. They discuss the Rampur Lok Sabha byelection and the Rajya Sabha election, according to sources.
- The Enforcement Directorate summons Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her MP son Rahul Gandhi to appear before it in June regarding a money laundering case relating to the National Herald newspaper. Rahul Gandhi has been summoned on June 2 and Sonia Gandhi on June 8, say ED sources. However, Rahul Gandhi has asked for time to appear after June 5 as he is not in the country. Congress MP and senior lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi at a press conference says there is no evidence of money laundering or of any money exchange. The party has accused the Centre of political vendetta and misusing central probe agencies to target the opposition with an eye on assembly elections. 2. Union minister Smriti Irani poses a series of sharp questions to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal over the arrest of his health minister Satyendar Jain by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case. She says, 'Yesterday Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal gave a clean chit to a corrupt person. Giving himself the title of a judge, Kejriwal acquitted Satyendar Jain in the people's court. So, today I am compelled to ask some questions.' 3. Hours after singer KK's shocking death after a concert in Kolkata, a video shows him looking unwell while being rushed out of the venue. He went back to his hotel where his condition reportedly deteriorated. He reportedly suffered from chest pain and died on the way to hospital. Another video shows the singer sweating profusely as he takes a break to wipe his face. Other voices in the video are heard saying, 'it is very hot'. At one point, KK is seen gesturing to a man on stage and appearing to be talking about the air-conditioning. 4. The Jammu and Kashmir administration confines Kashmiri Pandits to their transit camps after the community's members threatened mass migration in the wake of targeted killings. About 4,000 Kashmiri Pandits employed under Prime Minister's special package yesterday threatened to leave the Valley if the administration does not relocate them to safe places within 24 hours. 5. Bhartiya Kisan Union leader Dilbag Singh, a witness in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, allegedly attacked by two unidentified men in the district. The attack took place on Tuesday night when the BKU district president was returning home from Aliganj-Muda road in Gola kotwali area in his SUV. Mr Singh, however, sustained no injuries in the attack. Mr Singh is among the witnesses in Tikunia violence of October 3, 2021 in which eight people, including four farmers and a journalist, died. Union minister Ajay Mishra's son Ashish Mishra was arrested in connection with the incident.
- Hours after singer KK's shocking death after a concert in Kolkata, a video shows him looking unwell while being rushed out of the venue. He went back to his hotel where his condition reportedly deteriorated. He reportedly suffered from chest pain and died on the way to hospital. Another video shows the singer sweating profusely as he takes a break to wipe his face. Other voices in the video are heard saying, 'it is very hot'. At one point, KK is seen gesturing to a man on stage and appearing to be talking about the air-conditioning. 2. Days after Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala is shot dead, a social media post by a handle linked to gangster Neeraj Bawana threatens a retaliatory attack. A Facebook story by the handle says 'Sidhu Moose Wala was heart, brother. Will give a result in two days.' The post has been shared by a handle named after Bawana. 3. The Ram mandir being built in Ayodhya will be 'the national temple of India', says Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath after an event to lay the foundation stone of the temple's 'garbhagriha', or sanctum sanctorum. The CM says, 'People have been waiting for this day since a long time. Ram mandir will be a symbol of India's unity.' 4. The Jammu and Kashmir administration confines Kashmiri Pandits to their transit camps after the community's members threatened mass migration in the wake of targeted killings. About 4,000 Kashmiri Pandits employed under Prime Minister's special package yesterday threatened to leave the Valley if the administration does not relocate them to safe places within 24 hours. 5. Bhartiya Kisan Union leader Dilbag Singh, a witness in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, allegedly attacked by two unidentified men in the district. The attack took place on Tuesday night when the BKU district president was returning home from Aliganj-Muda road in Gola kotwali area in his SUV. Mr Singh, however, sustained no injuries in the attack. Mr Singh is among the witnesses in Tikunia violence of October 3, 2021 in which eight people, including four farmers and a journalist, died. Union minister Ajay Mishra's son Ashish Mishra was arrested in connection with the incident.
- Singer KK dies hours after a concert in Kolkata. The 53-year-old singer collapses at the hotel where he was staying after the concert in Kolkata's Nazrul Mancha auditorium. Doctor at CMRI hospital says the singer was brought dead. Krishnakumar Kunnath, whose stage name was KK, was known for songs like 'Pal' and 'Yaaron', which went on to become big hits among teens in the late 1990s, often heard during school and college farewells and teen cultural events. 2. Punjab Police makes first arrest in Sidhu Moose Wala murder case and detains Manpreet Singh from Uttarakhand. The accused has been sent to five-day police custody. As per the initial post-mortem report, Moose Wala was hit by around 25 bullets and gunpowder was also found on his body. 3. The Indian economy grew 8.7 per cent in 2021-22, with the gross domestic product expanding 4.1 per cent in the March quarter from a year ago. The GDP growth for 2021-22 takes the economy above its pre-pandemic level and is an improvement after contracting 6.6 per cent in 2020-21. But the January-March quarter expansion was the weakest in the previous fiscal year. It is lesser than the 5.4 per cent growth seen during the December quarter of 2021-22. 4. Prashant Kishor, after nearly joining Congress weeks ago, declares that he will 'never go with the party', folding his hands for emphasis. The election strategist makes the pronouncement while on his tour of Bihar villages to gather public views on an alternative government in his home state. The Congress, he says, will go down and take everyone with it. 5. China's most populous city, Shanghai, ends a grueling 65-day lockdown, freeing more than 20 million people from their homes for the first time since late March. Local officials, who had initially reassured the public that a lockdown wouldn't happen, confirmed this week that the city's June 1 target for reopening will be met, much to the relief of the better part of Shanghai's 25 million residents, 22.5 million of whom in so-called low-risk areas will regain their freedom of movement.
- Late Punjabi Singer and Congress leader Sidhu Moose Wala is cremated at his native village Moosa in the Mansa district of Punjab. The singer-turned-politician was shot dead on Sunday by some unidentified assailants in Punjab's Mansa district, a day after Punjab Police curtailed his security cover. The 28-year-old Punjabi singer had fought the recent assembly election in Punjab on a Congress ticket from Mansa and was defeated by the AAP's Vijay Singla. He joined Congress in December last year. 2. Delhi court sends Satyendar Jain to ED custody till June 9 in money laundering case. The ED had on Monday arrested the Aam Aadmi Part leader under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Special Judge Geetanjli Goel issued the remand order after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the ED, sought Jain's custodial interrogation for 14 days. 3. In yet another incident of targeted attacks on minorities in Jammu and Kashmir, a Hindu school teacher is fired at by terrorists in the Kulgam district of the Kashmir region. 36-year-old Rajni Bala, a resident of Samba in Jammu region, sustained injuries when terrorists fired at her in Gopalpora area of Kulgam where she was posted as a teacher. She was critically injured and rushed to the hospital where doctors declared her dead on arrival. 4. A French journalist has been killed while working in Ukraine, President Emmanuel Macron says on Twitter, the latest of several reporters killed or wounded during Russia's invasion of the country. President Macron writes, 'Frederic Leclerc-Imhoff was in Ukraine to show the reality of war. On board a humanitarian bus with civilians forced to flee to escape Russian bombings, he was mortally wounded'. Leclerc-Imhoff was working for the BFM television news channel, which says he was 32 years old and on his second Ukraine reporting trip since the war began on February 24. 5. The governor of the Kharkiv region, Oleg Sinegubov, says on Telegram, 'The occupiers are again shelling the regional centre'. 6. Russian forces control half of the east Ukraine city of Severodonetsk, a Ukrainian military official says, as Moscow's army continues an unrelenting push deeper into the Donbas region. Oleksandr Stryuk, head of the city's military and civil administration, says in a live broadcast, 'Unfortunately, the front line divides the city in half. But the city is still defending itself, the city is still Ukrainian, our soldiers are defending it'.
- Hours after the resignation of Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb in a sudden political twist, the BJP appoints Dr Manik Saha as his replacement just a year ahead of assembly polls in the state. Mr Saha, who is a dentist by profession, was elected as a Rajya Sabha MP just last month and is also the Tripura state president of the BJP. 2. According to official notification, India bans wheat exports with immediate effect as part of measures to control rising domestic prices. However, the export shipments for which irrevocable letters of credit have been issued on or before the date of this notification will be allowed, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade or DGFT says in a notification. 3. According to the poilce, three police personnel were shot dead by blackbuck poachers in a forest in the Guna district of Madhya Pradesh. Rajeev Mishra, Superintendent of Police, Guna says that the poachers, who were armed with guns, opened fire at the police team from their motorbike after the officials confronted them. 4. As per officials, the videography survey of the Gyanvapi Masjid complex in Varanasi which resumed today following a local court order was carried out without any interruption as all parties cooperated. They say that the survey work will continue on Sunday. 5. After Rahul Gandhi, now Amit Shah is in battleground Telangana. State Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's son KT Rama Rao or KTR writes an open letter to the senior BJP leader on the 'injustice' being done to the southern state by his party. The TRS leader posts 27 questions to the BJP leader on the step-motherly treatment meted out to Telangana by the BJP-led government at the Centre and dares him to answer them during his speech in the public meeting if he is really sincere towards Telangana. 'We will fight for the rights of the people of Telangana and demand our rightful share under the AP Reorganization Act,' he says. 6. Sunil Jakhar, senior Congress leader and former chief of its Punjab unit, quit the party today, weeks after he was issued a showcause notice by the leadership over his criticism of former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi. 7. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal visits the Mundka fire incident site. Mr Kejriwal says that the Delhi government has ordered a magisterial enquiry into the incident and the culprits will not be spared. He announces a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each for the families of those who were killed. The injured will be given Rs 50,000 each, he says.
- Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb says he has submitted his resignation to Governor SN Arya. The shock resignation comes ahead of state polls next year. Mr Deb made the announcement after meeting the governor at the Raj Bhavan. Mr Deb tell reporters, 'Party is above all. I am a loyal worker of the BJP. I hope I have done justice to the responsibilities that were given to me, whether it was BJP state president or Tripura Chief Minister. I have worked for the overall development of Tripura, and to ensure peace for the people of the state'. 2. According to official notification, India bans wheat exports with immediate effect as part of measures to control rising domestic prices. However, the export shipments for which irrevocable letters of credit have been issued on or before the date of this notification will be allowed, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade or DGFT says in a notification. 3. According to the poilce, three police personnel were shot dead by blackbuck poachers in a forest in the Guna district of Madhya Pradesh. Rajeev Mishra, Superintendent of Police, Guna says that the poachers, who were armed with guns, opened fire at the police team from their motorbike after the officials confronted them. 4. As per officials, the videography survey of the Gyanvapi Masjid complex in Varanasi which resumed today following a local court order was carried out without any interruption as all parties cooperated. They say that the survey work will continue on Sunday. 5. After Rahul Gandhi, now Amit Shah is in battleground Telangana. State Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's son KT Rama Rao or KTR writes an open letter to the senior BJP leader on the 'injustice' being done to the southern state by his party. The TRS leader posts 27 questions to the BJP leader on the step-motherly treatment meted out to Telangana by the BJP-led government at the Centre and dares him to answer them during his speech in the public meeting if he is really sincere towards Telangana. 'We will fight for the rights of the people of Telangana and demand our rightful share under the AP Reorganization Act,' he says. 6. Sunil Jakhar, senior Congress leader and former chief of its Punjab unit, quit the party today, weeks after he was issued a showcause notice by the leadership over his criticism of former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi. 7. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal visits the Mundka fire incident site. Mr Kejriwal says that the Delhi government has ordered a magisterial enquiry into the incident and the culprits will not be spared. He announces a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each for the families of those who were killed. The injured will be given Rs 50,000 each, he says.
- In Varanasi the Gyanvapi mosque survey ends for today. The panel says the mosque survey is unbiased and it will continue tomorrow. The mosque is located close to the iconic Kashi Vishwanath temple and the local court is hearing a plea by a group of women seeking permission for daily prayers before the idols on its outer walls. 2. After Rahul Gandhi, now Amit Shah is in battleground Telangana. State Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's son KT Rama Rao or KTR has written an open letter to the senior BJP leader on the 'injustice' being done to the southern state by his party. The TRS leader posts 27 questions to the BJP leader on the step-motherly treatment meted out to Telangana by the BJP-led government at the Centre and dares him to answer them during his speech in the public meeting if he is really sincere towards Telangana. 'We will fight for the rights of the people of Telangana and demand our rightful share under the AP Reorganization Act,' he says. 3. At least 27 people have died and 12 are injured in a fire at a four storey commercial building in Delhi's Mundka. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today visits the fire incident site. Mr Kejriwal says that the Delhi government has ordered a magisterial enquiry into the incident and the culprits will not be spared. He announces a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each for the families of those who were killed. The injured will be given Rs 50,000 each, he says. 4. The Hanuman Chalisa row now reaches New Delhi. Thwarted in Mumbai, independent lawmakers Navneet and Ravi Rana recite the Hanuman Chalisa at the Hanuman temple and claim to have prayed for removal of the 'biggest danger looming over Maharashtra in the form of Shiv Sena'. 5. India has banned wheat exports with immediate effect as part of measures to control rising domestic prices, according to official notification. However, the export shipments for which irrevocable letters of credit have been issued on or before the date of this notification will be allowed, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade or DGFT says in a notification. 6. Three police personnel are shot dead by blackbuck poachers in a forest in the Guna district of Madhya Pradesh early this morning, police says Rajeev Mishra, Superintendent of Police, Guna says that the poachers, who were armed with guns, opened fire at the police team from their motorbike after the officials confronted them. 7. Heavy rains lash Meghalaya, causing landslides in different areas with most rivers flowing above the danger mark, officials say. The rains have caused landslides in different parts of the state, leading to traffic disruptions, they say. 8. HS Prannoy produces a lion-hearted effort in the decisive fifth match as the Indian men's badminton team scripts history by reaching the title clash of the Thomas Cup Final for the first time ever with a 3-2 victory over Denmark in an edge-of-the-seat semifinal in Thailand.
- At least 27 people have died and 12 are injured after a fire breaks out in a four-storey commercial building in west Delhi's Mundka, police say. Police are yet to share details about the identity of the victims. The injured have been admitted to the Sanjay Gandhi Hospital. At least 50 people have been rescued from the building and some are still trapped inside, police say. 2. Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi calls for urgent changes in the organisation and emphasises that 'extraordinary situations can be faced only in extraordinary ways' as the party is facing an unprecedented situation. In an opening address at 'Chintan Shivir' in Udaipur, Mrs Gandhi says, 'The organisation is facing an unprecedented situation. We are in dire need of reforms and changes in strategy. Extraordinary situations can be faced only in extraordinary ways.' 'The party has given us a lot, now it is the time to pay off the debt. We have to keep personal expectations in the interests of the organisation,' she says while reiterating her message of the previous Congress Working Committee. Also, Congress leader Ajay Maken announces that Congress will create a new department for on-ground feedback, and the rule of 'One family, One ticket' would be implemented. 3. Two targeted killings in Kashmir in two days. After Rahul Bhat's killing there has been a massive protest by Kashmiri Pandits. A Special Investigation Team is formed to investigate the death of Kashmiri pandit Rahul Bhat, who was shot dead by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Budgam district. A Jammu and Kashmir special police officer, who suffered injuries after he was attacked by terrorists at his residence, has died during treatment at the hospital, informs the police in a tweet. Riyaz Ahmad Thoker was shot by terrorists at his home in Gudoora village of Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama. He was receiving treatment at a local hospital where he died of his injuries, the police add. 4. Violence erupts at journalist Shireen Abu Akleh's funeral. The Israeli army beats crowd during the funeral procession in Jerusalem
- Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy asserts that the state government will continue with the two-language formula as its policy, and decries any attempts of alleged Hindi imposition and questions claims that learning the language will fetch jobs. Taking a dig at those who insist jobs will be available for those who learn Hindi, the minister asks who are selling 'pani puri' in the city now, an obvious reference to the predominantly Hindi-speaking vendors involved in the trade. 2. Protests are being held in several parts of Jammu and Kashmir since last evening as Kashmiri Pandits demand safety in the wake of the killing of a 36-year-old government employee from the community. Police fire teargas shells after a group of Kashmiri Pandits try to march towards Srinagar airport. At several areas, members of the community leave their transit camps, block roads and raise slogans against the central government and BJP, saying they have failed them. 3. The Congress is holding a three-day brainstorming session or Chintan Shivir in Rajasthan's Udaipur in the shadow of poll debacles and dissent in the party which has seen a sharp decline in the last seven years. The party says it would introspect in the next three days to embark on a new direction by confronting various challenges and pave the way for the country's bright future. Meanwhile, Congress president Sonia Gandhi says changes in the organisation were the need of the hour and 'we need to change our way of working'. 4. The Indian High Commissioner calls on the new Sri Lankan Prime Minister. 'I want a closer relationship and I want to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi,' Prime Minister Wickremesinghe says, referring to the Indian economic assistance to his country. 5. A red alert warning has been issued for west Rajasthan which is expected to see the heatwave conditions until May 17. The blistering heat that sweeps large swathes of Rajasthan further intensifies with Barmer recording a high of 48.1 degrees Celsius. Other parts also reel under heatwave conditions with most of the districts registering day temperatures above 45 degrees Celsius. Apart from Barmer that is the hottest place in the desert state, Jalore and Ganganagar record a maximum of 47.7 and 47.3 degrees Celsius, respectively. 6. The United State's flag flies at half-mast over the White House to remember the one million US citizens who lost their lives due to COVID-19 since the pandemic began. President Joe Biden calls it a tragic milestone and urges Americans to remain vigilant.
- Protests are being held in several parts of Jammu and Kashmir since last evening as Kashmiri Pandits demand safety in the wake of the killing of a 36-year-old government employee from the community. Police fire teargas shells after a group of Kashmiri Pandits try to march towards Srinagar airport. At several areas, members of the community leave their transit camps, block roads and raise slogans against the central government and BJP, saying they have failed them. 2. The Congress party will implement its 'One family, One Ticket' rule with an exception for those who have been in politics for more than five years. The Congress says there is unanimity on bringing back the 'One Family, One Ticket' rule, which bars more than one person from a family from contesting elections, but hints in advance that the Gandhis would be spared. The rider to the rule, which leaves all three Gandhis eligible to contest, signals a loophole that reinforces critics' views that the party will attempt no more than cosmetic changes at a time there are calls for a big overhaul. Around 400 leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, are attending the Chintan Shivir called in the aftermath of the party's five-state debacle in recent elections. 'Big changes' are in store, says Congress leader Ajay Maken. 3. Sri Lanka's newly appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will hold a meeting on cabinet formation today. The Indian High Commissioner calls on the new Sri Lankan Prime Minister. 'I want a closer relationship and I want to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi,' Prime Minister Wickremesinghe says, referring to the Indian economic assistance to his country. 4. A red alert warning is issued for west Rajasthan which is expected to see the heatwave conditions until May 17. The blistering heat that sweeps large swathes of Rajasthan further intensifies with Barmer recording a high of 48.1 degrees Celsius. Other parts also reel under heatwave conditions with most of the districts registering day temperatures above 45 degrees Celsius. Apart from Barmer that is the hottest place in the desert state, Jalore and Ganganagar record a maximum of 47.7 and 47.3 degrees Celsius, respectively. 5. The United State's flag flies at half-mast over the White House to remember the one million US citizens who lost their lives due to COVID-19 since the pandemic began. President Joe Biden calls it a tragic milestone and urges Americans to remain vigilant. 6. Twitter confirms that two senior executives are heading for the exit and it has paused most hiring, as Elon Musk stands poised to become the global messaging platform's new owner. Kayvon Beykpour, a general manager who leads research, design and engineering at Twitter, is leaving along with head of products Bruce Falck, a Twitter spokesperson tells AFP. Beykpour however says he is ousted from the San Francisco-based tech company.
- The video inspection of the Gyanvapi mosque, located next to the iconic Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi, will continue and should be completed by Tuesday, a local court says. The court says videography can happen at all places asked for by the petitioners. The lawyers for the petitioners had asked for filming inside the mosque, including its basement. The court had ordered an inspection in April this year on petitions by five Hindu women asking for year-long access to pray at a Hindu shrine behind the western wall of the Gyanvapi Mosque complex in Varanasi. 2. Congress leaders and workers, led by Rahul Gandhi, are in Udaipur to take part in the three-day Chintan Shivir, where the all-important leadership issue and the party's roadmap for the coming days will be up for discussion. The mega meeting comes days after the party held extensive discussions with election strategist Prashant Kishor, who made detailed presentations regarding the revival of the party. 3. India's annual retail inflation accelerates to 7.79 per cent in April from a year ago, remaining above the tolerance limit of the central bank for a fourth month in a row, government data shows. The rupee hits a record low for the second time. 4. Congress's Sachin Pilot blames the recent communal controversies in Rajasthan on the BJP, saying the party must stop playing with people's sentiments. 'Our friends in the opposition must understand that they should not play politics over this. They have to understand that the discourse should be on unemployment, inflation, and farmers' issues. I think they will remain unsuccessful in their efforts to divert people's attention from these issues'. Mr Pilot also says, 'yes, people get emotional. But lemons are selling at Rs 300 a kilo. Cooking gas is Rs 1,000 a cylinder. Inflation has to be brought down. You cannot get votes only by playing with people's sentiments. I do not think that will benefit the country'. 5. Two pilots are killed following a helicopter crash at an airport in Chhattisgarh's Raipur. Captain Gopal Krishna Panda and Captain AP Shrivastava are killed in the accident, police say. The helicopter caught fire when the pilots were trying to land the helicopter. Both the pilots on board died in the accident. There were no passengers on board. 6. Ranil Wickremesinghe becomes Sri Lanka's prime minister for the sixth time, though the veteran politician has never completed a full term in office. The 73-year-old's political career appears to be drawing to a close before this week, as he agrees to helm a unity administration and help steer the South Asian island nation through a crippling economic crisis. 7. The United State's flag flies at half-mast over the White House to remember the one million US citizens who lost their lives due to COVID-19 since the pandemic began. President Joe Biden calls it a tragic milestone and urges Americans to remain vigilant.
- Elections to 57 Rajya Sabha seats spread across 15 states will take place on June 10, says an Election Commission official. These elections will be crucial in terms of the Presidential elections due in July. Seven seats of nominated MPs are also vacant. The maximum number of seats, 11, lies in Uttar Pradesh. It is followed by Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. 2. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi greeted with flowers and chants as he reached Delhi's Sarai Rohilla railway station from where senior leaders of the party board a train to Udaipur where the party is scheduled to kick off the three-day Chintan Shivir on May 13. Around 400 senior Congress leaders from across the country are expected to take part in the brainstorming session. 3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks at second global Covid summit. In his address, PM Modi calls for people-centric strategy to tackle Covid pandemic. The PM participated in the first global virtual summit on Covid hosted by Biden on September 22 last year. The summit intends to galvanise new actions to address the challenges of the pandemic and build a stronger global health security architecture. 4. Video inspection of Gyanvapi mosque, located next to the iconic Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi, will continue and should be completed by May 17, says a local court. The court says that videography can happen at all places asked for by the petitioners. The lawyers for the petitioners had asked for filming inside the mosque, including its basement. 5. Allahabad High Court rejects the petition seeking an inquiry into the history of Taj Mahal. The court dismisses the petition which asked for opening of the doors of its 22 rooms to see 'the truth, whatever it is'. 6. Karnataka passes the controversial anti-conversion bill through an ordinance or executive order. The Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Ordinance has been approved by the Cabinet. The new law is meant to prevent religious conversion either by force or through inducement. 7. Terrorists kill a man in Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir in what appears to be yet another instance of a targeted attack. Rahul Bhat, a Kashmiri Pandit, was fired upon at Tehsildar's office in Chadoora village. He was critically injured and was been shifted to a local hospital where he succumbed to injuries. 8. Sri Lanka's veteran political leader Ranil Wickremesinghe appointed the next Prime Minister of the crisis-hit island nation by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The 73-year-old has been administered the oath of office by the President, who in an address to the nation on May 11, declared that a Prime Minister and his cabinet will be put in place this week. 9. According to data released by India Meteorological Department, Bengaluru has recorded the lowest temperature in May in the past 10 years. The city reports a minimum temperature of 19.5 degrees Celsius and a maximum temperature of 24 degrees Celsius. The coolest day in May in recent history in Bengaluru was on May 14, 1972, when the maximum temperature recorded was 22.2 degrees Celsius. 10. India's retail inflation surged to 7.79 per cent in April, largely driven by rising fuel and food prices, shows government data. The consumer price-based inflation figure stayed well above Reserve Bank of India's upper tolerance limit for the fourth consecutive month.
- A court in Varanasi will deliver its verdict today in the case related to the inspection of the Gyanvapi mosque located next to the iconic Kashi Vishwanath temple.The court had ordered an inspection in April this year on petitions by five Hindu women asking for year-long access to pray at a Hindu shrine behind the western wall of the Gyanvapi Mosque complex in Varanasi. The site is currently opened for prayers once a year. The women also want permission to pray to other 'visible and invisible deities within the old temple complex'. 2. A plea filed by Rajneesh Singh, a BJP youth media in-charge, before the Lucknow bench seeks the directions to the Archaeological Survey of India to probe the 22 closed doors in the Taj Mahal to ascertain the presence of the idols of Hindu deities. The plea also seeks the constitution of a fact-finding committee and the submission of a report by the ASI. 3. The Sensex nosedives by 1,000 points in trade before a slight recovery and the Nifty tanks below 15,800. The rupee weakens to a new low at 77.52 against dollar. 4. Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa declares that he will appoint a new Prime Minister and cabinet this week in the country, which is plunged into chaos after Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse stepped down from his post, nulling the elected government. The curfew has been lifted temporarily to allow citizens to buy essentials. 5. Two years after getting infected with COVID-19, half of people hospitalised with the infection have at least one symptom, a follow-up study by the medical journal The Lancet has said. The Lancet Respiratory Medicine in a study says evidence shows that a considerable proportion of people who have recovered from COVID-19 have long-term effects on multiple organs and systems. 6. A Tibet Airlines plane catches fire after veering off the runway at a Chinese airport, but all passengers and crew are 'safely evacuated', the airline says. The flight, carrying 113 passengers and nine crew members, was headed from the southwestern city of Chongqing to Tibet's Nyingchi when 'abnormalities' were noticed and take-off was suspended, causing the jet to overrun the runway, the company says in a statement. 7. In the national capital, the BJP led civic body is carrying out anti-encroachment drives once again in multiple localities. The drive began in Rohini area but bulldozers are also in the Madanpur Khadar locality of south Delhi where there is huge police deployment.
- Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa declares that he will appoint a new Prime Minister and cabinet this week in the country, which is plunged into chaos after Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse stepped down from his post, nulling the elected government. Struggling with a mammoth economic crisis for weeks, the island nation of 22 million people is currently under curfew. The army and the police are allowed to shoot at sight those violating curfew. 2. The chief of police in Uttar Pradesh has been removed from his post, the state government says, declaring in a statement that he was 'not taking interest in work' and was 'disobeying orders'. Director General of Police Mukul Goel has been shunted to an insignificant post, the Director General of the Civil Defence department, the statement says. For now, Additional Director General of Police Prashant Kumar, has stepped into his shoes. There has been a buzz that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was unhappy with his performance. Last month, he skipped a key meeting with the Chief Minister on the law and order situation in the state. 3. A court in Varanasi will deliver its verdict today in the case related to the inspection of the Gyanvapi mosque located next to the iconic Kashi Vishwanath temple. The court had ordered an inspection in April this year on petitions by five Hindu women asking for year-long access to pray at a Hindu shrine behind the western wall of the Gyanvapi Mosque complex in Varanasi. The site is currently opened for prayers once a year. The women also want permission to pray to other 'visible and invisible deities within the old temple complex'. The local court had earlier directed the authorities to submit a report by May 10. 4. Amid the intense heatwave that are grappling the country, the central government issues a health advisory for schools. As per the Education Ministry guidelines, the school can open from 7 am onwards, and the school hours may also be reduced. The students are advised to carry their own water bottles, caps and umbrellas. 'The schools should ensure availability of sufficient potable water at multiple places preferably at temperature lower than that of surroundings.' 5. A Lancet study finds serious COVID-19 patients show some symptoms for at least two years more evident of long COVID-19.
- The RBI raises its key lending rate by 40 basis points to 4.40 per cent with immediate effect. The central bank also hikes the cash reserve ratio by 50 basis points. The decision is taken by the monetary policy committee in an off-cycle meeting with the central board held May 2-4. 2. The Sensex dives over 1400 points and the Nifty is down by 400 points. Markets crash after the RBI's rate hike. 3. A political row has erupted in Tamil Nadu after permission was denied for a ritual in Mayiladuthurai district in which a mutt's seer is carried by devotees and disciples on a palanquin. District authorities have said the tradition in Dharmapuram Adheenam dents human dignity and must not continue. The order has sparked protest from the Opposition, with AIADMK and the BJP targeting the MK Stalin-led government in the Assembly. P K Sekar Babu, minister of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments, says Chief Minister Stalin will speak to the mutt's head. 4. Several mosques in and near Mumbai kept loudspeakers off during azaan in the morning following a threat by Raj Thackeray, chief of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, to play Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers wherever Azaan is recited on them. He says his loudspeaker protest will not stop as 250 to 260 MNS workers are detained across the state. 5. Independent MP Navneet Rana and her husband and MLA Ravi Rana, who were arrested after a public declaration that they would recite Hanuman Chalisa outside Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's home, granted bail by a Mumbai court. The couple has been named accused in two FIRs under the charges of sedition, promoting enmity and assaulting a public servant to prevent discharge of duty. 6. It is the third day of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trip to Europe and he will be at the India Nordic Summit. He will meet French president Emmanuel Macron tonight.
- South Delhi Municipal Corporation begins the first phase of the demolition drive. The first phase of the drive will continue till May 13. The demolition drive will cover several parts of South Delhi. During the anti-encroachment drives, the deployment of police force is necessary for maintaining law and order situation in the area, says SDMC Mayor Mukesh Suryan. 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets his Norwegian counterpart Jonas Gahr Store in Copenhagen and the two leaders take stock of the full range of bilateral relations and discuss ways to deepen developmental cooperation. PM Modi, who arrived in Copenhagen on Tuesday from Berlin on the second leg of his visit to three European nations, met Prime Minister Store on the sidelines of the second India-Nordic Summit in the Danish capital. 3. Independent MP Navneet Rana and her husband and MLA Ravi Rana, who were arrested after a public declaration that they would recite Hanuman Chalisa outside Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's home, granted bail by a Mumbai court. The couple has been named accused in two FIRs under the charges of sedition, promoting enmity and assaulting a public servant to prevent discharge of duty. 4. Amid high tension in Mumbai over Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray's ultimatum to the state government to remove loudspeakers from mosques, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut says that there is peace in Maharashtra and no protest is happening in the state. The MNS chief had on April 12 given an ultimatum to the Maharashtra government to remove loudspeakers from mosques by May 3, failing which, he warned, MNS workers will play Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers. 5. A 13-year-old rape survivor allegedly raped again by the in-charge of a police station in Uttar Pradesh's Lalitpur, when she goes there to register a complaint. The teen alleges she was raped by four men, following which she went to the police station to file a complaint along with a relative. 6. Hundreds of former servicemen, including several three-star officers, have not received their pension for April 2022, and the government's pension disbursing authority has not offered them any explanation on why the retirement benefit has not been credited into their accounts. 7. The initial public offering of Life Insurance Corporation of India opens for subscription. The public issue will close on May 9. The insurance behemoth states that it has garnered around Rs 5,627 crore from anchor investors ahead of the IPO.
- Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot blames BJP for the recent communal incidents in the state, including Tuesday's violence in Jodhpur, which marred the Eid celebrations in the city. Curfew has been declared in Jodhpur following two consecutive days of communal clashes. Mr Gehlot says, 'This is the agenda of BJP because inflation, unemployment has gone so far up, they cannot control it. So they are doing this deliberately to divert attention.' 2. Two tribal men beaten to death on suspicion of cow slaughter in Madhya Pradesh's Seoni district. Another left injured by the attackers, which numbers some 20, say police. 3. Several mosques in and near Mumbai keep loudspeakers off during azaan following a threat by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray to play Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers wherever azaan is recited on them. Taking no chances, the Maharashtra government has made extensive preparations to maintain law and order. Leaves of police personnel have been cancelled and forces have been deployed in sensitive locations. 4. Addressing the Indian expatriates in Denmark during his visit to the Nordic nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says that it is the 'inclusiveness and cultural diversity' that powers the Indian community to feel alive in every moment and these values have developed within Indians for thousands of years. 5. According to a report by global media watchdog Reporters Without Borders, India's ranking in the World Press Freedom Index falls down to 150th position from last year's 142nd rank out of 180 countries. The ranking of India's neighbours, except that of Nepal, also slide down, with the index placing Pakistan at 157th position, Sri Lanka 146th, Bangladesh 162nd and Maynmar at 176th position.
- Fresh clashes erupt between two communities in Rajasthan's Jodhpur after the previous night's violence over a dispute involving flags in the Jalori Gate area ahead of Eid. Stone-throwing and more violence reported from five areas. The police uses force to bring the situation under control. The areas, however, remain tense. 2. The Khargone administration decides not to relax the curfew today and asks people to celebrate the Eid-ul-Fitr and Akshaya Tritiya festivals at home in the violence-hit Madhya Pradesh city. Security has been tightened in Madhya Pradesh's Khargone, where violence took place during a Ram Navami procession on April 10. All religious places in the city are shut today. 3. Hindu and Muslim communities together celebrate Eid at Jahangirpuri's Kushal Chowk by exchanging sweets and hugs, giving a message of peace and harmony in the area that witnessed communal violence last month. 4. The entire force of the Maharashtra police is 'alert and ready' to tackle any deterioration of the law and order situation, the top police officer in the state tells NDTV. Maharashtra DGP Rajnish Seth also added that Maharashtra Navnirman Sena president Raj Thackeray's speech, where he reiterated his warning for the removal of loudspeakers atop mosques, is being 'looked into' and 'legal action will be taken if needed'. 5. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's visit to Nepal for a friend's wedding triggers a barrage of tweets from BJP and its supporters, many of them taking shots at the politician for attending a party while being critical of the government on social media. The Congress, however, hits back, saying it is not yet a crime to visit a friendly nation to attend a friend's wedding, and it is much less egregious than Prime Minister Narendra Modi making a surprise visit to former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's daughter's wedding in 2015. 6. Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in Denmark in the second leg of his tri-nation trip. He was received by his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen.
- Fresh clashes erupt between two communities in Rajasthan's Jodhpur after the previous night's violence over a dispute involving flags in the Jalori Gate area ahead of Eid. Stone-throwing and more violence reported from five areas. The police uses force to bring the situation under control. The areas, however, remain tense. 2. The Khargone administration decides not to relax the curfew today and asks people to celebrate the Eid-ul-Fitr and Akshaya Tritiya festivals at home in the violence-hit Madhya Pradesh city. Security has been tightened in Madhya Pradesh's Khargone, where violence took place during a Ram Navami procession on April 10. All religious places in the city are shut today. 3. Hindu and Muslim communities together celebrate Eid at Jahangirpuri's Kushal Chowk by exchanging sweets and hugs, giving a message of peace and harmony in the area that witnessed communal violence last month. 4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi leaves for Denmark on the second leg of his three-nation Europe visit after concluding his 'productive' Germany visit. PM Modi, who arrived in Berlin on Monday morning, held bilateral talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and co-chaired the India-Germany inter-governmental consultations. 5. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's visit to Nepal for a friend's wedding triggers a barrage of tweets from BJP and its supporters, many of them taking shots at the politician for attending a party while being critical of the government on social media. The Congress, however, hits back, saying it is not yet a crime to visit a friendly nation to attend a friend's wedding, and it is much less egregious than Prime Minister Narendra Modi making a surprise visit to former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's daughter's wedding in 2015. 6. More than a week after a 25-year-old man died after allegedly being beaten up at a police station in Chennai, an unverified CCTV video surfaces leading to claims and counterclaims over alleged police torture. NDTV cannot verify the authenticity of the tape. The 1.26-minute-long night video shows a man, who police sources say is Vignesh, running from the main road in Chennai's Kellys area to a narrow street and falling down as he is chased by two cops. The cops later arrest the man and beat him once with what appears to be a police baton. As the police personnel take him into custody, one cop is seen picking up something from the ground, which police sources claim is a knife Vignesh threw at them during the chase. 7. The Supreme Court is poised to strike down the right to abortion in the United States, according to a bombshell leaked draft of a majority opinion that would shred nearly 50 years of constitutional protections. As per the news outlet Politico, the draft opinion was written by Justice Samuel Alito and has been circulating inside the conservative-dominated court since February. 8. Tesla Inc Chief Executive Elon Musk arrives at the Met Gala red carpet with his supermodel mom Maye Musk. After buying Twitter for USD 44 billion, the billionaire has been spotted first time in public at the 2022 Met Gala.
- No country can emerge victorious in the Ukraine conflict, says Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Germany, underlining that India supports peace. He also makes an appeal to end the war. After talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin, PM Modi says, 'We have insisted on a ceasefire and called for talks as the only way to resolve dispute since the start of the Ukraine crisis.' 2. No one can be forced to take the vaccine, says the Supreme Court in a landmark decision on India's Covid vaccine policy. The court also directs the central government to publish reports on the adverse effects of vaccination. 3. Election strategist Prashant Kishor sends political tattlers in a tizzy, barely hinting at what his next move will be after the latest breakdown of negotiations with the Congress party for him to join and revive the 135-year-old outfit's flagging fortunes. He tweets, 'Time to go to the real masters, the people, to better understand the issues and the path to people's good governance.' The cryptic message comes a week after he declined a Congress offer to come on board as a member of a committee that would work on the 2024 general elections. Sources say the 45-year-old wants a free hand to bring big bang changes and not incremental ones, as the Congress is keen on. 4. All eyes on Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to Karnataka today amid speculation about leadership change and cabinet expansion. On his visit to the state on April 1, Shah had fixed a target of 150 seats for the BJP in the 2023 Assembly polls during a core committee meeting. In the meeting, state BJP leaders were directed to create a roadmap for the next one year and work on the ground and attract leaders from other parties. 5. Two of the passengers injured in the turbulence faced by a Spicejet flight from Mumbai during landing in Bengal's Durgapur on Sunday, have been admitted in Intensive Care Unit, says the Director General of Civil Aviation. The aviation regulator de-rosters two Spicejet employees who later allowed the aircraft to move from Durgapur to Kolkata before a formal inquiry. 6. The Indian Meteorological Department says that there has been an abatement of heatwave conditions across most parts of the country, including Delhi. Maximum temperatures have fallen by two to three degrees over most parts of northwest India. 7. For a long time, only Hindi cinema was projected as Indian cinema and it was 'very humiliating' for him as an actor from the Telugu film industry, says renowned actor Chiranjeevi, while crediting films such as Baahubali and RRR with breaking language barriers and making them proud. The superstar's emotional address, delivered at a pre-release event of his latest film Acharya, comes amid a pushback from South India against alleged attempts to impose Hindi as a national language.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi begins the first leg of his three-nation visit with a rousing welcome from the Indian community as he arrives in Germany. PM Modi landed at Berlin-Brandenburg airport in Germany early this morning. The Prime Minister then went to Hotel Adlon Kempinski, where he interacted with the members of the Indian community amid the chants of 'Vande Mataram' and 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'. 2. Predicting light rain in Delhi over the next three days amid the hottest pre-summer months in decades, the weather office says, heatwave conditions are abating in most parts of the country. Senior scientist at the India Meteorological Department, RK Jenamani, says, 'The heatwave in Odisha and Bengal was over on April 30, as we predicted. Strong winds will be there in the next two to three days. We are also giving a Yellow warning to Northwest India as there is a Western disturbance. Delhi is likely to experience rain, mainly on May 3. Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana, and Punjab are on yellow alert and strong winds will be there tomorrow and rain may occur'. 3. No one can be forced to take the vaccine, says Supreme Court in a landmark decision on India's Covid vaccine policy. The court also directs central government to publish reports on the adverse effects of vaccination. The SC says, 'Bodily integrity is protected under the law and nobody can be forced to be vaccinated'. 4. Election strategist Prashant Kishor sends political tattlers in a tizzy, barely hinting at what his next move will be after the latest breakdown of negotiations with the Congress party for him to join and revive the 135-year-old outfit's flagging fortunes. He tweets, 'Time to go to the real masters, the people, to better understand the issues and the path to people's good governance.' The cryptic message comes a week after he declined a Congress offer to come on board as a member of a committee that would work on the 2024 general elections. Sources say the 45-year-old wants a free hand to bring big bang changes and not incremental ones, as the Congress is keen on. 5. Dean of government medical college in Tamil Nadu's Madurai transferred and put on 'compulsory wait' for allowing first-year students to take a controversial oath in Sanskrit instead of the traditional Hippocratic Oath. The state's health authorities say that medical students had taken the English translation of the Sanskrit oath 'Charak Shapath' during their induction ceremony on Saturday. The Dean claims that the students took the oath on their own. 6. A SpiceJet Boeing B737 aircraft operating flight SG -945 from Mumbai to Durgapur encountered severe turbulence during descent which unfortunately resulted in injuries to a few passengers on Sunday, says a SpiceJet spokesperson.
- No one can be forced to take the vaccine, says Supreme Court in a landmark decision on India's Covid vaccine policy. The court also directs central government to publish reports on the adverse effects of vaccination. The SC says, 'Bodily integrity is protected under the law and nobody can be forced to be vaccinated.' 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi begins the first leg of his three-nation visit with a rousing welcome from the Indian community as he arrives in Germany. PM Modi landed at Berlin-Brandenburg airport in Germany early this morning. The Prime Minister then went to Hotel Adlon Kempinski, where he interacted with the members of the Indian community amid the chants of 'Vande Mataram' and 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'. 3. Election strategist Prashant Kishor sends political tattlers in a tizzy, barely hinting at what his next move will be after the latest breakdown of negotiations with the Congress party for him to join and revive the 135-year-old outfit's flagging fortunes. He tweets, 'Time to go to the real masters, the people, to better understand the issues and the path to people's good governance.' The cryptic message comes a week after he declined a Congress offer to come on board as a member of a committee that would work on the 2024 general elections. Sources say the 45-year-old wants a free hand to bring big bang changes and not incremental ones, as the Congress is keen on. 4. Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani rips into Assam government and police for his arrest, targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well for a 'conspiracy' to tarnish his image ahead of state elections later this year. He says, 'I call this 56-inches of cowardice, using a woman to frame me in a false case. The Prime Minister's Office was involved in this conspiracy.' 5. Dean of government medical college in Tamil Nadu's Madurai transferred and put on 'compulsory wait' for allowing first-year students to take a controversial oath in Sanskrit instead of the traditional Hippocratic Oath. The state's health authorities say that medical students had taken the English translation of the Sanskrit oath 'Charak Shapath' during their induction ceremony on Saturday. The Dean claims that the students took the oath on their own.
- Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis launches an attack on Shiv Sena and says that those who are scared of removing loudspeakers from mosques say that they took part in Babri Masjid's demolition. Addressing a 'Booster Dose' rally at Somaiya Ground along with other BJP leaders, Fadnavis adds, 'I was a part of Babri Masjid's demolition. There was no Shiv Sena leader then.' 2. Amid rising heat wave and temperature touching 46 degrees Celsius at several places, the Union Health Ministry writes a letter to all states and UTs about the National Action Plan on heat-related illnesses. Meanwhile, heatwave is likely to abate over Delhi and adjoining parts of northwest and central India from today, says the India Meteorological Department. The weather office predicts partly cloudy sky with the possibility of thunder development at isolated places over Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh, east Rajasthan and parts of Uttar Pradesh from today, which is likely to give some respite to residents from the scorching heat. 3. Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal makes another pitch for change in Gujarat, offering the governance model that has been hugely successful in Delhi and more recently in Punjab. Citing Delhi schools in Gujarat's Bharuch, where tribals form a chunk of the population, he claims the condition of schools in Gujarat is really bad. Mr Kejriwal says, 'Give us one chance. If I do not improve the schools in this chance, you can kick me out.' 4. In his first visit abroad this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have 25 hectic engagements during his three-day Europe visit. PM Modi will be visiting three countries where he will be spending around 65 hours, say government sources. He will hold meetings, bilateral as well as multilateral, with eight world leaders from seven countries besides having an interaction with 50 global business leaders. 5. Complete curfew declared during Eid in Khargone, Madhya Pradesh, which saw communal violence during Ram Navami last month. Shops will remain open and students going for exams will be given a pass, says Summer Singh, the Additional District Magistrate of Khargone. 6. Price of a 19 kg commercial LPG cylinder hiked by Rs 102.50. It will now cost Rs 2,355.50, up from earlier price of Rs 2,253. In addition to this, the cost of a 5 kg LPG cylinder is now Rs 655. Earlier on April 1, the price of the 19 kg commercial LPG was raised by Rs 250 per cylinder to Rs 2,253. While on March 1, the commercial LPG was increased by Rs 105. 6. Body of a woman found hanging from the wall of a private hospital in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao. Parents allege that the woman was raped and then murdered. Police registers a case on their complaint and names three people as accused, including the owner of the hospital. 7. Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie visits Ukrainian city of Lviv, popping into a bakery and going to the railway station to meet some of the people displaced by the war with Russia. Jolie, 46, is a special envoy for the United Nations refugee agency, which says more than 12.7 million people have fled their homes in the past two months, which represents around 30 percent of Ukraine's pre-war population.
- Heatwave is likely to abate over Delhi and adjoining parts of northwest and central India from May 2, says India Meteorological Department. The weather office predicts partly cloudy sky with possibility of thunder development at isolated places over Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh, east Rajasthan and parts of Uttar Pradesh from May 2, which is likely to give some respite to residents from scorching heat. 2. Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal makes another pitch for change in Gujarat, offering the governance model that has been hugely successful in Delhi and more recently in Punjab. Citing Delhi schools in Gujarat's Bharuch, where tribals form a chunk of the population, he claims the condition of schools in Gujarat is really bad. Mr Kejriwal says, 'Give us one chance. If I do not improve the schools in this chance, you can kick me out.' 3. In his first visit abroad this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have 25 hectic engagements during his three-day Europe visit. PM Modi will be visiting three countries where he will be spending around 65 hours, say government sources. He will hold meetings, bilateral as well as multilateral, with eight world leaders from seven countries besides having an interaction with 50 global business leaders. 4. Complete curfew declared during Eid in Khargone, Madhya Pradesh, which saw communal violence during Ram Navami last month. Eid is likely to be celebrated on May 2 or May 3. Both of these days will be under curfew, says the district administration. 5. Price of a 19-kg commercial LPG cylinder hiked by Rs 102.50. It will now cost Rs 2,355.50, up from earlier price of Rs 2,253. In addition to this, the cost of a 5-kg LPG cylinder is now Rs 655. Earlier on April 1, the price of the 19-kg commercial LPG was raised by Rs 250 per cylinder to Rs 2,253. While on March 1, the commercial LPG was increased by Rs 105. 6. Body of a woman found hanging from the wall of a private hospital in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao. Parents allege that the woman was raped and then murdered. Police registers a case on their complaint and names three people as accused, including the owner of the hospital. 7. Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie visits Ukrainian city of Lviv, popping into a bakery and going to the railway station to meet some of the people displaced by the war with Russia. Jolie, 46, is a special envoy for the United Nations refugee agency, which says more than 12.7 million people have fled their homes in the past two months, which represents around 30 percent of Ukraine's pre-war population.
- The main accused in the Patiala clashes, Barjinder Singh Parwana, has been arrested in connection with the violence that had left four people injured, says Punjab police. Two groups had clashed on Friday over an anti-Khalistan march, throwing stones at each other and brandishing swords, forcing police to fire in the air to bring the situation under control. Addressing the media in Patiala, Inspector General of Police Mukhwinder Singh Chhina says, 'The main accused Barjinder Singh Parwana has been arrested from Mohali'. 2. Complete curfew is declared during Eid in Khargone, Madhya Pradesh, which saw communal violence during Ram Navami last month. The district administration says Eid is likely to be celebrated on Monday or Tuesday. Both of these days will be under curfew. Summer Singh, the Additional District Magistrate of Khargone says, 'Complete curfew will be imposed in Khargone on May 2 and May 3. Eid prayers to be offered at home. On these days, shops will remain open and students going for exams will be given a pass.' Mr Singh adds, 'Also, no event on Akshaya Tritiya and Parshuram Jayanti will be allowed to be organised in the district'. 3. The body of a woman has been found hanging from the wall of a private hospital in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao. Parents allege that the woman was raped and then murdered. Police registers a case on their complaint and names three people as accused, including the owner of the hospital. 4. Price of a 19-kg commercial LPG cylinder is hiked by Rs 102.50. It will now cost Rs 2,355.50, up from earlier price of Rs 2,253. In addition to this, the cost of a 5-kg LPG cylinder is now Rs 655. Earlier on April 1, the price of 19-kg commercial LPG was raised by Rs 250 per cylinder to Rs 2,253. While on March 1, the commercial LPG is increased by Rs 105. 5. Scorching heat wave conditions continue unabated in Haryana and Punjab as the maximum temperatures continue to stay several notches above normal. Gurugram, at 46.5 degrees Celsius, is the hottest place in Haryana. Hot weather conditions also prevail in Hisar and Bhiwani, with both towns recording respective maximum temperatures of 45 degrees Celsius and 44.8 degrees Celsius. 6. At least 20 civilians, including several children, are able to leave a badly battered steel plant in the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol in what can be the start of a long-awaited, larger evacuation of the last holdout in the Russian-held city. Ukrainian fighters of the Azov regiment, which is defending the site, say 20 civilians have left, possibly for the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, about 225 kilometers to the northwest. 7. Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie visits the Ukrainian city of Lviv, popping into a bakery and going to the railway station to meet some of the people displaced by the war with Russia. Jolie, 46, is a special envoy for the United Nations refugee agency, which says more than 12.7 million people have fled their homes in the past two months, which represents around 30 percent of Ukraine's pre-war population.
- As the Gujarat assembly elections draw near, top BJP leadership from the state holds a two-hour meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his Delhi residence. Taking a swipe at the ruling party, Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party convenor Arvind Kejriwal asks if the BJP will dissolve the Gujarat Legislative Assembly next week for the announcement of elections in the state. He says in Hindi on Twitter, 'Is the BJP going to announce fresh elections in Gujarat after dissolving the Gujarat assembly next week, are they so scared of AAP'. Assembly polls in the BJP-ruled Gujarat are expected to be held later this year. 2. Addressing the media, Inspector-general of police, MS Chhina says, 'A law and order issue was created in Patiala yesterday, in connection with which the Patiala Police registered 6 FIRs and 3 accused have been arrested, including Harish Singla. The main accused and the mastermind Barjinder Singh Parwana will be arrested shortly.' Meanwhile, Sakshi Sahni, Deputy Commissioner, Patiala says that the curfew that was imposed after the violence was lifted and the internet services that were temporarily suspended were restored. 3. A group of former judges and bureaucrats issue a rejoinder to another ex-bureaucrats' group, which expresses concern about 'politics of hate' in an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing it of trying to sway public opinion in vain and indulging in 'virtue signalling'. 4. the Enforcement Directorate says, funds worth over Rs 5,551 crore of Chinese mobile manufacturing company Xiaomi India have been 'seized' for violating the Indian foreign exchange law. The action is taken against Xiaomi Technology India Private Limited. 5. Sources say, a Rs 7-crore fixed deposit under actor Jacqueline Fernandez's name has been attached as part of the investigation into the Rs 200-crore money laundering case against alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar. 6. Heat wave conditions continue in Punjab and Haryana, with Gurugram sizzling at 46.2 degrees Celsius.
- Amravati MP Navneet Rana and her husband MLA Ravi Rana drop their plan to recite the Hanuman Chalisa outside 'Matoshree', the residence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. They say the decision is taken as PM Modi is visiting Mumbai and they don't want any law and order situation to arise. Shiv Sena workers celebrate outside their residence by distributing sweets. 2. Delhi's R-value, which indicates the spread of COVID-19, is recorded at 2.1 this week, implying that every infected person is infecting two others in the national capital, according to an analysis by IIT-Madras. The 'R' or reproductive value indicates the number of people an infected person can spread the disease to, and a pandemic is considered to end if this value goes below one. 3. Temples, shops and homes are demolished in Rajasthan. The BJP delegation reaches the site in Alwar. 4. The Enforcement Directorate registers a money laundering case against various suspects of the recent Jahangirpuri violence case including prime accused Mohammed Ansar. An Enforcement Case Information Report, the ED's equivalent of a police FIR, is filed by the federal agency under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. 5. Police say five members of a family, including a two-year-old child, are found murdered at their home in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj district. Senior police officer Ajay Kumar says injury marks on the bodies suggest that all five are hit on the head. The bodies have been sent for post-mortem and seven teams have been formed to look into the gruesome crime. 6. Arvind Kejriwal holds a rally in Himachal's Kangra district. He says give Aam Aadmi Parts five years to transform Himachal Pradesh.
- Shiv Sena workers gather in large numbers outside the apartment of Amravati MP Navneet Rana and her husband MLA Ravi Rana in Mumbai, and shout slogans after the couple announced that they would recite the Hanuman Chalisa outside 'Matoshree', the residence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. 2. Temples, shops, homes demolished in Rajasthan. Now the BJP delegation reaches the site in Alwar. 3. The Enforcement Directorate registers a money laundering case against various suspects of the recent Jahangirpuri violence case including prime accused Mohammed Ansar. An Enforcement Case Information Report, the ED's equivalent of a police FIR, is filed by the federal agency under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. 4. Arvind Kejriwal is going to hold a rally in Himachal's Kangra district today. First rally after the state unit was disbanded over leaders switching over to BJP. Kangra is one of the most politically significant districts in the State, with as many as 15 Assembly constituencies. The BJP's national president, J.P. Nadda, also held a roadshow for his party in Kangra district, from Kangra town to Nagrota Bagwan, yesterday, a day before Mr. Kejriwal's rally. Both events are being seen as a show of strength for the respective parties. 5. Police say, Five members of a family, including a two-year-old child, were found murdered today morning at their home in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj district. Senior police officer Ajay Kumar says injury marks on the bodies suggest that all five were hit on the head. The bodies have been sent for post-mortem and seven teams have been formed to look into the gruesome crime.
- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson highlights the collaboration between Oxford-Astra Zeneca and the Serum Institute of India for the production of COVID-19 vaccines and emphasises that he has 'the Indian jab' in his arms. Johnson makes the remarks during a joint press meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. SII CEO Adar Poonawala also meets the British Prime Minister during the day. 2. Amid reports that the ace election strategist may be on the verge of joining the opposition party with a mega revival plan thrown in, senior leader Digvijaya Singh says, there are doubts within the Congress on bringing Prashant Kishor into the party, but 'we have an open mind'. Digvijaya Singh, who is among the leaders Sonia Gandhi is consulting on the Prashant Kishor plan and who is in the panel that examined the strategist's roadmap for the Congress, describes the PK analysis as 'impressive'. 3. At a time bulldozers allegedly targeting a section of people in states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Delhi are at the core of a huge political controversy, demolitions in Rajasthan triggers tit for tat allegations. This is the first Congress-ruled state caught in the controversy over demolitions, so far, the BJP had faced allegations of fuelling communal clashes and then targeting riot-accused from one community. 4. In another dramatic development in the Karnataka Hijab ban row, the two students who had first petitioned the court to allow Hijab inside classrooms, were turned away from the examination centre of their final class 12 board examination after they insisted on taking the exams wearing burqas. 5. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar attends an Iftar party hosted by Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav, days after the RJD's victory in the Bochahan bypoll, which indicates Mr Yadav organised the party as a show of strength, considering the attendance. 6. Back home, the 30-share BSE Sensex plunges 715 points or 1.23 per cent to close at 57,197, while the broader NSE Nifty moves 221 points or 1.27 per cent lower to close at 17,172, dragged by selling pressure across all sectors. The domestic indices snap their two-day winning run to finish the week on a lower note. Investors turn cautious after the U.S. Federal Reserve hinted at an aggressive rate hike, a half percentage point, amid concerns about high inflation.
- There are doubts within the Congress on bringing Prashant Kishor into the party, but 'we have an open mind', senior leader Digvijaya Singh says, amid reports that the ace election strategist may be on the verge of joining the opposition party with a mega revival plan thrown in. 2. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, on a two-day visit to India, thanks Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the grand welcome a day ago in the latter's home state of Gujarat. 'I thank PM Narendra Modi and the people of India for the grand welcome. I felt like Sachin Tendulkar upon my arrival and also like Amitabh Bachchan when I saw hoardings everywhere,' he says, addressing PM Modi as his 'khaas dost' (special friend). 3. The Supreme Court expresses its displeasure over a Delhi Police affidavit filed in connection with alleged hate speeches made during an event held in the national capital and directs it to file a 'better affidavit'. Delhi Police had told the top court that no specific words against any community were uttered at an event organised by the Hindu Yuva Vahini' on December 19 last year. 4. Eighteen people test positive for COVID-19 at IIT Madras, taking the total to 30 cases in two days, officials say, amid a spike in coronavirus infections in some parts of the country. Tamil Nadu administration now imposes a heavy fine of Rs 500 from public for not wearing face mask. 5. In another dramatic development in the Karnataka Hijab ban row, the two students who had first petitioned the court to allow Hijab inside classrooms are turned away from the examination centre of their final class 12 board examination after they insist on taking the exams wearing burqas.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses an India-UK joint press conference with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is in India on a two-day visit for the first time since he took office as the UK PM. PM Modi says, we have discussed in detail our strategic and defence partnership. We also spoke about a free trade deal between the two nations. This will be ready by the year-end. This will be on similar lines as that of the India-Australia free trade agreement that we signed recently. 2. The Supreme Court expresses its displeasure over a Delhi Police affidavit filed in connection with alleged hate speeches made during an event held in the national capital and directs it to file a 'better affidavit'. Delhi Police had told the top court that no specific words against any community were uttered at an event organised here by the Hindu Yuva Vahini' on December 19 last year. 3. As per officials, eighteen people have tested positive for COVID-19 at IIT Madras, taking the total to 30 cases in two days, amid a spike in coronavirus infections in some parts of the country. 4. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar says that in order to tide over the current load shedding crisis in the state, the government has decided to import coal to some extent from outside the country for power generation. He says, 'load shedding is going on in the state. A meeting was held on this issue by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. I will take a review of the power department every week on the issue of load shedding and the cabinet has given its approval to check whether there is any availability of power in the country'. 5. In another dramatic development in the Karnataka Hijab ban row, the two students who had first petitioned the court to allow Hijab inside classrooms were today turned away from the examination centre of their final class 12 board examination after they insisted on taking the exams wearing burqas. 6. As per officials, a fierce gun battle erupted between security forces and terrorists near an army installation in Jammu, two days ahead of a visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the region. Two terrorists have been killed while a security officer has lost his life and four others injured in the shoot-out. 7. Five people have been arrested in connection with the murder of a man in the communal clashes in Khargone, Madhya Pradesh, during Ram Navami celebrations. Eyewitnesses confirm that the men were among those seen attacking Ibris Khan in Anand Nagar-Kapas Mandi locality on the night of April 10.
- Sources say, amid the rumours of his joining Congress, poll strategist Prashant Kishor will hold talks with party interim president Sonia Gandhi today. 2. Five people have been arrested in connection with the murder of a man in the communal clashes in Khargone, Madhya Pradesh, during Ram Navami celebrations. Sources say, eyewitnesses confirmed that the men were among those seen attacking Ibris Khan in Anand Nagar-Kapas Mandi locality on the night of April 10. 3. Addressing an event from the Red Fort to celebrate the 400th birth anniversary of Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, India has never posed a threat to any country or society and it thinks for the welfare of the entire world even today amid global conflicts, asserting the country is following the ideals of Sikh gurus. 4. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson who is on a two-day visit to India will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi today to hold in-depth talks on the UK and India's strategic defence, diplomatic and economic partnership, aimed at bolstering close partnership and stepping up security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. 5. Delhi government announces that the precautionary or the booster COVID-19 dose will be available for free to all eligible beneficiaries aged between 18 and 59 years in all government vaccination centres. This comes after the national capital witnesses a sharp rise in the coronavirus cases. 6. US President Joe Biden says he has authorized another USD 800 million in military aid for Ukraine, citing a 'critical window' in the conflict as Russia sets the stage for the next phase in the war. He says the new package will include heavy artillery, 144,000 rounds of ammunition and tactical drones.
- Rajasthan Congress leader Sachin Pilot meets Sonia Gandhi amid reports that he has expressed his fervent wish to become Chief Minister of his home state. After the meeting, referring to next year's elections in the state, Mr. Pilot says, 'I talked about how we need to break the trend and return to power in Rajasthan.' 2. Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani arrested by Assam Police, reportedly on a complaint by Arup Kumar Dey, a BJP leader from Kokrajhar in Assam, over now-removed tweets on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Mr Mevani is arrested from a Circuit House in Palanpur and has been taken to Assam. 3. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is on a two-day India visit, visits a factory of British heavy equipment maker JCB at Gujarat's Halol industrial area near Vadodara. He also meets industrialist Gautam Adani. According to sources, the two discussed key sectors such as energy transition, climate action, aerospace and defence collaboration. Meanwhile, the UK Prime Minister says he will raise Russia's invasion of Ukraine in his talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 4. Russian President Vladimir Putin claims the liberation of the flattened city of Mariupol after nearly two months of fighting, but signals he will forgo a final bloody offensive against beleaguered Ukrainian defenders there. The fate of the besieged port has become totemic as Russia battles to complete a land bridge covering territories of Ukraine already under its control, including Crimea.
- Demolitions in Delhi's Jahangirpuri is halted; Supreme Court says 'will take serious view of all demolitions after our decision'. A day after bulldozers were sent to Delhi's Jahangirpuri, where communal violence had erupted on Saturday, the Supreme Court says it would take a 'serious view' of demolitions that took place after its order pausing them. There will be no demolitions in Jahangirpuri until further orders, the court says, issuing notice to the civic body. 2. A delegation of Congress leaders visits violence-hit Jahangirpuri but is stopped by the police from going to the area where an anti-encroachment drive was conducted by the North MCD a day before. The Congress delegation includes former Union minister Ajay Maken and AICC in-charge of the state unit Shaktisinh Gohil. 3. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is seen trying his hand at the iconic charkha, or the spinning wheel, at Mahatma Gandhi's Ashram in Gujarat's Sabarmati. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will announce a slew of commercial agreements and hold bilateral discussions with a focus on the UK and India's trade, investment and technology partnership. 4. Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani is arrested by the Assam Police, reportedly on a complaint by a BJP leader over now removed tweets on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Mr Mevani is arrested from a Circuit House in Palanpur and is taken to Ahmedabad, from where he was flown to Assam. 5. Ousted All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief VK Sasikala is questioned by a special team of the Tamil Nadu Police over the sensational 2017 murder and robbery at former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's Kodanadu estate bungalow. Police question her at her T Nagar home in Chennai. 6. Russia successfully test fires the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile, a new addition to its nuclear arsenal. President Vladimir Putin says that the new missile would give Russia's enemies something to think about. 7. Extremely high temperature in Uttarakhand leads to snow melting rapidly near Hemkunt Sahib Yatra route in the state. A large amount of melting snow is seen flowing in the river.
- Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani, who had extended support to the Congress in September 2021, is arrested by the Assam Police from a Circuit House in Gujarat's Palanpur. He is taken to Ahmedabad and shall be taken to Assam today. The reason behind the arrest of Mr Mevani, a Dalit leader and convenor of political party Rashtriya Dalit Adhikar Manch, is not clear yet. 2. An anti-encroachment drive in Delhi's Jahangirpuri, after last week's communal clashes, is stopped following a Supreme Court order but not before a bulldozer razes structures near the mosque at the centre of Saturday's clash. Shortly after bulldozers start razing shops and other structures in the violence-hit area, the Supreme Court, acting on a petition, orders a halt and an urgent hearing today. 3. The demolition in Jahangirpuri is carried out without any notice; law says no demolition can take place without a show cause notice. 4. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson heads to India touting job creating investment but facing long odds to get his reluctant counterpart Prime Minister Narendra Modi to back Western action against Russia. 5. There is a rise in Delhi and Mumbai COVID-19 cases. 'Wearing masks in public places is made mandatory in Delhi', Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal announces. 6. Whether poll strategist Prashant Kishor will join the Congress and what his role will be in the 2024 national election will be decided by party chief Sonia Gandhi, top leaders say. 7. Ukraine proposes to hold a 'special round' of negotiations with Russia in the besieged city of Mariupol, a top Kyiv official says. 'Yes, without any conditions. We're ready to hold a 'special round of negotiations' right in Mariupol,' top Ukraine negotiator and presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak says on Twitter. 8. Wimbledon bans Russian and Belarusian players from the 2022 tournament in response to the invasion of Ukraine. The All England Lawn Tennis Club, which runs Wimbledon, says they are acting to 'limit Russia's global influence through the strongest means possible'.
- Supreme Court orders to stop the anti-encroachment drive in Delhi's Jahangirpuri, tense after last week's communal clashes. But a bulldozer razes structures near the mosque at the centre of Saturday's clash. Shortly after bulldozers start razing shops and other structures in the violence-hit area, the Supreme Court, acting on a petition, orders halt and urgent hearing on Thursday. But even after the court's order, the demolition continues for nearly two hours. The Mayor of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation, Raja Iqbal Singh, says they are yet to receive the order and will continue their job of removing illegal structures. 2. India reports 2,067 new Covid cases, a 65 per cent jump from Tuesday. According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the country's active caseload stands at 12,340. The number of deaths reported in the last 24 hours reaches 40. These include 32 backlog deaths added by Kerala. The Centre advises Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra and Mizoram to maintain a strict watch and take pre-emptive action, if required, in the areas of concern to control any emerging spread of the coronavirus. 3. Union Home minister Amit Shah speaks to the family of Bharatiya Janata Party activist Sai Ganesh from Telangana's Khammam district, whose death by suicide has sparked tension in the area. Alleging that he was unable to bear torture from police, Mr Ganesh attempted to take his own life on April 14 in front of the police station and died in a hospital two days later. Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar is scheduled to visit Khammam amid statewide protests planned by BJP. Party workers are demanding a probe by Central Bureau of Investigation and resignation of Transport Minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar. 4. Two alleged cattle smugglers killed and four police personnel injured in an ambush by militants in Assam's Kokrajhar district. According to the officer, the attack happened around 1.30 am when the smugglers were being taken to Jomduar area of the district by police personnel for identification of smuggling routes along Sankosh river. 5. Russia tells Ukrainian fighters still holding out in Mariupol to give up as it pushes for a decisive victory in its new eastern offensive, prompting Western governments to pledge more military help to Kyiv. Thousands of Russian troops backed by artillery and rocket barrages are advancing in what Ukrainian officials call the Battle of the Donbas. Earlier, they seized the city of Kreminna.
- Close to two months now, the war in Ukraine intensifies. Russia begins major military offensive in Donbas. NDTV brings ground report from Ukraine. 2. There is no evidence so far that the violence at Delhi's Jahangirpuri was planned, a top police officer says in the middle of a political blame game over who caused the clashes. A report has been submitted to the Home Ministry. 3. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus gives a pleasant surprise to the audience at the foundation stone ceremony of the Global Centre for Traditional Medicine in Gujarat's Jamnagar and meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi amid dispute over COVID-19 death numbers. 4. In a shocking incident of caste-based violence in Uttar Pradesh's Raebareli, a minor boy from the Dalit community is assaulted and made to lick the feet of one of the accused. 5. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath chairs a law-and-order review meeting, issuing a set of directions that assume significance considering the recent clashes in Delhi's Jahangirpuri area. It says that no religious procession or marches will be allowed without proper permission. All organisers will be required to submit an affidavit promising to maintain peace and harmony before permission is given. Only those religious traditional festivities will be allowed and new events will not be given permission, a tweet from his official account says. 6. The International Monetary Fund slashes the growth forecast for India for the current financial year by 80 basis points to 8.2 per cent, cautioning that the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war will in the long run hurt consumption and also growth as inflation will rise. But India tops the list among major economies. 7. Prime Minister Boris Johnson apologises to MPs after he becomes the first British leader fined for breaking the law, but faces opposition calls to quit for the sake of integrity in politics. Johnson is fined last week by the police for attending a birthday party thrown in his honour in June 2020 when people from different households were not allowed to meet indoors.
- In a shocking incident of caste-based violence in Uttar Pradesh's Raebareli, a 2 min 30-second video viral on social media shows, a minor boy from the Dalit community was assaulted and made to lick the feet of one of the accused. Police arrested eight people after the video of the assault went viral. The police say the incident took place on April 10 and the arrests were made after a written complaint by the victim. Some of the accused in the case are from so-called upper castes. 2. Delhi Police intensifies security arrangements around the C-block of Jahangirpuri in North West Delhi where clashes erupted Saturday evening between two communities. Police also is probing the role of the prime accused and conducting raids. The police have submitted a detailed report to the Ministry of Home Affairs. The report mentions arrests and teams have been formed to investigate the case. 3. Amid incidents of violence during festivals in some states, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directs that no religious procession should be taken out without permission and that usage of loudspeakers should not inconvenience others. 4. With political strategist Prashant Kishor meeting the Congress leaders, it is now certain that he is on-board in strategizing party's revival plan. However, what has caught everyone's attention is that in the second meeting, Congress ex-chief Rahul Gandhi was missing. While Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka both were present in the previous meeting but in today's meet, only Priyanka Gandhi was there. If sources are to be believed, Rahul Gandhi has left for a foreign trip. 5. Director-General of World Health Organization Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus is on a three-day visit to Gujarat, during which he will take part in a few events along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 6. Authorities in Kyiv say, Russia has launched a major offensive into eastern Ukraine, opening a new phase of its invasion after being thwarted in efforts to capture the capital. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says on Telegram, 'we can now confirm that Russian troops have begun the battle for the Donbas, which they have been preparing for a long time'.
- Shatrughan Sinha, whose quiet switch from the Congress to Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress was revealed recently when he was named as the party's candidate for by-polls in Bengal, says that poll strategist Prashant Kishor first reached out to him and plays a key role in his crossover. 'It was a big honour and opportunity for me to join Mamata Banerjee. Her party wanted me, she tweeted that I should be in the Trinamool and fight from the Asansol parliamentary seat. My elder brother Yashwant Sinha and Prashant Kishor played a very crucial role,' Shatrughan Sinha tells NDTV. 2. In his first interview after the opposition alliance's defeat in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, Akhilesh Yadav's ally Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Jayant Chaudhary claims that they have defeated the BJP in areas that are most affected by communal riots and where the issue of the exodus of Hindu residents was raised. Mr Chaudhary also declares that RLD will contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in alliance with Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party. 3. Uttar Pradesh's giant killer Pallavi Patel who defeated Keshav Maurya speaks to NDTV, she says, 'my sister's campaign worked in my favour'. 4. A day after attending rebels' meet Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda meets Rahul Gandhi; reports say Ghulam Nabi Azad may meet Sonia Gandhi. 5. Figures showing a global rise in COVID-19 cases could herald a much bigger problem as some countries also report a drop in testing rates, the WHO says, warning nations to remain vigilant against the virus. 'These increase are occurring despite reductions in testing in some countries, which means the cases we're seeing are just the tip of the iceberg,' WHO's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tells reporters. 6. South Korea continues to see an exponential rise in Covid cases amid a wave of Omicron infections. Hitting yet another milestone on Thursday, South Korea records over 6,00,000 new coronavirus cases, the highest daily spike the country has witnessed so far. 7. US President Joe Biden labels Vladimir Putin a 'war criminal' after watching harrowing TV footage of the invasion of Ukraine, triggering an immediate angry riposte from Russia. It is the first time Biden has used the phrase to describe Putin, and the US president then deepened his attack, tweeting that Putin is 'inflicting appalling devastation and horror on Ukraine bombing apartment buildings and maternity wards.' 8. Former cricketer Harbhajan Singh is likely to be nominated to Rajya Sabha from Punjab by the ruling Aam Aadmi Party government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, sources have said.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a no-holds barred attack on Congress, accuses it of adopting the 'divide and rule' policy of the British to rule a multicultural, diverse country. Hurling back the words of Jawaharlal Nehru in response to Rahul Gandhi's accusations of the government hurting federalism, he says it is Congress which has divisive mentality. Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his speech in the Lok Sabha, Congress says the PM did not speak about unemployment, the farmers who died protesting against the farm laws, the alleged Chinese intrusion in Ladakh, high inflation or the COVID-19 deaths. 2. Schools in Delhi and four other states reopen after a surge in Covid cases had led to their closure in December. Physical classes for classes 9 to 12 resume in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Odisha and Bihar. 3. As the hijab versus saffron scarves on campus clash spreads in Karnataka, two colleges declare holiday to avoid communal trouble while another college allows students wearing the hijab in separate classrooms. 4. A triple whammy of rising crude oil prices, sell-off by FIIs, and fears of liquidity taps running dry amid monetary policy tightening, hit benchmark indices. 5. A couple from Tamil Nadu brings tradition and technology together as they host their wedding reception in the metaverse. Dinesh SP and Janaganandhini Ramaswamy got married on February 6 in Sivalingapuram, a small tribal village of Tamil Nadu. However, friends and family from across the world were able to attend the wedding reception that followed as it took place in a virtual world.