Rajasthan LIVE: Sachin Pilot involved in horse trading, says CM Gehlot

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3:13 AM

Another lockdown will hit automakers hard, affect capex plans: CARE Ratings

In the eventuality of another spell of a pan-India lockdown, the automobile sector will continue its downwards trajectory, which will seriously affect workforce and OEMs may have to further delay product launches and capex plans, CARE Ratings said in a report.

 

Several state governments have been announcing lockdown again in select areas for different time periods to check the Covid-19 pandemic amid rising numbers of infection cases in the country. Read more

3:11 AM

Google to invest Rs 33,737 crore for 7.73% stake in Jio Platforms

Reliance Industries (RIL) Chairman Mukesh Ambani on Wednesday announced a strategic partnership with Google and development of in-house 5G solutions, in a bid to win over new customers and create a platform for future growth.

 

Google will invest Rs 33,737 crore for 7.73 per cent stake in Jio Platforms. The two companies will collaborate for the development of entry-level affordable 4G and 5G smartphones as well as Android-based operating systems, Ambani announced during the virtual annual general meeting (AGM). Read more

12:58 AM

'I'm not a bad guy': Police video captures distraught Floyd

Body-camera footage made public Wednesday from two Minneapolis police officers involved in George Floyd's arrest captured a panicked and fearful Floyd pleading with the officers in the minutes before his death, saying I'm not a bad guy!" as they tried to wrestle him into a squad car.

I'm not that kind of guy, Floyd says as he struggles against the officers. I just had Covid, man, I don't want to go back to that."

An onlooker pleads with Floyd to stop struggling, saying, You can't win! Floyd replies, I don't want to win!

A few minutes later, with Floyd now face-down on the street, the cameras record his fading voice, still occasionally saying, I can't breathe before he goes still.

12:49 AM

Fed survey says economy has picked up but outlook cloudy

The Federal Reserve says economic activity has picked up in most regions of the country but still remains well below pre-pandemic levels with the country facing high levels of uncertainty.

 

The Fed reported Wednesday that its latest survey of economic conditions around the country found improvements in consumer spending and other areas but said the gains were from very low levels seen when widespread lockdowns push the country into a deep recession.

 

And the report said that business contacts in the Fed's 12 regions remained wary about the future.

12:48 AM

Delhi University to hold final year exams in August

The Delhi University will conduct the online open book examinations for final year undergraduate and postgraduate students from August 10 to August 31, it said on Wednesday.

 

However, DU said, students unable to appear in the exams in August will get another chance.

 

The varsity had informed the Delhi High Court last week that it has decided to postpone the Open Book Examinations (OBE), scheduled from July 10, for final year undergraduate courses to next month.

12:33 AM

Haryana CM Khattar says his govt is working with a vision to ensure no youth in the state remains unemployed

12:28 AM

Trump may claim harassment in tax return quest: Lawyers

A week after losing a Supreme Court ruling, President Donald Trump's lawyers said Wednesday they're considering challenging subpoenas for his tax records by criminal prosecutors on grounds that the subpoenas are a fishing expedition or a form of harassment or retaliation against him.

 

The plans were outlined in a letter to a Manhattan federal judge overseeing legal squabbles related to Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr.'s request for eight years of Trump's personal and corporate tax records in a criminal probe.

 

Vance is seeking the records from Trump's accountant in part for a probe of payments that Trump's then-personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, arranged during the 2016 presidential race to keep two women from airing their claims of extramarital affairs with Trump. Trump has denied the affairs.

12:26 AM

JC Penney to close another 152 stores, cuts 1,000 jobs

JC Penney says it will close an additional 152 stores and cut 1,000 jobs as it tries to fight its way out from under bankruptcy protection.

The company last month said it had identified 154 stores for closure in the first phase of a restructuring in which it will become a smaller operator.

The retailer said Wednesday that the jobs to be eliminated will include corporate, field management and international positions.

12:08 AM

Two Rajasthan MLAs hit out at Gehlot, ask how much money was given to them when they joined Congress from BSP

11:05 PM

BJP questions speaker's notice to Pilot, rebel Cong MLAs

Absence from a legislature party meeting can't be a ground for disqualification from the state assembly, said Rajasthan BJP chief Satish Poonia raising a question over notices sent to rebel Congress leader Sachin Pilot and his supporter MLAs in this regard.

 

Rajasthan Speaker C P Joshi has issued notices to Sachin Pilot and other rebel Congress MLAs after the party sought their disqualification from the state assembly.

 

Sacked deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot and the other MLAs were asked to respond to the notices by Friday, sources said. The notices were issued on Tuesday.

10:51 PM

CBSE class 10 results: Delhi govt schools improve pass percentage

Delhi government schools have improved their pass percentage to 82.61 per cent this year as against 71.58 per cent last year in the class 10 CBSE exams, a statement said on Wednesday.

At the all-India level, Delhi schools altogether improved their pass percentage from 80.97 per cent in 2019 to 85.86 per cent this year, it said.

Government schools improved their pass percentage at the national level from 71.91 per cent last year to 80.91 per cent this year.

As many as 147 schools under Delhi's Directorate of Education, the nodal body for government schools, achieved 100 per cent result as opposed to 60 per cent last year, the statement issued by the Delhi government said.

As many as 474 schools achieved 90 per cent and above pass percentage as against 226 schools last year. The total number of government schools in Delhi is 1,005 in 2020 while in 2019 it was 995.

10:44 PM

India's services exports dip 10.24 per cent in May

India's service sector exports dipped by 10.14 per cent to $16.77 billion in May, RBI data showed on Wednesday.

 

Services payments or imports in May stood at $9.94 billion, down 20.45 per cent, according to the central bank data.

 

The Reserve Bank releases monthly data on India's international trade in services with a lag of around 45 days.

10:42 PM

Congress in Telangana to launch Narasimha Rao centenary celebrations on July 24

9:57 PM

Pompeo confident democracies will unite to face China's challenge

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday that he is confident that the world's free nations will join together to face the challenges from China to India and other countries in Asia.

 

"I think that the whole world is coalescing around the challenge that we face (from China)... I am confident that democracies, the free nations of the world, will push back on these," he said while replying to a question about the Chinese confrontation with India in the Ladakh region.

 

He said that India was "an important partner" of the US and "I have a great relationship with my Foreign Minister counterpart (S Jaishankar). We talk frequently about a broad range of issues. We talked about the conflict that they had along the border with China, we talked about the threat that emanates from the Chinese telecommunication infrastructure".

9:56 PM

12 killed in rain, flood related incidents in India; red alert issued for Gujarat, coastal Maharashtra

9:55 PM

India, EU adopt declaration on moving towards more circular economic model

India and the European Union on Wednesday adopted a joint declaration on moving towards a more circular economic model that provides for reduction in primary resource consumption and enhances the use of secondary raw materials.

 

The declaration was adopted at a virtual summit of the leaders of the two sides that resolved to significantly expand bilateral economic engagement, recognising that post Covid-19 recovery priorities offer opportunities to unleash the full potential for trade and investment ties.

 

The India delegation at the summit was led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi while the EU team was headed by President of the European Council Charles Michel and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

 

The declaration on the circular economic model said both sides consider that enhancing resource efficiency and moving towards a more circular economic model that reduces primary resource consumption is important, notably in the context of the post Covid-19 economic recovery efforts.

9:46 PM

India-China border tensions: EU says it supports efforts to maintain dialogue channel for peaceful solution

9:43 PM

PM Oli has lost moral and political grounds to rule: Nepali Congress

Opposition Nepali Congress on Wednesday strongly condemned Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli's controversial statements on Ayodhya and said that he has "lost the moral and political basis" to rule the country.

 

The party also sought the official stand of the ruling Communist Party of Nepal (NCP) and the government on the Prime Minister's remarks that Ayodhya lies in Birgunj and Ram was born in Nepal.

 

In a statement, Nepali Congress spokesperson Bishwo Prakash Sharma said his party "strongly disagrees with the Prime Minister's recent statements and behaviour".

9:42 PM

US considers India an important military and trade partner: Mike Pompeo

9:40 PM

Assam floods claim 7 more lives

Seven more people died in flood-related incidents in Assam on Wednesday and nearly 36 lakh people across 26 districts are affected by the deluge, an official bulletin said.

 

According to the daily flood report of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), three people died in Morigaon district, two in Barpeta, while one each in Sonitpur and Golaghat districts.

 

So far, 92 people have died in flood-related incidents in the state, it said. While 66 people died in floods, 26 were killed in landslides.

 

The deluge-hit districts were Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Biswanath, Sonitpur, Darrang, Baksa, Nalbari, Barpeta, Chirang, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, Dhubri, South Salmara, Goalpara, Kamrup, Kamrup Metropolitan, Morigaon, Nagaon, Hojai, Golaghat, Jorhat, Majuli, Sivasagar, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia and Karbi Anglong.

9:39 PM

Heavy rains expected in Gujarat on July 16: IMD

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy rains in Gujarat on Thursday and issued a red alert for it.
 

The weather department has also issued an orange colour alert for Goa, coastal and central Maharashtra for the same day.
 

Isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall very likely over Gujarat on Thursday, the IMD said.

9:27 PM

India looking forward to partner Italy in food processing sector: Badal

Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Wednesday said India is looking forward to partner Italy in the area of food processing which has a huge market potential in the country.

 

She was addressing the opening session of 'Digital Indo-Italian Business Mission on Food Processing', held virtually on Wednesday.

 

Under the two-day event, digital conferences, trade fair and B2B meetings are being held, an official statement said.

 

Highlighting the role of food processing sector in current scenario, Badal said many food processing companies are attempting to diversify and expand their product line up.

8:54 PM

PM Narendra Modi says those not happy with CBSE board exams results should remember that one exam doesn't define who they are

8:53 PM

PM Modi congratulates students for clearing class 10, 12 CBSE board exams

8:38 PM

Sachin Pilot was horse-trading with BJP to topple Rajasthan govt, we have proof: CM Ashok Gehlot

Without taking the name of Sachin Pilot who was sacked on Tuesday as the PCC chief and deputy chief minister of Rajasthan, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday said that the Dy CM was himself engaged in a deal to topple the government and he has all the proof about it, IANS reported.

 

Being fluent in English, giving strong bytes to the media and having a handsome personality doesn't mean everything. However, what matters is what stays in your heart for your nation, what is your commitment for your country and what are your ideologies and policies for your party. Sone ki chhuri pet mein khane ki liye nahin hoti (You never use a golden knife to cut your own stomach), he commented making a direct attack on Pilot without referring to his name.

 

Gehlot said that the PCC chief was talking to the BJP and the deal was closed at 2 a.m. and a monetary transaction was done. He also accused the Modi government of being engaged in the entire plot.

 

"A few of our party members became over ambitious and joined hands with the BJP. In fact, our PCC chief and deputy CM himself was involved in the deal. We have proof, They were talking at 2 a.m., we were informed that a deal is being done to topple our government. I have proof against the same and have names of the people who refused to take the money," Gehlot said.

7:40 PM

Leave BJP's security cover if you don't want to join it: Randeep Singh Surjewala to Sachin Pilot

Senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala on Wednesday urged rebel party leader Sachin Pilot to return to Jaipur leaving BJP's security cover in Haryana if he does not wish to join the latter.

 

His statement came hours after Pilot had said he did not wish to join the BJP.

 

"We have seen Sachin Pilot's statement that he won't join BJP. I would like to tell him that if you don't want that, then you should immediately come out of the security cover of BJP's Haryana government, stop all conversations with them and come back to your home in Jaipur," Surjewala said at a press conference.

 

Earlier in the day, Pilot had said he did not have any plan to join the BJP. "I am not joining BJP," he had said while speaking to ANI.

 

Saying that BJP's efforts to topple the Government in Rajasthan have failed, he added, "Development in last 24 hours, including Rajasthan BJP chief's press conference, have confirmed one thing. Their efforts to topple the chosen government in Rajasthan have failed. The BJP was trying to buy our MLAs but could not do so."

 

7:22 PM

CBSE Class 10 results: Thiruvananthapuram tops, Delhi lags at 14th spot

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Wednesday declared the results of its Class X board examination with Thiruvananthapuram securing the top position, followed by Chennai and Bengaluru at number 2 and 3, respectively, while Delhi figured at a distant 14th spot. In the results declared by the CBSE, 91.46 per cent students passed the board examination, 0.36 per cent higher than the previous year.

 

Thiruvananthapuram's pass percentage was 99.28 per cent, followed by Chennai (98.95 per cent), Bengaluru (98.23 per cent), Pune (98.05 per cent) and Ajmer (96.93 per cent).

 

Panchkula, a city in Haryana located near Chandigarh, came sixth with a pass percentage of 94.31 per cent, followed by Bhubaneswar (93.20 per cent), Bhopal (92.86 per cent), Chandigarh (91.83 per cent) and Patna (90.69%), which rounded off the top 10 list.

 

Delhi West secured the 14th spot with a pass percentage of 85.96 per cent, followed by Delhi East where 85.79 per cent students passed the Class X examination. Guwahati was ranked at the bottom with a pass percentage of 79.12 per cent.

7:11 PM

Safety of women, children topmost priority of Modi govt: Union Home Minister Amit Shah

7:02 PM

Water enters Osmania General Hospital in Hyderabad following heavy rainfall in the city

7:02 PM

LIVE: Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) briefing the media