Highlights of the day: Rahul Gandhi to keep Rae Bareli LS seat, vacate Wayanad seat, says Kharge

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9:17 PM

Union Agriculture Minister Chouhan resigns as MLA from Budhni after being elected to LS

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan resigns as MLA from Budhni in MP after being elected to Lok Sabha.

9:16 PM

5 Maoists killed in encounter with security forces in Jharkhand

Following the recovery of another Maoist's body, the death toll from Monday's encounter with security forces in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district has now risen to five. The encounter took place around 5 am near Lipunga, within Gua police station limits, approximately 200 km from Jharkhand's capital, Ranchi.

7:40 PM

Won't let people of Wayanad feel Rahul's absence: Priyanka on her contesting Wayanad LS seat

''I won't let people of Wayanad feel Rahul Gandhi's absence,'' said Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on her contesting Wayanad Lok Sabah seat.

 

7:33 PM

Priyanka to contest from Wayanad LS seat vacated by Rahul: Kharge

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to contest from Wayanad Lok Sabha seat vacated by Rahul Gandhi: Mallikarjun Kharge.

7:31 PM

Rahul to keep Rae Bareli LS seat, vacate Wayanad seat: Cong chief Kharge

Rahul Gandhi will keep Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat, vacate Wayanad seat, said Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge.

 

7:09 PM

'Cong top brass hold discussions to decide on Rahul's Lok Sabha seat'

The top leadership of Congress gathered at party chief Mallikarjun Kharge's residence to deliberate on whether Rahul Gandhi should vacate his Wayanad or Rae Bareli seat. The meeting also addressed the possibility of Rahul Gandhi assuming the role of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, according to sources.

6:25 PM

Assembly by-polls: Congress announces candidates for Hamirpur, Nalagarh

The Congress announced its candidates for the by-polls in Himachal Pradesh's Hamirpur and Nalagarh assembly constituencies, while the candidate for the Dehra seat has yet to be named. Congress general secretary K C Venugopal released the list after receiving approval from party chief Mallikarjun Kharge. The Congress nominated Pushpinder Verma for Hamirpur and Hardeep Singh Baba for Nalagarh. Verma and Baba will face their previous rivals Krishan Lal Thakur and Ashish Sharma, who defeated them as independents in the 2022 assembly elections.

5:43 PM

NSA Doval, Jake Sullivan hold India-US iCET meeting in Delhi

National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and his US counterpart Jake Sullivan participated in the annual meeting of the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) on Monday. The delegation-level discussions took place in the national capital. This marks the second iCET meeting between the two nations, spanning two days on June 17 and 18. The inaugural meeting occurred in the United States in January of the previous year.

5:25 PM

Newly elected MP Bidhuri requests BJP chief Nadda to relieve him of LoP post in Delhi Assembly

BJP MLA Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, who has been elected to the Lok Sabha, has asked party president JP Nadda to release him from his role as the leader of the opposition in the Delhi assembly. Bidhuri recently ran for office in the South Delhi parliamentary constituency during the general elections.

4:56 PM

Russian President Putin to visit North Korea on June 18-19

News Agency AP reported that Russian President Putin will visit North Korea on June 18-19.

4:51 PM

Fire at hospital in south Delhi, no one injured

A fire broke out a private cancer hospital in south Delhi's Kotla Mubarakpur area today afternoon. No one was injured in the fire, officials said. Eight fire tenders were pressed into service to control the fire, they added.

4:17 PM

'Full of arrogance, prejudice and lies': China criticizes G7 statement on Russia-Ukraine war

China retorted today after G7 leaders warned Beijing to stop sending weapons components to Russia, saying their end-of-summit statement was "full of arrogance, prejudice and lies".

4:03 PM

IMD weather update: Heatwave likely to continue in North India

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast that the heatwave would continue on Monday in Delhi-NCR. The IMD said: “Heatwave to severe heatwave conditions very likely in many/most parts of Uttar Pradesh during 16th-18th and Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi on 16th & 17th; in isolated/some parts of Bihar & Jharkhand on June 16 & June 17 and decrease in intensity thereafter over above regions.” 

 

3:35 PM

NCERT has no aversion to using either 'Bharat' or 'India' in textbooks: NCERT Director Dinesh Saklani

NCERT Director Dinesh Saklani has stated that 'Bharat' and 'India' will be used interchangeably in school textbooks, and a debate over the issue will be 'useless'.

3:32 PM

'Teary' PM Modi said NDA could not bag a single Lok Sabha seat in Tamil Nadu: DMK

DMK's Tamil mouthpiece 'Murasoli' on today claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the recent meeting of MPs of the National Democratic Alliance had said with 'teary eyes' that they could not bag even a single Lok Sabha seat in Tamil Nadu. "He did not say why they could not win. He does not seem to have realised the reason for that. He will not spell out the reason even if he has realised and he cannot disclose that reason," Murasoli stated in its editorial.

2:59 PM

Days after Lok Sabha election results, BJP appoints party leaders as state election incharges

BJP appoints party leaders Bhupender Yadav and Ashwini Vaishnaw as State election incharge and co-incharge for Maharashtra

 

Party leaders Dharmendra Pradhan and Biplab Kumar Dev made election incharges for Haryana

2:57 PM

19 trains cancelled after goods train rams into Kanchenjunga Express in West Bengal

19 trains cancelled after the Kanchenjunga Express train met with an accident in the Phansidewa area of the Darjeeling district, West Bengal

 

8 people died and around 25 got injured in the accident.

2:51 PM

Facilities at Delhi airport impacted after power outage reported

Power outage reported at Delhi airport, boarding and check-in facilities impacted

2:28 PM

NEET exam case: Action to be taken if anyone found guilty, says education minister Pradhan

Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan asserted that the Centre would take strong action against functionaries of the National Testing Agency (NTA) if they were found to be involved in irregularities in the conduct of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), 2024. Pradhan made this statement during his visit to Sambalpur in Odisha on Sunday.

1:51 PM

Goods train catches fire in Uttar Pradesh's Sultanpur; no one injured

An official stated today that a bogie of goods train on the way to Varanasi caught fire at the Sultanpur Railway Station. No casualty was reported in the incident.

1:30 PM

Delhi water crisis is BJP-sponsored, says AAP leader Sanjay Singh

AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh accused the BJP  of hatching a conspiracy against the residents of the national capital. "I am saying there is a BJP-sponsored water crisis. BJP wants no water for Delhi people and there are doing all conspiracies to ensure it," Singh alleged. He said the Delhi gets water from Haryana, and when the BJP-ruled state does not give the required water, it leads to a shortage.

1:19 PM

Actor Darshan arrest case: No soft corner for anyone, says Karnataka home minister

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara today stated that there was no question of showing soft corner for anyone with regard to investigation into the Renukaswamy murder case in which Kannada actor Darshan and his actress friend Pavithra Gowda have been taken into custody. "There is no question of protecting or showing soft corner for anyone. We will not succumb to any such things," Parameshwara told reporters.

12:28 PM

Delhi weather update: Maximum temperature expected at 45 degrees Celsius

12:05 PM

At least 14 Jordanian haj pilgrims dead in Saudi Arabia due to heat

At least 14 Jordanian pilgrims have died while on the haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, officials said on June 16, amid rising temperatures in the kingdom.

11:49 AM

News update: Former Karnataka CM Yediyurappa appears before CID for inquiry in POCSO case

11:40 AM

Kanchanjunga Express train accident LIVE: Railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw leaving for Darjeeling

Union Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw is leaving for Darjeeling to visit Kanchenjunga Express train accident site, media outlets reported today.

 

11:20 AM

Ministry of Home Affairs hands over Reasi bus attack investigation to NIA

The central government  has decided to hand over the investigation into the June 9 attack on a bus carrying pilgrims in Reasi to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), The Hindustan Times reported on Monday.

11:06 AM

Kanchanjunga train accident news updates: 5 passengers dead, 30 injured after train mishap

 At least five passengers were dead and 30 injured after a goods train crashed into the Kanchanjunga Express from behind in West Bengal's New Jalpaiguri today morning. 

10:47 AM

Ex-Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa to appear before CID in POCSO case today

Former Karnataka chief Minister and senior BJP leader BS Yediyurappa will appear before the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) today for questioning in the POCSO case registered against him. The Karnataka High Court had held back the CID from arresting Yediyurappa in connection with the POCSO case.

10:43 AM

Kanchanjungha Express news: DM, SP, doctors, and ambulances have been rushed to site, says CM Mamata

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in a post on X, said: “Shocked to learn, just now, about a tragic train accident, in Phansidewa area of Darjeeling district. While details are awaited, Kanchenjunga Express has reportedly been hit by a goods train. “DM, SP, doctors, ambulances and disaster teams have been rushed to the site for rescue, recovery, medical assistance. Action on war-footing initiated.”