News updates: AAP dissolves Assam state organization ahead of elections

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9:17 PM

Intelligence Bureau (IB) chief Tapan Kumar Deka gets one year extension: Personnel Ministry

9:15 PM

Ukraine makes its own targeting decisions, Pentagon says

The Pentagon said on Monday that Ukraine makes its own targeting decisions after the Kremlin directly blamed the United States for an attack on Crimea that it said was carried out with U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles and that killed at least four people and injured 151.
 

"Ukraine makes its own targeting decisions and conducts its own military operations," Major Charlie Dietz, a Pentagon spokesperson, said.

8:53 PM

MeT predicts wet spell in Himachal Pradesh till June 30

Four vehicles were stranded for a few hours near Ganbharpul on the Kunihar-Nalagarh road in the Arki area of Solan district in Himachal Pradesh as debris fell on the road following a heavy spell of rain.

 

The road was blocked for two-three hours and there were reports of partial damage to a house. Locals informed the Public Works department and in the meantime, removed the debris themselves and opened the road, officials said.

 

The local MeT office has issued a "yellow" warning for heavy rains, thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places on June 28 and for thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places on June 25, 27 and 29. It has predicted a wet spell in the hill state till June 30.

8:35 PM

Aam Aadmi Party dissolves the present organisation in the state of Assam with immediate effect

Aam Aadmi Party dissolves the present organisation in the state of Assam with immediate effect. Until the new organisational structure is announced, the State President, State Secretary and State Treasurer will continue to hold their posts.

 

AAP has constituted a Working Committee comprising the following leaders to restructure the party organisation- Dr Bhaben Choudhury (convenor), Manoj Dhanowar (Co-Convenor), Rajiv Saikia, Mamun Imdadul Haque Chaudhary, Rishiraj Kaundinya, Anurupa Dekaraja

8:01 PM

Govt committed to bringing more reforms: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday for introducing the Goods and Services Tax (GST), which he said has been effective in reducing the prices of household items, and asserted that the NDA government is committed to bringing more reforms to improve the lives of the citizens.

 

According to the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs' (CBIC) data, a majority of household items, including flour, cosmetics, televisions and refrigerators, have become cheaper after the GST implementation.

7:58 PM

Boiler explodes at powder coating factory in Ahmedabad; unit owner among 2 dead

A boiler exploded at a powder coating factory in Ahmedabad city on Monday, killing two persons, including the unit's owner, and triggering a fire, police said.

 

Three others sustained injuries in the boiler explosion at the factory located in the Odhav area of Ahmedabad city, they said. An industrial boiler is a closed device in which fluid is heated. The blast in the boiler of Banshi Powder Coating's factory killed two persons, including the owner of the unit and a worker, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Krunal Desai said, adding the cause of the explosion was not immediately known. The blast triggered a blaze in the factory, where fire brigade personnel and police rushed to bring the situation under control, he said. "A team from the forensic science laboratory has been called to examine the cause of the blast," Desai said.

 

A case of accidental death has been registered by the police, the ACP added.

7:54 PM

Dali cargo ship leaves Baltimore for Virginia, nearly 3 months after bridge collapse, reports AP

7:24 PM

Maruti Suzuki receives Rs 5.4 cr show cause notice from GST Dept

Maruti Suzuki receives a Show Cause Notice of Rs 5.4 cr issued by GST Department, Gujarat for the period July 20l7 to March 2023 on account of input tax credit denial on certain services.

6:42 PM

CBI takes over 5 cases from Bihar, Gujarat and Rajasthan pertaining to alleged malpractices in NEET-UG

The CBI has assumed control of five cases from Bihar, Gujarat, and Rajasthan concerning suspected irregularities in NEET-UG. These cases involve allegations of malpractice, signaling a significant development in the investigation into the conduct of the national medical entrance exam.

6:41 PM

Delhi High Court to pronounce verdict on Arvind Kejriwal bail tomorrow

The Delhi High Court will on Tuesday 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 the money laundering case stemming from the alleged excise scam.

5:28 PM

Mamata urges PM Modi to consider abolishing NEET

Mamata Banerjee has written to the Prime Minister, expressing her strong reservation over the exclusion of the Bengal government from discussions on Teesta water sharing and the Farakka Treaty with Bangladesh. 

She has also urged him to consider abolishing NEET, restore system of conducting the exam by states following paper leak row.

5:11 PM

Mamata writes to PM, urges him to consider abolishing NEET

Mamata writes to PM, urges him to consider abolishing NEET, restore system of conducting the exam by states following paper leak row. 

5:02 PM

BJP chief Nadda questions Congress' 'stoic silence' on Tamil Nadu liquor tragedy

The tragedy, which left 56 dead "until now" and almost 159 persons hospitalised, was entirely a "man-made disaster", BJP chief Nadda said in his letter to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, and alleged a nexus between the ruling "DMK-INDI alliance" dispensation and illicit liquor mafia as the reason behind the "worst ever" such incident.

5:00 PM

Toshakhana case: Imran Khan appeals to Pakistan SC for swift hearing

Pakistan's jailed former prime minister Imran Khan on Monday today moved the Supreme Court, seeking an expedited hearing of his appeal against his disqualification by the election commission in the Toshakhana corruption case. In December last year, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder challenged in the Lahore High Court (LHC) the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) ruling of disqualifying him for five years for not declaring Toshakhana gifts in his statement of assets and liabilities.

4:57 PM

Rahul Gandhi's grandmother tried to abolish the Constitution and imposed the Emergency, claims BJP leader

"The opposition leader (Rahul Gandhi) keeps visiting different places with a copy of the Constitution. During the (Lok Sabha) elections, he spread rumours that the Constitution will be abolished and reservation will end. It, however, was Congress and Rahul Gandhi's grandmother (Indira Gandhi) who tried to abolish it and imposed the Emergency. She also imposed restrictions on media and jailed all opposition leaders," Jharkhand BJP president Babulal Marandi said today. 

4:35 PM

Russia's Dagestan holds day of mourning after attacks kill 19 people

Russia's southern region of Dagestan held the first of three days of mourning on Monday following a rampage by Islamic militants who killed 19 people, most of them police, and attacked houses of worship in apparently coordinated assaults in two cities.

4:33 PM

SLBCs can create a more inclusive financial ecosystem: RBI DG

Reserve Bank Deputy Governor Swaminathan J has said State Level Bankers' Committees (SLBC) can play a more effective role in financial inclusion through better coordination with government and NGOs in credit planning and promoting digital financial literacy. "By focusing on effective coordination with government and NGOs, adopting a scientific approach to credit planning, and emphasising digital financial literacy, SLBCs can create a more inclusive financial ecosystem," he said at the Conference of Convenors of SLBCs at Pune on June 19.

4:02 PM

CBI team reaches Godhra to investigate irregularities in NEET-UG exam

A CBI team reached Godhra city in Gujarat's Panchmahal district on Monday to investigate the case of alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG medical entrance exam held on May 5, officials said.

3:48 PM

20 dead after massive fire breaks out at South Korea lithium battery plant

A factory fire that started after multiple lithium batteries exploded has killed at least 16 people in South Korea. The blaze broke out today morning at the Aricell plant in Hwaseong city, about 45km (28 miles) south of the capital Seoul.

3:11 PM

Adi Kailash, Om Parvat yatras suspended for monsoon

Pilgrimages to Adi Kailash and Om Parvat in Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district will be temporarily suspended from June 25, an official said today. The decision to temporarily suspend the yatras was taken amid fear that monsoon rain could disrupt the pilgrimages to the high-altitude sites, said Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam official LM Tiwari.

2:24 PM

NEET-UG 2024: Supreme Court refuses to hear plea seeking urgent probe

The top court today refused to hear a plea seeking a probe by central investigative agencies, including the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), into alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2024 examination. Read here for more details.

2:21 PM

Kallakurichi hooch tragedy: Tamil Nadu BJP delegation meets Governor, seeks CBI probe

A BJP delegation led by its state chief K Annamalai on Monday met Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi, seeking a CBI probe into the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy that left 53 people dead. In a post on 'X,' Annamalai claimed that 60 lives have been lost due to the tragedy and also urged Ravi to direct Chief Minister M K Stalin to drop his cabinet colleague S Muthusamy, who holds the Prohibition and Excise portfolio, holding him 'responsible' for the episode.

 

1:43 PM

No action taken against NTA Chairman PK Joshi, says Congress

The Congress today claimed that there has been no action against chairman of the National Testing Agency (NTA) PK Joshi, who is "holding interviews" for appointment of VCs and Directors of premier educational institutes across the country.

Congress leader Pawan Khera claimed that last week, Joshi interviewed candidates for the post of Vice Chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi University Wardha and today he will interview candidates for directorship of the prestigious Indian Institute for Advanced Study (Shimla).

1:38 PM

Delhi water crisis: Delhi ministers seek urgent solution of water crisis in letter to PM Modi

Delhi Cabinet ministers wrote a letter to Prime Narendra Modi today and asking him to resolve the water crisis in the national capital on a priority basis, Environment minister Gopal Rai said. Delhi cabinet ministers said Atishi's indefinite fast has entered the fourth day and her health is deteriorating.

12:47 PM

SC adjourns hearing in Kejriwal case till June 26, says don't want to pre-judge matter

The Supreme Court today fixed June 26 for hearing Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's plea against the Delhi High Court order putting interim stay on his bail in the money laundering case linked to the alleged excise scam.

12:40 PM

Will be prejudging issue, if we pass any order on CM Kejriwal's plea against HC’s stay order: Supreme Court

During the hearing, the Supreme Court bench told Abhishek Singhvi that if it passes any order on CM Kejriwal's plea against HC’s stay order, it will be prejudging issue.

12:31 PM

Kejriwal hearing news update: CM Kejriwal seeks vacating of HC's stay on bail order in liquor policy case

Chaudhary: it is a strange plea they are taking.. they challenged the bail order when the bail order was not even uploaded

 

ASG: yes you are correct.. but once you look at the order, it does not satisfy section 45. 

12:14 PM

Centre amends rules to allow 6 months maternity leave for staff in case of surrogacy

Women government employees can take 180 days of maternity leave in case they have children through surrogacy after amendments were announced to a 50-year-old rule by the Centre. It has also allowed the "commissioning mother" (the intending mother of the child born through surrogacy) with child care leave besides paternity leave of 15 days to the "commissioning father", according to the changes made in the Central Civil Services (Leave) Rules, 1972.

12:01 PM

News update: Kalaburagi airport in Karnataka gets bomb threat

The Kalaburagi airport here received a bomb threat via email on June 24 and a search operation is on, police said. Kalaburagi Police Commissioner Chethan R told PTI that the Airport Director received an email from an anonymous ID this morning claiming that a bomb was planted inside the airport premises.

 

"As soon as we received information about a bomb threat email at Kalaburagi domestic airport, a bomb disposal squad was dispatched. All the passengers on the flight were de-boarded. All the airport staff and passengers have been shifted to a safer place while an intensive and thorough search operation is being carried out," he said.

11:06 AM

Stand against short-seller attack vindicated when Supreme Court affirmed our actions, says Gautam Adani

Adani Group's stance against the Hindenburg report was vindicated when Supreme Court. We received the trust of respected global investors — GQG Partners, TotalEnergies, IHC, QIA, US Development Finance Corp