Highlights of the day: My aim is to make Mumbai a global fintech capital, says PM Modi

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10:44 PM

Senior diplomat Tanmaya Lal appointed Secretary (West) in MEA

Seasoned diplomat Tanmaya Lal was on Saturday appointed as Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), according to an official order.

Lal, a 1991 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, is currently India's envoy to Sweden.

10:32 PM

SC likely to get two new judges next week

The Union law ministry is learnt to have started processing the names of Justices N Kotiswar Singh and R Mahadevan for their elevation to the Supreme Court, and their appointments are likely to take place next week. Sources in the know said the "paperwork" is likely to be completed soon.

9:57 PM

Shelling kills four in Ukraine as a drone attack sparks fire at an oil depot in Russia

Russian shelling of Ukraine killed four people on Saturday, officials said, as the two countries exchanged drone attacks, one of which set ablaze a Russian oil depot.

Two people died in Ukraine's partly occupied Kherson region and two were wounded in the attack close to the regional capital, said Gov. Oleksandr Prokudin. Two other people died Saturday afternoon and 16 were wounded in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region, according to Gov. Oleh Syniehubov.

9:25 PM

50,000 trees, 550,000 shrubs planted so far this year in Delhi: DDA

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) said Saturday it has planted 50,000 trees and 5,50,000 shrubs in the 2024-25 fiscal year so far across the city and is taking steps to ensure the saplings are nurtured sufficiently to achieve optimal survival.

In a statement, the DDA said that as per its regular practice of greening Delhi, it is conducting plantation drives and awareness camps with the advent of the monsoons with the support of local people, schoolchildren and public representatives among others.

8:36 PM

Teaching law in regional languages can improve access to legal system: CJI

Chief Justice of India Justice Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud on Saturday said law students should be well-versed with regional languages and laws related to regional issues so that people's access to the legal system can be improved. Addressing the third convocation of Ram Manohar Lohia National Law University, Lucknow, Justice DY Chandrachud underscored the importance of imparting legal education in easy language, asserting that it is currently a shortcoming in the legal profession.

8:19 PM

We are going to see India become third largest economy in a very short time: PM Modi

We are going to see India become third largest economy in a very short time, said PM Modi after inaugurating INS Towers in Mumbai.

8:14 PM

Media makes people aware of their strength: PM Modi

Media makes people aware of their strength, said PM Modi after inaugurating INS Towers in Mumbai.

8:07 PM

Media's natural role to create discourse: PM after inaugurating Indian Newspaper Society's INS Towers

Media's natural role is to create discourse, said PM Modi after inaugurating Indian Newspaper Society's INS Towers in Mumbai.

7:46 PM

Before 2014, most people were unaware of the word 'startup': PM Modi in Mumbai

Before 2014, most people were unaware of the word “startup”, media made it reach every home, said PM Modi in Mumbai.

7:24 PM

PM Modi launches, lays foundation stone of projects worth Rs 29,400 cr in Mumbai

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched and laid the foundation stone of various projects worth more than Rs 29,400 crores in Mumbai on Saturday. PM Modi was felicitated by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar at the NESCO Exhibition Centre, Goregaon in Mumbai.

7:08 PM

Small and big investors have welcomed our govt's third term with enthusiasm: PM Modi in Mumbai

Small and big investors have welcomed our government's third term with enthusiasm, said PM Narendra Modi in Mumbai.

6:53 PM

My aim is to make Maha world's big financial powerhouse: PM in Mumbai

My aim is to make Maharashtra world's big financial powerhouse and to make Mumbai global fintech capital: PM Modi in Mumbai.

6:43 PM

People aware that only the NDA govt can provide stability: PM Modi in Mumbai

People are aware that only the NDA government can provide stability, said PM Narendra Modi in Mumbai.

5:35 PM

Piyush Goyal to hold meetings with G7 trade ministers in Italy next week

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will hold bilateral meetings at Reggio Calabria in Italy next week with his counterparts from G7 nations and discuss ways to boost trade and investments, an official statement said on Saturday. Reggio Calabria is a coastal city in southern Italy. The Group of Seven (G7) industrialised nations are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, and the US.

5:11 PM

Independent candidate Shankar Singh wins Rupauli bypoll in Bihar

Independent candidate Shankar Singh won the Rupauli assembly bypoll in Bihar's Purnea district on Saturday, defeating NDA nominee Kaladhar Prasad Mandal of the JD(U) by a margin of 8,246 votes. The independent candidate got about 68,070 votes while JD(U)'s nominee bagged 59,824 votes, according to the Election Commission website.

4:57 PM

Himachal bypolls: We accept people's mandate, would continue to fight for their welfare, says BJP

The BJP, which won only one of the three seats in the Himachal Pradesh assembly bypolls on Saturday, said that it accepts people's mandate and would continue to fight for their welfare. In a statement issued here, former chief minister and Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur said the party would look into the shortcomings which led to its defeat in the by-elections.

4:34 PM

Govt trying to ensure people don't face shortage of essentials: Manipur CM

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Saturday said that over the past 14 months, the government has been working diligently to prevent shortages of essential items. Singh, who traveled by helicopter to Khongsang railway station in Noney district to receive the inaugural consignment of foodgrains by train, said, "Despite various challenges in the last 14 months, the government has remained committed to ensuring that our people do not face shortages of foodgrains, essential commodities, and fuel."

4:15 PM

Tamil Nadu bypoll: DMK retains Vikravandi Assembly seat

The ruling DMK on Saturday emerged victorious in the bypoll to the Vikravandi Assembly constituency by a margin of 67,757 votes and NDA constituent Pattali Makkal Katchi ended up runner-up with 56,296 votes. All through the vote-counting exercise on Saturday, DMK's Anniyur Siva alias A Sivashanmugam was in the lead position and the margin between him and his nearest rival, PMK nominee C Anbumani widened round after round. By retaining the Vikravandi seat, the ruling DMK has continued to maintain its winning streak in the state since the 2019 Lok Sabha election.

4:02 PM

Two Independent MLAs who joined BJP lose seats in bypolls, Cong defeated in Hamirpur

Resigning and switching to the BJP has proved costly for two Independent legislators of Himachal Pradesh who lost to Congress candidates from their seats on Saturday in the assembly bypolls. Congress candidate Kamlesh Thakur, the wife of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, defeated BJP's Hoshiyar Singh for the Dehra seat by a margin of 9,399 votes.

3:54 PM

Anger against Independents joining BJP helped Congress win Dehra, Nalagarh bypolls: Pratibha Singh

There was anger among the electorate against the Independents who vacated their seats to join the BJP, Himachal Pradesh Congress president Pratibha Singh said, claiming this to be a reason behind her party's win in the Dehra and Nalagarh bypolls on Saturday. "We were confident of winning by-elections as anger among the electorate against the Independent MLAs was discernible after they resigned and joined the BJP. The general public was asking why they resigned when voters had elected them, defeating both the Congress and the BJP," Singh said.

3:51 PM

Congress retains Badrinath seat in Uttarakhand

Congress's Lakhpat Singh Butola won the Badrinath assembly by-election on Saturday, defeating his nearest rival former minister and MLA BJP's Rajendra Singh Bhandari by 5,224 votes. In the poll held on July 10, a total of 54,228 votes were cast, out of which, 28,161 votes went to the Congress, while the BJP got 22,937 votes.

3:43 PM

J&K political parties oppose Centre's move to give more powers to Lt Guv

Political parties in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday voiced their strong opposition to the Centre's move to vest more powers in the Union Territory's Lieutenant Governor for taking decisions on matters related to police and all-India service officers. While main regional outfits -- the National Conference (NC) and the People's Democratic Party (PDP) -- said the decision would "disempower" the people of Jammu and Kashmir, the Congress termed it as the "murder of democracy" and the Apni Party urged all parties to shun differences and unitedly protest against the move.

2:39 PM

INDIA bloc wins 3 seats, leads in 8; BJP, Independent ahead in one each

INDIA bloc candidates emerged victorious in three assembly seats and were leading on eight, while the BJP and an Independent were ahead on one each as votes were counted on Saturday for the by-elections held earlier this week, according to the trends on the EC website.

 

2:32 PM

BJP, its govt at Centre playing CM Kejriwal's life: AAP's Sanjay Singh

The BJP and its government at the Centre are playing with the life of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who has lost 8.5 kg and whose blood sugar level dropped below 50 mg/dL five times while in jail, AAP Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh claimed on Saturday.

 

1:54 PM

Home minister Amit Shah chairs high-level meeting, reviews 'vibrant villages programme'

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah is chairing a high-level meeting in New Delhi today to review the implementation of the "Vibrant Villages Programme".

1:22 PM

Congress candidates lead in Manglaur, Badrinath seats of Uttarakhand

The counting of votes for the by-elections in the two assembly constituencies, held on Wednesday, began at 8 am.

 

1:11 PM

BJP focused on past instead of future: Raut on 'Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas'

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said that it has been 50 years since the Emergency was imposed, but the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continues to look at the past instead of focusing on the future.

 

12:45 PM

Home Ministry gives more powers to J-K L-G on matters of law and order

The Centre has vested more powers to the L-G of Jammu and Kashmir for taking decisions on police, officers of all-India services such as the IAS and the IPS, and giving sanction for prosecution in various cases.

12:33 PM

Kerala govt does many things not in accordance with law: Governor Khan

Kerala government does many things which are inconsistent with law, Governor Arif Mohammed Khan said on Saturday in an apparent reference to the Left administration's reported decision to form a search committee without the Chancellor's nominee, to select the VC of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU).

 

12:27 PM

Navi Mumbai airport to be operational in March 2025: MoS Murlidhar Mohol

Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol on Saturday said the Navi Mumbai International Airport is slated to commence operations in March 2025.