Latest News: Mob Thrashes Man in Rajkot on Child-lifting Rumours
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Andaman Islands Struck by Earthquake
An earthquake of magnitude 4.5 struck Andaman Islands at 5.25 am on Wednesday.
Former Malaysian PM Najib Razak Pleads Not Guilty in 1MDB Probe
The former PM of Malaysia, Najib Rajak, pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to three charges of criminal breach and one of abuse of power in relation to the 1MDB case. Rajak was charged in connection to missing money in a state fund he founded for which he has denied any wrongdoing, reported Reuters. Each charge carries a prison sentence for 20 years. He has been granted bail set at 1 million ringgit.
Over 29 Dead After Ferry Accident in Jakarta
Over 41 people are feared missing and 29 have died in Jakarta, Indonesia after a ferry carrying 140 passengers (and vehicles) sank near Sulawasi Island on Wednesday. According to Reuters, 69 people have been rescued. This attack is one in a string of maritime accidents Indonesia is victim to.
Delhi Court Reserves Tharoor's Bail Plea in Sunanda Pushkar Case
Delhi’s Patiala House Court on Wednesday reserved the order on Shashi Tharoor’s anticipatory bail plea in relation to the Sunanda Pushkar murder case, ANI reported. The matter will be heard on Thursday. The Special investigation Team (SIT) earlier opposed Tharoor's bail plea.
RBI Licences Bank of China To Operate In India
The Reserve Bank of India on Wednesday licensed Bank of China to operate in India, reported ANI. This decision comes as part of the commitment made by PM Modi to Chinese leadership.
Demonetised Currency Worth 1.68 Crore Seized in Mumbai
The Mumbai police seized Rs 1.68 crore in demonetised currency notes in Thane from three people on Tuesday night, who were later arrested.
The police acted on a tip off and kept a watch since June 30. Rs 1.68 crore in old notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 have been seized by the Crime Branch personnel from the accused.
MSP Hike For Kharif Crops: Govt
The government has approved hiking minimum support price (MSP) for monsoon-sown crops that includes rice and pulses, PTI reported, citing sources on Wednesday.
The cabinet has hiked the MSP of paddy by Rs 200 per quintal, the report added.
Sonali Bendre Diagnosed With Cancer
Bollywood actress Sonali Bendre took to Twitter on Wednesday to announce that she has been diagnosed with “high-grade cancer”. According to her statement, she is undergoing treatment in New York.
High Court Bans Felling of Trees in Delhi
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday banned the felling of trees in Delhi till further orders. It made clear that no permissions will be granted in the future either, ANI reported.
The court added: “East Kidwai Nagar will be demolished if need be, as it seems to be haphazard & doesn't consider density and impact on neighbouring hospitals too".
Controversial Islamic Preacher Zakir Naik Denies Extradition To India
Controversial Islamic preacher and proclaimed offender Zakir Naik has denied reports that he is being extradited to India by the Malaysian government. Earlier, there were reports that Naik will be extradited on Wednesday. Naik is facing criminal charges of inciting communal disharmony among other unlawful activities.
He was quoted by ANI saying “The news of my coming to India is totally baseless and false. I have no plans to come to India till I don't feel safe from unfair prosecution. Insha Allah when I feel that the government will be just and fair, I will surely return to my homeland.”
Indian Embassy Continues to Monitor Stranded Mansarovar Pilgrims
News agency ANI reports that Indian embassy in Nepal is continuously monitoring the situation in Nepalganj-Simikot-Hilsa sector and taking steps to evacuate stranded Mansarovar pilgrims. It has operated 5 flights and 3 sorties of Nepal Army choppers to evacuate 119 people from Simikot to Surkhet. It has also arranged buses from Surkhet to Nepalganj, ANI reports.
3 Coaches of Pooja Superfast Express Derail in Rajasthan, No Casualties
Three compartments of Pooja Superfast Express derailed in Phulera at 3:45 PM today. No casualty has been reported. The train plies from Ajmer to Tawi, Jammu and Kashmir. The railways has started the repair work, reports ANI.
Dinesh Gundurao Made new Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President
Congress President Rahul Gandhi today appointed Dinesh Gundurao as the President of the Karnataka Congress Committee. The five-time MLA from the Gandhinagar constituency in Bengaluru was the food and civil supplies minister in the previous Congress government in Karnataka.
Reporters Without Borders Warns India of Rising Attacks Against Journalists
India may slip further from its current 138th place in the World Press Freedom Index as four journalists were murdered in less than six months amidst a sharp rise in hate speech, a global media watchdog warned today in its first report on the country.
The Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said it had come out with a report exclusively on India in view of the "increase in breaches of press freedom" in India in the past six months. In the 2018 Index, published in April this year, India was ranked at the 138th position out of 180 countries, two places lower than in 2017, and the situation has continued to deteriorate.
"As a result, the Abuses and Environment indicators, which contribute to the country's evaluation for the Index, show a negative trend and point to another decline in its ranking in the 2019 edition unless the authorities take steps to rectify the situation," the report said
Indian Wins Dirham 7 Million in Raffle Draw in UAE
An Indian man has hit a jackpot by winning a whopping USD 1.9 million in a monthly raffle in the UAE, hours before he was set to leave the country for good, a media report said today.
Tojo Mathew, 30, working as civil supervisor in the capital Abu Dhabi, had bought the ticket yesterday at the city's airport before boarding a flight to India.
Mathew, who is from Kerala, was leaving the UAE for good to join his wife in Delhi.
"I bought the ticket at the Abu Dhabi airport just before boarding the flight for India on June 24. I was leaving the UAE for good to join my wife, who got a job in New Delhi. I still cannot believe I won," Mathew was quoted as saying by the 'Khaleej Times'.
Man Thrashed in Gujarat on Suspicion of Being a Child-lifter
In yet another case of mob violence, a young man was thrashed by a group of people in Gujarat's Rajkot on the suspicion that he was kidnapping a 3-year-old child. The police intervened, and the man has been to a civil hospital.
Bullet Train like 'Magic Train' Which may Not Materialise, Says Rahul Gandhi
Congress president Rahul Gandhi hit out at the Centre today, claiming that the much talked about bullet train project was like a "magic train" which may not materialise.
Targeting the Narendra Modi led government at the Centre, Gandhi also said that despite an issue like Doklam on the border, the prime minister was seen sitting on a swing with the Chinese president.
"Modi's bullet train is like a magic train which may not materialise in reality," the Congress chief said speaking to party activists at Fursatganj.
2 Found Unconscious in UK's Salisbury; Counter-terrorism Probe on
A man and woman are in a critical condition after being exposed to an "unknown substance" and found unconscious close to where a former Russian spy and his daughter were poisoned with a deadly nerve agent, prompting British counter terrorism officers to launch a probe.
The pair, in their 40s, were found unconscious in a property on Saturday in what was thought to be in a drugs-related incident in Amesbury, Wiltshire, the BBC reported today.
Further tests on the substance are being carried out to identify it, the report said. Amesbury is about 16 kilometres from Salisbury, where former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter were poisoned with Novichok, a suspected military nerve agent, in March.
Lucknow University Closed After Attack on Teachers
Lucknow University was today closed till further orders after over a dozen teachers including the Proctor were attacked inside the campus by outsiders claiming themselves to be Samajwadi Party workers, varsity officials said, reported PTI.
"Over a dozen teachers were injured in the incident. I might have also been attacked by them but my colleagues saved me and I reached my office,” vice chancellor S P Singh told reporters.
“All those involved in the incident were not LU students and were anti-social elements and outsiders claiming themselves to be SP workers. There were 25-30 such persons involved in the attack," Singh said.
Home Minister Rajnath Meets J&K Guv NN Vohra
Home Minister Rajnath Singh today met Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra in the state capital, Srinagar. Singh will visit the Amarnath Cave shrine on Thursday, reports ANI.
Punjab CM Makes Dope Test Mandatory For all Govt Employees
Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh today ordered a mandatory dope test for all government employees, including police personnel, from the time of their recruitment through every stage of their service. He has directed the Chief Secretary to work out modalities and have the necessary notification issued.
Evacuating Elderly and Ailing People on Priority, Says Nepal Army Spokesperson
A Nepal Army spokesperson today told the media that no rescue operations were carried out on July 3 due to bad weather in Surkget where a large number of Mansarovar pilgrims are stranded. “However civil operators did their job in Simikot and Nepalganj. Elderly and sick people are being evacuated on priority,” he said.
The spokesperson added that around 900 pilgrims are currently stranded in Hilsa-Simikot area. "Simikot is a dist HQ so there's no problem there, but Hilsa is an altitude of over 11,000 ft, so civil operators are evacuating people from Hilsa to Simikot," he said.
Emirates Airlines Retains Hindu Meal Option
Emirates Airlines today confirmed that it will continue to serve a Hindu meal option to make it easier for Hindu customers to identify and request it. The decision has been taken after considering the feedback from customers. The Airlines had, earlier, issued a statement declaring it was taking Hindu meal off the menu.
CBSE Paper Leak: Police Arrest Principal of Bawana school
Delhi Police today arrested the principal of Mother Khazani Convent School in Bawana in connection with the CBSE papers leak case, a senior police officer said, reported PTI.
Two teachers of the school were arrested earlier for their alleged involvement in leaking the question papers.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) G Ram Gopal Naik confirmed the arrest of Praveen Kumar Jha, the principal of the school, whose affiliation was cancelled by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).
"It was a formal arrest. Since he is on anticipatory bail, we arrested him and later let off. It was found that he was aware about his school's two teachers leaking papers to ensure that the school's results are good," said another officer.
RSS Worker Shot Dead in UP's Firozabad
A 34-year-old RSS worker was shot dead by two unidentified, bike-borne assailants, in Uttar Pradesh's Firozabad, police said today. The assailants opened fire at Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker Sandeep Sharma in a lane at Daya Nagar last night, PTI reported, quoting the police.
Sharma was rushed to a hospital in a serious condition, where doctors declared him "brought dead", police officials said adding the body was sent for post-mortem.
UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief and announced an ex-gratia of Rs five lakhs to the kin of the deceased and another Rs five lakh from the 'Mukhyamantri Kisan Ayam Sarvhit Bima Yojna', a government spokesman said in Lucknow.
14-year-old Girl Raped by 4 Men in MP
A 14-year-old tribal girl was allegedly raped by four persons in Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh, police said today, fourth such incident in the state in last 10 days.
The incident took place at Tejpur village on Tuesday, Assistant Sub-Inspector K L Ahirwar of Gourjhamar police station, said.
News agency PTI reported that a next door neighbour allegedly asked the victim, a school dropout, to come to her house to help with some domestic chores yesterday morning, he said.
When the girl went to her house, the woman allegedly locked her in a room, where four persons raped her all day, Ahirwar said. The girl's parents, who are construction workers, found her missing when they returned home and started a search. The victim was found dumped near a government school in the village in an unconscious state late in the night, the police officer said.