LIVE: PM Modi holds extensive talks with Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina (2024)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina held extensive talks on Saturday. X:@MEAIndia

2:32 PM

Chief priest of Ram temple consecration ceremony dies at 86 due to illness

Acharya Laxmikant Dixit, the chief priest who conducted the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, passed away on Saturday morning. Aged 86, Dixit had been unwell for the past few days. His final rites will be performed at Manikarnika Ghat. UP CM Yogi Adityanath expressed his condolences on platform X.

2:16 PM

Home Minister Amit Shah launches special programme to fast-track immigration services

Amit Shah launched a programme to expedite immigration for pre-verified Indian nationals and OCI cardholders. The Fast Track Immigration-Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP) allows eligible individuals to apply online, submit biometrics, and necessary details. Registration under FTI will be valid for up to five years or until passport expiry.

1:56 PM

Swati Maliwal assault case: Court extends Bibhav Kumar's custody till July 6

A court in Delhi extended Bibhav Kumar's judicial custody till July 6. Kumar, an aide to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, faces charges of assaulting AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal on May 13 at the CM's residence. Kumar, arrested on May 18, appeared via video conferencing before Metropolitan Magistrate Gaurav Goyal, who granted the extension. Initially granted five days of police custody, his anticipatory bail plea had become infructuous.

1:32 PM

ED raids in Ranchi recover Rs 1 crore cash, 100 bullets in land grab case

The Enforcement Directorate seized Rs 1 crore in cash and 100 live bullets during raids in Ranchi as part of a money laundering investigation linked to alleged land grabbing involving former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and others. The raid, conducted at the Kanke road premises of Kamlesh Singh on Friday evening. The agency has also filed a police case under the Arms Act related to the discovery of the ammunition.

Air Arabia flight from Kerala to Sharjah receives hoax bomb threat

A hoax bomb threat targeted an Air Arabia flight scheduled to depart for Sharjah from Calicut International Airport on Saturday morning, causing the aircraft to be grounded for inspection by the police bomb detection squad, according to airport sources. A senior airport official said that a passenger arriving from Sharjah to Calicut left a note with the word 'bomb' on one of the seats, discovered by the ground staff before boarding began.

12:36 PM

Govt doing 'damage control': Congress on implementation of law to curb exam irregularities

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh claimed on Saturday that the Centre's decision to implement a law to prevent unfair practices in competitive examinations is "damage control" following several "scams," including those in NEET-UG and UGC-NET. He argued that while the law is necessary, it addresses question paper leaks and other irregularities only after they have occurred.

12:00 PM

BJP holds marathon meeting to discuss strategy for upcoming Maharashtra Assembly polls

The Maharashtra BJP unit conducted an extensive meeting to devise a strategy for the upcoming state assembly elections, sources reported on Saturday. The meeting, held on Friday night, lasted five hours and focused on planning the election campaign and finalizing the strategy. The elections for the 288-member state assembly are expected to take place in October. In the recent Lok Sabha elections, the BJP's seats in Maharashtra decreased from 23 to nine.

11:30 AM

Death toll rises to 53, seven people arrested in Kallakurichi hooch tragedy

The death toll from the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy has increased from 50 to 53, officials reported on Saturday. Kallakurichi District Collector MS Prasanth stated that out of 193 patients who consumed the illicit liquor, 140 are currently in stable condition. "Of the 193 people hospitalized, 140 are safe, though some are on ventilators. As of now, 53 have died," he said.

AAP leader Atishi's hunger strike over Delhi water crisis enters its second day

Delhi Water Minister Atishi continued indefinite hunger strike into its second day on Saturday, protesting the water crisis in the national capital. At her 'Jal Satyagrah' site in Bhogal, south Delhi, Atishi declared she would refrain from eating until Haryana increased the water supply to Delhi. Atishi highlighted that Haryana reduced the water release by 110 million gallons per day (MGD) on Friday.

10:34 AM

LS pro-tem Speaker issue: Cong should make Kodikunnil Suresh Leader of Opposition, says BJP

Following criticism from Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the Congress regarding the Centre's appointment of the pro-tem Speaker, the BJP retaliated on Saturday. They suggested that the Congress should make Kodikunnil Suresh, the senior most MP in the Lok Sabha, the Leader of the Opposition to protest against the Centre's decision. Congress argue that not appointing Suresh as pro-tem Speaker goes against established conventions.

9:57 AM

Sikh Pilgrims leave for Pakistan for Maharaja Ranjit Singh's death anniversary

Amidst religious chants and ceremonial farewells, a group of Sikh pilgrims began their journey to Pakistan to honor Maharaja Ranjit Singh on his death anniversary. Departing from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) office on Friday, the pilgrims, led by interim committee member Khushvinder Singh Bhatia, included 317 devotees.

9:29 AM

West Bengal constitutes panel of senior officers to prevent grabbing of govt land

West Bengal government forms panel to curb state land grabbing amid CM Mamata Banerjee's concerns. Panel includes top officials: Finance Secretary Manoj Pant, IAS officer Prabhat Mishra, ADG (Law and Order) Manoj Verma, and Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal.

9:15 AM

Delhi water crisis: Long queues continue to form at tankers across national capital

On Saturday, long lines formed as residents queued for water from tankers in several parts of Delhi amid scorching summer temperatures. Many areas saw people with cans and buckets waiting for water, highlighting the ongoing shortage in the capital this season. Meanwhile, Delhi's Water Minister Atishi began an indefinite hunger strike in Bhogal near Jangpura, alleging Haryana's failure to release Delhi's water share.

8:51 AM

Hindujas file appeal against Swiss court's jail term order for exploiting domestic workers

The Hindujas, Britain's wealthiest family, have filed an appeal challenging the verdict that found them guilty of exploiting vulnerable domestic workers. The family's lawyers emphasized that Prakash and Kamal Hinduja, along with their son Ajay and daughter-in-law Namrata, were acquitted of human trafficking charges. They strongly disagreed with the court's decision and have appealed to a higher court to invalidate this part of the judgment.

8:24 AM

53rd meeting of GST Council chaired by FM Sitharaman to be held on 22nd June

The GST Council, led by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, is scheduled to convene on June 22, as announced by the GST Council Secretariat on Twitter. This will mark the first meeting of the GST Council following the 2024 Lok Sabha election results. The agenda for the meeting has not yet been distributed to Council members. The 52nd GST Council meeting took place on October 7, 2023. Union Finance Minister will preside over the 53rd GST Council meeting, with the participation of state finance ministers and other members.