Breaking News, August 31 | HIGHLIGHTS

IAS officer Manoj Pant was appointed as Chief Secretary of West Bengal.

IAS officer Amrit Lal Meena has been appointed as the new Chief Secretary of Bihar. He paid a courtesy call on Bihar CM Nitish Kumar.

A revenue official was arrested after he was allegedly caught taking a bribe of Rs 40,000 in the Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, an official of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) said. Farooq Ahmad, who was posted as Girdawar Sanasar, was trapped following a complaint lodged by a person alleging that the official was demanding bribe for processing his case for land record extract required by him for sale of his land, the official said.

The Durgapur airport in West Bengal got two new flights, connecting Bhubaneswar, Bagdogra in Siliguri and Guwahati, a statement said on Saturday. IndiGo will operate the two flights on Bhubaneswar-Durgapur-Bagdogra and Bhubaneswar-Durgapur-Guwahati routes, it said.

Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday paid obeisance at the Golden Temple. They also offered prayers at Durgiana Mandir, according to an official statement.

Delhi LG VK Saxena on Saturday inspected Kashmere Gate inter-state bus terminal (ISBT) and directed the officials for its "complete makeover" and to reduce massive congestion in the area. Saxena also walked down the Rani Jhansi Road asking officials to remove encroachment and improve the "pathetic" condition of footpaths and central verses, a statement from the LG office said.

A POCSO court here gave life sentence to a 71-year-old man for raping his 5-year-old granddaughter in Baran city, a lawyer said on Saturday. Judge Sonia Beniwal convicted Heeralal for the crime committed at his home in October 2022 and slapped a fine of Rs 50,000 on him on Friday, he said. Public Prosecutor Harinarayan Singh said the mother and aunt of the minor caught Heeralal in the act of rape in his room.

The PDP has banked on Iltija Mufti, the daughter of party chief Mehbooba Mufti and a third-generation member of the family, to retain its Srigufwara-Bijbehara Assembly seat, a PDP bastion since 1996. The Srigufwara-Bijbehara Assembly seat, earlier known as the Bijbehara constituency before the delimitation exercise of 2022, is going to polls in the first phase of Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir on September 18.

A Delhi court on Saturday sent six people arrested in a case related to the drowning of three civil services aspirants in a coaching centre's basement in Old Rajinder Nagar to four days' CBI custody.

The IMA has written to the National Task Force (NTF), which has been mandated to formulate protocol for ensuring safety and security of healthcare professionals, again demanding a central law on violence against doctors and hospitals and declaring hospitals as safe zones.

A top Army officer on Saturday reviewed the security situation in the Doda and Kishtwar districts of Chenab valley, which is going to polls along with south Kashmir districts in the first phase on September 18, officials said.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's (RSS) three-day long 'Akhil Bharatiya Samanvay Baithak' commenced here on Saturday in the presence of organisation chief Mohan Bhagwat and its six joint general secretaries. BJP President J P Nadda, its organising secretary B L Santosh, Vishwa Hindu Parishad chief Alok Kumar and Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh president Hiranmay Pandya were among the national level leaders of 32 'Sangh inspired organisations' who attended the meeting, a RSS release said.

A five-year-old girl was sexually assaulted allegedly by a 14-year-old boy in her neighbourhood in southwest Delhi, a police official said on Saturday. The incident took place when her parents, who are labourers, had gone to work and she was alone at home on Thursday afternoon, the official said.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday slammed senior RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav for his remarks on namaz break rule and advised him to practice before preaching.

JD-U suspended Jammu-Kashmir General Secretary Vivek Bali for anti-party activities.

A Russian helicopter with three crew members and 19 passengers on board went missing in the far eastern peninsula of Kamchatka on Saturday, according to reports citing preliminary data from the federal air transport agency. The Mi-8T helicopter took off from a base near the Vachkazhets volcano and the crew failed to report at the scheduled time of 04:00 GMT (9:30 am Indian time).

Bihar BJP on Saturday issued a statement. It said, "According to some media reports, Rakesh Kumar Singh, who claims to be a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is attempting to gain cheap popularity by spreading misleading news and propaganda about the respected national president of our alliance's esteemed ally, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), and the Union Minister of Food Processing Industries, Chirag Paswan. The Bharatiya Janata Party denies these claims. Rakesh Kumar Singh is neither a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party nor associated with our party in any direct or indirect manner."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off three new Vande Bharat trains on Saturday, enhancing connectivity across Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka. The Ministry of Railways highlighted the significance of these trains in promoting faster, more comfortable travel, aligning with India's 'Make in India' and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiatives. READ MORE...

Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with the Chief Justice of India unveiled a special stamp and coin marking 75 years of the Supreme Court of India. PM Modi also addressed the National Conference of District Judiciary.

Ace-Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat was felicitated by farmer leaders today. She had arrived at their protest site at Shambhu border as the agitation completed 200 days.

Day, after Champai Soren joined BJP,  Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, said he had invited the former JMM leader to visit Assam. He said, "I thought I should go and wish him, so I came in the morning and talked to him. I have invited Champai Soren to Assam. I have also invited him to visit and worship at the Maa Kamakhya Temple and also have a meal at my house. I came to invite him..."

Ministry of Home Affairs appoints IAS Dharmendra as New Chief Secretary of Delhi.

On BJP spokesperson Ganesh Hake's reported statement regarding an alliance with NCP, Maharashtra Deputy CM and NCP chief Ajit Pawar says, "We have discussed with HM Amit Shah, PM Modi and Deputy CM-BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis. If someone says something different, my party workers (NCP) can also speak. We do not give importance to such comments. I do my work."

Three-day Akhil Bharatiya Samanvay Baithak of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) begins in Palakkad, Kerala. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, RSS Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale, BJP chief JP Nadda and others attended the event.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav spoke about the party's decision to hold a protest on Sep 1 demanding the inclusion of 65% reservation for OBC, SC and ST under Schedule 9. He said, "We had mentioned this earlier too. Our Government had provided 65% reservation for OBC, SC and ST, we had mentioned about including it in under Schedule 9. The matter is sub-judice. We knew that the BJP didn't want it. It wanted to end reservation, so it didn't include it in Schedule 9...We had said that if they (State Government) didn't present it well in Court, RJD would approach the Supreme Court and present its position. We are before the Court and RJD will present its part well...So, we have announced an agitation on 1st September...I too will be a part of it."

Union Home Minister Amit Shah extends heartfelt tributes to former President of India Dr. Pranab Mukherjee on his death anniversary. Taking to X, he said, "A political stalwart, a scholar and an ace administrator, Mukherjee Ji's life journey shone from a humble village in West Bengal to the highest office of the nation, bolstering governance all the way. His contributions will remain an inspiration for nation-building."