Breaking News, July 15 | Highlights

The West Bengal government on Monday reinstated Rajeev Kumar as the Director General of Police (DGP), replacing Sanjoy Mukherjee, an official statement said. Additionally, Kumar will continue in his current role as the Additional Chief Secretary in the department of Information Technology and Electronics.

Mukherjee has been appointed as the new DGP of the Fire and Emergency Services. Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the Election Commission (EC) initially appointed Vivek Sahay as the DGP on March 18, replacing Kumar. However, within 24 hours, Sahay was replaced by Mukherjee.

Firing broke out between terrorists and the security forces in the Desa area of ​​Doda district in Jammu and Kashmir. After initial rounds of fire exchange, the guns went silent. The security forces have launched a search operation.

Employees of the Maharashtra government's Revenue Department on Monday began an indefinite strike for various demands, including the implementation of a new employment pattern without removing anyone from their job.

The strike is likely to affect the registration for the state government's flagship "Mazi Ladki Bahin Yojana" under which eligible women will get Rs 1,500 per month. Processing work of crop insurance schemes is also likely to be impacted. Revenue employees from across the state have joined the strike, as per a statement issued by various employee unions.

Acting on information regarding the presence of a terrorist hideout in the general area of Mahore Sub Division, a cordon and search operation was launched by the Reasi Police. During the search operation, police recovered 30 rounds of AK-47, one magazine of AK-47, one HE-36 hand grenade and old-rusted arms and ammunition from Dalantop area of Shikari. All possible measures should be taken to thwart the nefarious design of anti-National Elements. Further investigations are ongoing: SSP Reasi, Mohita Sharma.

Amid the slight spike in temperature, the national capital on Monday received respite after rainfalls.

The Government of India released the first tranche of USD 2.5 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), as part of its annual contribution of USD 5 million for the year 2024-25.

PM Modi on Monday remembers former Madras Chief Minister and independence activist K Kamraj on his birth anniversary. Taking to X he said, "Remembering Thiru K. Kamaraj on his birth anniversary. He is widely respected for his visionary leadership and efforts to uplift the poor. His contribution to sectors like education remain unparalleled. We reiterate our commitment to fulfil his ideals and build a society that is just and compassionate."

The 43-day-long Shree Machail Mata Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district will commence on July 25, a senior government official said on Monday, assuring better facilities and enhanced security for the pilgrims. The seven-hour-long arduous journey to the shrine has already been reduced by three hours with the completion of the Machail-Paddar road up to Chashoti, while the holding capacity at various locations has been increased to 5,000 pilgrims per day, said Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner Devansh Yadav. He said the highlight of this year’s yatra will be the introduction of online registration and QR-code-based special pilgrim cards for their safety and security.

The Uttar Pradesh BJP will run a membership campaign in August-September, a party office-bearer said on Monday. State BJP co-media in-charge Abhay Pratap Singh said on Monday that the general secretary (organisation) of the state party Dharampal Singh discussed the upcoming programmes and campaigns in the working committee of the UP BJP held at the Ram Manohar Lohia National Law University in Lucknow on Sunday.
Dharampal Singh had on Sunday said the membership campaign will run in August-September.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Monday launched the expansion of the breakfast scheme for primary school children to state-aided private schools in rural regions. Inaugurating the scheme at a school in Tiruvallur district, Stalin sat alongside the children, served them food and also ate with them. Later, he interacted with children.

The scheme's expansion also marks the birth anniversary of late Chief Minister K Kamaraj, which is observed as 'Kalvi Valarchi Naal,' (Education Development Day) by the state government. Before launching the scheme, Stalin tasted the food to be served to children, to check its quality and paid floral tributes to Kamaraj.

Police arrested three persons for allegedly waving a Palestinian flag during a procession in Bihar's Nawada district, an officer said on Monday. Police launched an investigation after a video showing some persons waving Palestinian flag at a procession ahead of Muharram in the Dhamaula area on Sunday, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Pakribarawan, Mahesh Choudhary told the media.

The West Bengal Transport Department is set to introduce a uniform driving test module for driving licence applicants, aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of learning based on the prescribed syllabus, an official said on Monday. According to the official, the module will consist of a uniform computer-based question and answer test, which applicants will need to complete before taking the final driving test.

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to consider a submission for setting up a constitution bench to hear pleas challenging the validity of passage of laws like the Aadhaar Act as money bills allegedly to bypass the Rajya Sabha. A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud and justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra was urged by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who also heads the Supreme Court Bar Association, that the pleadings are complete and the petitions needed to be listed for hearing.

The Congress on Monday extended its wishes to K P Sharma Oli on his appointment as the prime minister of Nepal, and said that every Indian looks forward to further strengthening the bonds of cooperation between the two countries for a brighter future. Oli, the leader of Nepal's largest communist party, was appointed Nepal's prime minister for a fourth term on Sunday to lead a new coalition government that faces the daunting challenge of providing political stability in the Himalayan nation.

Bihar government ministers claimed that the latest report of NITI Aayog's Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) India Index 2023-24 vindicated the state's long-standing demand for greater central financial assistance. NITI Aayog on July 12 released SDG India Index 2023-24. Bihar has figured at the bottom, despite improvements on some parameters, in the SDG Index India that makes an assessment of sustainable development.

More than three lakh devotees performed the ongoing Amarnath Yatra during the last 16 days, as another batch of 4,875 Yatris left for the Valley on Monday, officials said. Despite intermittent rain and thundershowers along both the Yatra routes, more than 15,000 enthusiastic pilgrims had ‘Darshan’ inside the holy cave on Sunday. Officials said that another batch of 4,875 Yatris left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu for the Valley on Monday in two escorted convoys.

Four persons, including a pastor from Uttarakhand, have been arrested in a village in Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad district for allegedly converting people to Christianity by luring them on the pretext of giving benefits, police officials said. The police have lodged an FIR under appropriate sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021, on the intervention of activists of two Hindu outfits, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal.

The 13th edition of the joint military exercise MAITREE 2024 between the Indian Army and the Royal Thailand Army has successfully concluded in Tak Province, Thailand. This collaborative training event, aimed at enhancing mutual cooperation and strengthening defence ties, brought together troops from both nations for a series of coordinated drills and strategic exercises. The culmination of MAITREE 2024 marks another milestone in the ongoing partnership between the Indian and Thai military forces, fostering greater interoperability and camaraderie.