Breaking News, July 26 | HIGHLIGHTS

The Goa government will start earning revenue from the newly-commissioned airport at Mopa in North Goa from May 2024 onwards, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant told the assembly on Wednesday. The Manohar International Airport at Mopa, inaugurated in December last year, is operated by GMR Goa International Airport Ltd.

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday said it would hear and decide whether an appeal filed against any order/judgment under the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Act should be entertained if it is submitted after the statutory limitation period of 90 days from the passing of the trial court verdict. A division bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Gauri Godse said it was an "important issue" and appointed two senior advocates -- Aabad Ponda and Sharan Jagtiani -- to assist the court on the issue. The bench said it would hear the matter after two weeks.

A Kerala court on Wednesday sentenced a man to four years imprisonment for sexually assaulting his wife's minor sister two years ago at their home in Adimaly tribal area of the high-range Idukki district. Devikulam Fast Track Special Court (Pocso) Judge Sirajudheen P A sentenced the 35-year-old convict to four years imprisonment under Section 8 (sexual assault) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on the convict, special public prosecutor (SPP) Smiju K Das said.

Aam Aadmi Party leaders on Wednesday called on former Prime Minister and JD(S) Supremo H D Deve Gowda and appealed to him to fight against the Delhi ordinance. The party leaders in Karnataka led by their state president H N Chandrashekar, popularly known as Mukhyamantri Chandru, called on Gowda, who is an Upper House member, in an attempt to shore up support from non-BJP political parties to defeat the Delhi ordinance in the Rajya Sabha. They requested him to oppose the ordinance issued against the Delhi state government to save democracy, the Constitution and the federal system of the country.
 

The Monsoon session of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly will begin on August 7, a senior official said on Wednesday. "The governor has summoned the 18th Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha to meet at 11 am on Monday, August 7, for its second session of 2023," Assembly Principal Secretary Pradeep Dubey said. According to sources, the session will be short and is likely to continue till August 11.

BJP legislators staged a walkout from the West Bengal Assembly on Wednesday after their adjournment motion to discuss "atrocities against women in the state" was not allowed by Speaker Biman Banerjee citing "procedural lapses" for tabling the motion. Banerjee stated that the motion was not submitted by following proper norms. BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul said the party wanted a statement from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on "rising crime rates against women in the state". After the BJP legislature party was not allowed to discuss or read the motion, party members raised slogans against the state government and staged a walkout from the House. Later, they raised slogans outside the House and demanded a statement from the CM on the issue.

The Punjab Police continued its crackdown against criminals, anti-social elements and drug trafficking on Wednesday with a cordon-and-search operation in the Faridkot range. The special operation was conducted on the orders of Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav, according to an official release. Wednesday's crackdown comes on the heels of similar operations in the Bathinda and Ferozepur ranges earlier this week.

Opposition MPs will wear black band in Rajya Sabha on Thursday as a mark of protest against the Centre over Manipur situation.

A motion to discuss and condemn the ethnic violence in Manipur, which has left more than 160 people dead, will be tabled in the West Bengal assembly on January 31, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sovandeb Chattopadhyay said. The decision to table a motion in the assembly was made earlier this week at an "all-party meeting" which the opposition BJP chose to boycott. On Wednesday, during the Business Advisory (BA) committee meeting, it was decided that the motion will be tabled on July 31.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday admitted a no-confidence motion against the government by the Congress on behalf of the opposition alliance, to force Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speak on the contentious Manipur issue. Admitting the motion moved by Congress MP from Assam Gaurav Gogoi after a head count of 50 members in its support, a mandatory requirement, Birla said a date for a discussion on the motion will be decided after consulting the leaders of all parties.

A bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday with an aim to allow use of birth certificate as single document for admission to an educational institution, issuance of driving licence, preparation of voter list, Aadhaar number, registration of marriage or appointment to a government job The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2023 will also help create a national and state-level database of registered births and deaths which eventually would ensure efficient and transparent delivery of public services and social benefits and digital registration. Introducing the bill on behalf of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969 (18 of 1969) (the Act) was enacted to provide for the regulation of registration of births and deaths and for matters connected therewith. He said the Act has not been amended so far since its inception and in order to keep pace with the societal change and technological advancements during the period of its operation and to make it more citizen friendly, there is a need to amend the Act.

A Delhi court on Wednesday awarded a four-year jail term to ex-Rajya Sabha MP Vijay Darda, his son Devender Darda, and businessman Manoj Kumar Jayaswal in a case related to irregularities in the allocation of a coal block in Chhattisgarh. All three convicts were taken into the custody after the court order. Special Judge Sanjay Bansal also sentenced ex-coal secretary H C Gupta and two former senior public servants K S Kropha and K C Samria to three years in jail. These three convicts were, however, granted bail on a personal bond by the court to enable them to challenge their conviction and punishment in the high court.

A Delhi court on Wednesday summoned Congress leader Jagdish Tytler on August 5 in connection with the Pul Bangash killings during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vidhi Gupta Anand passed the order after taking cognisance of a charge sheet in the case. The CBI on May 20 filed a charge sheet against Tytler in the case.

Delhi's Special Court sentences 4 years imprisonment to former Rajya Sabha MP Vijay Darda. His son Devender Darda, M/S JLD Yavatmal Energy Pvt Ltd's Director Manoj Kumar Jayaswal also sentenced to four years imprisonment in a case relating to irregularities in the allocation of a coal block in Chhattisgarh. 

The Court also sentences ex-Coal Secretary H C Gupta, two senior public servants KS Kropha and KC Samria for three years jail term in the same case.

DGCA has suspended the license of IndiGo captain for three months and co-pilot for one month for landing in Ahmedabad with a tail strike. The incident occurred on June 15.

BJP MLAs led by Agnimitra Paul stage protest against the West Bengal government outside the state assembly over alleged crimes against women.

With the opposition planning to bring a no-confidence motion against his government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reply to such a motion in 2019 has gone viral wherein he mockingly tells the parties behind it that they should prepare to table a similar exercise in 2023 as well.

"I want to send you my good wishes that you prepare so much that you get a chance to bring a no-confidence again in 2023," he had said while replying in Lok Sabha to the no-confidence motion in 2019, ahead of the general elections. Government sources shared this part of Modi's speech to highlight his "prediction".

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said India is ready to cross the Line of Control (LoC) to maintain its honour and dignity, and called upon civilians to be ready to support the soldiers in such a situation. Citing the example of the Russia-Ukraine war, he said the war has been going on for more than a year because civilians have stepped up and are participating in the war.

Singh was speaking at the Kargil War Memorial here on the occasion of the 24th Kargil Vijay Diwas. Earlier, he paid laid a wreath at the memorial to pay tributes to the soldiers who laid down their lives in the 1999 Kargil war. Singh said the Kargil war was imposed on India.

Allahabad HC resumes hearing on mosque committee's appeal against ASI survey in Varanasi's Gyanvapi complex

President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday said all the countrymen remember the victory achieved by the extraordinary valour of the country's armed forces on the glorious occasion of 'Kargil Vijay Diwas'. The Indian Army had launched a fierce counter assault to push back Pakistani forces that had stealthily occupied important heights in Ladakh in 1999.

Kargil Vijay Diwas is observed to mark India's win over its neighbour. "Today, on the glorious occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas, all the countrymen remember the victory achieved by the extraordinary valor of our armed forces.
On behalf of a grateful nation, I pay tribute and bow to the memory of the fighters who paved the way for victory by sacrificing their lives to protect the country. Their heroic stories will always inspire generations to come.
Jai Hind!," Murmu tweeted in Hindi.

PM Modi performs Hawan Pujan at the inauguration ceremony of the redeveloped India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) complex in Delhi, which will host the G20 leaders’ meeting in September.

Ladakh: Four MIG 29 aircraft fly past over the Kargil War Memorial in Drass on Kargil Vijay Diwas. Tributes are being paid to soldiers who lost their lives in the 1999 Kargil War.

"Kargil Vijay Diwas brings to the fore the heroic saga of those wonderful bravehearts of India, who will always remain an inspiration for the countrymen. On this special day, I bow down and salute them from the bottom of my heart," tweeted PM Modi

Ladakh: Wreath laying ceremony being held at Kargil War Memorial in Drass on Kargil Vijay Diwas, to pay tribute to soldiers who lost their lives in the 1999 Kargil War.

Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh | Gaya Prasad, father of Anju who travelled to Pakistan says, "We don't have any relations with her (Anju). The moment she left India, we cut off all ties with her...I had never imagined that my daughter can do something like this...What she has done is very shameful..."

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Tuesday directed the Manipur government to ensure that no further violence takes place in the strife-torn northeastern state. In a statement issued late night, the NHRC has also asked the state government to inform it about the relief and rehabilitation of the victims affected by the ethnic violence.

"The authorities are directed to ensure that no further violence, which resulted in violation of human rights, takes place," the human rights panel said. The NHRC has observed that "in most of the matters relating to violation of human rights due to continued violence in the state of Manipur, the action taken reports sought by it from the state government are awaited".

Rain lashes parts of the national capital.