Latest News Today: Presenting FE Online’s Breaking News. Here, we will keep you updated on all major developments from India and around the globe:
Panchayat polls: Calcutta HC seeks SEC’s clarification on deployment of central forces
The Calcutta High Court on Thursday asked the State Election Commission (SEC) to clarify itself on the deployment of central forces in the panchayat elections. A petition was moved, seeking for a direction to the SEC to implement the orders of the high court on PILs seeking deployment of central forces for free and fair panchayat elections in the state. The high court on Tuesday ordered the requisition and deployment of central forces for the panchayat elections.
A division bench presided by Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam said that the SEC can always appeal against its order passed on Tuesday, otherwise will have to requisition and deploy central forces. Observing that it is an admitted fact that there is sensitivity in places, the court said that the SEC cannot say that it is trying to identify those areas. The court asked the SEC’s counsel to clarify the commission’s position on the order. (PTI)
Cong govt in Karnataka decides to repeal anti-conversion law brought in by BJP regime
The Karnataka cabinet on Thursday decided to repeal the anti-conversion law brought in by the previous BJP government.The government will introduce a bill in this regard in the upcoming legislature session, which starts on July 3.”The Cabinet discussed the anti-conversion bill. We have approved the bill to repeal the changes that were brought in by them (BJP government) in 2022. It will be tabled during the session starting from July 3,” Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil told reporters after the Cabinet meeting.The Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Act (anti-conversion law) came into effect in 2022, despite opposition from Congress. (PTI)
Cyclone ‘Biparjoy’ to cross Jakhau Port by tonight, says IMD
Cyclone Biparjoy will cross near Jakhau Port of Gujarat by Thursday night after making landfall as a very severe cyclonic storm (VSCS), India Meteorological Department (IMD) informed.”Cyclone Warning for Saurashtra and Kutch Coasts: RED MESSAGE. VSCS BIPARJOY at 1130IST today near lat 22.8N & long 67.3E, about 140km WSW of Jakhau Port (Gujarat) and 190km WNW of Devbhumi Dwarka. To cross near Jakhau Port (Gujarat) by tonight as VSCS,” IMD said in a tweet on Thursday.Meanwhile, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel chaired a review meeting at the State Emergency Operation Center in Gandhinagar on Thursday morning as cyclone ‘Biparjoy’ neared. (ANI)
Drone deal gets nod ahead of PM Modi’s US visit
Amid preparations for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US, the Defence Ministry on Thursday approved the deal for acquiring the Predator (MQ-9 Reaper) drones from America for which the final decision would be taken by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS). (ANI)
Blaze in Mukherjee Nagar
A massive fire broke out in a Mukherjee Nagar building, Delhi Fire Dept officials said. As many as 11 fire tenders were rushed to the site and several people were rescued. In video tweeted by news agency ANI, students can be seen escaping the blaze at the coaching centre. Officials say that some students sustained injury while escaping the blaze.
City court dismisses Tamil Nadu minister Senthil Balaji’s plea for rejection of remand
A city court here has rejected arrested Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji’s plea for rejection of remand. The court dismissed the petition as infructuous since Balaji, arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), had already been sent to judicial custody earlier. Balaji, TN Electricity and Prohibition and Excise minister, was arrested on Wednesday by the ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in a cash for jobs scam against him when he was the Transport minister in the earlier AIADMK cabinet led by the late J Jayalalithaa. (PTI)
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh vs Wrestlers
Delhi Police has filed 500-page closure report in the minor’s case against former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Cops told the court that ‘no corroborative evidence found.’ Atul Srivastava, Special Public Prosecutor, said that the final report has been filed and the next date for hearing is July 4. Delhi Police has also filed chargesheet under Section 354, 354A, 354D against Singh in Rouse Avenue Court. (READ MORE)
Israel targets Syrian capital
An Israeli air strike targeting sites around Syria’s Damascus left one Syrian soldier with “serious injuries and caused some material damage,” state news agency SANA reported early on Wednesday citing a military source. Syrian air defences intercepted missiles Israel launched at 1:05 a.m. from the Golan Heights and “shot down some of them,” the source said. (Reuters)
India, US discuss drone deal
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will hold a key meeting with US officials today. Singh-led Defence Acquisition Council will take up the deal for MQ-9 Reaper armed drones acquisition from the US. Apart from the drone deal, other ‘Made in India’ defence deals will also be discussed.
New Zealand slips into recession
Another major economy of the first world has entered into ‘technical recession’. Latest reports say that New Zealand slipped into recession. The development comes the nation’s economy shrank in Q1, latest data shows. After the data was released, the New Zealand dollar slipped 0.2% to $0.6197, a Reuters report said.
Goldman Sachs Group announces job cuts
Goldman Sachs Group is cutting more than 30 banking jobs in Asia, two sources with knowledge of the matter said, as a challenging markets environment weighs on Wall Street banks’ dealmaking and trading revenues. The reduction in regional jobs, most of which are in the global banking & markets division, started on Wednesday, said the sources. (REUTERS)
Earthquake strikes Philippines
A moderate earthquake jolted Philippines, USGS has said. According to the agency, the tremor was of magnitude 6.2 on the Richter Scale. It was a very deep earthquake at the depth of 124.2 km.