Amid tight security, the videography survey of the Gyanvapi Masjid complex is being carried out for the second consecutive day, with officials saying efforts are being made to complete the exercise on Sunday itself. The survey was stalled last week amid objections by the mosque committee, which claimed that the advocate commissioner appointed by the court for the survey did not have the mandate to film inside the premises. The mosque is located close to the iconic Kashi Vishwanath temple,. The local court hears a plea by a group of women seeking permission for daily prayers before the idols on its outer walls.
Show more Show less
!1 New UpdateClick here for the latest updates
Survey underway at Gyanvapi Masjid complex for the second day
Amid tight security, the videography survey of the Gyanvapi Masjid complex is being carried out for the second consecutive day, with officials saying efforts are being made to complete the exercise on Sunday itself. The survey was stalled last week amid objections by the mosque committee, which claimed that the advocate commissioner appointed by the court for the survey did not have the mandate to film inside the premises. The mosque is located close to the iconic Kashi Vishwanath temple,. The local court hears a plea by a group of women seeking permission for daily prayers before the idols on its outer walls.
Govt to soon approve recast of Banks Board Bureau
According to sources, the government would soon finalize the restructuring of the Banks Board Bureau (BBB) as its extended two-year term concluded last month. BBB since April 2018, has been headed by former Secretary in the Department of Personnel and Training B P Sharma. The extended period for the BBB, the headhunter for top management of state-run banks and financial institutions, ended on April 10. Sources said that the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet would take a call on the restructuring of BBB soon.
China to let banks cut lower limit of home loan interest rates
China’s financial authorities said today they will let banks cut the lower limit of interest rates on home loans based on the corresponding tenor of the Loan Prime Rate for first home purchases. The move is to support housing demand and promote the healthy development of the country’s property market, the People’s Bank of China and China’s Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission said in a statement.
Manik Saha takes oath as Tripura chief minister.
Tripura BJP president Manik Saha on Sunday was sworn in as the 12th new chief minister of the state. Manik Saha replaced Biplab Kumar Deb as the chief minister of the northeastern state. Saha was named the leader of the BJP legislature party on Saturday after Deb resigned as the chief minister just a year before the state elections. A dentist by profession, Saha had won the lone Rajya Sabha seat from Tripura earlier this year. Saha, who quit the Congress and joined the BJP in 2016, was made the party’s state president in 2020.
Mundka fire: Absconding building owner arrested
The absconding owner of a building in outer Delhi’s Mundka, where a massive fire broke out, leaving 27 people dead, has been arrested two days after the incident, police said on Sunday. Twenty-seven people, including 21 women, have died in the blaze that started on the first floor of the four-story building on Friday. “We have arrested the absconding building owner Manish Lakra after conducting raids in Delhi and Haryana,” said Sameer Sharma, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer).
Britain says Russia’s Donbas offensive ‘has lost momentum.’
Russia’s offensive in Ukraine’s Donbas region “has lost momentum and fallen significantly behind schedule”, British military intelligence said today. ”Under the current conditions, Russia is unlikely to dramatically accelerate its advance rate over the next 30 days,” the British military said in a regular Twitter bulletin. On Friday, Ukrainian forces prevented an attempted Russian river crossing in the Donbas, an eastern area comprising the Luhansk and Donetsk regions that have been a focus of the war.
India ‘especially vulnerable’ to food, crude oil inflation unleashed by Russia-Ukraine war: Goyal.
It is never wise to overreact to shocks when economic recovery is shaky: Ashima Goyal.
CERC seeks feedback on ‘deterrent charges’ for low coal stock at thermal power plants
Thermal power plants may soon have to pay ‘deterrent charges’ to discoms for maintaining lower-than-specified coal stocks. The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has sought feedback from stakeholders on the methodology for computing these charges. The CERC has sought input from the stakeholders on the issue through a public notice issued on May 13, 2022. All stakeholders can provide their input till May 27, 2022.
RBI not ‘behind the curve’ in hiking interest rate, says MPC member Ashima Goyal
Ex-British spy and Russia expert say Putin is ‘quite seriously’ ill, as per his sources in Russia.
Amid COVID-19 outbreak, Shanghai ‘shuts’ half of its make-shift hospitals.
Shanghai has closed half of its make-shift hospitals, warning the citizens of possible epidemic rebounds in some old neighborhoods. According to authorities at Saturday’s press conference, five of 10 municipal-level makeshift hospitals have closed off, as the city reported 194 newly confirmed cases and 1,487 silent carriers on Friday. The patients treated at makeshift hospitals in Shanghai had dropped to about 50,000, one-fifth of the peak number when the epidemic was at its worst, said Ding Bo, in charge of patient relocation work at the city’s COVID prevention task force, during a press briefing, Global Times reported.
Pakistan: Oil, eatable import bill spiked to USD 24.77 billion
Pakistan’s oil and eatable import bill surged by 58.98 percent to USD 24.77 billion in July and April even though the country battles a fast declining economy, owing to an increase in international prices and a massive depreciation of the rupee. Compared to last year’s import bill of USD 44.73 billion, the country’s overall import bill spiked by 46.51 percent to USD 65.53 in ten months ending October 2022, reported the Dawn newspaper. The share of these products also faced an increase of 37.79 percent. The sharp ascent in these two sectors has resulted in trade deficits in Pakistan, adding pressure on the government’s outer side.
Lebanon holds parliamentary election amid economic crisis.
Lebanon opened polling stations for the country’s general elections on Sunday amid a severe economic crisis. Polling stations opened at 4:00 am GMT. There are 718 candidates for 128 seats in parliament, with seats divided along ethnic and religious lines among 11 groups. Before the election date, Lebanese expatriates began casting their votes on May 6 worldwide.
Assam floods: Three dead, nearly 25,000 people affected
Around 25,000 people across six districts of Assam have been affected by the first wave of floods in the state this year. Three people, including a woman, died in landslide incidents in the Haflong area in the Dima Hasao district on Saturday. Following incessant rains in Assam and neighboring states– Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh– in the past couple of days, the water level of several rivers is gradually increasing, and the water in Kopili river is flowing above the danger level mark.
Maruti Suzuki lines up Rs 5,000 cr capex for current fiscal
Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) has lined up Rs 5,000 crore capex for various initiatives, including new product launches, for the current financial year, according to a senior company official. The country’s top carmaker, which had earmarked around Rs 4,500 crore in FY22, also believes that parent Suzuki Motor Corp’s investment in Gujarat would help expand its battery electric vehicles (BEV) range in the country. “Capex of Rs 5,000 crore is something that we’ve committed for this fiscal on various projects, including the new model launches, etc.,” MSI CFO Ajay Seth said in an analyst call.
Maoists set ablaze ten vehicles in Jharkhand’s Latehar.
Maoists set ablaze ten vehicles that were being used for the construction of roads and bridges in Jharkhand’s Latehar district, police said on Sunday. The Maoists torched eight vehicles, including excavators and tankers of a construction company, in Baskarcha in the Mahuadanr police station area on Saturday night, they said. They added that these vehicles were engaged in the construction of roads in the area. Two more cars, including a mixer machine, were set ablaze in Potmadih a while later, police said.
2.34 lakh cases pending at Calcutta HC, 41% judges’ posts vacant
Functioning with only 39 judges out of a sanctioned strength of 72 judges, the Calcutta High Court is saddled with more than two lakh pending cases. On Saturday, the Union Law and Justice Ministry announced the appointment of three more additional judges to the Calcutta High Court, which will take the number to 42. Legal luminaries say that the number of judges needs to be increased as soon as possible to deal with the backlog and newly filed petitions. A total of 2,34,539 cases are pending before the high court despite efforts by the judiciary to reduce the backlog.
Mcap of eight of top-10 firms tumbles over Rs 2.48 lakh cr; Reliance biggest drag.
Eight of the ten most valued companies suffered a combined erosion of Rs 2,48,372.97 crore in their market valuation last week, in line with a weak broader market trend, with Reliance Industries taking the biggest hit. While Reliance Industries, Tata Consultancy Services, HDFC Bank, Infosys, ICICI Bank, State Bank of India, HDFC, and Bharti Airtel were the laggards, Hindustan Unilever Limited and Kotak Mahindra Bank emerged as gainers. Last week, Sensex lost 2,041.96 points or 3.72 per cent.
Elon Musk says Twitter legal team told him he violated NDA.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said that Twitter’s legal team accused him of violating a nondisclosure agreement by revealing that the sample size for the social media platform’s checks on automated users was 100. Taking to a social media platform on Saturday (local time), Musk said: “Twitter legal just called to complain that I violated their NDA by revealing the bot check sample size is 100!.”
Politicians urge probe into civilian mistreatment in Afghan provinces.
Some influential Afghan politicians have urged an investigation into the alleged reports of torture and mistreatment of Afghan civilians in the Panjshir, Takhar, and Baghlan provinces. The Afghan politicians who have expressed concerns over the abuse of Afghan civilians include Abdullah Abdullah, the former chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation; Abdul Rab Rasul Sayyaf, a former Jihadi leader; Karim Khalili, the former Vice President of Afghanistan, accompanied by Muhammad Mohaqiq, the chairman of the People’s Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan to name a few, reported Tolo News.
India reports 2,487 new Covid cases, 13 deaths in last 24hrs
With 2,487 new coronavirus infections being reported in a day, India’s total tally of Covid-19 cases rose to 4,31,21,599. In contrast, the active topics increased to 17,692, according to the Union health ministry data updated on Sunday. The active cases constituted 0.04 percent of the total infections, while the national recovery rate was recorded at 98.74 percent, the health ministry said. According to the Union health ministry data updated at 9 am, the death toll rose to 5,24,214 with 13 more fatalities.
Abortion rights backers rally in anger over post-Roe future.
Abortion rights supporters demonstrating at hundreds of marches and rallies have expressed their outrage that the Supreme Court appears prepared to scrap the constitutional right to abortion that has endured for nearly a half-century and their fear about what that could mean for women’s reproductive choices. Incensed after a leaked draft opinion suggested the court’s conservative majority would overturn the landmark Roe v Wade ruling, activists on Saturday spoke of the need to mobilize quickly because Republican-led states are poised to enact tighter restrictions. In the nation’s capital, thousands gathered in drizzly weather at the Washington Monument to listen to fiery speeches before marching to the Supreme Court, surrounded by two security fences.
25 new COVID-19 cases in Thane, no death
With the addition of 25 new COVID-19 cases, the infection count in Maharashtra’s Thane district has increased to 7,09,337, an official said on Sunday. These new cases were reported on Saturday, he said. He said the death toll remained unchanged at 11,895, adding that the COVID-19 mortality rate in Thane stood at 1.67 percent.
Narela blaze: Operation to douse fire continues, likely to be over soon
The operation to douse the fire in Delhi’s Narela’s plastic granulation factory last night continued on Sunday morning. The fire, which was declared to fall under the “medium category”, could not be doused the whole night completely as the blaze continued this morning. However, according to the official, the fire was controlled late last night, but the fire caught up again due to water not reaching the “small pockets” in the factory.
China logs 226 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours.
According to the National Health Commission’s report on Sunday, the Chinese mainland reported 226 “locally-transmitted” confirmed COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, out of which 166 were in Shanghai. Apart from Shanghai, ten other provincial-level regions on the mainland saw new local COVID-19 cases, including 33 in Beijing, Xinhua News Agency reported. According to the commission, 448 COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals in the last 24 hours, as per the agency. With this, the total number of coronavirus patients discharged from hospitals after recovery to 210,454 as of Saturday.
Relief for international students who missed DU exams
Following concerns raised by over 70 international students from countries like Afghanistan and others who could not get visas, senior Delhi University officials said on Thursday that such students would be allowed to appear for examinations in August.
North Korea reports 15 more suspected COVID-19 deaths.
North Korea has confirmed 15 more deaths and hundreds of thousands of additional patients with fevers as it mobilizes more than a million health and other workers to try to suppress the country’s first COVID-19 outbreak, state media reported on Sunday. After maintaining a widely disputed claim to be coronavirus-free for more than two years, North Korea announced Thursday that it had found its first COVID-19 patients since the pandemic began. It has since said a fever has spread across the country “explosively” since late April but has not disclosed exactly how many COVID-19 cases it has found. Some experts say North Korea lacks the diagnostic kits needed to test many suspected COVID-19 patients.
Mumbai: 90% of April Covid cases in the first May fortnight
In the first fortnight of May, the number of Covid cases in Mumbai is almost 90% of the entire tally in April. While 1,641 cases were detected in the city between May 1 and 14, the total for April was 1,827 cases. In Maharashtra, 2,353 cases have been detected in May, accounting for almost 65% of the caseload in April. The April tally was 3,708 cases. On Saturday, Maharashtra registered 248 Covid points, including 131 from Mumbai. The unattended death in the state occurred in Mumbai, where a 40-plus female with no comorbidity died of Covid. The city has registered one end for two consecutive days.
Discontent simmers as Okinawa marks 50 years since US rule ended.
The Japanese island of Okinawa marks 50 years since the end of US rule Sunday, with discontent simmering about the ongoing presence of American troops and fears about growing regional tensions. The anniversary is being marked with official ceremonies, but behind the pleasantries are longstanding concerns for Okinawans about the US troop presence and more recent worries about the threat of a military confrontation involving China. The post-World War II US occupation of Japan lasted until 1952, but it took another 20 years for Okinawa, the country’s southernmost prefecture, to regain its sovereignty.
McConnell, GOP senators meet Zelenskyy in surprise Kyiv stop
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell and a delegation of GOP senators met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv during an unannounced visit Saturday, delivering the latest show of American solidarity with the country at war with Russia. “Our delegation reaffirmed to President Zelenskyy that the United States stands squarely behind Ukraine and will sustain our support until Ukraine wins this war,” McConnell said in a statement released after the delegation had left Ukraine.
Congress Chintan Shivir to conclude today, CWC to give final nod to committees’ recommendations
As Congress’ three-day Chintan Shivir is all set to conclude on Sunday, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) will deliberate on the recommendations the six committees gave to prepare a declaration along with the party’s roadmap for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The Chintan Shivir, organized in Udaipur after a gap of nine years, was attended by around 430 leaders and has prepared a “six draft resolution,” which has been submitted to Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi by the six conveners appointed for six committees formed to discuss different subjects from politics to the organization, farmers-agriculture, youth-related issues, social justice, and welfare and economy.
Pak govt mulls over withdrawing subsidy on petroleum products ahead of IMF talks
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif-led government is likely to abolish subsidies on petrol and with this gradually, there will be an increase in the prices of petroleum products for the next fortnight. As per the sources, ahead of Pakistan’s talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the revival of the USD 6 billion loan programme, the Shehbaz government will abandon the fuel subsidy on Sunday, as per Geo TV. Federal Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, who was in London along with PM Shehbaz held discussions with the party supremo Nawaz Sharif. These discussions centred around devising strategies to help the country overcome this severe economic condition.
Manik Saha to take oath as Tripura CM today
A day after BJP leader Biplab Kumar Deb resigned from the post of the Tripura Chief Minister, state party chief Manik Saha will take oath as the next chief minister of the state on Sunday at Raj Bhawan in Agartala. Dr Saha, who was chosen by the BJP as the new chief minister of Tripura, is a Rajya Sabha MP and chief of the party in the state which will go to the polls by March next year. The swearing-in ceremony of the Council of Ministers will take place at 11:30 am on May 15 at Raj Bhawan, Agartala.
CNG price hiked by Rs 2 per kg in Delhi-NCR
The Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) has hiked the price of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) by Rs 2 per kg in Delhi-NCR, with effect from Sunday at 6 am. With the latest hike, CNG is now priced at Rs 73.61 per kg in Delhi, Rs 76.17 per kg in Noida, and Rs 81.94 in Gurugram. Meanwhile, IGL has also increased gas prices in other parts of the country. In Rewari, CNG is retailing at Rs 84.07 per kg; Rs 82.27 per kg in Karnal and Kaithal; Rs 85.40 in Kanpur, Hamirpur and Fatehpur and Rs 83.88 in Ajmer, Pali and Rajsamand after the increase.
Aussie cricket legend Andrew Symonds dies in car crash.
Legendary Australian cricketer Andrew Symonds, aged 46, died in a car accident on Hervey Range Road near the Alice River Bridge in Queensland, Australia, when his car left the road and rolled, a Queensland police statement said on Saturday night. This is yet another tragic blow to Australian cricket. Symonds is the third Australian cricket legend to suddenly pass away this year following the sad deaths of Shane Warne and Rod Marsh in March.
G23 leaders successful in reviving Congress, parliamentary board
Congress G23 leaders were able to successfully push their demand of reviving the party’s Parliamentary Board at the Udaipur Chintan Shivir, according to party sources. “Congress Party Parliamentary Board will be formed; G23 leaders had demanded that the Board be formed,” said party sources. A key Congress panel at the party’s Chintan Shivir here has favored reservation in the private sector and has expressed support for demands for a caste census. The party panel on social justice said it would recommend reserving 50 percent of seats at all levels within the organization for weaker sections, including the Congress Working Committee.
Suvendu Adhikari urges PM, Modi, to check the authenticity of Mamata’s plea on central dues.
On Saturday, leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him not to listen to the pleas of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) funds. “I have written to Hon’ble PM Shri @narendramodi ji, requesting him to direct the officials of his good office to ensure protocols are followed and WB Govt maintains transparency before considering the issues raised by Hon’ble CM @MamataOfficial in her letter addressed to him,” Adhikari tweeted.
Ten dead in US supermarket shooting: Reports
At least ten people fell victim to a shooting in a supermarket in the American city of Buffalo, local news agency Buffalo News reported on Saturday, citing law enforcement sources. The media quoted police as saying that a man wearing body armor entered a Tops Friendly Market after 2:30 p.m. EST (18:30 GMT) and opened fire with a rifle, resulting in 10 people, including one police officer, dead and three injured. The suspect was killed on-site, while two of the injured persons remain in critical condition, police said.
Goa CM meets Tata Sons Group Chairman, discusses investment.
On Saturday, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant met the Chairman of Tata Sons Group, N Chandrasekharan, Noel Tata, and other top CEOs to discuss boosting investment in the coastal state. During the interaction, Sawant was accompanied by Industries Minister Mauvin Godhinho and Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel today. According to an official statement issued by Goa CMO, opportunities in all the sectors like IT, Aviation manufacturing, retail, hospitality, and training centers for hospitality and soft skills were discussed.
