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Mamata Banerjee’s 20k-crore demand for cyclone relief unrealistic: Dilip Ghosh
- Asserting that Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s demand of Rs 20,000-crore for cyclone relief was “unrealistic”, state BJP president Dilip Ghosh on Sunday said she skipped the review meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to avoid giving a detailed account of the claims that she has made.
- Ghosh also pointed out that the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), which called the review meeting on Friday, is entitled to decide on the list of invitees.
- “Odisha faced the brunt of the cyclone while Bengal was largely spared, but she is asking for Rs 20,000 crore. She did not attend the review meeting with the Prime Minister at Kalaikunda as she did not want to elaborate on this unrealistic demand,” Ghosh said.
Children represent future of India; We’ll do everything to support, protect them.
– PM Narendra Modi
Punjab Police arrest two main accused in the May 15 killing of CIA Assistant Sub Inspectors, Bhagwan Singh and Dalwinderjit Singh. The accused are associates of gangster and drug smuggler Jaipal Bhullar and were nabbed from Dabra in MP’s Gwalior, this evening
Reports ANI
FORDA vs Yog Guru Ramdev
Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA) India says that they will hold a nationwide black day protest o… https://t.co/VAxftq7pza
— ANI (@ANI) 1622292662000
Renowned academician and Padmashri recipient M Anandakrishnan died on Saturday.
- Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Chief Minister M K Stalin and many others condoled the death of the former Vice Chancellor of Anna University.
- The deceased, in his early 90s, was reportedly under treatment for COVID-19. Anandakrishnan had earlier served as chairman of the Board of Governors of IIT, Kanpur.
Govt nod to permission-compliant drone operations in 166 additional green zones
- The Civil Aviation Ministry Saturday said it has permitted drone operations, which are in compliance with its no-permission-no-takeoff (NPNT) scheme, up to 400 feet above the ground in 166 new green zones across the country.
- The NPNT scheme requires an operator to take permission from aviation regulator DGCA, using an app, before each drone flight. If this permission is not received, the drone itself will not function.
- “Flying in these approved ‘green-zones’ will require only intimation of the time and location of the flights via the Digital Sky portal or the app,” a Civil Aviation Ministry statement.
NIA files chargesheet against an ISIS operative from Tamil Nadu’s Madurai in special court: National Investigation Agency
HMSI commences production; announces financial support to dealers
- Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) on Saturday said it has resumed production across its manufacturing plants in the country.
- The two-wheeler major has production facilities at Manesar (Haryana), Tapukara (Rajasthan) and Vithalapur (Gujarat).
- The company has also announced financial support for its authorised dealers, who were under complete lockdown.
As a follow up of the decision of the GST Council at its 43rd meeting, a Group of Ministers (GoM) has been constituted to examine the issue of GST concession/exemption to COVID relief material. GoM to submit its report by June 08, 2021: Ministry of Finance
New DR Congo volcanic eruption a ‘false alarm’: Govt
Reports AFP
Russia approves new route for Air France flights to Moscow
- Russia has approved a new route for Air France flights between Paris and Moscow avoiding Belarusian airspace, initially just for this weekend, a spokesman for the French airline said on Saturday.
- The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has advised domestic and foreign airlines to avoid Belarusian air space this week following the forced landing in Minsk of a Ryanair jet en route to Lithuania from Greece, and the arrest of a dissident journalist on board, on May 23.
The percentage of increase on the airfare going to be applicable for domestic air travel. Looking at the passenger’s view it is not advisable at all: EM Najeeb, Chairman of Air Travel Enterprises Kerala & President of Confederation of Kerala Tourism Industry
Yesterday after aerial survey (of Cyclone Yaas aftermath) in West Bengal there was a review meeting in East Midnapore, but CM Mamata Banerjee and administration made the PM wait for 30 minutes. It was breach of constitutional integrity & was shameful: BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari
Indonesia frees Iran-flagged tanker after 4 months
- Indonesian authorities said Saturday that two oil tankers – the Iranian-flagged MT Horse and Panamanian-flagged MT Freya were released after a four-month detention for illegally transferring oil in Indonesian waters.
- The two ships were freed on Friday, and their captains were allowed to leave despite being sentenced Tuesday to a year in prison for not complying with shipping channel regulations, said Wisnu Pramandita, a spokesman for Indonesia’s Maritime Security Agency.
Chinese firms, including Huawei, barred from using national security loophole in new US bill
- In a bid to check Chinese threat, the United States has come up with a new bill directing Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to bar firms from Beijing including Huawei from allegedly using national security loophole.
- Fox News reported that a new bipartisan bill in the Senate will require the FCC to hold off on clearing business requests from companies on the commission’s national security threat list, including the Chinese company Huawei.
Delhi Court extends wrestler Sushil Kumar’s police remand for 4 days in the murder of 23-year-old Sagar Rana at Chhatrasal Stadium.
India-Pak ceasefire contributed to feeling of peace: Army chief
- The holding of the ceasefire between Indian and Pakistani armies along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir for the last three months has contributed to a feeling of peace and security and it is the first step towards a long road of normalisation of ties between the two countries, Chief of Army Staff Gen M M Naravane has said.
- The Army Chief also said that consistency in the reduction in infiltration attempts and terrorist incidents in Jammu and Kashmir will go a long way in assuring India of Pakistani intent to foster good neighbourly relations.
- Gen Naravane said adherence to the ceasefire pact has “definitely” contributed to the overall feeling of peace and security in the region and boosted prospects of peace after a long spell of flare-ups.
CBI arrests four, including the Food Corporation of India divisional manager, in a bribery case & recovers cash of Rs 3.01 crores.
Reports ANI
NIA files chargesheet against 2 Hizb-ul-Mujahideen operatives
- The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday filed a supplementary chargesheet in the NIA Special Court against two persons in connection with a criminal conspiracy by Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) operatives to carry out terror incidents at different places in Uttar Pradesh and other parts of India.
- According to a statement issued by the NIA, the supplementary charge-sheet was filed under Sections 18, 19 and 38 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 r/w section 120B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against two accused persons namely 52-year-old Nisar Ahmad Sheikh and Nishad Ahmad Butt, 42 year old.
Delhi court grants bail to businessman Navneet Kalra in oxygen concentrator black-marketing case.
Administrative council approves creation of IT posts for High Court in J&K
The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Saturday approved a proposal to create 19 posts for the computer section of the High Court.
MoS (Home) G Kishan Reddy to ANI
A team of Group of Intellectuals and Academicians has submitted the Centre its report into violent incidents that t… https://t.co/xjW3ot0UMx
— ANI (@ANI) 1622285047000
I appeal to PM Modi to end political vendetta, withdraw order recalling Chief Secretary Alapan Bandopadhyay, allow him to work for COVID-infected, says Mamata Banerjee
Nitin Gadkari asks students to be catalyst for social change
- Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Saturday appealed to students to be the catalyst for the social and economic change in the 21st Century.
- “As the 21st Century belongs to India, all-out efforts should be made to bring about the social and economic change in the lives of the people,” Gadkari said in his online address on the occasion of the 37th convocation ceremony of the Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University.
- He asked the varsity to use technological innovations to make all villages ideal.
Narcotics Control Bureau of Mumbai arrested 3 persons & seized 2100 capsules of Methamphetamine drug worth Rs 50 lakh from their procession. The parcel was destined for Qatar. Further investigation is going on: NCB Mumbai
If prime minister asks me to touch his feet for welfare of Bengal people, I am ready to do that; but I should not be insulted
– Mamata Banerjee, CM West Bengal
Second volcano erupts near DR Congo’s Goma city: Govt
Reports AFP
PMO humiliated me, tweets posted to tarnish my image: Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on her decision to skip review meeting with Modi on cyclone devastation.
Delhi Police seeks further seven-day remand of wrestler Sushil Kumar
Reports ANI
AMU asks students to vacate hostels, return home
The Aligarh Muslim University has asked students to vacate its hostels and return home in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, even as a student leader expressed strong reservations, saying those from rural areas would face difficulties in continuing studies online due to poor connectivity.
Samsung pips Xiaomi to grab 2nd spot in global wearables market
Samsung Electronics took over Chinese brand Xiaomi to become the world’s second-largest vendor of wearable devices in the first quarter of the year, a report has showed, on the back of its wireless earbuds sales.
Popular Tamil lyricist Vairamuthu announces ‘returning’ ONV literary prize, instituted in memory of Jnanpith laureate Malayalam poet late ONV Kurup, following protests from various quarters against award to the songwriter facing “MeToo” charges
Facebook purged 150 covert influence operations in last 4 years
- Facebook has taken down over 150 covert influence operations in the last four years or so that originated from over 50 nations, including India, and violated its policies.
- The covert influence operations (IO) originated from 2017 through mid-2021 and targeted both foreign and domestic public debate.
BJP to organise an outreach programme from June 1-3 to create awareness among party cadres through social media and other media outlets, regarding post-poll violence in West Bengal
Wrestler Sushil Kumar to be presented in Rohini court shortly in the 23-year-old Sagar Rana’s murder case at Chhatrasal Stadium
Sajag, third in the series of 105 m Offshore Patrol Vessels was commissioned by Ajit Doval, Kirti Chakra, National Security Advisor: ICG
NGT forms 5-member panel to probe violation of environmental norms by JSW
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has formed a five-member committee to probe into a plea alleging violation of environmental norms in running the industrial operations by Jindal Steel Works Limited at some villages in Raigarh district of Maharashtra.
Delhi Court reserves order on Navneet Kalra bail plea
IPL has been moved to UAE for this season: Vice-President BCCI Rajeev Shukla to ANI
A total of 22 people have died after allegedly consuming liquor sold by licensed vendors in Aligarh: District Magistrate Chandra Bhushan Singh
We have clarity on Quad, it fills a very important gap that emerged in contemporary times, where there are global/regional requirements, which can’t be filled by a single country or even be filled by one bilateral relation & which isn’t being addressed at multilateral level
– EAM Jaishankar
Vistara receives first purchased A320neo aircraft from Airbus’ production facility in France
Jaypee Infra case: NBCC, Suraksha get more time to submit final bids
- The two-day voting process, which began on May 27, to decide whether a further extension should be given to both the contenders concluded on Friday evening.
- Sources said that members representing 98.54 per cent of the voting rights gave their assent to the proposal to provide a final opportunity to both the resolution applicants to submit their revised bids.
- The deadline for submission of the final bids is June 4 and resolution plans should be compliant with insolvency law and a Supreme Court judgement on March 24, they added.
Toll collection on national highways to fall by 25-30 pc: ICRA
Toll collection on national highways is likely to fall by 25 to 30 per cent in May over last month as a fall out of the lockdown and restrictions imposed by several states to contain the spread of coronavirus, according to rating agency ICRA. In April too, toll collection fell by 10 per cent over March.
NHRC on West Bengal poll violence:
- National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) asked the West Bengal Director General of Police (DGP) to act over issue of death of four persons & injury of other few in firing by CISF at Sitalkuchi in Cooch Behar district, North Bengal during State elections.
- Acting on a petition filed by human rights and social activist and Supreme Court lawyer Radhakanta Tripathy, the NHRC passed the order
FIR registered against TV actor Munmun Dutta for posting a video with a casteist slur on social media: Mumbai Police
Delhi government invites bidding for global tender for procurement of 10 million doses of COVID19 vaccine
Last date for bidding is June 7.
Director General CRPF Kuldiep Singh has been given additional charge of DG NIA
MeT forecasts partly cloudy sky in Delhi; minimum temp settles at 26.8 deg C
Mercury rose by a notch in the national capital as the minimum temperature settled at 26.6 degrees Celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department on Saturday.
During hearing of bail plea of businessman Navneet Kalra, Prosecutor Shrivastava tells Delhi Court that the oxygen concentrator was neither premium nor of Germany. Flow is not there and it is not fit for use for even one person
Prosecutor Shrivastava denies businessman Navneet Kalra’s submission that he was doing charity
Uttarakhand rolls out heavy fines for noise pollution
State government spokesperson Subodh Uniyal told ANI, “The state has taken decisions under the Central Government’s Noise Pollution Regulation Control Act, 2000, If a person violates the specified ‘decibel’ for the first time, he/she will be fined Rs 1,000, for the second time, the fine levied will be Rs 2,500 and for the third time, the fine levied will be Rs 5,000.”
Price of petrol & diesel in Mumbai at Rs 100.19 per litre and Rs 92.17 respectively
Petrol & diesel prices per litre – Rs 93.94 & Rs 84.89 in Delhi, Rs 93.97 & Rs 87.74 in Kolkata, Rs 95.51 & Rs 89.65 in Chennai
IMA Uttarakhand challenges Yog Guru Ramdev for a debate
Indian Medical Association (IMA) Uttarakhand has challenged Yog Guru Ramdev for a debate, asked him to tell which allopathic hospitals have given Patanjali medicines for treatment, IMA has publicly challenged the debate with panel discussion
Biden’s USD 6 trillion budget: Social spending, taxes on business
- President Joe Biden on Friday unveiled a USD 6 trillion budget for next year that’s piled high with new safety net programs for the poor and middle class, but his generosity depends on taxing corporations and the wealthy to keep the nation’s spiking debt from spiralling totally out of control.
- Biden inherited record pandemic-stoked spending and won a major victory on COVID-19 relief earlier this year. Friday’s rollout adds his recently announced infrastructure and social spending initiatives and fleshes out his earlier plans to sharply increase spending for annual Cabinet budgets.
- This year’s projected deficit would set a new record of USD 3.7 trillion that would drop to USD 1.8 trillion next year — still almost double pre-pandemic levels. The national debt will soon breach USD 30 trillion after more than USD 5 trillion in already approved COVID-19 relief. As a result, the government must borrow roughly 50 cents of every dollar it spends this year and next.
5.5-magnitude quake hits 125 km ESE of Takahagi, Japan: USGS
An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.5 jolted 125 km ESE of Takahagi, Japan at 01:02:40 GMT on Saturday, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.
MHA issued notice for any person belonging to minority community in Afghanistan, Bangladesh & Pakistan namely Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jain, Parsis & Christians residing in 13 districts of Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Haryana & Punjab to apply for Indian citizenship
ICG ship ‘Sajag’ to be commissioned today
ICG ship ‘Sajag’, 3rd in series of five Offshore Patrol Vessel indigenously designed & built by GSL Goa in lines wi… https://t.co/8ths517eeG
— ANI (@ANI) 1622254880000
Maharashtra: NDA holds passing out parade of 140th course
Maharashtra: National Defence Academy holds passing out parade of 140th course. Navy chief Admiral Karambir Singh… https://t.co/cMONqBSQgR
— ANI (@ANI) 1622254083000
U.S. to re-impose sanctions on Belarus firms over plane incident
The Biden administration on Friday said it will re-impose sanctions on nine Belarusian state-owned businesses in response to Belarus’ forced landing of a passenger jet and subsequent arrest of a journalist on board.
Quad fills crucial gap that has emerged in contemporary times: Jaishankar in US
“We are members of Quad. When we are members of anything, we are very keen about it, otherwise, we won’t be its members. We have clarity on the Quad,” Jaishankar underlined.