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Rajasthan crisis LIVE: BJP demands CBI probe in 'phone-tapping' issue
SOG of Rajasthan Police has arrested Sanjay Jain whose name had surfaced in a viral audio recording about horse trading. Stay tuned for the latest news of the day
Riots cases: Baijal asks Kejriwal to decide on Delhi Police's request for lawyers in 7 days; AAP hits out
Lt Governor Anil Baijal and the AAP government are locked in another round of confrontation over the appointment of public prosecutors in cases related to Delhi riots and anti-CAA protests, with the LG asking Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to decide within a week on the Delhi Police's proposal recommending the names of six senior advocates.
Baijal, in a letter to Kejriwal, said that acting Home Minister Manish Sisodia did not agree to the Delhi Police proposal despite the force providing detailed justification for it.
The AAP said it has a "strong objection to the constant intervention" of the LG in the appointment of Special Public Prosecutors for cases pertaining to Delhi riots and anti-CAA protests, insisting that the prosecutors have to be "independent" to ensure a free and fair trial.
12:59 AM
Mass protests rock Russian Far East city, challenge Kremlin
Mass rallies challenging the Kremlin rocked Russia's Far East city of Khabarovsk again on Saturday, as tens of thousands took to the streets to protest the arrest of the region's governor on charges of involvement in multiple murders.
The massive unauthoritized crowds gathered despite local officials' attempts to discourage people from taking to the streets, citing the coronavirus epidemic and an alleged averted terrorist threat.
12:57 AM
Special Rajasthan police team formed to probe audio tapes' conspiracy
A special team of Rajasthan police officers has been formed to investigate and arrest the accused in the case registered with the special operations group in connection with audio tapes that revealed a conspiracy to topple the Ashok Gehlot-led state government.
The eight-member team headed by SP CID (Crime branch) Vikas Sharma was formed Friday after two FIRs were registered on a complaint by Congress chief whip in the state Assembly Mahesh Joshi.
12:55 AM
'Black Lives Matter' mural outside Trump Tower defaced again
A “Black Lives Matter” street mural in front of Manhattan's Trump Tower has been vandalised with paint for the second time in a week, New York City police said.
Surveillance video showed three people smearing blue paint on the Fifth Avenue mural while a woman littered it with flyers around 4 p.m. Friday, police said.
Officers found the trio near the mural a short time later with blue paint on their hands and clothing, police said.
They were arrested, charged with criminal mischief and released with a order to appear in court at a later date.
12:50 AM
Pilot tweets urging people to support Assam, Bihar flood victims
Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot on Saturday appealed to all Indians to join the efforts in helping support those affected due to the floods in Assam and Bihar.
Pilot's appeal comes amid the raging political firestorm in Rajasthan where he declared open rebellion against the Ashok Gehlot government. Pilot was sacked as deputy chief minister and the state Congress chief earlier this week.
12:48 AM
G20 finance officials eye solution to digital tax row this year
Finance officials from the Group of 20 major economies on Saturday vowed to resolve major differences over taxing big tech companies and reach a broad, consensus-based solution on international taxation this year.
The United States has been at loggerheads over the issue with Britain, France and other key allies, who have adopted or are considering digital service taxes as a way to raise revenue from the local operations of big tech companies.
Critics say those firms profit enormously from local markets while making only limited contributions to public coffers, but Washington contends the taxes discriminate against US tech firms such as Google, Facebook and Apple Inc .
9:48 PM
Rs 3 lakh financial aid given to shelling-hit family in J-K's Poonch
Authorities in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday handed over Rs 3 lakh financial aid to the family which lost three members due to the Pakistani shelling along the Line of Control (LoC).
A cash amount of Rs 30,000 under the Red Cross was also given to the family, an official spokesman said.
9:38 PM
Rs 50 cr spent on flood management measures: Punjab CM
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday said his government has spent Rs 50 crore on widespread flood management measures including cleaning of the drains to prevent flooding during the monsoon season.
Cleaning of 1,400 km of the total 2,100 km of drains in the state is complete while the remaining stretch is being cleaned expeditiously, Singh said during the 'Ask Captain' Facebook interaction.
9:28 PM
Punjab government withdrew my Khel Ratna nomination since I am ineligible: Harbhajan
Veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh on Saturday clarified that the Punjab government withdrew his nomination for this year's Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award as he doesn't fit in the eligibility criteria for the country's highest sporting honour.
Amid speculation over the withdrawal of his nomination, Harbhajan sought to clear the air.
"I have been flooded with calls as to why Punjab Govt withdrew my name from Khel Ratna nominations. The truth is I am not eligible for Khel Ratna which primarily considers the international performances in last three years," the 40-year-old cricketer tweeted.
9:21 PM
Assam Flood: 3 more dead, 2.76 million people affected in 26 districts
Flood-related incidents claimed three more lives in Assam, where the deluge has hit 2.76 million people in 26 of the 33 districts and destroyed houses, crops, roads and bridges at several places.
Two persons died in Barpeta and one person in South Salmara district, taking the death toll to 105, including 26 in landslides, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority said in its daily flood report.
9:09 PM
Nepal's communist party's key meeting ends with no breakthrough to end Oli-Prachanda infighting
Nepal's ruling communist party's top decision-making body on Saturday failed to achieve a breakthrough to end the tussle for power between Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli and former premier Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' despite four hours of marathon discussions.
No conclusion was reached during the meeting of the Nepal Communist Party's (NCP) nine-member Central Secretariat though the party leaders discussed the agenda to be presented during Sunday's crucial Standing Committee meeting, according to senior party leader Ganesh Shah.
8:58 PM
I-T dept identifies individuals with high value transactions in FY19; to launch e-campaign
The Income Tax Department on Saturday said it has identified certain individuals with high value transactions in 2018-19 who have either not filed returns or have discrepancies in their ITRs.
The last date for filing as well as revising the Income Tax Return for Assessment Year 2019-20 (relevant to FY 2018-19) is July 31, 2020.
The issue of 'phone-tapping' of political leaders in Rajasthan blew up into a major controversy on Saturday with the BJP demanding a CBI probe into it and the Congress alleging that the demand amounted to its "admission of guilt" after the audio tapes of a purported telephonic conversation between a dissident Congress MLA and a Union minister surfaced.
The controversy erupted a day after the Congress suspended two dissident MLAs --Bhanwar Lal Sharma and Vishvendra Singh-- from party's primary membership for allegedly plotting with the BJP to topple the Rajasthan government after the audio clip of the purported conversation between Sharma and Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat came out.
8:46 PM
CM Gehlot visits Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra
8:36 PM
Cong blaming BJP for 'internal strife' ridiculous, condemnable: Diya Kumari
BJP MP from Rajsamand Diya Kumari on Saturday hit back at the Congress for blaming the BJP for its "internal strife" and claimed that the root of the controversy is the continuing war of supremacy within the ruling party in Rajasthan.
She said blaming BJP leaders at the Centre or in the state for the political tussle in Rajasthan is a "reflection of the Congress' frustration".
The Special Operations Group (SOG) of Rajasthan Police has arrested Sanjay Jain whose name had surfaced in a viral audio recording about horse trading of legislators to topple the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in Rajasthan, an official said.
Jain was interrogated Thursday and Friday following which the arrest has been made, officials said.
Meanwhile, Sachin Pilot and other Congress dissidents on Friday got a four-day reprieve from any action by Rajasthan Speaker on the disqualification notices served on them, as the high court extended the hearing into their petition to the next week.
On the international front, Nepal's ruling communist party on has decided to convene a meeting of its top decision-making body today to try and end the tussle for power between beleaguered Prime Minister and former premier Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' that has divided the party.
 "Rajasthan crisis LIVE: BJP demands CBI probe in 'phone-tapping' issue")
