LIVE: Rajasthan Guv asks why trust vote is needed if govt enjoys majority

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot said that he has learnt the Congress MLAs, lodged in a Haryana hotel, want to "break free of their captivity" and go along with the govt. Catch the latest news of the day

Latest news today live updates: No action can be taken against Sachin Pilot and other rebel Congress leaders for now, the Rajasthan High Court said today, in a reprieve for the group against disqualification. The court said there will be "status quo" until its decision on the rebels' petition against disqualification notices. The verdict, which was expected today, has been delayed after the court accepted team Pilot's last-minute request to add the Centre to the case.

The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed the high court to rule on the petition filed by 19 dissident Congress legislators, including Pilot, against the speaker's notice for initiating disqualification proceedings against them, but said that it would be subject to the outcome of the petition before the top court.

Stay tuned for the latest news of the day

2:14 AM

Covid-19: Boris Johnson accepts he could have done things differently

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has been criticised for acting too slowly in the Covid-19 pandemic, said on Friday there may have been things he could have done differently.

 

He has pledged to hold an inquiry into his handling of the coronavirus crisis but not yet.

 

"Maybe there were things we could have done differently and of course there will be time to understand what exactly we could have done, or done differently," he told the BBC.

2:14 AM

Google getting serious about competing with Amazon in online shopping

Google is getting serious about competing with Amazon in online shopping — just as it did in 2013, 2014, 2017, and 2019.

 

But in 2020, as the coronavirus pandemic continues, the push to create an online shopping marketplace to compete with Amazon has taken on new urgency as consumers are avoiding stores and turning to the internet to fill more of their shopping needs.

 

On Thursday, Google announced that it would take steps to bring more sellers and products onto its shopping site by waiving sales commissions and allowing retailers to use popular third-party payment and order management services like Shopify instead of the company’s own systems. Currently, commissions on Google Shopping range from a 5 percent to 15 percent cut depending on the products.

2:13 AM

China orders closure of US consulate in Chengdu, retaliating for Houston

China ordered the US to close its consulate in the southwestern city of Chengdu, following through on retaliation threats after the Trump administration’s unprecedented decision to shut down the Chinese mission in Houston.

 

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday that the consulate’s closure was a “legitimate and necessary response to the unjustified act by the US”. The widely anticipated retaliation came hours ahead of the US’ deadline for Chinese diplomats to vacate the Houston facility, which the state department said had served as a hub for spying and influence operations.

2:13 AM

Ashok Gehlot, MLAs squat at Raj Bhavan for early session

The political theatre in Rajasthan moved from Jaipur’s Fairmont Hotel, where Congress legislators who support Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot are currently put up, to the lawns of Raj Bhavan on Friday.

 

Gehlot and 100 legislators drove to the Raj Bhavan and squatted on its lawns in the afternoon, demanding that Governor Kalraj Mishra call an Assembly session on Monday to allow the government to prove its majority on the floor of the House. He late in the evening handed over a letter of support of 102 MLAs (one was in the hospital) to Mishra and ended his protest. Read more

1:14 AM

US military chief visits Israel amid tensions with Iran

The top US general made an unannounced visit to Israel on Friday to discuss regional security challenges at a time of heightened tensions with Iran and its allies across the Middle East.

 

Army Gen. Mark Milley, the Joint Chiefs chairman, met with senior Israeli military and intelligence leaders at an air base in southern Israel and held a video conference with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

 

The visit came days after an air raid on the Syrian capital, Damascus, suspected to have been carried out by Israel, killed five foreign fighters, including a member of the Iran-backed Hezbollah.

 

The Lebanese militant group has vowed to retaliate for the killing of its fighters in Syria, and in recent days Israel has sent infantry reinforcements to its northern border with Lebanon.

1:14 AM

China's consulate in Houston cleared out ahead of eviction

Workers at China's consulate in Houston loaded up moving trucks Friday ahead of an afternoon deadline to shut down the facility, as ordered by the Trump administration.

 

On Tuesday, the US ordered the Houston consulate closed within 72 hours, alleging that Chinese agents had tried to steal data from facilities in Texas, including the Texas A&M medical system and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

 

China called the allegations malicious slander and responded by ordering the U.S. to close its consulate in the western Chinese city of Chengdu.

1:13 AM

Rajasthan cabinet discusses governor's six points on assembly session

A cabinet meeting chaired by Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday night discussed the six points raised by Governor Kalraj Mishra for calling an assembly session, sources said.

 

The meeting was held at the chief minister's residence which lasted for nearly two and a half hours.

 

"Discussions over the points given by the governor with regards to calling the assembly sessions were held in the meeting," the sources said.

 

The governor had earlier sought a reply on the six points from the state government, including about the reason to call a session of the Assembly for a floor test.

1:10 AM

India extends medical support to North Korea

India has extended medical assistance worth about $1 million to North Korea in response to a request received from the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday.

 

India is sensitive to the shortage of medical supply situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and decided to grant a humanitarian assistance of $1 million in the form of anti-tuberculosis medicines, the MEA said.

 

12:29 AM

FAA orders emergency engine checks of parked Boeing 737s

Safety regulators issued an emergency order directing airlines to inspect and if necessary replace a critical engine part on popular Boeing 737 jets after four reports of engines shutting down during flights.

 

The Federal Aviation Administration said its order affected about 2,000 twin-engine passenger jets in the United States.

 

The FAA said operators must inspect any 737 that has been parked for at least seven days or been flown fewer than 11 times since being returned to service because of reports that certain engine valves can become stuck in the open position.

12:25 AM

Govindan Rangarajan named new Director of IISc

Govindan Rangarajan would be the next Director of the renowned Indian Institute of Science (IISc) from August 1, after incumbent Anurag Kumar retires on July 31, an official said on Friday.

 

"The institute's Governing Council has appointed Rangarajan as the next Director from August 1 after the consent of President Ram Nath Kovind as the Visitor," said the official.

 

Rangarajan, 56, is the chair of inter-disciplinary research comprising 10 departments and centres located across the institute's sprawling campus in the city's northwest suburb. He also served as chair, Department of Mathematics and the international relations cell.

12:24 AM

India extends medical assistance worth about $1 million to North Korea

12:24 AM

US military: Russia ships more military supplies to Libya

The US military accused Russia on Friday of supplying more weapons, air defense systems and mercenaries to Libya's front lines to shape the outcome of the escalating proxy war in the North African country.

 

The accusation comes as rival Libyan factions backed by different foreign powers pouring weapons and fighters into the country prepare to face off over the strategic coastal city of Sirte, which sits next to Libya's oil-expert terminals and fields.

 

The US Africa Command, or AFRICOM, said verified photographic evidence reveals Russia's increased military support to boost commander Khalifa Hifter, based in eastern Libya, against the U.N.-supported government based in the capital, Tripoli, in the west.

12:23 AM

Floods claim 10 lives in Bihar

The floods in Bihar claimed at least 10 lives till Friday and hit as many districts in the northern parts of the state, leaving nearly one million affected by the deluge, the state's disaster management department said.

 

Heavy rainfalls caused the rivers to swell, leading to breach in embankments at more than one place. The state government said repair work would resume only after two-three days, during which the downpour is expected to become less intense.

 

In the meantime, help will be sought from the Indian Air Force so that relief material could be dropped for people marooned in places, which have become inaccessible.

 

According to the bulletin issued by the state's disaster management department, West Champaran district, situated along the border with Nepal and through which flows the Gandak river, originating in the neighbouring country and currently in full spate, has borne the brunt accounting for seven of the deaths.

12:21 AM

Pakistan court suspends temporary ban on PUBG; asks telecom regulator to restore game

11:45 PM

Three more die in Assam floods; president takes stock of situation

The flood situation in Assam remained critical on Friday with three more persons losing their lives in the deluge and nearly 28 lakh people in 26 of the state's 33 districts affected by the floods, a bulletin said.

 

President Ram Nath Kovind spoke to Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal over the flood situation and expressed solidarity with the affected people of the state.

 

Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi visited Chirang district to oversee the relief and rehabilitation measures, and also spent some time with the affected people in two relief camps.