PIB's fact check unit busts fake news in 134 videos across 12 YouTube channels
The government on Thursday claimed to have busted fake news carried in 134 videos across 12 YouTube channels, having cumulative subscribers running into several lakhs.
The Press Information Bureau's Fact Checking Unit said the YouTube channels in question carried videos making misleading claims such as payouts to the tune of Rs 51,000 to meet expenses of daughter's wedding, benefits totalling Rs 2.5 lakh to ration card holders and fake news regarding Covid vaccines.
11:25 PM
Massive searches continue in J-K to hunt down terrorists; DGP meets top army officer in Jammu
The search operation launched in Jammu and Kashmir to track down and neutralise terrorists after the June 9 attack on a bus carrying pilgrims entered the fifth day on Thursday, officials said, as Director General of Police R R Swain met a top army officer here to discuss the ongoing action.
Over the past few days, terrorists struck at four places in Reasi, Kathua and Doda districts, killing nine people, including seven pilgrims and a CRPF jawan, and leaving seven security personnel and others injured.
11:12 PM
Sena MLA opposes handing over of Kurla plot to house Dharavi slum dwellers
Shiv Sena MLA Mangesh Kudalkar on Thursday opposed handing over of a plot belonging to Mother Dairy for rehabilitation of slum dwellers of Dharavi, saying residents have been demanding a sports complex on the land. In a letter to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Kudalkar said under a new government resolution (GR) dated June 10, the 8.5 hectare plot in Nehru Nagar in Kurla has been handed over to the Slum Rehabilitation Authority for rehabilitating the slum dwellers of Dharavi, which is undergoing a revamp.
10:36 PM
NHRC notice to UP govt, DGP over death of 3 workers in septic tank
The NHRC has issued notices to the Uttar Pradesh government and the state's police chief over reports that three workers died after they went down a private septic tank in Vrindavan, officials said on Thursday.
Reportedly, they were electrocuted while repairing a motor inside the tank "without any safety gear", the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said in a statement.
10:17 PM
Mercedes Benz to make Rs 3,000 crore investment in Maharashtra: minister
German car-maker Mercedes Benz will make an investment of Rs 3,000 crore in Maharashtra, state Industries Minister Uday Samant said on Thursday.
In a post on X, Samant said while on a tour of Germany, he met top executives of Mercedes Benz on Thursday and discussed investment opportunities in the state.
9:56 PM
NCLT to hear insolvency plea filed by Engine Lease Finance against SpiceJet on August 2
The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has issued a notice to SpiceJet over an insolvency plea filed by Engine Lease Finance BV, an aircraft engine lessor of the debt-ridden air carrier.
The single-member NCLT bench has asked SpiceJet to file a response over the Engine Lease Finance (ELF) plea and directed listing the matter for hearing on August 2, 2024.
9:05 PM
Firefighters battle massive fire at northern Iraq oil refinery
A team of 32 firefighters in northern Iraq was battling to put out a massive fire Thursday, a day after it broke out at an oil refinery, local officials said.
The fire broke out late Wednesday at a large refinery in Irbil, in the semi-autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq.
8:39 PM
ED raids multiple places in Maha for involvement in betting on poll results
The Enforcement Directorate Thursday said it has conducted raids in Mumbai and Pune as part of a money laundering investigation against a website that allegedly indulged in online betting on 2024 Lok Sabha election results and illegal broadcast of IPL cricket matches.
The searches were launched on Wednesday at 19 locations in the two cities of Maharashtra of the portal 'Fairplay'--https://thefairplay.io, the federal agency said in a statement.
8:24 PM
Six dead, 1,500 tourists stranded as landslides, rain wreak havoc in Sikkim
At least six people were killed and 1,500-odd tourists stranded as massive landslides triggered by incessant rainfall caused devastation in northern Sikkim's Mangan district, officials said on Thursday. A newly-constructed bailey bridge at Sangkalang collapsed snapping the link between Mangan with Dzongu and Chungthang. Landslides blocked stretches of roads and several houses were inundated or damaged, while electricity poles were swept away, they said.
8:15 PM
Congress demands SC-monitored probe into NEET-UG exam controversy
Alleging that there has been fraud and "paper leak" in the NEET-UG exam conducted by National Testing Agency, the Congress on Wednesday said there was a "scam" and demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the matter.
Party chief Mallikarjun Kharge said the problem in NEET exam did not pertain only to grace marks.
7:56 PM
Heat wave continues in Haryana, Punjab; Faridabad sizzles at 46.8 degree C
Heat wave conditions sweeping Haryana and Punjab continued unabated on Thursday, with Faridabad sizzling at 46.8 degrees Celsius, officials said.
Blistering heat also continued to prevail in Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, which recorded a maximum temperature of 44.6 degrees Celsius, according to the Met department here.
7:24 PM
Civil Aviation Ministry to work on 100-day action plan: Minister Naidu
New Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu on Thursday said his ministry will soon come out with a 100-day action plan and find ways to bring down prices of air tickets. Soon after taking over as the Civil Aviation Minister, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MP Naidu said one of his most important priorities would be to create an "ease of flying" scenario in civil aviation as air travel is becoming more and more approachable to the common man, and that has always been the motto of the NDA government.
7:07 PM
Kuwait identifies bodies of 45 Indian nationals killed in fire incident
Kuwait Thursday said authorities have identified the bodies of 45 Indians and three Filipino nationals killed in the tragic fire incident in a building housing foreign workers as the Gulf Kingdom vowed to promptly investigate the incident and assured full support in repatriating the mortal remains of the victims. At least 49 foreign workers were killed and 50 others injured in the fire on Wednesday at the seven-storey building where 196 migrant workers were staying in the southern city of Mangaf.
6:28 PM
Need to boost farm productivity through research: Agri Minister Chouhan
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan emphasized the importance of enhancing agricultural productivity through research. He instructed officials to evaluate the performance of India's 113 research institutes and identify any shortcomings in meeting their objectives. Chouhan, leading a meeting with senior agriculture ministry and research body officials, emphasized the need to assess whether the research institutes have delivered the anticipated outcomes and function effectively. He called for a detailed report on any identified gaps.
6:10 PM
TN govt to operate LNG, CNG buses on experimental basis for select routes
In an effort to minimize the environmental footprint and cut costs associated with diesel-run buses, the Tamil Nadu government introduced CNG and LNG buses on selected routes on Thursday as a pilot initiative. Switching to alternative fuels is expected to save the government between 7 to 20 percent on expenses and reduce carbon emissions from the state's transport department.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has rejected all allegations of paper leak in medical entrance exam NEET-UG 2024, saying there is no evidence of it. "There is no evidence of paper leak in NEET-UG. The allegations of corruption in NTA are unfounded, it is a very credible body," Pradhan told members of the press.
Centre told the Supreme Court that a decision has been taken to cancel the score-cards of 1,563 NEET-UG 2024 candidates who were awarded grace marks. The government said that these 1563 students will be asked to take a re-test.
President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are likely to "have the opportunity to encounter one another" on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Italy, US National Security Advisor (NSA) Jake Sullivan said here Wednesday. Sullivan did not say anything about the agenda of the meeting.
More than 40 Indians were killed and over 50 others injured after a devastating fire broke out at dawn in a building housing around 195 migrant workers in southern Kuwait's Mangaf area, PTI reported officials as saying on Wednesday. The total number of deaths in the Al-Mangaf building fire was 49. Of this, 42 of them are learnt to be Indians; the remaining ones are Pakistani, Filipino, Egyptian and Nepali nationals, the officials said. Taking stock of the situation, PM Modi discussed the incident with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra, and Principal Secretary to the PM PK Mishra. PM Modi has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the families of the deceased.
 "Highlights of the day: Six dead, 1,500 tourists stranded as landslides, rain wreak havoc in Sikkim")
