Highlights of the day: Activist Medha Patkar convicted in defamation case filed by Delhi L-G Saxena

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A Delhi court on Friday convicted Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader Medha Patkar in a defamation case lodged against her by V K Saxena, the incumbent lieutenant governor of the national capital. Metropolitan Magistrate Raghav Sharma found Patkar guilty of criminal defamation.

Bibhav Kumar, aide of chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, was sent to four days of judicial custody by a Delhi court in the alleged Swati Maliwal assault case. Kumar will now be produced before the court on May 28.

The top court today refused ADR's plea to issue the Election Commission directions to upload polling station-wise voter turnout data on its website during the Lok Sabha polls, saying it would be difficult for the poll panel to to mobilise manpower.

A vacation bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Satish Chandra Sharma stated it cannot issue any such directions at the moment as five phases of polling have concluded and two remain.

The Supreme  Court is hearing  a petition filed by NGO Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) seeking disclosure of data on voter turnout in all polling stations including the number of votes polled in the General Elections 2024 within 48 hours of the polling 

The death toll in the chemical factory blast in Maharashtra's Thane district rose to nine with the discovery of one more body from the accident site today. 

At least seven people were left dead and nearly 25 others injured after a truck crashed into a mini-bus in Haryana's Ambala in the early hours of Friday. The seven dead belonged to the same family.  The accident took place on the Ambala-Delhi-Jammu National Highway when a truck rammed into the mini-bus carrying pilgrims to Vaishno Devi.

West Bengal BJP leader and one of the women who brought out the Sandeshkhali incident, Syria Parveen, on Thursday quit the party and joined the Trinamool Congress, slamming the saffron party  leaders for using "mobile, media and money" and "scripting the entire incident." "In Sandeshkhali and Basirhat, I tried to be with women who had alleged molestation and harassment. I was fighting for the truth. Later I saw that this was only a story, a script. Mobile, media and money were used in this. And they (BJP leaders) gave instructions through this," Parveen said at a press conference.  "The BJP fights against the TMC. When I got to know that TMC people and leaders are fair, and they did not make any mistakes, then I decided that I would not go ahead with the fake things," the former BJP leader added.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is scheduled to provide a ruling today on a request by South Africa to order Israel to stop its military operation in Gaza, particularly in Rafah, where the Israeli military is conducting an offensive. South Africa, last week, approached the ICJ, requesting a ceasefire in Gaza and a halt in Israel's offensive.

11:25 PM

Remove all illegal hoardings in Mumbai, Maharashtra region: CM to officials

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday said he has directed the authorities to remove illegal hoardings in Mumbai and other parts of the state, and asked them to register cases against those responsible for such tragedies. He also said that he has also directed them to carry out a structural audit of all the hoardings, even if they are installed legally and have proper permission. Shinde was speaking to media persons at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters after reviewing monsoon preparedness works in Mumbai.

10:45 PM

UP Rera pulls up Prayagraj Authority over delay in giving possession to homebuyers

The UP Rera on Friday pulled up Prayagraj Development Authority for delay in giving possession of flats to homebuyers despite getting occupancy and completion certificates, and issued recovery notice against the government body. UP Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) Chairman Sanjay Bhoosreddy, while issuing the directions also stressed that he "expected the planning authorities to be prompt" in execution of registries and handing over possession to the allottees.

10:31 PM

Special traffic arrangements at August Kranti Marg, Siri Fort Road on May 25

The Delhi Traffic Police has announced special traffic arrangements at August Kranti Marg and Siri Fort Road on Saturday. "Due to special traffic arrangements, the traffic on August Kranti Marg (from Siri Fort Road T-Point to Balbir Saxena Marg) and Siri Fort Road (from Josip Broz Tito Marg to August Kranti Marg) will be regulated," the Delhi Traffic Police said in a post on X.

10:11 PM

Clear drains before monsoons to prevent flooding of Kochi city: Kerala HC

With pre-monsoon rains leading to inundation and the actual monsoon just round the corner, the Kerala High Court on Friday directed that all drains in areas prone to flooding in the port-city of Kochi be cleared of debris to ensure free flow of water through them during the rainy season. The direction was issued by Justice Devan Ramanchandran who said that it was "unfortunate" that the court has to intervene every year in the issue of flooding of many parts of the city during the rainy season.

9:35 PM

NSA Doval suggests jointness among central armed police forces

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Friday suggested that various central armed police forces of the country should have "jointness" and interoperability among themselves like the ongoing plan for the defence forces. The about ten lakh strength central armed police forces include the BSF, CRPF, ITBP, CISF and SSB apart from the NDRF and NSG and they are deployed for rendering a variety of internal security duties in the hinterland and at the borders.

8:43 PM

Six more die of suspected heat stroke in Rajasthan as mercury soars to 49 deg C

Six more deaths due to suspected heat stroke were reported in Rajasthan, where the mercury soared to 49 degrees Celsius, officials said on Friday. There were reports of five deaths due to suspected heat stroke in the state on Thursday as well. Many parts of the state remained in the grip of severe heat conditions during the day.

8:02 PM

Top UN court orders Israel to halt military operation in Rafah

The top United Nations court has ordered Israel to halt its military operations in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. Israel insists it has the right to defend itself from Hamas militants and is unlikely to comply with the ruling. The order by the International Court of Justice further ratchets up international pressure on an increasingly isolated Israel to rein in its war on Hamas in Gaza.

7:08 PM

Strong macroeconomic buffers to help navigate global challenges: Finmin report

Strong macroeconomic buffers of India should help the real sectors of the economy navigate challenges possed by geopolitical tensions and continue growth momentum during the current fiscal, said a finance ministry report released on Friday. According to the report, formal jobs are rising, as indicated by the growing net payroll additions under the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation.

6:56 PM

Bharat Biotech co-founder Dr Krishna Ella honoured by Johns Hopkins

Dr Krishna Ella, co-founder and Executive Chairman of Bharat Biotech, has been awarded the prestigious Dean's medal by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the Hyderabad-based pharma company said on Friday. The award was presented to him by Dean Ellen J MacKenzie during the Bloomberg School's Convocation Ceremony held on May 22 in Baltimore, Maryland.

6:10 PM

Activist Medha Patkar convicted in defamation case filed by Delhi L-G Saxena

A Delhi court on Friday convicted Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader Medha Patkar in a defamation case lodged against her by V K Saxena, the incumbent lieutenant governor of the national capital. Metropolitan Magistrate Raghav Sharma found Patkar guilty of criminal defamation.

5:56 PM

Night racing returns to Mumbai after 20 years with Drag Star Night Race

Over 60 super cars and 25 super bikes will roar to life on Saturday as night racing returns to Mumbai after nearly two decades with the Drag Star Night Race. The competitions will take place at the restricted Juhu Airport, once a haven for racing and off-roading events. The JK Tyre-backed event promises high adrenaline and non-stop thrills as cars and bikes race in pairs along a 400-metre strip.

5:41 PM

Eric Garcetti makes first official trip as US Ambassador to Bengaluru

Eric Garcetti, the US Ambassador to India, on Friday arrived here on his first official trip and visited Science Gallery Bengaluru. In a post on 'X, he said he was delighted to meet Jahnavi Phalkey, the founding director of Science Gallery Bengaluru and the team.

5:00 PM

Manipur violence: Can't go by sentiments, says Supreme Court

The Supreme Court said on Friday it cannot go by sentiments and has to act in accordance with law, as it refused to entertain a petition seeking contempt action for alleged non-compliance with the top court's order on protection of properties of people displaced during the Manipur violence.

A vacation bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal said it was not satisfied with the contention that a case of contempt was made out against the respondents, including the chief secretary of Manipur, and the petitioners can take recourse to remedy which may be available under the law.

4:51 PM

IMD news alert: Cyclone Remal to make landfall in West Bengal, Bangladesh on Sunday night

 A cyclone brewing in the Bay of Bengal will make landfall between Sagar Island in West Bengal and Bangladesh's Khepupara on Sunday midnight, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Friday. This is the first cyclone in the Bay of Bengal this pre-monsoon season and will be named Remal, according to a system of naming cyclones in the Indian Ocean region.

4:45 PM

Advisory issued in Kashmir as temperatures soar in Valley

Officials in Kashmir issued an advisory on Friday amid soaring temperatures in the Valley, with Srinagar recording its hottest May day in 13 years. The maximum temperature in Srinagar on Thursday was recorded at 32.2 degrees Celsius -- the same as on May 25, 2013. On May 20, 2011, Srinagar had recorded a maximum temperature of 32.3 degrees Celsius.