Live news: Congress for inclusive nation, not 'two Indias', says Rahul

Live news update: The Congress party's ideology is to "take everyone along" and the BJP believes in dividing people, he says.

11:52 AM

Ukraine counters Russian forces in east; NATO says Kyiv could win the war

Russia attacked positions in eastern Ukraine as it tries to encircle Ukrainian forces in the Donbas and fend off a counteroffensive around the city of Izium.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said Russia's offensive in Donbas had stalled and Ukraine could win the war. He said, "Russia's war in Ukraine is not going as Moscow had planned."

11:34 AM

PM Modi with Nepali counterpart visits Mahamayadevi Temple in Nepal's Lumbini

PM Narendra Modi visits Mahamayadevi Temple in Nepal's Lumbini on the occasion of Buddha Purnima. 

The Ministry of External Affairs says,"PM Modi and his Nepali counterpart PM Sher Bahadur Deuba and his spouse Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba paid their respects at the Marker Stone inside the Maya Devi temple premises, which pinpoints the exact birth spot of Lord Buddha."

11:15 AM

N Korea leader orders immediate release of state reserve medicines amid Covid surge

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un rebuked officials for failing to deliver medicine to its people in time amid the ongoing Covid-19 outbreak and ordered the mobilisation of military personnel to stabilise the supply of medicine in Pyongyang, reports state media.

On Sunday, North Korea reported eight additional deaths, raising the total number to 50, and over 392,920 people with symptoms of fever nationwide.

10:55 AM

China logs 140 new local Covid-19 cases; 69 in Shanghai

China reports 140, including 69 from Shanghai, new cases of locally transmitted Covid-19.

Apart from Shanghai, eight other provincial-level regions on the mainland witnessed new local Covid-19 cases, including 39 in Beijing, according to Xinhua News Agency.

10:48 AM

PM Modi arrives in Lumbini; to hold talks with Nepal counterpart

PM Modi arrives in Nepal for a brief visit to Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha. He will also hold comprehensive talks with his Nepalese counterpart Sher Bahadur Deuba to expand bilateral cooperation in multiple areas, including in hydropower, development and connectivity.

10:38 AM

Oil prices dip as investors take profit; supply fear still looms

Oil prices fall paring early gains as investors took profit from a surge in the previous session, albeit in the shadow of supply fear as the European Union prepares an import ban on Russian crude and with limited increase in OPEC output.

 

10:26 AM

PM Modi, President Kovind greet nation on occasion of Buddha Purnima

PM Narendra Modi, President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu greeted the nation on the occasion of Buddha Purnima which commemorates the birth of Gautam Buddha.

On the occasion, PM Modi recalled the principles of Lord Buddha and reiterated his commitment to fulfil them, as he said in a tweet, "On Buddha Purnima we recall the principles of Lord Buddha and reiterate our commitment to fulfil them. The thoughts of Lord Buddha can make our planet more peaceful, harmonious and sustainable."

10:02 AM

India's covid tally at 43,123,801, active cases dip to 17,317

India's cumulative Covid-19 tally now stands at 43,123,801. The active caseload has dipped to 17,317 meanwhile the death toll from coronavirus has climbed to 524,241.

9:06 AM

India records 2,202 new Covid cases, 27 deaths in 24 hrs

India reported 2,202 new Covid-19 cases, 27 deaths on Monday. Meanwhile, 2,550 people recovered from the disease in the last 24 hours. 

8:55 AM

Cabinet ministers of Manik Saha-led Tripura govt to take oath today

A day after Manik Saha took oath as Tripura CM, 11 MLAs are scheduled to take oath as Cabinet Ministers at 12 pm in Agartala on Monday.

Governor SN Arya will administer the oath of office and secrecy to the cabinet ministers at a programme in Raj Bhavan in the presence of Chief Minister Manik Saha, former chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb.

8:33 AM

New York's Buffalo 18-yr-old shooter targeted Black neighbourhood: Official

The 18-year-old man who fatally shot 10 people at a Buffalo supermarket researched the local demographics and arrived a day in advance to conduct reconnaissance with the intent of killing as many Black people as possible, officials said.

The Buffalo attack prompted grief and anger in the predominantly Black neighbourhood around Tops Friendly Market. A group of people gathered there Sunday afternoon to lead chants of Black lives matter.

8:18 AM

One killed, four injured in shooting at a California church

One person was killed and four others were critically wounded in a shooting at a Presbyterian church in a suburban Southern California community, officials said. 

Police say the suspect in the shooting is an Asian male in his 60s,  who investigators do not believe lives in the community.

8:02 AM

Nearly 57,000 in 7 districts hit by floods in Assam; 202 houses damaged

Around 57,000 people across seven districts of Assam have been affected by the current spell of flood in the northeastern state, an official statement said. 

The data also shows that nearly 222 villages under 15 revenue circles are affected in this wave of flood and around 10321.44 hectares of cultivated land has submerged under flood waters.

7:59 AM

After 7 weeks, Shanghai aims to return to normal life from June 1

Chinese city Shanghai is aiming to reopen more broadly and allow normal life to resume in the city from June 1, a city official said on Monday. Deputy mayor Zong Ming declared that  15 out of the city's 16 districts had achieved "zero-Covid cases outside quarantined areas" status.

7:35 AM

Blow to German Chancellor Scholz as conservatives win key state with 35.7% votes

Voters backed the incumbent conservative governor and dealt a blow to Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats on Sunday in Germany's most populous state, projections based on partial counts showed.

Initial figures forecast the Christian Democrats making small gains in the North Rhine-Westphalia state election to take 35.7 per cent of the vote.