Highlights: BJP will break TDP, JDU if it fails to secure Lok Sabha speaker post, says Sanjay Raut

Catch all the latest news from around the world here

10:06 PM

Rajya Sabha Chairperson Dhankhar inaugurates 'Prerna Sthal' in Parliament complex

On Sunday, Rajya Sabha chairperson and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar inaugurated 'Prerna Sthal' in the Parliament complex. This area now hosts statues of national icons and freedom fighters previously located elsewhere on the premises. Dhankhar highlighted that 'Prerna Sthal' aims to inspire and motivate people, amid criticism from Congress regarding the relocation of these statues. The Congress accuses Centre of unilaterally deciding to move the statues within Parliament grounds.

9:08 PM

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju meets Congress chief Kharge today

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju visited Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday, ahead of the upcoming first session of the new Lok Sabha. Rijiju's meeting with Kharge at his residence on 10, Rajaji Marg was described as a courtesy call. Having assumed office recently, Rijiju emphasized the importance of constructive cooperation between the government and opposition, stating that mutual support, rather than numerical advantage, should guide parliamentary proceedings. 

8:47 PM

India Commits to Engaging Stakeholders for Lasting Peace in Ukraine, says MEA

India will maintain involvement with all parties, urging both sides to contribute to achieving lasting peace in Ukraine, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated. India affirms that resolving the Ukraine conflict peacefully demands sincere, practical engagement between the parties, it said. India's participation in the Ukraine peace summit aligns with its ongoing efforts to facilitate a peaceful resolution to the conflict, the MEA emphasized.

8:14 PM

'Huge sweeping generalisation': BJP counters Elon Musk over EVM remark

On Sunday, the BJP criticized billionaire Elon Musk for making a huge sweeping generalization by calling for the elimination of EVMs, stating that his views might be relevant to the US but not to India. In a recent post on X, Musk suggested eliminating electronic voting machines due to the risk of being hacked by humans or AI, though the risk is small. In response, BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar countered Musk's criticism, stating, "This is a huge sweeping generalization that implies no one can build secure digital hardware. 

7:40 PM

Rudraprayag accident: Another victim at AIIMs succumbs to injuries, toll rises to 15

An individual injured in the tempo traveller accident in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag has succumbed to his injuries, raising the death toll to 15, while four out of the 11 injured remain in critical condition, officials reported on Sunday. After the accident on Saturday, a person was airlifted to AIIMS, Rishikesh, but died late at night, according to trauma surgeon Ruby Kataria. The tempo traveller, carrying tourists, veered off the Badrinath national highway, rolled 200 meters down a gorge, and fell into the Alaknanda river, affecting all 26 people on board. 

7:15 PM

Assam secretariat becomes India's 1st eco-friendly state govt headquarters, says CM Himanta

The Assam Secretariat became the country's first green state government headquarters on Sunday with the inauguration of a 2.5 MW solar power project, announced Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Installed at a cost of Rs 12.5 crore, the grid-connected rooftop solar power plant will save Rs 30 lakh in monthly electricity bills, Sarma stated during the official program. The secretariat complex will now run entirely on solar power, resulting in monthly savings of Rs 30 lakh on electricity bills, he added.

6:54 PM

Farmers hold protest at Punjab's Ladhowal toll plaza against fee hike

On Sunday, a group of farmers protested at the Ladhowal toll plaza in Ludhiana, Punjab, opposing a recent toll fee hike and compelling authorities to stop charging commuters. The protest, led by the Bharatiya Kissan Mazdoor Union and the Bharatiya Kisan Union, highlighted concerns over the increased charges. Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Jagdish Singh pointed out that the Ladhowal toll plaza has the highest fees in the state. 

6:21 PM

Russian forces storm detention facility to rescue staff taken hostage, kills hostage takers

Russian security forces stormed a detention center in southern Russia, concluding a hostage standoff. Hostages at the Rostov-on-Don facility were unharmed. The hostage takers were eliminated, and local news sources indicated that at least some prisoners were killed.

6:05 PM

IAF's Rafale aircraft participate in Red Flag exercise in Alaska

The Indian Air Force's Rafale fighter jets carried out complex missions along with F-16 and F-15 combat aircraft at a multi-nation mega military exercise in Alaska in the US.
 

The key takeaways from participating in the Red Flag exercise for the IAF included insight on interoperability with international partners and a collaborative understanding of missions in a multinational environment, the defence ministry said on Sunday.
 

The IAF contingent participated in the exercise from June 4 to 14.
 

Besides the Indian Air Force (IAF), the exercise witnessed the participation of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), the UK's Royal Air Force (RAF), the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF), the German Luftwaffe, and the US Air Force (USAF).
 

"The transatlantic ferry of Rafale fighter aircraft was enabled by the IL-78 air-to-air refuellers while the transportation of personnel and equipment was undertaken by C-17 Globemaster aircraft," the ministry said.

5:19 PM

'Shah directs agencies to implement area domination, zero-terror plans in Jammu division on lines of Kashmir'

Home Minister Shah tells high-level meeting on J-K security that Centre committed to crackdown on terrorists through innovative means, PTI reported. It further reported that Shah has directed agencies to implement area domination, zero-terror plans in Jammu division on lines of Kashmir.

5:07 PM

Amaravati development works will be completed in 30 months: Minister P Narayana

Andhra Pradesh Municipal Administration Minister P Narayana on Sunday said here that the Amaravati capital city development works will be completed in two-and-a-half years' time.
 

Narayana said the state capital of Amaravati will be developed as one of the top five capital cities in the world and that the plans devised in the past will be implemented to meet this target.
 

“In the coming two-and-a-half years' time, we will complete the development works of state capital Amaravati,” Narayana said, speaking to reporters after assuming office at the state secretariat.
 

According to the minister, all development work initiated in the capital has involved the Singapore government, especially in designing the city in such a way that all districts will benefit financially.
 

He said that Singapore, China, Japan, Russia, Malaysia and other countries were visited to craft the best designs for Amaravati.

4:16 PM

No need to teach about riots, demolition in schools, says NCERT chief after textbook revisions

Rejecting accusations of saffronisation of school curriculum, NCERT's director has said that references to Gujarat riots and Babri masjid demolition were modified in school textbooks because teaching about riots "can create violent and depressed citizens."

In an interaction with PTI editors at the agency's headquarters here on Saturday, National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) director Dinesh Prasad Saklani said the tweaks in textbooks are part of annual revision and should not be a subject of hue and cry.
 

Asked about references to Gujarat riots or Babri masjid demolition being tweaked in NCERT textbooks, Saklani said, "Why should we teach about riots in school textbooks? We want to create positive citizens not violent and depressed individuals".

3:37 PM

It was contextual reference: Suresh Gopi on calling Indira Gandhi 'Mother of India'

Union Minister Suresh Gopi on Sunday clarified his comments on former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, where he referred to her as "Mother of India", and said it was a "contextual reference."

 

The BJP MP said that it was a contextual reference, while he was elaborating on the role of late Congress leader and former Kerala Chief Minister K Karunakaran, who Gopi had earlier described as a "courageous administrator."

 

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Gopi said, "It was a contextual reference. I was talking about the true worth of leader Karunakaran. Like how to the Congress and non-Congress people of Kerala, even though there might be founders and co-founders, the administrational quality and efforts that result totally to the benefit of people, Karunakaran should be the father of Congress in Kerala. In the context of that, I had referred to Indira Gandhi as the mother of Congress in India."

3:02 PM

Railway Board to study to find out why drivers violate speed limits

The Railway Board has set up a committee to ascertain the reasons for the violation of speed restrictions by train drivers at various points between originating and destination stations which is detrimental to safe train operations.

 

2:53 PM

India's air-conditioner market likely to reach Rs 50,000 cr by FY29: Voltas

The India room air-conditioners (RAC) market is expected to grow at a healthy CAGR of 12 per cent to reach Rs 50,000 crore by FY 2028-29, Tata group firm Voltas said in its latest annual report.