Breaking News, June 3 | Highlights

Accused has been identified as Mohd Shajid in connection with the rape of a 9-year-old girl in Delhi's New Seelampur area: DCP North East Delhi

Delhiites feel stubble burning is the major reason behind poor air in the capital during winters and one in three of them anticipate the issue will be resolved with the Aam Aadmi Party forming government in the agrarian state, according to a survey.

Private firm Local Circles conducted the exercise which received more than 33,000 responses from people residing across all 11 districts of Delhi.
Sixty four per cent of the respondents were men while 36 per cent were women.

Fifty-four per cent of the people surveyed said they do not feel that the pollution issue of Delhi will now be resolved.
 Only 32 per cent said 'yes', while 14 per cent did not have an opinion, the survey report read.

Sixty-nine per cent of those surveyed said stubble burning in Punjab, Haryana, UP is the top source of air pollution in Delhi during October-December.

Fifty-four per cent attributed the bad air during winters to vehicular emissions, and road and construction dust.

Asked about initiatives needed to be put in place to significantly reduce air pollution in Delhi, 71 per cent of the respondents said a detailed plan is required to "drive stubble burning in Punjab to near-zero levels''.

P Chidambaram and Rajeev Shukla of the Congress, BJP's Sumitra Valmiki and Kavita Patidar, former Congress leader Kapil Sibal, RJD's Misa Bharti and Jayant Chaudhary of the RLD were among the 41 winners declared elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha on Friday.

All the 11 candidates in Uttar Pradesh, six in Tamil Nadu, five in Bihar, four in Andhra Pradesh, three each in Madhya Pradesh and Odisha, two each in Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Telangana and Jharkhand and one candidate in Uttarakhand won without a contest.

Of the 41 winners, 14 are from the BJP, four each from Congress and YSR Congress; three each from DMK and BJD; two each from AAP, RJD, TRS, AIADMK, one each from JMM, JDU, SP and RLD besides Independent Sibal.

Elections were scheduled to be held on June 10 to fill 57 Rajya Sabha seats from 15 states that will be falling vacant due to the retirement of members on different dates between June and August. Friday was the last date for withdrawal of candidature.

On June 10, elections will now be held for six seats in Maharashtra, four each in Rajasthan and Karnataka and two in Haryana. Results will be declared the same day.

Of the 11 candidates declared elected in Uttar Pradesh, eight are from BJP, one each from AAP, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Samajwadi Party and RLD (Rashtriya Lok Dal), along with independent Sibal.

The winners from the state are Jayant Chaudhary (RLD), Javed Ali Khan (SP), Darshana Singh, Babu Ram Nishad, Mithilesh Kumar, Radha Mohan Dal Agarwal, K Laxman, Laxmikant Bajpai, Surendra Singh Nagar, Sangeeta Yadav (all BJP).

The winners from Tamil Nadu are the ruling DMK's S Kalyanasundaram, R Girirajan and KRN Rajesh Kumar, AIADMK's C Ve Shanmugam and R Dharmar and Congress's Chidambaram.

In the Upper House, the DMK's current strength of 10 would continue to unaltered and AIADMK representation is set to slide to 4 MPs from 5 members. With Chidambaram's election, the Congress party would have a member from Tamil Nadu in the Rajya Sabha after a long gap. In 2016, Chidambaram was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra and his term ends on July 4.

All five candidates from Bihar were elected unopposed - Misa Bharti and Faiyaz Ahmed (RJD), Satish Chandra Dubey and Shambhu Sharan Patel (BJP), and Kheeru Mahto (JDU).

Bharti, the eldest daughter of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, and Dubey shall be enjoying their second consecutive terms.

V Vijayasai Reddy, Beeda Masthan Rao, R Krishnaiah and S Niranjan Reddy of the ruling YSR Congress were also elected unopposed from Andhra Pradesh. With this win, the strength of the YSRC has now increased to nine in Rajya Sabha, out of 11 from the state, with the TDP and the BJP having one member each.

A 42-year-old truck driver of a private firm was found dead in a bush in Farrukhnagar area with his throat slit, police said on Friday. The deceased has been identified as Dharmendra Singh, a native of Uttar Pradesh.

According to the complaint filed by Singh’s younger brother, Brajesh Singh, the deceased had come to Farrukhnagar from Goa on May 24 with goods to deliver at Bharti Airtel warehouse.

He said that the truck was unloaded on Wednesday and his brother was found dead in a bush in Daboda village the same day. The deceased is survived by his wife and three children. Brajesh Singh said his brother had no enemies.

An FIR was registered at Farrukhnagar Police Station and Singh's body was handed over to his kin after the post mortem. The Farrukhnagar crime branch has started an investigation into the matter, said police.

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar announces an ex-gratia of Rs 2 Lakhs to the next of kin of Dilkhush Kumar, who was shot dead by terrorists in Budgam, J&K yesterday. He also announces benefits to them from the Labour Resources Department & Social Welfare Department of Bihar.

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar announces an ex-gratia of Rs 2 Lakhs to the next of kin of Dilkhush Kumar, who was shot dead by terrorists in Budgam, J&K yesterday. He also announces benefits to them from the Labour Resources Department & Social Welfare Department of Bihar.

Today, we had a discussion on water & various other issues. We are having seamless coordination: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

Jathedar of Akal Takht, Giani Harpreet Singh, has been granted 'Z' category security by the Union Home Ministry, officials said on Friday. The decision to accord country's second highest category security to the Sikh religious leader was taken in view of the enhanced threat perception.

Delhi | Metro train services on Phase-III sections which usually begin at 8am on Sundays will begin at 6am this Sunday i.e, 5th June, to facilitate the candidates appearing for UPSC Civil Services (Prelim) Examination: Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC)

The syndicate was operating from different parts of India i.e. West Bengal, Bihar, Firozabad etc, said Delhi Police DCP(IFSO) KPS Malhotra

Two persons were killed when a speeding private bus hit their two-wheeler in Madhya Pradesh's Khandwa district, police said on Friday. The accident took place near Sulgaon on Thursday evening, when the two-wheeler riders were travelling to Mohana from Sanawad, an official said.

Amid the ongoing investigation of Sidhu Moose Wala's killing, Delhi Police has said that gangster Lawrence Bishnoi has not yet confessed his participation in plans to murder the singer. 

As Congress candidate Uma Thomas headed for comfortable victory in Thrikkakara bypoll with over 25,000 votes on Friday, top Congress leaders slammed Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan saying that his "arrogance" and "rude behaviour" led to his party "faring poorly" in the bypoll.

In keeping with the Maharashtra Congress' resolution, the party's Nagpur city unit chief and the district rural president have resigned from their post. The state Congress had on Thursday passed a resolution that mandates the party's city and district chiefs who have completed five years on the post to tender their resignation.

WBBSE Madhyamik Result 2022: Toppers List

Rank 1: Arnab Ghorai, Rounak Mondal

Rank 2: Koushiki Sarkar, Rounak Mondal

Rank 3: Ananya Dasgupta

Rank 4: Abhishek Dutta 

Through their achievements and contributions to Senegal's development, the Indian diaspora has created immense goodwill for India, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu has said as he attended a reception hosted by the community members in Dakar.

Swami Avimukteshwaranand Friday announced that he and his followers will offer prayers at a ‘Shivling', which was claimed to be found in the Gyanvapi complex during a court-monitored survey of the premises, on June 4. He is a disciple of Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati. Read more

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday thanked the people for his victory in the Champawat assembly bypoll, saying it was a triumph of their trust. Dhami defeated Congress' Nirmala Gahtori by a record margin of over 55,000 votes to retain his office. "This victory is a command for me to dedicate myself fully to the service of the people of the state. "I also express my gratitude to our prime minister whose constant guidance has made me worthy of the people's love and blessings," Dhami said in a statement soon after the by-poll result was declared. Dhami said "peoples' trust has won".

In its effort to strengthen India's regional connectivity, Star Air, the aviation arm of Sanjay Ghodawat Group is set to operate Bhuj as its 17th destination under the regional connectivity scheme UDAN. With a vision of Connecting Real India, Star Air views Bhuj as a multifaceted city of culture and color, that is widely famous for its amazing handicrafts, gigantic palaces, and the mesmerizing white desert of Kutch along with the ever so colorful Kutch-Rann Utsav festival. 

The Punjab government on Friday gave additional charge of prisons to additional director general of police (ADGP) rank officer Harpreet Singh Sidhu, according to an official order. Sidhu, 1992-batch IPS officer, is currently heading the anti-drug Special Task Force (STF). ADGP Varinder Kumar was heading the prisons department earlier but on May 31, he was posted as the chief director of the Vigilance Bureau, Punjab. 

Luxury car manufacturer Audi India on Friday said it has introduced warranty coverage for five years with unlimited mileage for all its cars sold this year, starting June 1. The company has launched the initiative to mark 15 years in the country. "To celebrate 15 glorious years in India, we have announced a segment first warranty coverage for five years with unlimited mileage for our customers this year, starting June 1, 2022," Audi India Head Balbir Singh Dhillon said in a statement.

The Delhi High Court on Friday sought the stand of the city police on a plea by Alumni Association Jamia Millia Islamia (AAJMI) President Shifa-ur-Rehman seeking bail in a UAPA case related to the alleged larger conspiracy behind the riots here in February 2020. A bench headed by Justice Mukta Gupta issued notice on the appeal of the accused challenging the rejection of his bail by the trial court and directed that the matter be listed before another bench dealing with the bail pleas of other accused in the case.

Being up to date on COVID-19 vaccines means having had three or four doses of the same shot at this point. Current boosters are the same formulations as the first authorised shots, based on the original strain of the coronavirus that emerged in late 2019. They do still protect against severe COVID-19, hospitalizations and deaths. But as immunity wanes over time and new, more contagious SARS-CoV-2 variants emerge, the world needs a long-term boosting strategy.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued a fresh summon to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi to appear before it on June 13 for questioning in a money laundering case linked to the National Herald newspaper, officials said on Friday. He was earlier asked to depose on June 2 but the Lok Sabha member from Wayanad seat in Kerala sought a fresh date as he was out of the country. Officials said Rahul Gandhi, 51, has now been asked to appear on June 13 at the headquarters of the federal agency in central Delhi. His mother and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, 75, has been asked to depose before the agency on June 8.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday said she has tested positive for COVID-19 and has quarantined herself. A day earlier, her mother and party president Sonia Gandhi had tested positive for coronavirus. In a tweet, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, "I've tested positive for COVID-19 with mild symptoms. Following all protocols, I have quarantined myself at home." "I would request those who came in contact with me to take all necessary precautions," she added. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was in Lucknow on Wednesday to address a state-level 'Chintan Shivir' and returned to Delhi on Thursday.  

The recent mass shooting that killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, has sparked another round of the gun control debate. The shooter reportedly used an AR-15-type rifle, bought just after he turned 18. The AR-15 has been controversial in the United States and Canada for decades, and, in 2020, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government prohibited the weapon. Assault-style rifle characteristics Several characteristics of the AR-15 make it dangerous in the wrong hands. It is a semi-automatic firearm, meaning it can be fired repeatedly- once for each pull of the trigger. And it can be reloaded in seconds by removing its cartridge magazine and replacing it with a loaded one.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday visited the house of Sidhu Moosewala, days after the Punjabi singer was shot dead. Mann reached Moosa village to express his condolences to the bereaved family. Heavy police security has been deployed outside the residence of Moosewala. Moosewala was shot dead by some unidentified assailants in Punjab's Mansa district on May 29, a day after the state government curtailed his security cover. His cousin and a friend, who were travelling in a jeep with him, were also injured in the attack. 

Seven people travelling in a private bus are feared to have been charred to death in a road accident near Kamalapura town here during the early hours on Friday, police said. The fire was following an accident between the bus and a tempo trax. The bus was carrying 29 passengers from Goa to Hyderabad.

With the addition of 165 coronavirus positive cases, the overall infection count in Thane district of Maharashtra increased to 7,10,408, an official said on Friday. These cases were reported on Thursday. As nobody succumbed to the infection during the day, the death toll in the district remained unchanged at 11,895, he said, adding that its COVID-19 mortality rate is 1.67 per cent. In neighbouring Palghar district, the case count stood at 1,63,612 and the death toll is 3,407, another official said. 

READ FULL STORY HERE 

The deadly mass shooting at an Oklahoma medical office by a man who blamed his surgeon for continuing pain following an operation on his back underscores the escalating threat of violence doctors have faced in recent years. Michael Louis, 45, fatally shot Dr. Preston Phillips and three other people in Tulsa on Wednesday before killing himself. Police said Louis had been calling the clinic repeatedly complaining of pain and that he specifically targeted Phillips, who performed his surgery.

A 41-year-old man allegedly committed suicide as he was depressed due to strained relationship with his wife, police said on Thursday (June 2). Umesh Dhar Trivedi was found hanging from the ceiling fan of his house in east Uttam Nagar, they said. A four-page suicide note revealed that his wife had gone to Switzerland with their children and had blocked him on social media. He took the extreme step on May 30, police said citing the suicide note.

President Ram Nath Kovind will visit Uttar Pradesh from June 3 to 6, 2022, the President's Secretariat informed on Thursday.On June 3, 2022, the President will visit his native village - Paraunkh in Kanpur Dehat where he will address a public gathering. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also grace the occasion.On June 4, 2022, the President will address the 90th year celebrations of the Merchants Chamber of Uttar Pradesh at Kanpur. 

Bangkok, Jun 3 (AP) The United Nations' humanitarian relief agency says the number of people displaced within strife-torn Myanmar has for the first time exceeded 1 million, with well over half the total losing their homes after a military takeover last year. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says in a report that an already critical situation is being exacerbated by ongoing fighting between the military government and its opponents, the increasing prices of essential commodities, and the coming of monsoon season, while funding for its relief efforts is severely inadequate. Its report covers the situation up to May 26.

Two people and a shooter died Thursday night in a shooting outside a church in Ames, authorities said. The three people died outside the Cornerstone Church, a megachurch on the outskirts of Ames, according to the Story County Sheriff's Office. The church is near Interstate 35, about 30 miles (48.28 kilometers) north of Des Moines. The sheriff's office didn't give details about the shooting but told KCCI-TV that they received multiple calls at 6:51 p.m. The sheriff's office says there was no longer a threat to the public. 

A group of eminent Indian spiritual leaders have gathered in Los Angeles in the United States to hold a global peace dialogue aimed at resolving world conflicts through the age-old tradition of Indian cultural and moral values. Being organised by New Delhi-based Ahimsa Vishwa Bharati Foundation, the day-long Global Peace Dialogue at the Jain Center of Southern California in Los Angeles on June 4 would be attended by Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravishankar, eminent Jain leader Acharya Lokesh Muni and Bollywood Actor Vivek Oberoi, among others.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday said India has taken a "balanced stand" on the Russia-Ukraine war, but it has also increased the security and financial challenges facing the country. Speaking at the RSS' officers' training camp here, he said while Russia attacked Ukraine and there were protests, no one was willing to go to Ukraine to stop the invasion "because Russia has power and had threatened to use the nuclear bomb."

Around 40 Rajasthan Congress MLAs and some Independents left for a hotel in Udaipur as the party tries to keep its flock together before the June 10 Rajya Sabha elections. The MLAs boarded a luxury bus from the chief minister's residence in the Civil Lines and left for Udaipur around 5:00 pm, party sources said. The bus was escorted by a police team. The legislators and other leaders, who attended a state Congress workshop at a hotel in Jaipur, were called at Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s residence for lunch.

A 41-year-old man allegedly committed suicide as he was depressed due to strained relationship with his wife, police said on Thursday. Umesh Dhar Trivedi was found hanging from the ceiling fan of his house in east Uttam Nagar, they said. A four-page suicide note revealed that his wife had gone to Switzerland with their children and had blocked him on social media. He took the extreme step on May 30, police said citing the suicide note. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka) Shankar Chaudhary said a call was received at Bindapur police station on Thursday morning and Trivedi’s body was found in a decomposed state. "The statement of family members of the deceased was recorded and they don’t suspect any foul play," the DCP said. 

In an early morning crackdown on criminals, the Jaipur police on Thursday raided over 200 sites and detained more than 100 people. The coordinated action was taken to check crime incidents in the city. Around 3,000 policemen were engaged in the operation. After collecting intelligence inputs about the miscreants and gangs active in the city, police launched the operation at 5 am on Thursday in the entire Jaipur police commissionerate area. Additional Commissioner Ajaypal Lamba said 107 people were detained under the “Operation Clean Bold”. Three cases under the Arms Act were also registered after recovery of illegal fire arms during the raids. 

The Pakistani Taliban said Thursday they have indefinitely extended a cease-fire with the government in Islamabad, following two days of talks with a delegation of Pakistani tribal elders that were hosted by the Afghan Taliban. According to Mohammad Khurasani, a spokesman for the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan group or TTP, the decision was made after “substantial progress” in the talks with the 50-member team of elders. He did not elaborate and there was no immediate confirmation from the Pakistani government about the extension of the truce.