Dalai Lama to visit Jammu and Ladakh, may irk China further

The Dalai Lama is set to visit the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh during July 14-15, the Tibetan spiritual leader's first trip outside his base in Dharamshala since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic more than two years ago.

Amritpal Singh tried to form terror outfit with ex-Armymen; 'blackmailed' women. Top points

Fugitive radical preacher Amritpal Singh, who is linked to a pro-Khalistan outfit, had been targeting drug addicts, rogue ex-servicemen and building a gang to form a terror group. Punjab Police raised a cross-border link and involvement of Amritpal in "anti-national" activities and circulated his photos. He was reportedly blackmailing women with obscene videos.

Kharge calls Oppn meet over Surat court order against Rahul Gandhi

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge called MPs from all Opposition parties for a meeting over Surat court's verdict against Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case. Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh termed it an example of dirty politics and announced a solidarity walk to Vijay Chowk in Delhi to mark their protest. The court sentenced Gandhi to two-year jail term, suspended for 30 days, and Congress has sought time from President Droupadi Murmu to meet with her. BJP alleged that Gandhi's words are 'dangerous' for his party and the country, while Congress countered that BJP-led Centre wants to get him removed from Lok Sabha.

India to host conference on disaster resilient infrastructure on April 4-5

Experts from around the world will gather next month in India to discuss how technology for disaster resilient infrastructure can be scaled up and shared with countries, especially those vulnerable to climate change. The conference will focus on solutions for creating resilient infrastructure and explore actions for mainstreaming resilience into policies. The CDRI has received 50 expressions of interest from 28 island countries to build resilient and sustainable infrastructure.

Varanasi court rejects plea seeking FIR against Rahul Gandhi over his UK speech

A local court in Varanasi rejected a plea to file an FIR against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for his speech at Cambridge University. The plea was moved by BJP leader Shashank Shekhar Tripathi alleging that Gandhi made statements that were 'divisive and against the spirit of the Constitution'. This comes amid the ongoing row over a defamation case against Gandhi in Gujarat's Surat. The court observed that Gandhi's alleged statements did not exceed the prescribed limits of the right to freedom and expression.

Explained: What new data on SARS-CoV-2 says about Covid origin, what it doesn’t

Scientists have presented evidence that SARS-CoV-2 possibly infected the first humans at Wuhan's animal market. US President Joe Biden has signed a bill to declassify information about the virus' origins, which could provide further evidence for the lab-leak theory. Samples from the market contained human and animal genetic material, but it is not yet clear if the virus originated from an infected animal.

'Teli' community leaders seek apology from Rahul Gandhi for ‘Modi’ surname remark

BJP functionaries and leaders of the 'Teli' (oil-pressing) caste demanded an apology from Rahul Gandhi for his "defamatory" remarks against people with the 'Modi' surname. Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule condemned Gandhi for "insulting" Telis and former Jharkhand chief minister Raghubar Das accused him of crossing all limits of decency. A court in Surat sentenced Gandhi to two years in jail in a 2019 criminal defamation case for his "Modi surname" remarks.

Daily brief: How Amritpal Singh escaped to Haryana from Punjab, and all the latest news

Amritpal Singh, a pro-Khalistani leader, is believed to have crossed the border to Haryana while the hunt for him enters its sixth day. Opposition leaders have raised concerns over EVM's efficacy and will urge the Election Commission of India (ECI) to clarify their suspicion. Guneet Monga, after the Oscar wins for India, is waiting for a hug from Shah Rukh Khan. Home decor tips: how to pick the perfect artwork for your home. Grace Harris, an Australian all-rounder, has impressed with her power-hitting in the Women's Premier League (WPL).

'Surat court asked him again and again… He refused': Minister on Rahul Gandhi

Parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi alleged that Rahul Gandhi refused to apologise in a criminal defamation case, for which he was sentenced to two years in jail. Congress president Kharge accused the BJP-led government of attempting to silence Gandhi, and Joshi said Congress leaders don't respect the country's institutions. Gandhi's conviction will be appealed in a higher court.

‘ECI should…’: Opposition raises concern over EVM's efficacy

Opposition leaders met at NCP chief Sharad Pawar's residence to discuss their suspicion of EVM manipulation and urge the Election Commission to clarify. They had also objected the need for remote voting and questioned the use of EVMs in elections. Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal said that the electoral process through EVMs was being manipulated and the foundation of democracy was at stake. The meeting was held after the Chief Election Commissioner responded to the doubts raised by political parties and civil society activists.

Hijacked bike at gunpoint: How Amritpal Singh escaped to Haryana. 10 points

Fugitive pro-Khalistani leader Amritpal Singh may have crossed the border to Haryana. The Punjab Police have arrested Baljit Kaur, who allegedly harboured Amritpal Singh and his associate Papalpreet Singh at her home. Amritpal changed his appearance and hijacked a motorcycle to reach Haryana.

'Even British didn't arrest anyone for putting posters': Kejriwal slams PM Modi

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal slammed PM Modi for arresting 6 "poor people" and a printer for putting up anti-Modi posters. He asked why the PM was so insecure and suggested he get a good doctor for his "sleeping disorder". Similar posters calling for Kejriwal's ouster also emerged, but he said those who put them up shouldn't be arrested.

AAP's Raghav Chadha to introduce Bill against defamation. What law says

Raghav Chadha, Rajya Sabha MP, will introduce the Decriminalisation of Defamation Bill, 2023, to repeal Sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). This comes after Rahul Gandhi was convicted of a speech he made in Karnataka ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha election. The Bill seeks to repeal the substantive offence of defamation and its punishments, consolidate the civil law related to defamation, and provide for the protection of speech and reputation.

67 foreign pilots employed by Indian airlines: Govt informs Parliament

The government revealed that 67 foreign pilots are employed by Indian airlines due to the shortage of pilots. The annual requirement of pilots depends on various factors, and currently 15% of pilots in India are women. There are 35 DGCA approved flight training organisations in India, and air traffic data for 2022-23 is estimated to be 12.3 million.

Meghalaya to grow at 11.5%, become ₹80,000 cr economy by 2028: Conrad Sangma

Meghalaya's economy is projected to double to Rs 80,000 crore by 2027-28, making it a $10 billion economy. The 2023-24 budget has a fiscal deficit of ? 1,592 crore and total expenditure of Rs 22,022 crore. Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma promised to introduce policies to double the gross state domestic product and double farmers' income, achieve zero infant and maternal mortality and create 5 lakh employment opportunities.

Telangana CM releases ₹228.25 cr compensation for farmers affected by crop loss

KCR announced the release of ?228.25 crore towards compensation to farmers affected by unseasonal rains and hailstorm in Telangana. He said ?10,000 per acre will be provided to the farmers for their damaged crops and the financial assistance will be offered equally to all crops. He also said the government will not send any crop loss report to the Centre and provide financial assistance to tenant farmers.