Kerala caste killing: Government cancels order reinstating policeman who allegedly delayed inquiry

The Kerala government has cancelled an order reinstating a police officer who was suspended for alleged lapses that led to the killing of a Dalit Christian man last year. The order reinstating MS Shibu, issued earlier this week, was cancelled by the home department on Thursday on the instructions of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Mumbai medical student’s death: All three accused doctors sent to judicial custody till June 10

A Mumbai court on Friday sent all three doctors arrested on the charge of abetting the suicide of medical student Payal Tadvi to judicial custody till June 10. On Wednesday, a special court in the city had remanded the three doctors – Bhakti Mehere, Hema Ahuja and Ankita Khandelwal – to police custody till May 31.

Nirmala Sitharaman becomes second woman Union finance minister after Indira Gandhi

Nirmala Sitharaman took charge as the finance minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s new Cabinet on Friday. She is only the second woman to be appointed finance minister after Indira Gandhi, who held the portfolio when she was the prime minister in 1970-’71.

Centre creates ‘Jal Shakti’ ministry by merging water resources and drinking water ministries

The Centre on Friday merged the ministries of water resources, and drinking water and sanitation to create the Jal Shakti ministry. Bharatiya Janata Party MP Gajendra Singh Shekhawat will head the ministry while Ram Lal Kataria will be the minister of state.

Admiral Karambir Singh takes charge as Indian Navy chief

Admiral Karambir Singh took charge as the 24th Chief of the Naval Staff on Friday. He succeeded Admiral Sunil Lanba, and will continue in the post till November 2021. Singh is the first helicopter pilot to become the Navy chief.

2G case: CBI moves Delhi High Court seeking early hearing of its appeal against acquittals

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday moved the Delhi High Court seeking an early hearing of its appeal against the acquittal of the accused in the 2G spectrum allocation case. The court issued notices to former Telecom Minister A Raja, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MP Kanimozhi and others acquitted in the case to file their responses to the plea.

‘We’re together, not upset,’ clarifies Nitish Kumar after JD(U) stays out of Modi’s Cabinet

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday reiterated that his Janata Dal (United) was very much with the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance after the party opted out of the Cabinet of ministers at the Centre. The decision was made after only one ministerial berth was allotted to the ruling party in Bihar.

Delhi HC issues notice to Centre on a plea seeking committee to draft Uniform Civil Code

The Delhi High Court on Friday issued a notice to the Centre and the Law Commission on a petition seeking to constitute a judicial commission or a high-level expert committee to draft a Uniform Civil Code. A division bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice Brijesh Sethi issued the notice after hearing a plea filed by lawyer and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay.

Modi cabinet: Amit Shah appointed home minister, Rajnath Singh is in charge of defence

President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday allocated portfolios to the 57 ministers who took the oath of office at the Rashtrapati Bhavan a day earlier. Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah was appointed the Minister of Home Affairs in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s new Cabinet. Rajnath Singh, who was the Home minister in the previous government, will now be the defence minister, while Nirmala Sitharaman will be the minister of finance and corporate affairs. Former Foreign Secretary Subrahmanyam Jaishankar is the new minister of External Affairs.

Navjot Sidhu alleges CM is singling him out for Congress’ poor performance in elections

Punjab minister and Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu on Thursday alleged that he was being singled out for the poor performance of his party in the Lok Sabha elections. Sidhu has been at receiving end of Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh’s criticism after the Lok Sabha poll results.

Delhi HC gives four months to CBI to complete probe in bribery case against Rakesh Asthana

The Delhi High Court on Friday granted four months to the Central Bureau of Investigation to complete its inquiry into a bribery case involving its former Special Director Rakesh Asthana. The agency had sought more time in March after its 10-week extension, granted in January, got over.

Andhra Pradesh CM Jaganmohan Reddy transfers top police officers, bureaucrats on first day in office

On his first day in office as Andhra Pradesh chief minister, YS Jaganmohan Reddy on Thursday removed Director General of Police RP Thakur from his post along with Anti-Corruption Bureau chief AB Venkateswara Rao. Reddy’s YSR Congress Party had filed a number of complaints against the two police officers with the Election Commission and other authorities when it was in Opposition.

Australia: Adani group gets state approval to protect endangered finch bird at its coal mine site

The Queensland state government of Australia approved businessman Gautam Adani’s project to protect the endangered black-throated finch bird population on Friday. It is one of two state approvals the company needs to begin construction of its proposed billion dollar coal mine project.

Six women inducted into Narendra Modi’s new Council of Ministers

With six women MPs sworn in, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s new Council of Ministers constitutes 10% women ministers. Nirmala Sitharaman, Smriti Irani and Harsimrat Kaur Badal were inducted into the Cabinet on Friday. Fatehpur MP Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, Sarguja MP Renuka Singh Saruta, West Bengal MP Debashree Chaudhuri were appointed ministers of state.

Binny, India’s only orangutan, dies at 41 in Odisha’s Nandankanan Zoological Park

India’s lone orangutan has died at the age of 41 of respiratory complications at the Nandan Kanan Zoological Park on the outskirts of Odisha’s capital Bhubaneswar. The orangutan, called Binny, was undergoing treatment for old-age related complications, and died on Wednesday night.

Delhi records hottest May in six years as mercury soars to 46.8 degrees Celsius

Delhi and the National Capital Region reeled under heatwave conditions on Thursday, reported PTI. The Palam Observatory registered a maximum temperature of 46.8°C , the highest in May since 2013 when it had touched 47.2°C.

West Bengal: BJP worker stabbed to death in Burdwan, saffron party blames Trinamool Congress

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday claimed that Trinamool Congress supporters had killed its worker in a village in East Burdwan in West Bengal, reports said. The ruling Trinamool Congress, however, has denied the claim.

Uttar Pradesh has maximum representation in Narendra Modi’s new Cabinet

With 10 ministers being sworn-in on Thursday, Uttar Pradesh has the highest representation in the second Narendra Modi-led government. This is followed by seven from Maharashtra and six from Bihar.

Jammu and Kashmir: Encounter between militants and security personnel under way in Shopian

An encounter broke out between militants and security forces in Dragad-Sugan village in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday morning, said the police. An unidentified official told Global News Service that additional reinforcement of security personnel was being sent to the encounter site.

Rahul Gandhi meets Sharad Pawar amid reports of merger between Congress and NCP

Amid speculation of a possible merger between the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party, Rahul Gandhi met Sharad Pawar on Thursday at his residence in New Delhi. However, Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar refuted the possibility of a merger, adding that he and Gandhi discussed the Lok Sabha election results, the drought and imminent Assembly polls in Maharashtra during their meeting.

BJP is trying to create rift between Bengalis and non-Bengali communities, alleges Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of attempting to create a rift between Bengalis and non-Bengali communities in the state. Banerjee claimed the saffron party, which increased its tally in the state from two Lok Sabha constituencies to 18 seats, will never be able to get a majority in West Bengal.