LIVE news updates: BJP uses money to bring down state govts, says Rahul Gandhi

Commenting on political developments in Karnataka, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that BJP uses money to bring down state governments. He added that the same BJP tactics were seen in the North East as well.

Pakistan extended its airspace ban along its eastern border with India for the fifth time, till July 26.

"Pakistani airspace will be closed until July 26 along its eastern border with India. The Panjgoor airspace will remain open for overflying transit flights from the western side as Air India had already been using that airspace," the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said in a notice.

Pakistan had fully closed its airspace on February 26 after the Indian Air Force (IAF) dropped bombs in Balakot following the Pulwama terror attack in Kashmir.

However, in March, it partially opened its airspace but kept its ban for the Indian flights.

A CAA official told PTI that the Pakistan government will review whether to open its space for Indian flights or not on July 26. "However, this issue is a bilateral one and no progress will be made till both Islamabad and New Delhi decide it mutually," he said.

Retail inflation increased marginally to 3.18 per cent in June over the previous month, mainly due to rise in food prices, according to official data.

The retail inflation based on the Consumer Price Indiex (CPI) stood at 3.05 per cent in May and 4.92 per cent in June 2018. The retail inflation is on the rise since January this year.

As per the CPI data released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), the food inflation was 2.17 per cent in June 2019, up from 1.83 per cent in the preceding month.

Inflation in protein rich food items, like egg, meat and fish, was higher in June compared to the previous month. However, the rate of price rise in vegetables and fruits was slower.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Friday issued notice to Haryana's Director General of police (DGP) over alleged gang rape of a Dalit girl in Nuh. The Commission has called for a detailed report in the matter within four weeks.

Naxals set fire to 16 vehicles in Latehar in Jharkhand on Thursday night

More details awaited.

In the wake of H D Kumaraswamy deciding to seek a trust vote, Assembly Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar on Friday said a slot would be allotted whenever the Karnataka Chief Minister opted for it.

"The chief minister has spoken his mind that he would not cling to power amid the confusion. He said he will seek the trust of the House," the Speaker told reporters.

"Whenever he tells me that he wants to move the trust motion, the very next day I will put it in the business of the day," he added.

Jharkhand High Court grants bail to RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav in the fodder scam case relating to Deoghar treasury.

Opposition leaders in Bihar on Friday demanded that the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led government enact a law to check mob lynching.

On Thursday, opposition members raised the issue of mob lynching in the Bihar Assembly and demanded that government to enact a law against mob lynching and said they would protest if the government ignored their demand.

CPI-ML MLA Mahboob Alam said Nitish Kumar should take the initiative to enact a law against mob lynching incidence of which are increasing, according to reports.

“I'm in Ahmedabad today, to appear in another case filed against me by my political opponents in the RSS/ BJP. I thank them for providing me these platforms & opportunities to take my ideological battle against them to the public. Satyameva Jayate” tweeted Rahul Gandhi.

The Supreme Court asked the Karnataka Assembly speaker on Friday to maintain status quo on the resignation and disqualification of 10 rebel Congress and JD(S) MLAs.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi posted the matter pertaining to the Karnataka political crisis for further hearing on July 16.

Karnataka CM H D Kumaraswamy on Friday sought time from the Speaker of the state assembly to seek a vote of confidence in his government Kumaraswamy made the request in the course of condolence messages at the opening of the state assembly session.

The numbers of the coalition will fall to 101 in the event of acceptance of the resignations of 16 MLAs by the Speaker. The BJP has 105 MLAs and the support of two Independents at present.

The Opposition Congress on Friday criticised the Union Budget for 2019-20, saying it lacks any bold programme to revive the economy.

Resuming the debate on the Budget, Wansuk Syiem (Cong) said the budget had dealt a major blow to people by raising excise duty and cess on petrol and diesel by Rs 2 per litre at a time when international oil rates are stable.

"There was no reason for the government to resort to this," she said.

"The Budget has no new bold programme for reviving the economy," she added.

India's economic growth had slowed to a five-year low of 5.8 per cent in the first quarter of 2019 calendar year on sluggish manufacturing and agriculture sector.

Supreme Court seeks response of Maharashtra govt on plea challenging grant of reservation to Maratha community in education, jobs. Aspect of Bombay HC order allowing quota to Marathas with retrospective effect from 2014 will not be made operational, says Supreme Court

Two persons were injured in an explosion in the power inverter at a shop in Satara district of Maharashtra, police said on Friday.

According to the police, the blast took place in the electronic device installed in the shop at around 10.30 Thursday night.

Congress MP Motilal Vora has given Zero Hour Notice in Rajya Sabha over 'suppressing of information about frauds by the banks'.

It was a sultry on Friday morning in the national capital with the minimum temperature settling at 30 degrees Celsius, three degrees above the season's average.

Relative humidity was 55 percent at 8.30 AM, said a MeT department official.

The rupee opened on a cautious note and fell 10 paise to 68.54 against the US dollar in early trade on Friday ahead of the release of key macro-economic data.

Forex traders said the rupee is trading in a narrow range ahead of the release of retail inflation and factory output data. Besides, the weakening of the greenback vis-a-vis other currencies overseas supported the local unit.

Domestic equity benchmarks BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty started on a choppy note on Friday ahead of inflation and factory output data releases.

After jumping over 100 points in opening trade, the 30-share index pared all gains to trade 6.14 points, or 0.02 per cent, lower at 38,816.97 at 0945 hours. Similarly, the broader Nifty fell 6.30 points, or 0.05 per cent, to 11,576.60.

A sub-divisional officer (SDO) of the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) was seriously injured after miscreants allegedly attacked him in Shamli district, police said on Friday.

The incident occurred on Thursday when the SDO, Nazim Ahmad, was allegedly attacked by the unidentified miscreants near Jhinjhana town, they added.

Fire breaks out at Employees' State Insurance Model Hospital in Basai Darapur. 6 Fire tenders have rushed to the spot.

More details awaited.

Ministry of Finance: This is to clarify that no ban is in place, on the entry of media persons in Ministry of Finance, North Block. However a procedure has been put in place for streamlining & facilitating the entry of media persons inside the Ministry of Finance, North Block.

Pakistan violates ceasefire in Poonch sector. Indian Army is retaliating.

More details awaited.

1,44,058 pilgrims have performed the ongoing Amarnath Yatra since it started on July 1 as another batch of 5,395 Yatris left Jammu for the Valley on Friday.

The strategic partnership between India and the US is the 'mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance) that the world needs, Mastercard CEO and president Ajay Banga said, asserting that strong ties between the "two greatest democracies" can make a difference in the world.

UP Police has registered a case against actress Sonakshi Sinha at Katghar Police Station under sections 420 (cheating), 406 of IPC. In 2018, she had taken ₹24 lakh for a stage performance but didn't turn up. Police went to her residence in Mumbai, yesterday but she wasn't present then.