Indian Sub-continent

Mumbai, Jun 5 (PTI) A 19-year-old sailor allegedly committed suicide at INS Shivaji, the Indian Navy's base near Lonavala in Pune district, Wednesday, police said.

Akash Sainath Kannala was found to have hanged himself from ceiling fan by using a bedsheet at a recreation center on the base around 4.30 am, a police official said.

No suicide note was found on the spot, and the Navy has ordered an inquiry, he said.

Bhubaneswar, Jun 5 (PTI) The Odisha government Wednesday suspended Internet services in Kendrapara for 48 hours "as a preventive measure" following a skirmish between two groups there on the eve the Eid-ul-Fitr and circulation of inflammatory messages on social media.

However, the festival was celebrated with gaiety in other parts of the state, police said.

The Internet service was suspended for 48 hours from 11.30 am to prohibit people from using various social media platforms in Kendrapara town and adjoining areas, a home department notification said.

Barmer/Jaipur, Jun 5 (PTI) Personnel of the BSF and the Pakistan Rangers exchanged sweets on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr on Wednesday, an official said.

The Pakistan Rangers offered sweets and we too reciprocated, a Border Security Force (BSF) officer said.

The sweets were exchanged on the border outposts, he added.

New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) Former ISRO chief K Kasturirangan, who heads a panel on new National Education Policy, clarified that there were no efforts to impose Hindi even as he dismissed reports of dissent against the removal of the Hindi clause.

Political parties, especially in the state of Tamil Nadu, had strongly opposed the three-language formula proposed in the draft National Education Policy (NEP) alleging that it was tantamount to thrusting Hindi language on non-Hindi speaking states.

New Delhi, June 5 (PTI) The enforcement of Delhi government's new parking policy and the revised auto fares is likely to be delayed as the office of Lt Governor is now seized of the two matters, said sources Wednesday.

The AAP government wanted to notify both the parking policy and revised auto fares but the Transport Department referred them to Lt Governor Anil Baijal office, insisting upon the need of his approval, said a senior government functionary.

Mumbai, Jun 6 (PTI) To give a boost to the sagging economy, the Reserve Bank of India Thursday lowered its benchmark lending rate to a nearly nine-year low of 5.75 per cent and changed its monetary policy stance to accommodative, leaving space for future rate cuts.

New Delhi, Jun 6 (PTI) Anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal has invited applications for the post of consultant to help it in its work, an official said Thursday.

"The Lokpal is short-staffed and necessary manpower arrangement is being worked out by the government in consultation with the watchdog," he said.

Applications have been invited from eligible retired officials (deputy secretary level/deputy registrar level) for filling up of the post of a consultant in the office of Lokpal, the official said.

Bhopal/Mumbai, Jun 6 (PTI) BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur failed to appear before a court in Mumbai Thursday - for the second time this week - in connection with the 2008 Malegaon blast case.

Her lawyer told the court that she is suffering from high blood pressure and is unable to travel from Bhopal to Mumbai.

ISLAMABAD, Jun 5 (APP): Director General Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor Wednesday said Indian fake media was busy spinning on the internal defence budgeting choice of Pakistan.

In a tweet on his social media account, he said, “Don’t forget, we were the same forces with same budget on Feb 27, 2019. We have the capability and capacity to respond. Remember, it’s not budgeting, it’s resolve of force and the nation was firmly standing behind its forces.”

New Delhi, Jun 4 (PTI) Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday presided over a meeting of top ministers including Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

The ministers were closeted for more than an hour in the Home Ministry, officials said.

Commerce and Railways Minister Piyush Goyal and Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan were also present.