Morning Digest | Opposition meeting to be held in Patna on June 23; 10 Manipur MLAs issued notice for ‘separatism’, and more

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, party leader Rahul Gandhi and others after a meeting, in New Delhi. File
| Photo Credit: PTI

Odisha train crash | 89 bodies await identification at AIIMS Bhubaneswar

In addition to the 123 dead bodies that the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar has already received from the triple train collision site in Balasore district since June 2, an additional 39 bodies were ferried in from private hospitals on Wednesday.

10 Manipur MLAs issued notice for ‘separatism’

The Privilege and Ethics Committee (PEC) of the 60-member Manipur Assembly has asked 10 MLAs to explain why they demanded a separate administration for a group of ethnic communities. The 10 MLAs, including seven of the BJP, had raised the bifurcation demand soon after ethnic clashes broke out between the majority Meitei and the Kuki-Chin-Zomi people on May 3.

Opposition meeting to be held in Patna on June 23

The Opposition meeting will be held on June 23 in Patna. Both Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former president Rahul Gandhi have confirmed their presence. Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar on June 7 dialled Opposition leaders informing them of the decision.

Lionel Messi joins Inter Miami, rejects Barcelona return

 Lionel Messi will sign for Major League Soccer side Inter Miami, the player said on June 7 in interviews with Spanish media, choosing the United States as his next destination over a Barcelona reunion or blockbuster deal to play in Saudi Arabia.

Gitanjali Aiyar, popular Doordarshan news anchor, passes away

One of the finest news anchors that the country has seen, Gitanjali Aiyar passed away in Delhi on Wednesday. The 71-year-old had been ailing for some time. One of the prominent faces of Doordarshan’s prime-time news at 9 p.m. for decades, Gitanjali, like many of her contemporaries on the public broadcaster, brought grace and dignity to television news before news studios started looking like war rooms and news presenters began indulging in shouting matches. 

Security forces begin combing operation to recover looted police arms in Manipur

Security forces combed hill and valley areas of Manipur on June 7 to recover arms and ammunition that were snatched, looted, or taken away from police armouries during the ongoing ethnic violence in the State. A total of 868 arms and 11,518 ammunitions have been recovered so far, according to Kuldiep Singh, Security Adviser, Manipur Government. More than 4,000 weapons were looted since May 3.

WTC Final 2023: Head and Smith run India ragged with huge stand on Day 1

Not for the first time on a big occasion, India erred with its team composition to let the advantage slip. On a day when the sun shone bright for the most part, India left out ace spinner R. Ashwin. The off-spinner watched from the sidelines even as The Oval pitch provided a tempting mix of uneven bounce.

Pope Francis undergoes abdominal surgery, will stay in hospital for several days

Pope Francis underwent surgery on June 7 to repair a hernia in his abdominal wall, the latest malady to befall the 86-year-old pontiff who had part of his colon removed two years ago. The Vatican said there were no complications after the three-hour surgery, during which Francis was under general anaesthesia.

Five days after Odisha accident, Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express resumes journey

Five days after it met with a tragic accident near Balasore in Odisha, the 12841 Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express resumed services on Wednesday. The train left the Shalimar station from West Bengal’s Howrah district at 3.25 p.m. from platform number 2.

Congress seeks FIR against PM, Railway Minister for negligence in Balasore train accident

Accusing the Narendra Modi government of dereliction of duty of Himalayan proportions in the Balasore train accident, the Congress on Wednesday said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) should lodge a First Information Report (FIR) against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for negligence.

Rishi Sunak goes to Washington with Ukraine, economy and AI on agenda for Biden meeting

The war in Ukraine was top of U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s agenda on June 7 as he started a two-day trip to Washington carrying the message that post-Brexit Britain remains an essential American ally in a world of emboldened authoritarian states.

PM Modi’s visit will affirm deep and close partnership between India and U.S., says White House

The upcoming Official State visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the U.S. will affirm the deep and close partnership between the two countries and the warm bonds of family and friendship that link Americans and Indians together, the White House said on June 7.

Air India ferry flight from Mumbai lands at Magadan Airport in far east Russia

Air India ferry flight that departed from Mumbai on June 7 to fly stranded passengers and crew of the airline’s Delhi-San Francisco flight to their destination landed at Magadan port city in far east Russia at 6:14 a.m. local time. The ferry flight AI-195, operated by a Boeing 777-200LR, carrying food and essentials along with a team of personnel from Air India, took off for Magadan Airport from the city’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport at 1521 hours (IST) on Tuesday.

As Pilot wavers, BJP does SWOT analysis of state of play in Rajasthan

Sachin Pilot may be keeping his cards on future plans close to his chest, but the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been deliberating on the various scenarios arising out of developments in Rajasthan.