New Delhi, May 21 (PTI) Following are the top stories at 9.15 pm:
TOP STORIES
LGD33 SC-LD WAQF ACT
* Waqf Islamic concept but not essential to Islam: Centre to SC
New Delhi: The Centre on Wednesday defended the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 in the Supreme Court and said though waqf was an Islamic concept, it was not an essential part of Islam. *
DEL80 INDOPAK-LD DELEGATIONS
* Op Sindoor: Multi-party delegations start fanning out to present India's views on terror
New Delhi: A multi-party delegation led by JD (U) MP Sanjay Jha on Wednesday left for Japan to put across India's views on terrorism emanating from Pakistan. *
DEL75 MEA-PAK-OFFICIAL-EXPELLED
* India expels Pakistani High Commission official; 2nd in one week
New Delhi: India on Wednesday expelled a Pakistani official working at the Pakistan High Commission here on charges of indulging in activities not in keeping with his official status. *
DEL69 LDALL INTERNATIONAL BOOKER
* Writer Banu Mushtaq-translator Deepa Bhasthi script history with International Booker for Heart Lamp
London/Bengaluru: Kannada writer, lawyer, and activist Banu Mushtaq and translator Deepa Bhasthi on Wednesday scripted history by winning the International Booker Prize for "Heart Lamp", the first Kannada title and the first-ever collection of short stories to be awarded the GBP 50,000 prize. *
DEL57 BIZ-LD-INDIA-US-TRADE
* Interim trade deal with US likely by July 8; India for full exemption from 26 pc additional tariff
New Delhi: India and the US are likely to agree on an interim trade agreement before July 8 with New Delhi pushing for full exemption from the 26 per cent reciprocal tariff on domestic goods, an official said. *
NATION
BOM27 CG-2NDLDALL NAXAL ENCOUNTER
* Topmost Naxal leader Basavaraju among 27 Maoists killed in Chhattisgarh encounter
Narayanpur (Chhattisgarh): In a significant breakthrough in the ongoing fight against Naxalism, security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region have killed Nambala Keshav Rao, widely known as Basavaraju, along with 26 other dreaded Maoists in a fierce encounter. *
DEL79 ED-NATIONAL HERALD-CHARGES
* Sonia Gandhi 'abused' her position to benefit self, son in AJL takeover: ED
New Delhi: Congress leader Sonia Gandhi "abused" her position as the then AICC president for personal gains to herself and her son Rahul Gandhi by converting public money for self use through the Young Indian (YI) company, the ED is understood to have alleged in its chargesheet filed in the National Herald case. *
DEL56 AYODHYA-MISRA- INTERVIEW
* Ayodhya Ram Darbar consecration on June 5; no central, state govt VIPs: Nripendra Misra
New Delhi: The construction of the iconic Ram temple in Ayodhya will be completed by June 5 and the consecration of 'Ram Darbar' will be performed in a ceremony beginning June 3, according to Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Construction Committee Chairman Nripendra Misra. By Gunjan Sharma *
DEL74 AVI-JK-PLANE-EMERGENCY
* Indigo pilot reports emergency after Srinagar-bound aircraft with over 200 people hits turbulence
Srinagar: A Srinagar-bound Indigo flight from Delhi with more than 220 people on board hit turbulence midair on Wednesday due to inclement weather, prompting the pilot to report the "emergency" to air traffic control at Srinagar. The flight later landed safely here, officials said. *
DEL81 CISF-BHAKRA
* Amid Punjab-Haryana water dispute, Centre sanctions 296 CISF personnel for Bhakra dam security
New Delhi: The Centre has sanctioned a contingent of 296 armed CISF personnel for providing a counter-terrorist security cover to the Bhakra dam amid the continuing standoff between Punjab and Haryana over sharing of water from the dam, official sources said Wednesday. *
DEL63 MEA-PAK-REJECT
* Pak's attempt to hoodwink world doomed to fail: India on Islamabad's allegations
New Delhi: India on Wednesday trashed as "baseless" Pakistan's allegations that there was an Indian hand in a bomb attack on a school bus in Balochistan's Khuzdar region. *
MDS28 KL-COVID-CASES
* Kerala reports 182 Covid cases in May, says Health Minister Veena George
Thiruvananthapuram: As many as 182 Covid-19 cases have been reported in Kerala in May so far, state Health Minister Veena George said on Wednesday. *
MDS27 TN-WOMAN-LD DMK FUNCTIONARY
* Woman accuses DMK man of attempting to sexually exploit her, NCW seeks probe into matter
Chennai: A young woman has alleged that a DMK youth wing functionary at Arakkonam tried to force her to give sexual favours to bigwigs, with the National Commission for Women (NCW) taking suo motu cognisance of the matter while terming the allegations "disturbing" and of "grave nature." *
MDS16 KA-ED-LD PARAMESHWARA
* ED searches at educational institutions linked to Karnataka Home Minister
Bengaluru: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is conducting searches at educational institutions linked to Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara at Tumakuru and on the outskirts of Bengaluru, official sources said on Wednesday. *
LEGAL
LGD31 SC-LD PUJA KHEDKAR
* Is she a drug lord? SC asks, grants anticipatory bail to ex-IAS probationer Puja Khedkar
New Delhi: Is she a drug lord or a terrorist ? The Supreme Court asked Delhi Police on Wednesday as it granted anticipatory bail to former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar, accused of cheating, and wrongly availing OBC and disability quota benefits in the civil services examination. *
BUSINESS
DEL82 BIZ-RESULTS-3RDLD INDIGO
* IndiGo posts highest Q4 profit of Rs 3,068 crore on strong air travel demand
New Delhi: InterGlobe Aviation, the parent of the country's largest airline IndiGo, on Wednesday posted its highest-ever fourth quarter profit after tax of Rs 3,067.5 crore, mainly helped by strong air travel demand. *
FOREIGN
FGN73: PAK-BOMB-3RDLD BLAST
*3 children among 6 killed in suicide attack targeting school bus in Pakistan's Balochistan
Islamabad/Karachi: A suicide attacker targeted a school bus in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province on Wednesday, killing at least six people, including three children, and wounding 38 others, officials said.
FGN55: WHO-TEDROS-MODI
WHO Chief Tedros lauds PM Modi for supporting Pandemic Accord
Geneva: Director-General of the World Health Organisation Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Wednesday lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for virtually joining the 78th Session of the World Health Assembly that adopted the Pandemic Agreement.*