News18 Evening Digest: Iran Opens Airspace For Indian Students, PM Modi's Swipe At Lalu Prasad & Other Top Stories
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We Are Also Covering: Israel Defence Minister Instructs IDF To 'Destabilise' Iranian Regime, Saudi Atomic Body Calls Out Israeli Strikes & Other Top Stories
In today's News18 evening digest, we bring to you the latest on Israel-Iran war, PM Modi's Bihar visit, Sitaare Zameen Par Review and other updates.
Iran on Friday said it is making a special exception to facilitate the evacuation of Indian students stranded amid the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict.
Iranian officials are working closely with Indian authorities as part of Operation Sindhu, New Delhi's mission to safely relocate students studying in West Asia affected by the conflict. Read More
PM Narendra Modi in Bihar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing a high-stakes rally in poll-bound Bihar on Friday, launched a scathing attack on the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress, accusing them of allegedly insulting Babasaheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar and betraying the aspirations of Dalits and backward classes. His remarks come amid a growing controversy over a viral video that purportedly shows RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav placing an image of Ambedkar near a chair, before resting his leg on it. Read More
'We must strike all symbols of the regime and its mechanisms of oppression, such as the Basij, as well as the base of the regime's power, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps," Katz said.
Saudi Arabia's Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Commission (NRRC) said that 'any armed attack by any party targeting nuclear facilities dedicated to peaceful purposes constitutes a violation of international resolutions." The warning comes as Israel has been targeting several Iranian nuclear sites and military bases since June 13, in what officials in Tel Aviv call a preemptive operation to neutralize Iran's ballistic and nuclear threat.
Sitaare Zameen Par Movie Review: Aamir Khan's Sitaare Zameen Par has every ingredient to make it a blockbuster. It's a spiritual sequel to the extraordinary Taare Zameen Par. It has a social message laced with feel-good humour. It marks the superstar's return to the big screen three years after Laal Singh Chaddha. And it brings together a bunch of 'intellectually disabled' people and celebrates their lives. What's refreshing is that here, there's no room for sappiness (for the most part). Read More
Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah was one of six players nominated for the Professional Footballers' Association Men's Player of the Year award on Friday. Read More
First Published:
June 20, 2025, 18:30 IST
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Time of India
12 minutes ago
- Time of India
Amit Shah 1st to be told about cash at judge Varma's residence
Union home minister Amit Shah NEW DELHI: Home minister Amit Shah was the first to be informed by Delhi Police commissioner Sanjay Arora about "four or five half-burnt sacks" of cash at Justice Yashwant Varma's official residence within hours of its chance discovery following a fire on the night of March 14 at the bungalow's storeroom. Responding to a fire emergency call, firefighters and police reached Justice Varma's Tughlaq Crescent bungalow a little after 11.30pm on March 14. The first responders, who stumbled upon the bags stuffed with cash, shot videos of half-burnt currency notes of Rs 500 denomination around midnight. They left after dousing the fire around 1am on March 15. Delhi Police chief Arora first informed the home minister on March 15 and, later, briefed Delhi HC Chief Justice D K Upadhyay about the cash. Delhi Police chief Sanjay Arora also shared "certain still photographs and video" of the storeroom fire with the Delhi HC CJ, who in turn informed then CJI Sanjiv Khanna, triggering a chain of events which led to setting up of an inquiry into the sensational episode. The inquiry panel said in its report, "The information was shared by Arora with Justice D K Upadhyay in the late afternoon of March 15, who was out of station in Lucknow on account of Holi vacation, and he was informed that a report had been sent to the Union home minister, wherein there was reference that there were four or five half-burnt sacks of Indian currency at the spot." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like เทรด Bitcoin และ Ethereum - ไม่ต้องใช้กระเป๋าเงิน! IC Markets เริ่มต้นตอนนี้ Undo The inquiry panel comprising Punjab and Haryana CJ Sheel Nagu, Himachal Pradesh CJ G S Sandhawalia and Karnataka HC's Justice Anu Sivaraman had sent 10 phones belonging to the first responders, used for taking videos and still images of burning cash in the storeroom, for authentication by Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL), Chandigarh. The laboratory authenticated the images and videos - one of 67 seconds shot by head constable Roop Chand and another of 70 seconds shot by head constable Sunil Kumar. The panel said, "The phones have been analysed by us having been sent to CFSL, Chandigarh, and are per se admissible in view of the provisions of Section 329 of BNSS." Apart from legal admissibility of the evidence against Justice Varma, the panel said these pieces of evidence also stood corroborated by witnesses. "The said videos have been shown to independent eye-witnesses, including the fire/police personnel who were at the spot (and) who have vouched for the same," the panel said.
Hindustan Times
14 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
PM Modi targets RJD, Cong in marker for Bihar elections
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a meeting in Siwan, Bihar, targeted the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress, talked up his National Demoratic Alliance's development credentials , and inaugurated projects worth ₹ 11,000 crore from a stage replete with eight Union ministers, the state's chief minister and two deputy chief ministers, providing a curtain raiser to assembly elections due later this year. Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves to the crowd on his way to address a public rally with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary in Siwan, Bihar. (Santosh Kumar/HT) The Congress and the RJD hurt Bihar's pride and kept the state poor due to mafia raj, goonda raj and corruption, Modi said , taking a pointed shot at RJD's Lalu Prasad and alleging that the former chief minister insulted BR Ambedkar. The PM was speaking after laying the foundation stone of and inaugurating multiple development projects worth ₹ 11,000 crore. Modi, who is on a three-state tour, inaugurated the new Vaishali-Deoria railway line and a Vande Bharat Express between Patliputra and Gorakhpur via Muzaffarpur and Bettiah. He also flagged off a state-of-the-art locomotive - the first built at a plant in Marhowra in Saran district – for export to the Republic of Guinea. Modi said the Congress did not allow Bihar to move out of poverty and the worst sufferers were Dalit, Mahadalit, backward classes and Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs), while in the last 11 years a record 250 million Indians moved out of poverty. 'Bihar under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar played a key role in it, as 3.75-crore (37.5 million) people from the state pulled themselves out of poverty. Despite so many years of independence, half the population lived below the poverty line. People struggled to beat poverty, as they could not find a way. The state was reduced to a migration centre and destined to live with the misfortune of poverty. Now, it is time to be wary of the same forces, who kept it poor, as they are desperate for power while the state has prepared the launchpad for rapid growth,' he added. Bihar governor Arif Mohammad Khan, chief minister Nitish Kumar, Union ministers Jitan Ram Manjhi, Giriraj Singh, Lalan Singh, Chirag Paswan, Ramnath Thakur, Nityanand Rai, Satishchandra Dubey, and Raj Bhushan Choudhary, deputy CMs Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, state health minister Mangal Pandey and former Union minister Upendra Kushwaha were present on the occasion. This is PM's fourth visit to Bihar this year and third since April 24 in what is viewed as a build up for the crucial state elections scheduled in October-November. He reached the venue in a road show, waving to the people from an open vehicle along with CM Nitish Kumar and Deputy CM Choudhary. Siwan is the birthplace of India's first President Dr Rajendra Prasad. Modi, who did not mention RJD's Prasad by name, also referred to a recent controversy where a portrait of Ambedkar was placed close to the feet of the ailing septuagenarian on his 78th birthday on June 11. 'Ambedkar was against dynasty rule. But they (RJD and its allies) do not like it. So they have his portrait placed at their feet. On my way, I saw posters demanding an apology for this insult to Babasaheb,' said Modi. 'But there has been no apology. This is because they hold Dalits in contempt. In contrast, Modi has Babasaheb in his heart and would like to keep his portrait close to his chest,' he added. According to the RJD, the controversy arose because of the camera angle at Prasad's residence. The party has said Prasad had his feet on a sofa because of 'medical advice', and a supporter stood close carrying the portrait of India's first law minister. Modi said that the panja (or hand – the Congress's symbol) and the lantern (the RJD's symbol) worked with a motive of 'Parivar ka Saath aur Parivar ka Vikas' (Support to family, growth to family), while the NDA works for Sabka saath, Sabka Vikas (inclusive development for all). He warned that those who brought 'jungle raj' to Bihar were looking for an opportunity to repeat their old deeds. 'You have to be very cautious for the bright future of your children. People who are ready to put the brakes on Bihar's developmental journey have to be kept at bay, as a prosperous Bihar is important for a prosperous India,' he added. Remembering Rajendra Prasad, Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan, and social reformer Braj Kishor Prasad, Modi said Siwan was the land that lent strength to democracy and the Constitution and played a big role in the freedom movement. 'We are trying to take the same spirit forward with inclusive growth so that nobody is discriminated against and even the world recognises India's growth journey to be the third largest economy. I have faith in your abilities, as you are the ones who ended jungle Raj and then worked with the NDA to put the state on track,' he added. The PM said that the Marhowra rail factory was an example of the kind of Bihar the NDA striving to create. 'With the export of locomotives, Saran, which was abandoned by the RJD as backward, has made its place on the global map. Jungle Raj had stalled the growth engine, but now Bihar's engine will run in Africa. Bihar will be a big centre for Make in India and contribute to the nation's growth,' Modi said. The PM said in the last 10-11 years, over 55,000 kms of rural roads were built, 15 million houses got power connection and tap water, 45,000 common service centres were started and now there was a wave of start-ups in towns and cities. CM Nitish, who has been critical of the RJD over its governance track record, took potshots at the main rival, without naming the party. 'Did the ones in power until we took over care for governance? People were scared of stepping out of their homes because of the law and order situation. Such a contrasting sight today when we have boys, girls, and so many women moving freely,'he said. Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Tejashwi Yadav blunted the PM's attack and asked him to stop misleading the people. 'Why is Bihar still grappling with poverty, unemployment, migration, pitiable state of health and education, gross nepotism in appointments, poor state of industrialisation? He[Modi] has no answer, but he can only mislead. The crowd was forcibly assembled for the rally,' he said.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Donald Trump hints at Israel-Iran ceasefire, warns Iran has ‘maximum' two weeks
President Donald Trump on Friday indicated he may support a ceasefire in the ongoing aerial conflict between Israel and Iran, now in its second week, but said it would depend on how events unfold. US President Donald Trump expressed doubt over Europe's ability to mediate the ongoing Israel Iran conflict.(Bloomberg) Asked by reporters if he would back a truce while diplomatic talks continue, Trump replied, "I might, depending on the circumstances." He also warned that Iran has a limited timeframe to avoid possible U.S. military action. "I'm giving them a period of time, and I would say two weeks would be the maximum," Trump said, hinting that a decision could come sooner. Trump expressed doubt over Europe's ability to mediate the conflict. "Iran doesn't want to speak to Europe. They want to speak to us. Europe is not going to be able to help in this one," he said. On the same day, Iran's foreign minister held talks with British, French, German, and EU counterparts in Geneva to discuss restarting diplomatic efforts on its nuclear program. European leaders urged Tehran to engage directly with Washington, but the discussions ended without a breakthrough. When asked whether U.S. ground troops would be required if conflict escalates, Trump said, "Well, I'm not going to talk about ground forces, because the last thing you want to do is ground forces." The Israel-Iran air war began on June 13, when Israel launched strikes on Iranian territory, claiming the goal was to stop Iran from advancing its nuclear weapons capability. Israel, which is widely believed to possess nuclear weapons, is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Iran, which insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, is a member of the NPT and responded with retaliatory strikes. According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, Israel's attacks have killed 639 people in Iran. Meanwhile, Israel has reported 24 civilian deaths from Iranian strikes. Trump and the White House have said a decision on US involvement in the conflict will be made within two weeks. So far, Trump's stance has ranged from promoting a diplomatic resolution to signalling potential military support for Israel, leaving global observers uncertain about the US course of action. Europe joins Tehran talks as two-week clock ticks President Donald Trump on Friday dismissed the prospects of European diplomacy resolving the Israel-Iran conflict, reiterating that Iran is uninterested in engaging with European leaders. "Iran doesn't want to speak to Europe. They want to speak to us. Europe is not going to be able to help in this," Trump said upon arriving in Morristown, New Jersey. He also played down the possibility of urging Israel to pause its military actions, responding to Iran's demand that Israel cease its strikes before Tehran resumes dialogue with Washington. When asked if he would press Israel to halt attacks, Trump said it was "very hard to make that request right now," adding, "If somebody's winning, it's a little bit harder to do than if somebody's losing, but we're ready, willing and able, and we've been speaking to Iran, and we'll see what happens." Addressing the timeline for a potential US military response, Trump said, "I'm giving them a period of time, and I would say two weeks would be the maximum," explaining that the goal was to "see whether or not people come to their senses." A day earlier, Trump had said he would "make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks" because of a "substantial chance of negotiations" with Iran. That statement was interpreted as opening a short diplomatic window, prompting European leaders to meet with Iran's foreign minister in Geneva. However, Trump said the discussions "didn't help," and his latest remarks suggest he may act sooner if there's no progress on Iran's nuclear programme. (With inputs from agencies)
