The government has proposed increasing the fine for illegal and improper use of national emblems for commercial gains from ₹500 to ₹1 lakh, Hindustan Times has reported

National Emblems misuse to attract ₹5 lakh fine, jail

The government has proposed increasing the fine for illegal and improper use of national emblems for commercial gains from ₹500 to ₹1 lakh, Hindustan Times has reported. The suggested change also includes jail time and a fine of ₹5 lakh for repeat offenders. The Emblems and Names Act of 1950 restricts the use of the national flag, the coat-of-arms used by a government department, the official seal of the President or Governor, the pictorial representation of Mahatma Gandhi and the Prime Minister, and the Ashoka Chakra.

The government has proposed increasing the fine for illegal and improper use of national emblems for commercial gains from ₹500 to ₹1 lakh, Hindustan Times has reported. The suggested change also includes jail time and a fine of ₹5 lakh for repeat offenders. The Emblems and Names Act of 1950 restricts the use of the national flag, the coat-of-arms used by a government department, the official seal of the President or Governor, the pictorial representation of Mahatma Gandhi and the Prime Minister, and the Ashoka Chakra.

Getting a driving licence will no longer require you stand in a long queue at the regional transport office waiting for your driving test. Come July 1 and according to

Getting a driving licence will no longer require you stand in a long queue at the regional transport office waiting for your driving test.
Come July 1 and according to the new rules mandated by the Union Road Transport and Highways Ministry candidates who receive their training from accredited driver training centres and pass the test held there will not have to take a driving test when applying for a licence. Driving tests are currently conducted at RTOs.
According to a statement issued by the ministry, these accredited centres should be equipped with simulators and dedicated driving test track to provide high-quality training.
The duration for a light motor vehicle driving course in such centres will be 29 hours in the span of maximum 4 weeks from the date of commencement of the course.
The duration for medium and heavy motor vehicle driving course will be be 38 hours in the span of 6 weeks.
The govt notification said that the course will be divided into theory and practical. Drivers will also be taught some basic aspects about ethical and courteous behaviour with other road users
These centres will also provide remedial and refresher courses as per the requirement of Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
The centre will also be allowed to provide industry-specific specialised driving training.
While announcing the new rules, the ministry had said that shortage of skilled drivers is one of the major issues in the Indian roadways sector and that a large number of road accidents occur due to lack of knowledge of road regulations.
The driving centre will receive accreditation for a period of 5 years after which it will have to be renewed.
So, if you have been avoiding getting a driving licence because of the time-consuming process this might just be what you were looking for.

Indian Air Force Chief RKS Bhaduria on Saturday said the induction of the 36 Rafale jets into the IAF was on target and would get completed by 2022. Speaking to reporte

Indian Air Force Chief RKS Bhaduria on Saturday said the induction of the 36 Rafale jets into the IAF was on target and would get completed by 2022. Speaking to reporters at the Combined Graduation Parade, the Air Force Chief said the operationalization plan of the Rafale jets is fully operational inspite of a few minor delays due to the pandemic. &nbsp;
In 2016, India signed an inter-governmental agreement with France of procuring 36-Rafale jets at a cost Rs 59,000 crore. The Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in April 2021 assuring the entire fleet of Rafale would be completed by April 2022.

Hours after PDP president Mehbooba Mufti received an invitation from the Centre for talks with Jammu and Kashmir's regional political parties, her uncle Sartaj Madni wa

Hours after PDP president Mehbooba Mufti received an invitation from the Centre for talks with Jammu and Kashmir's regional political parties, her uncle Sartaj Madni was on Saturday released from six-month-long detention. Madni, who was under preventive detention at MLA hostel in Srinagar, was released on Saturday morning.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to chair a meeting with all political parties from Jammu and Kashmir on June 24 as part of the Centre's initiatives to bolster political processes, including holding assembly elections, in the union territory.

The third wave of coronavirus in India is 'inevitable' and may hit the country in the next six to eight weeks, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Chief Dr

The third wave of coronavirus in India is 'inevitable' and may hit the country in the next six to eight weeks, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Dirtecor Dr Randeep Guleria&nbsp;has said.
 He told NDTV&nbsp;as various parts of the country have started the process of unlocking after weeks of restrictions, a lack of Covid-appropriate behaviour has been observed.
 He further told the news channel that that Indians do not seem to have learnt any lesson from the first two waves of the pandemic. He also emphasised the need for strict surveillance and mini-lockdown in places that see a surge and a rise in positivity rate beyond 5 per cent.
 Stressing on the importance of vaccination, Dr Guleria said that unless the population is vaccinated, the country will remain vulnerable in the coming months.

A woman in Assam's Silchar has given birth to a 5.2 kg baby, which the hospital claims to be one of the heaviest newly born in the state. Calling it

A woman in Assam's&nbsp;Silchar&nbsp;has given birth to a 5.2 kg baby, which the hospital claims to be the one of&nbsp;heaviest&nbsp;new-born in the state. Calling it a unique case,&nbsp;the hospital authorities of Satindra&nbsp;Mohan&nbsp;Dev Civil Hospital&nbsp;said&nbsp;that the average weight of the new-borns&nbsp;is around 2.5 kgs&nbsp;and that they have discussed it with the senior officials, who also confirm that the child is the heaviest baby ever born in Assam.&nbsp; Jaya Das's&nbsp;delivery was scheduled for mid-may but&nbsp;due to her family's fear of Covid-19, her delivery was delayed.&nbsp;
As per the Guinness&nbsp;book of World Records, a 10.2 kg baby boy was born in 1955, in Aversa&nbsp;in&nbsp;Italy, is the heaviest&nbsp;baby ever born.&nbsp;

A Samajwadi Party leader has been arrested in Delhi in connection with the Loni assault case. A team of Ghaziabad police arrested Ummed Pahalwan Idrisi along with anot

A Samajwadi Party leader has been arrested in Delhi in connection with the Loni assault case.
A team of Ghaziabad police arrested Ummed Pahalwan Idrisi along with another person near Delhi&rsquo;s&nbsp;Lok Narayan Jai Prakash Hospital.&nbsp;
Searches were underway for Pahalwan in Ghaziabad who was booked by police in connection with the&nbsp;circulation of a &ldquo;communal&rdquo; video related to the assault on an elderly Muslim man.
Ghaziabad Senior Superintendent of Police Amit Kumar Pathak said the district police wanted Pehelwan to appear before it and record his statement in connection with the case.

The Centre on Saturday, in an advisory, urged the states and Union Territories to ensure strict adherence to Covid-19 norms by the public, as the unlocking process bega

The Centre on Saturday, in an advisory, urged the states and Union Territories to ensure strict adherence to Covid-19 norms by the public, as the unlocking process began nationwide. In a letter to chief secretaries of all states and UTs, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla said there should be no complacency in adhering to Covid appropriate behaviour and all state govts should adopt the 'test-track-treat and vaccinate' strategy. The Centre said, it is essential to ensure that complacency does not set in, adding that a close eye must be kept on early signs of a surge in active cases or high positivity rates. All states and UTs have also been told to fast-track the pace of vaccination to cover the maximum number of people.

Agra’s Paras Hospital grabbed national headlines after a purported video of a mock drill, allegedly shot on April 28, went viral. A probe into the alleged inciden

Agra&rsquo;s Paras Hospital grabbed national headlines after a purported video of a mock drill, allegedly shot on April 28, went viral. A probe into the alleged incident has now revealed that the hospital's &lsquo;mock drill&rsquo; didn't cause the deaths of 22 people.
As per the report, the hospital authorities informed the investigators that they had been misquoted and that the viral video had been misconstrued. The hospital had been sealed and was under government scrutiny after a video of its owner was heard narrating a story where &ldquo;22 people turned blue and died" after a &ldquo;mock drill".
The probe found that as opposed to media reports the hospital in Agra had not conducted a &lsquo;mock drill&rsquo; during which oxygen supply was switched off for five minutes, the hospital had merely conducted a risk assessment exercise to identify critically-ill patients who would need special help in case there was to be a shortage in the future.
The report, which is based on the findings of a four-member death audit committee and a two-member team comprising government officials, does, however, say that 16 patients had died in the hospital on the same day. But, almost all of them suffered from co-morbidities like type 2 diabetes and bilateral pneumonitis.

The sporting community poured in tributes for legendary sprinter Milkha Singh on social media. Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar t

The sporting community poured in tributes for&nbsp;legendary&nbsp;sprinter&nbsp;Milkha&nbsp;Singh&nbsp;on social media.&nbsp; Cricket legend Sachin&nbsp;Tendulkar&nbsp;tweeted, 'Rest in Peace our very own &lsquo;Flying Sikh&rsquo; Milkha Singh ji. Your demise has left a deep void in every Indian&rsquo;s heart today, but you shall keep inspiring several generations to come.' Tennis player Sania&nbsp;Mirza&nbsp;wrote, 'Had the honour of meeting you and you blessed me so many times .. the kindest and warmest RIP Milkha Singh sir .. the world will miss a legend like you .' Ace athlete PT Usha&nbsp;posted, 'Dark clouds of sadness prevail with the demise of my idol and inspiration Milkha Singhji. His story of sheer determination and hard work inspired millions and will continue to do so. As a tribute to him, students of Usha School paid homage to the legend. Rest in Peace'
We may not have seen you compete, but every time we ran fast as kids, we ran 'like Milkha Singh'. And for me, that will always be the legend you leave behind. You didn't just run, you inspired. Rest in peace, sir, tweeted Indian football skipper Sunil&nbsp;chhetri Extremely saddened to hear about the demise of legendary Milkha Singh Ji. May his soul rest in peace. My condolences to friends &amp; family, wrote former cricketer Suresh&nbsp;Raina.
Anil&nbsp;Kumble&nbsp;tweeted, 'Deeply saddened to hear the passing of Milkha SinghJi. His legacy will live on&hellip; a true legend and an icon. Condolences to his family and friends.' Cricketer Jasprit&nbsp;Bumrah&nbsp;wrote, 'A hero, an inspiration, a legend. His legacy will live on for generations to come. Rest in Peace, Milkha Singh sir.'
Wrestler Sakshi&nbsp;Malik&nbsp;tweeted, 'A legend like him stays always in power. Rest in power Mr. #FlyingSikh. Your struggling story, your legacy, calmness will live on to inspire generations to come.' Saina&nbsp;Nehwal&nbsp;posted an image of Milkha&nbsp;Singh&nbsp;and wrote, 'We will miss you sir' Former cricketer&nbsp;VVS&nbsp;Laxman too posted an image of the legendary&nbsp;sprinter and wrote, 'Sad to hear the passing away of the legend #MilkhaSingh ji. His legacy will live on for generations to come. My heartfelt condolences to his family and well-wishers. Om Shanti'

Continuing with the downward trend, India on Saturday reported 60,753 new Covid-19 cases, while the number of those dead stood at 1,647 deaths in the last 24 hours.Heal

Continuing with the downward trend, India on Saturday reported 60,753 new Covid-19 cases, while the number of those dead stood at 1,647 deaths in the last 24 hours. Health Ministry said active Covid cases in the country stood at 7,60,019, while the total cases were at 2,98,23,546. The govt said a total of 27,23,88,783 people have been vaccinated with at least one dose so far. The govt also informed that the active cases in the country are at the lowest in 74 days while the recovery rate has been increased to 96.16%. Recoveries in India have outnumbered active cases for the 37th straight day.

Bollywood celebrities mourned the death of ace sprinter Milkha Singh on social media. Amitabh Bacchan tweeted, "In grief .

Bollywood&nbsp;celebrities mourned the&nbsp;death of&nbsp;ace sprinter&nbsp;Milkha&nbsp;Singh&nbsp;on social media.
Amitabh&nbsp;Bacchan&nbsp;tweeted,&nbsp;"In grief .. Milkha Singh passes away .. the pride of India .. a great athlete .. a greater human .. Waheguru di Mehr .. prayers" Shahrukh&nbsp;Khan tweeted, "The Flying Sikh may no longer be with us in person but his presence will always be felt and his legacy will remain unmatched... An inspiration to me... an inspiration to millions. Rest in Peace Milkha Singh sir." Akshay&nbsp;Kumar&nbsp;said, "Incredibly sad to hear about the demise of #MilkhaSingh ji. The one character I forever regret not playing on-screen! May you have a golden run in heaven, Flying Sikh. Om shanti, Sir." Anil&nbsp;Kapoor&nbsp;posted, 'Milkha Singh ji welcomed us into his home and his lovely wife fed us the most unforgettable aloo parathas I've ever had... He truly was an incredible sportsman, phenomenal host and above all an amazing human being... will be truly &amp; deeply missed' Anupam&nbsp;Kher&nbsp;wrote, '"Do you consider yourself Milkha Singh?" When a person becomes a phrase, it becomes a symbol of his greatness. I had the privilege of meeting Milkha Singh ji a couple of times. Very few people get such generosity. He is a symbol of inspiration for every age. were and will be. om Shanti!' Priyanka Chopra tweeted, "Warm and welcoming, you made our first meeting so so special. I have been inspired by your excellence, touched by your humility, influenced by your contribution to our country. Om Shanti #Milkha ji. Sending love and prayers to the family." Actress Tapsee&nbsp;Pannu, tweeted "And he flew away" with a photo of the legend. Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar&nbsp;said, "Sad to hear demise of #MilkhaSingh ji Been a great inspiration will remain in our hearts forever." Ravina&nbsp;Tandon&nbsp;wrote, "Had the honour of meeting you Sir, you will always have a special place in all our hearts ! Whenever we need to be inspired, &ldquo;bhaag milkhe bhaag,&rdquo; will resound in our ears !" Sunny Deol&nbsp;said, "The nation will remember you &amp; seek inspiration from your life forever"

As Congress leader Rahul Gandhi turned 51, the Congress will be marking his birthday as 'Sewa Diwas' on Saturday. Congress workers under the leaders

As Congress leader Rahul&nbsp;Gandhi turned 51, the Congress will be&nbsp;marking his birthday as 'Sewa&nbsp;Diwas' on Saturday.&nbsp; Congress workers under the leadership of Delhi Pradesh&nbsp;Congress Committee president Chaudhary&nbsp;Anil&nbsp;Kumar will distribute essential items like face masks, medicine kits and cooked meals to people in Delhi for free.&nbsp;The Congress on Friday said these items will be distributed to people lining up at municipal corporation wards for free ration. DPCC&nbsp;chief further informed that there will be no celebrations, adding that the aim of Sewa&nbsp;Diwas&nbsp;is to reach out to people, ravaged in the pandemic,&nbsp;with help and support.

Legendary sprinter Milkha Singh will be cremated with full state honours on Saturday at 5 pm. His mortal remains are currently kept at his residence in Chandigarh's Sec

Legendary sprinter Milkha Singh will be cremated with full state honours on Saturday at 5 pm. His mortal remains are currently kept at his residence in Chandigarh's Sector 8. Meanwhile, Chandigarh Police is busy beefing up security at his residence expecting visit of prominent personalities.
One of independent India&rsquo;s biggest sporting icons, ace sprinter Milkha Singh, died on Friday after a month-long battle with Covid-19. The former Indian sprinter had tested positive last month and was in isolation at his home in Chandigarh before he was hospitalised.

Maharashtra started the Covid-19 vaccination drive for people aged between 30-44 years from Saturday. So far, people in this age bracket could only get vaccinated at th

Maharashtra started the Covid-19 vaccination drive for people aged between 30-44 years from Saturday. So far, people in this age bracket could only get vaccinated at the private centres. The Centre had allowed prioritising of vaccines amid a limited supply. Maharashtra provided free vaccines for the 18-44 age group from May 1 to May 12, before it stopped the drive to prioritise those due for the second dose. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had on May 23 said the supply of vaccines was not smooth. Maharashtra on Friday recorded 9,798 new Covid-19 cases, taking its case tally to 59,54,508.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair an all-party meeting political leaders from Jammu & Kashmir on June 24 in New Delhi, according to reports citing sources. Ka

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair an all-party meeting political leaders from Jammu &amp; Kashmir on June 24 in New Delhi, according to reports citing sources. Kashmir-based parties have received invitations for the meeting as well, but there is no word on who all will be part of the meeting. 
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday chaired a high-level meeting with top officials in Delhi to review development projects in Jammu and Kashmir. Present at the meeting were National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, Intelligence Bureau Director Arvind Kumar, R&amp;AW chief Samant Kumar Goel, CRPF Director General Kuldeep Singh and J&amp;K DGP Dilbagh Singh.
Shah told the group that all-round development and welfare of people of Jammu and Kashmir are the top priority of the Modi government. He also congratulated the Lieutenant Governor of J&amp;K, Manoj Sinha, and his team for the vaccination drive in the Union Territory, for having reached 76% of the target in Jammu and Kashmir and 100% in the four districts of the Union Territory.

Legendary Indian athlete Milkha Singh died on Friday night with Covid-19 related issues in a Chandigarh hospital. He was 91. Milkha Singh had tested positive for Covid-

Legendary Indian athlete Milkha Singh died on Friday night with Covid-19 related issues in a Chandigarh hospital. He was 91. Milkha Singh had tested positive for Covid-19 last month.&nbsp;Notably,&nbsp;Milkha Singh's wife Nirmal Kaur had passed away&nbsp;just five days ago due to the same illness.
Fondly called the Flying Sikh, Milkha&nbsp;Singh&nbsp;had tested positive for the virus on May 20 and was admitted to a private hospital in Mohali on May 24. Singh&nbsp;was on May 30 before he was admitted on June 3 due to dipping oxygen levels. The former Indian athlete had tested negative on Thursday earlier this week.
Born in Gobindpura &ndash; in present day Pakistan &ndash;&nbsp;Milkha Singh was a four-time Asian Games gold medallist and 1958 Commonwealth Games champion, but his greatest performance was the fourth-place finish in the 400m final at the 1960 Rome. He also represented India in the 1956 and 1964 Olympics and was bestowed the Padma Shri in 1959.
Prime Minister Narendra&nbsp;Modi&nbsp;condoled Milha&nbsp;Singh's&nbsp;death on Twitter. The PM wrote, "in the passing away of&nbsp;Milkha Singh, we have lost a colossal sportsperson, who captured the nation&rsquo;s imagination and had a special place in the hearts of countless Indians. His inspiring personality endeared himself to millions.&nbsp;Several budding athletes will derive strength from his life journey. "
Singh is survived by three daughters &ndash; and son Jeev Milkha Singh, who is a golfer.&nbsp;

Vaccination against Covid-19 reduces the chances of hospitalisation by 75-80%. In a press briefing by the Health Ministry on Friday, NITI Aayog member VK Paul said also

Vaccination against Covid-19 reduces the chances of hospitalisation by 75-80%. In a press briefing by the Health Ministry on Friday, NITI Aayog member VK Paul said also cited studies on efficiency of vaccine in healthcare workers which show that the possibility of needing oxygen support is around 8% and the risk of ICU admission is only 6% in vaccinated individuals.
"85% decline in Covid-19 cases since the peak reported on May 7 and a decline of 30% in average daily new cases in the last week. The country has been witnessing a consistent decline in active Covid-19 cases, which currently stand at 7.98 lakh. There&rsquo;s been a decline of 78.6% in active coronavirus cases, which amounts to more than 29.4 lakhs, since the peak on May 10," said Luv&nbsp;AgarwalJoint&nbsp;Secretary of Health Ministry.
On the Covid situation in India, the government said there has been nearly 85 per cent decline in daily new cases since the highest reported peak on May 7.

Twitter India officials faced some tough questions on Friday as they deposed before a parliamentary panel on IT led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor. Apart from sever

Twitter India officials faced some tough questions on Friday as they deposed before a parliamentary panel on IT led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.&nbsp;Apart from several other issues, in a nearly 95-minute deposition, executives of the social media giant were asked why Twitter had not appointed a Chief Compliance Officer in India.
Reports citing sources said, Twitter was sternly warned that 'Indian laws are supreme and the company has to abide by them'. Members of the govt panel also warned that Twitter may face hefty fines if violations continue.&nbsp;Twitter also faced questions on its policy of acting on controversial content.
Top officials of Twitter were summoned at a time when the government has clashed with the social media giant over a range of issues including its stand on the new IT rules.
Twitter also faces charges, including inciting communal hate, over posts on an assault on a Muslim man in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad on June 5. On Wednesday, Twitter, several journalists and Congress leaders were named in an FIR in Ghaziabad over "provoking communal sentiments" with posts sharing the elderly man's allegations.
Union IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said Twitter was given "multiple opportunities to comply" but it chose the path of "deliberate defiance".

Ahmedabad-based vaccine manufacturer Zydus Cadila has told the Centre that it could apply for emergency use authorisation for its Covid-19 vaccine ZyCoV-D in the next s

Ahmedabad-based vaccine manufacturer Zydus Cadila has told the Centre that it could apply for emergency use authorisation for its Covid-19 vaccine ZyCoV-D in the next seven to ten days, reports said citing sources. The vaccine has completed its phase three trials for which around 28,000 volunteers were recruited. Last month, the vaccine manufacturer had said five crore doses of ZyCoV-D are likely to be available by August-September. Apart from adults, Zydus Cadila is also conducting trials of its vaccine candidate among children aged 12-17 years. If approved, ZyCoV-D will be the fourth vaccine to be used in India's Covid-19 vaccination drive after Covishield, Covaxin and Sputnik V. Zydus Cadila's Covid-19 vaccine candidate ZyCoV-D is India's first indigenously developed DNA vaccine candidate and it is to be administered via intradermal injection.

A local court on Friday sentenced 28-year-old Anil Kumar to life imprisonment on charges of rape and murder of 16-year-old Gudiya in July 2017. District and Sessions

A local court on Friday sentenced 28-year-old Anil Kumar to life imprisonment on charges of rape and murder of 16-year-old Gudiya in July 2017. 
District and Sessions Judge Rajiv Bharadwaj, who is also Special Judge of CBI Court, pronounced the sentence in the four year old case, that had sparked protests across Himachal Pradesh, demanding justice for the minor girl.
Anil Kumar alias Nillu was convicted after DNA from his blood sample matched with the semen samples found on the private parts and clothes of the girl and soil sample from his clothes matched the soil sample taken from the spot from where Gudiya&rsquo;s body was recovered. 
Class 10 student from Shimla&rsquo;s Kotkhai, Gudiya left school on July 4, 2017, but never returned home. Her body was discovered two days later in a forest ditch, with her clothes, an empty wine bottle, and other objects scattered about her. The autopsy report said death was caused by the cumulative effect of "homicidal smothering and manual strangulation in a case of recent forcible penetrative sexual assault". The Himachal Pradesh High Court directed the CBI to take over the case within a week.

explore newslists

National

Explained: how you can get a driving licence without a test at the RTO

All 36-Rafale jets to be inducted by April 2022: Air Force Chief says everything going as planned

PM Modi's Kashmir roundtable: Mehbooba's uncle released from detention

AIIMS Chief says Covid third wave inevitable, could hit India in 6-8 weeks

Assam baby weighs 5.2kgs: heaviest baby ever born in state, claim doctors

Loni assault case: Samajwadi Party leader Pahalwan arrested in Delhi

'Test-track-treat-vaccinate': Govt tells States as unlocking starts nationwide

Agra hospital's 'mock drill' didn't kill 22 patients, says probe report

Sports fraternity mourns Milkha Singh: Tendulkar, Sania Mirza, Kumble pay tributes

Covid tracker: India clocks 60,753 new cases in 24 hours, active cases lowest in 74 days

Bollywood remembers Milkha Singh, tributes pour in from Big B, SRK, Priyanka Chopra

Rahul Gandhi turns 51, Congress to observe day as 'Sewa Diwas'

Milkha Singh to be cremated at 5 pm in Chandigarh with full state honours

Maharashtra starts Covid vaccination for the 30-44 age group

PM Modi to chair all-party meet with Kashmir leaders in Delhi on June 24: reports

Legendary athlete Milkha Singh dies at 91 due to post Covid-19 complications

Govt: vaccination gives cuts risk hospitalisation by 80%, India's recovery rate at 96%

Twitter officials depose before Parliamentary Panel, told to 'abide by the law'

Zydus Cadila to apply for approval of its Covid vaccine in a week

Gudiya Case: Man sent to life term for Shimla schoolgirl's rape and murder

follow editorji

download editorji