HIGHLIGHTS

New Delhi, Jul 16 (PTI) Following are the top stories at 5 pm: NATION DEL18 CJP-PROTEST-WANGCHUK (12.44 pm) **** Sonam Wangchuk loses over 9 kg after 19 days of hunger strike; doctors warn it could affect organs New Delhi: Activist Sonam Wangchuk's weight loss crossed nine kg on the 19th day of his indefinite hunger strike on Thursday, with doctors warning that he has entered a critical stage of prolonged fast and it could begin affecting his organs. **** DEL6 CJP-WANGCHUK (9.23 am) **** 'Don't ask me to end fast, join July 20 march instead: Sonam Wangchuk New Delhi: Activist Sonam Wangchuk has ruled out ending his indefinite hunger strike despite appeals from political leaders and supporters, saying breaking the fast without any response from the government would send the wrong message. **** DEL8 PM-RATH YATRA (9.39 am) **** PM Modi greets people on Rath Yatra New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday greeted people on the Rath Yatra festival, noting it is a radiant expression of India's timeless spiritual and cultural heritage. **** DEL35 KHARGE-PM-BILL (4.00 pm) **** Cong chief Kharge writes to PM on bill involving delimitation, seeks all-party meeting New Delhi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over reports that the government is now planning to reintroduce a Constitution amendment bill that would involve delimitation, urging him to convene an all-party meeting to discuss the revised proposals. **** DEL36 SIBAL-CJP-PROTEST (4.06pm) **** 'Govt anti-people, only concerned with securing 2/3rd majority': Sibal urges Wangchuk to end fast New Delhi: Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Thursday appealed to activist Sonam Wangchuk to end his indefinite hunger strike and dubbed the BJP-led Centre as "anti-people", asserting that such a government had no right to stay in power. **** DEL15 RAHUL-STUDENTS (11.02 am) **** Uttarakhand has become epicentre of paper leaks, will not let future of students be auctioned off: Rahul New Delhi: A day before his interaction with students in Dehradun, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said Uttarakhand has turned into an epicentre of paper leaks and asserted that he will not let the future of youth be auctioned off. **** DEL22 BJP-CONG-TL SCHOOL (1.59 pm) **** BJP accuses Cong of patronising 'conversion mafia' over Hyderabad school row New Delhi: The BJP on Thursday attacked the Congress government in Telangana over allegations that a private school in Hyderabad asked a class 2 Hindu student to learn an Islamic verse as part of his homework. **** DEL25 ED-UP-2ND LD SEARCHES (2.27 pm) **** ED raids in 4 states in illegal Bangladeshis, Rohingyas infiltration case Lucknow: The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday conducted searches at multiple locations in four states, including in the border areas of West Bengal, in a money laundering probe linked to illegal infiltration of Bangladeshis and Rohingyas into India, officials said. **** DEL29 RS-TMC-RESIGN (3.21 pm) **** TMC's Rukmini Mallick resigns from Rajya Sabha New Delhi: Trinamool Congress MP Rukmini Mallick on Thursday resigned from the Rajya Sabha, the fourth TMC MP to do so ever since the Mamata Banerjee-led party was ousted from power in West Bengal. **** DEL30 PAR-LS-JUDGES (3.22 pm) **** Lok Sabha admits resolution opposing ordinance to hike number of SC judges New Delhi: The government is set to bring a bill in the Monsoon session of Parliament to replace an ordinance which increased the number of Supreme Court judges from 34 to 38, including the chief justice of India. **** BOM7 MH-DELIMITATION BILL-RAUT (12.41 pm) **** May rethink over Delimitation Bill if Opposition's amendments incorporated: Raut Nagpur: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Thursday said the Opposition parties will resist the proposed Delimitation Bill, but if the government incorporates amendments suggested by them, then they will sit together and think it over. **** BOM9 MH-SIYA-LD FAMILY SHOP (2.48 pm) **** Ketan murder: Stop business notice to shop run by accused Siya's family; kin allege harassment Pune: Maharashtra's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a notice to a spice and dry fruits shop owned by the family of Siya Goyal, accused in the murder of Pune realtor Ketan Agarwal, asking it to halt operations over alleged norm violations, officials said. **** BOM11 MH-FADNAVIS-PM POST-MINISTER (3.39 pm) **** NCP minister says Maharashtra wants to see Marathi person become PM; favours Fadnavis for role Pune: Maharashtra Agriculture Minister and NCP leader Dattatray Bharne has said the citizens of the state want to see a Marathi person become the country's prime minister, and added that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was his choice for the top post. **** CAL8 OD-LD RATH YATRA (1.36 pm) **** Rath Yatra: ''Pahandi'' ritual performed at Puri''s Jagannath temple Puri: Braving relentless rainfall, lakhs of devotees on Thursday witnessed the 'Pahandi' ritual, in which idols of Lord Jagannath and his two siblings are taken to chariots from the 12th-century Puri temple, marking the beginning of the nine-day annual Rath Yatra in Odisha. **** LEGAL LGD17 DL-HC-LD SONAM WANGCHUK (1.54 pm) **** Life is precious; monitor Sonam Wangchuk's health: Delhi HC tells authorities New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed authorities to monitor daily the health of activist Sonam Wangchuk, who is on an indefinite fast at Jantar Mantar here over alleged irregularities in the NEET exam, and extend medical aid if his condition deteriorates. **** LGD19 SC-DEMOLITIONS (3.14 pm) **** 'Bulldozer' demolitions: SC refuses to consider contempt pleas, asks aggrieved to approach HCs New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to consider a batch of contempt petitions alleging that demolitions were carried out in violation of its 2024 judgment and asked aggrieved parties to approach the concerned high courts. **** LGD22 DL-HC-KEJRIWAL-EXCISE (4.18 pm) **** Excise case: HC gives final two weeks to Kejriwal, Sisodia to respond to CBI's plea against discharge New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday granted a final opportunity to AAP leaders Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Durgesh Pathak, asking them to respond within two weeks to the CBI's plea against a trial court order discharging them in the liquor policy case. **** BUSINESS DEL14 BIZ-TAX-INFLATION INDEX (10.59 am) **** I-T dept raises Cost Inflation Index to 384 for FY27 New Delhi: The income tax department has increased the Cost Inflation Index for the current fiscal for calculating long-term capital gains arising from the sale of immovable property, securities and jewellery. **** DEL5 BIZ-TAX-WINDFALL (9.15 am) **** Govt hikes windfall tax on diesel, ATF; cuts levy on petrol exports New Delhi: The government has increased the windfall gains tax on exports of diesel and ATF, while lowering the levy on petrol for the fortnight beginning July 16. **** FOREIGN FGN17 US-LD INDIAN (9.49 am) **** Indian national stabbed in US over his religion: reports Washington: An Indian man was allegedly stabbed 15 times inside a shopping mall near Salt Lake City in the US state of Utah because of his religion, media reports said. By Sagar Kulkarni **** FGN16 US-INDIA-TIES-OFFICIAL (9.42 am) **** India investing heavily in America, bilateral ties 'really great': senior US official New York: Describing India as a "leader in many areas", a senior US official said the country has made substantial investments in America and that bilateral ties are "really great". By Yoshita Singh **** FGN34 PAK-WASIA (2.03 pm) **** Pakistan urges US, Iran to end hostilities, resume talks amid renewed strikes Islamabad: Pakistan on Thursday urged the US and Iran to end hostilities and resume negotiations, as renewed military strikes between the two sides threatened to derail their interim peace arrangement and further destabilise the region. By Sajjad Hussain **** PTI MDO MDO