News Digest: A sharp, speedy recap of the day\'s headlines

Mumbai: Have you missed any news today? Here are the top national, international headlines of the day.

Mamata signs up Prashant: West Bengal Chief Minister has signed on master political strategist Prashant Kishor, who has been recently credited with the landslide victory for Andhra Pradesh's Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy, with the incumbent CM, Chandrababu Naidu of the Telegu Desam Party being completely routed and voted out of power and also credited with successfully strategizing Narendra Modi's prime ministerial campaign back in 2014.

Read | Political strategist Prashant Kishor to work with Mamata: Sources

Defamation complaint goes to court: A local court on Thursday posted for June 24 the examination of statements in the defamation suit filed against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia for allegedly attempting to 'frame' BJP leader Vijender Gupta in an alleged assassination plot against Kejriwal. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Samar Vishal admitted the matter and fixed June 24 as the date for examination of Gupta and his witnesses' statements for proving charges against the Aam Aadmi Party top two.

Read | Kejriwal defamation suit by Vijender Gupta: Delhi court posts matter for June 24

Wife watched as husband went missing: Sandhya Tanwar was on duty at the IAF's Air Traffic Control in Jorhat, watching as her husband Ashish Tanwar piloted an AN-32 aircraft that took off from the airbase for the thickly forested area of Menchuka in Arunachal Pradesh that fateful Monday afternoon. Barely half an hour later, the plane went off the radar, leaving the young Tanwar to be one of the first to know about the disappearance of the IAF transport aircraft that had 12 others on board.

Read | AN-32 pilot's wife was on ATC duty in Jorhat when the aircraft went off the radar

Switching sides: Desertions from Congress in Telangana appear to be continuing unabated with Tandur MLA Rohith Reddy likely to join the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS). Sources said the Congress MLA will soon resign from the party and meet the Telangana Chief Minister, who heads the TRS, to join the ruling party. After the Assembly elections in December, as many as 12 Congress MLAs have joined the TRS.

Read | Congress MLA Rohith Reddy likely to join ruling TRS in Telangana

Shiv Sena on Kashmir issue: Reiterating its stand on the abrogation of Article 370 of the constitution, Shiv Sena on Thursday said that "Kashmir will not be given to Muslims as a gift".

Read | Kashmir will not be given to Muslims as a gift: Shiv Sena

Mayawati attacks Modi government for risen unemployment rates: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Thursday hit out at the Centre expressing dissatisfaction over the increasing unemployment rate in the country that has risen to a record 6.1 per cent, highest in last 45 years.

Read | Mayawati tears into Centre over increasing unemployment rate

First Gay minister for Israel: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday tapped Amir Ohana as acting justice minister, the first openly gay minister in the country's history.

Read | In a first, Israel PM Netanyahu appoints first gay minister

Amit Shah holds meeting: Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a high-level meeting on internal security here on Thursday with National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and Home Secretary Rajeev Gauba.

Read | Amit Shah chairs high-level meeting on internal security

Shiv Sena on Ram temple: Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut on Thursday said that people will 'beat them with shoes' if they do not fulfil the promise of Ram Temple construction this time.

Read | People will beat us, if we won't fulfil Ram Temple promise this time: Shiv Sena

Man pushed aside by Khattar: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday pushed aside a youth while he was trying to take a selfie with him at an event here.

Read | Watch: Haryana CM pushes aside man who wanted to take selfie

Houthi rebels take ground in Saudi: Houthi rebels in Yemen have claimed that their forces have seized more than 20 military positions inside Saudi Arabia's territory. The military sites in the kingdom's south-western Najran province were captured in a "surprise" offensive carried out over the past three days, Yemen's SABA news agency quoted Houthi spokesman Yahya Sarei as saying on Wednesday.

Read | Houthis take control over 20 military positions inside Saudi

Andhra CM launches new farmer schemes: Andhra Pradesh CM YS Jaganmohan Reddy has announced 'Rytu Bharosa' scheme to be launched on 15th October, 2019.

Read | Andhra CM Reddy announces 'Rytu Bharosa', discards TDP era farmer scheme

Negative results, positive news: Samples of six people, including three nurses and a nursing assistant, who had attended on a college student infected with Nipah virus have tested negative and indicate the virus has not spread, Kerala Health Minister K K Shailaja said on Thursday. The results of the blood tests of the six have come as a huge relief for Kerala authorities trying to stop the spread of the highly infectious virus that had left 17 people dead in the state last year.

Read | Samples of 6 test negative for Nipah; Kerala Health Minister says, ‘big relief’

Bangladeshi actress joins BJP: Bangladeshi film actress Anju Ghosh was handed over the BJP flag as she joined the party in presence of the party president Dilip Ghosh in Kolkata. When asked about her citizenship status, she remained silent.

Read | Bangladeshi actress joins BJP, remains silent when asked about citizenship

Donald Trump to mark 75th anniversary of D-Day at Normandy: The world will turn its eyes Thursday to the beaches of Normandy, France, paying tribute to the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion and the few surviving veterans of that battle that changed the course of World War II.

Read | Donald Trump to mark 75th anniversary of D-Day at Normandy