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.

 

Rapid rise in insurgency: In the two weeks following the start of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's second term, nearly 12 jawans and Army officers killed, the most recent one being Major Ketan Sharma in the Anantnag encounter in Jammu and Kashmir. A much larger number of jawans were injured across the various attacks carried out by militants within the two weeks of PM Modi's landslide victory in the recent Lok Sabha polls.

READ | 12 jawans killed in last 2 weeks in spurt of insurgency in country

Another attack in Pulwama: Three people have been critically injured and have been rushed to a hospital in Srinagar for immediate medical care after a grenade that terrorists threw at a police station in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama exploded outside on a busy road on Tuesday.

READ | Grenade hurled at police station in J&K's Pulwama, 3 critically injured

SC defers hearing on doctor's security: The Supreme Court, on Tuesday, deferred the hearing on a plea seeking the protection of doctors in government hospitals, saying since doctors have called off their strike in West Bengal and other states, there is no urgency to hear the matter.

Read | SC defers hearing on security of doctors

By-polls for RS seats: The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear on June 19 a plea of Gujarat Congress challenging the decision of the Election Commission to hold separate bypolls to two Rajya Sabha seats in the state.

Read | SC to hear Cong against EC's decision to hold separate bypolls for 2 RS seats

New HB-4 visas issued: H-4 visas are issued to the spouses of H-1B visa holders, a significantly large number of whom are high-skilled professionals from India.

Read | Revised work permit rules for spouses of H-1B visa holders set to get delayed

Congress's leader in Lok Sabha: The Congress on Tuesday named Adhir Chowdhury as its leader in Lok Sabha. Chowdhury was named the leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha after party president Rahul Gandhi refused to take up the role.

Read | Cong names Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury its leader in Lok Sabha

Corruption charges against Income Tax officials: Fifteen more officials facing probes in corruption cases of the tax department were made to retire compulsorily by the Centre on Tuesday, sending across a tough message to bureaucrats taking kickbacks for facilitating tax evasion by companies.

Read | Govt forces 15 more senior tax officials to resign over corruption charges

European Union questions India: The European Union asked India to explain how PM Modi proposed to spend 25 trillion rupees (USD 357.5 billion) on agriculture and rural development, doubling farmers' incomes by 2022 as part of a 100 trillion-rupee, five-year infrastructure splurge.

Read | 'How will this be done?': EU asks India about doubling farmers' income at WTO

Encounter in Jammu and Kashmir:  A jawan has died in an encounter with terrorists in Anantnag in Jammu and Kashmir Tuesday, a police official said, a day after an Army major was killed by them during a gunbattle in the district.

Two terrorists were also shot dead in the encounter - one of them has been identified as Sajjad Maqbool Bhat, who arranged the explosive-laden vehicle used in the suicide bombing of a CRPF convoy in Pulwama in February, and the other was Tawseef Bhat, the handler of the suicide bomber.

Read | Soldier, 2 militants killed in encounter in J&K, had links with Pulwama attack

Lok Sabha Speaker: BJP MP Om Birla is the NDA nominee for the Lok Sabha Speaker's post.

The nomination of Birla a two-time MP from Kota, Rajasthan has been supported by ten political parties including Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) will support the candidature of candidate Birla for the post.

Read | NDA nominates Om Birla for LS Speaker’s post, parties extend support

New Delhi auto-rickshaw fare hike: The per km charge has been increased from existing Rs 8 to Rs 9.5, which is a hike of around 18.75 per cent. An official said that fare meters of auto-rickshaw will be re-calibrated to calculate the new fare and it will take around 1.5 months and till then, they will charge the fare as per the new fare structure.

Read | Delhi auto-rickshaw fare hike comes into force from today, waiting charges introduced

Earthquakes in China: At least 12 people were killed and over 100 injured after China's southwest Sichuan province was hit by two strong earthquakes, the state media reported Tuesday.

Read | At least 12 killed, over 100 injured as string of quakes strike China

US on 'illegal immigrants': President Donald Trump said on Monday that US authorities would begin next week removing millions of immigrants who are in the United States illegally.

Read | US will begin removing millions of 'illegal aliens' next week: Trump

Pakistan Minister allegedly assaults journalist: A popular Pakistan broadcast journalist said Monday he had officially complained to police about being assaulted by a government minister, who responded by saying it was "an unfortunate incident".

Read |  'Called me Indian spy': Pakistan minister defends attack on journalist