Breaking News July 8: ED Moves To SC Against Jharkhand HC's Bail To Hemant Soren; Kathua Attack Leaves 4 Soldiers Dead, Many Injured

Welcome to Outlook India's Breaking News Live Blog, through which we bring you real-time updates on major events and developments across the globe. Here’s a look at top events and developments in focus today:

- NEET Supreme Court hearing

- PM Modi in Russia

- Hathras tragedy updates 

- Floods across India

- France election Results

A coalition on the left that came together unexpectedly ahead of France's snap elections won the most parliamentary seats in the vote, according to polling projections Sunday. The surprise projections put President Emmanuel Macron's centrist alliance in second and the far right in third.

The lack of majority for any single alliance threatened to plunge France into political and economic turmoil. Final results are not expected until late Sunday or early Monday in the highly volatile snap election, which was called just four weeks ago in a huge gamble for Macron.

It does not appear to have paid off for the deeply unpopular president, whose alliance has lost control of parliament, according to the projections. Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally greatly increased the number of seats it holds, meanwhile, but fell far short of expectations.

The Supreme Court will hear on Monday a batch of pleas related to the controversy-ridden medical entrance exam NEET-UG 2024, including those alleging irregularities and malpractices in the May 5 test and seeking a direction to conduct it afresh.

The Centre and the National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts NEET-UG, recently told the apex court that scrapping the exam would be "counterproductive" and "seriously jeopardise" lakhs of honest candidates in the absence of any proof of large-scale breach of confidentiality.

According to the cause list for July 8 uploaded on the court's website, a bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra is scheduled to hear a total of 38 petitions related to the exam.

PM Modi will be in Russia on Monday to attend the 22nd India-Russia summit scheduled on July 8 and 9. At the meet, PM Modi, along with Russian President Vladimir Putin, will review bilateral ties between the two nations, including in areas like defence, investment, education and culture.

Modi will embark on a two-day trip to Austria on July 9. This will be the first visit by an Indian prime minister to the country in 41 years.

Days after 121 people were killed in a stampede at a religious gathering in Hathras, the lawyer representing Bhole Baba has alleged that a substance was released in the crowd, triggering the chaos.

AP Singh made the claim at a press conference in Delhi on Sunday, saying that witnesses had come forward to describe the events of July 2.

"Witnesses have reached out to me and said there were 15-16 people carrying cans of a poisonous substance that they opened in the crowd. I have seen post-mortem reports of those killed and it showed that they died of asphyxiation and not because of injuries," Singh claimed.

Alleging a conspiracy behind the stampede, he said, "There were vehicles parked at the site to help the men escape. We have proof and we will submit it. This is the first time I am speaking about it."

An outspoken Iranian lawyer who has publicly criticised how the government handled the 2022 protests over the death of Mahsa Amini has been arrested, state media reported on Sunday.

The unrest followed the death of the 22-year-old detained by the police for allegedly not properly wearing her mandatory hijab. The massive protests quickly escalated into calls to overthrow Iran's four-decade Islamic theocracy.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has quashed a rape case registered against a man on a woman's complaint, observing the two were in a relationship for more than 10 years out of their “own free will”.

Justice Sanjay Dwivedi, in the order on July 2, also observed the matter appears to be an abuse of the process of law.

The man was booked for rape and other charges at the Mahila Thana police station in Katni district in November 2021. He eventually moved the high court for relief.

As per the HC order, the woman and the man are well-educated persons and had physical relations out of their “own free will” for more than 10 years. They broke up after the man refused to marry her, it noted. (PTI Inputs)

Security has been tightened in Manipur's Jiribam district ahead of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's scheduled visit on Monday, with authorities imposing a ban on aerial photography using drones, PTI reported.

A notification by the Jiribam district magistrate on Sunday said as part of enhanced security measures, aerial photography or videography through drones, balloons, or any other means is strictly prohibited.

The notification emphasised that violations of this order would result in legal action under Section 223 of Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita and other relevant provisions of the law.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday announced the closure of schools as heavy rainfall lashed several parts of Maharashtra's capital city.

Mumbai recorded over 300 mm of rainfall at various places in six hours from 1 a.m. to 7 a.m., said civic officials.

The rupee appreciated 5 paise to 83.44 against the US dollar in early trade on Monday, as the American currency and crude oil prices retreated from their elevated levels.

Forex traders said foreign fund inflows also aided investors' sentiments and supported the rupee.

At the interbank foreign exchange market, the local unit opened at 83.45 and gained further to 83.44 against the greenback, registering a rise of 5 paise from its previous close. On Friday, the rupee settled at 83.49 against the US dollar. (PTI Inputs)

Mumbai is experiencing continuous heavy rainfall. The Meteorological Department forecasts the heavy downpours to persist for another 2-3 days. Several areas of the city are already submerged in water.

Trains cancelled due to waterlogging at Mumbai stations.

- List of cancelled trains:

    - 12110 (MMR-CSMT) JCO

    - 11010 (PUNE-CSMT) JCO

    - 12124 (PUNE CSMT DECCAN) JCO

    - 11007 (PUNE-CSMT DECCAN) JCO

    - 12127 (CSMT-PUNE INTERCITY EXP) JCO

Local train services between Kalyan and Kasara stations were restored with restricted speed,  following a disruption due to heavy rainfall on Sunday.

The IMD has forecast thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and intense precipitation in the hills and plains of Uttarakhand on July 8 and 9. 

The regional Met office issued an alert for low-to-moderate flash flood risk in isolated parts of Shimla, Kangra and Chamba districts in the next 24 hours.

PM Modi will in Russia today to attend the 22nd India-Russia summit scheduled on July 8 and 9. The prime minister will also lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Kremlin.

Thereafter, he will visit Rosatom pavilion at the exhibition venue in Moscow.

Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, started his northeast visit by meeting flood victims at a relief camp in Lakhipur, Assam. Later, he is expected to travel to Manipur, where he will visit areas affected by violence.

Gandhi, who is on a day-long visit to the northeast, was received at the airport by Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Bhupen Borah and other senior party leaders. 

Borah submitted a memorandum to Gandhi urging him to take up the issue of the devastating flood with the Centre as a special case to get adequate relief and compensation for the severe losses incurred due to the deluge.

The Congress on Monday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying while it will be Rahul Gandhi's third visit to Manipur since violence broke out in May last year, the PM has neither found the time nor even had the inclination to visit the state for even a few hours.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "Today, the non-biological PM goes to Moscow while the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha heads for Assam and Manipur." 

"Of course, the drumbeaters of the non-biological PM have claimed that he stopped the Russia-Ukraine war for some time. Presumably, this Moscow trip will lead to even more bizarre claims," he said.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday moved a confidence motion in the state assembly. Jharkhand Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahto allotted one hour for debate on the confidence motion.

Ruling JMM, Congress, and RJD legislators expressed confidence in successfully clearing the floor test but opposition BJP said it would not be easy.

Hemant Soren, the JMM executive president, was sworn in as the 13th chief minister of the state on July 4, a day after his predecessor Champai Soren stepped down from the post.

Hemant Soren govt won trust vote in Jharkhand Assembly amid opposition walkout.

Hemant Soren, the JMM executive president, was sworn in as the 13th chief minister of the state on July 4, a day after his predecessor Champai Soren stepped down from the post.

Twelve more people have been killed in lightning strikes in seven districts of Bihar, officials said on Monday. With the fresh fatalities, over 40 people have lost their lives to lightning strikes in various districts of Bihar in the last 10 days, including 22 in the last 48 hours.

The 12 fresh fatalities were reported in the last 24 hours, while 10 deaths were reported in the preceding 24 hours, they said.

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to examine the pleas filed by Delhi Police challenging the high court's order granting bail to four convicts, who were sentenced to life imprisonment in the murder case of TV journalist Soumya Vishwanathan.

A bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma issued notice on the four pleas filed by Delhi Police and tagged them with the pending petition of Vishwanathan's mother against the bail granted to the four convicts.

Vishwanathan, who worked with a leading English news channel, was shot dead in the early hours of September 30, 2008 on Nelson Mandela Marg in south Delhi while she was returning home from work in her car.

Heavy rains and low visibility led to the suspension of runway operations at the Mumbai airport from 2.22 am to 3.40 am on Monday and 27 diversions were reported, sources cited by news agency PTI said.

Flights were diverted to cities such as Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Indore, among others, they said.

Priority was being given to arriving flights, the sources added.

At least two persons died and over 130 were injured in two different incidents during Lord Jagannath's Rath Yatra in Odisha, officials said on Monday.

A resident of Bolangir district died allegedly due to suffocation in a stampede-like situation on Sunday during the Rath Yatra in Puri, a health official said.

A man was attacked by two people with sharp-edged weapons in full public view here, leading to his death, police said on Monday. Jaspal Singh Athiyani, 40, was taken to a government hospital where he succumbed to injuries, police said.

A video of the attack that took place near Maur Mandi on Sunday has surfaced on social media in which Athiyani could be seen lying on the ground while the assailants repeatedly hit him with weapons.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (Maur) Rahul Bhardwaj said the attack was the result of old rivalry. Athiyani was one of the accused in a 2020 murder case. (PTI Inputs)

The Chennai Police Commissioner, Sandeep Rai Rathore, has been replaced just three days after the murder of Tamil Nadu Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief K Armstrong in Chennai. A Arun, a senior IPS officer and current Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) for Law and Order, will take over as the new Commissioner.

K Armstrong died after he was hacked by a six-member gang near his house here on Friday. The two-wheeler-borne gang attacked Armstrong, a former councillor of Chennai Corporation, near his house in Perambur inflicting grievous injuries on him.

The Supreme Court commenced hearing on Monday more than 30 pleas related to the controversy-ridden medical entrance exam NEET-UG 2024, including those alleging irregularities and malpractices in the May 5 test and seeking a direction to conduct it afresh.

A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra is also hearing a separate plea of over 50 successful Gujarat-based NEET-UG candidates seeking a direction to restrain the Centre and the National Testing Agency (NTA) from cancelling the controversy-ridden exam.

French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal has announced he will resign after a broad left-leaning coalition took the most seats in Sunday's runoff parliamentary election.

The New Popular Front fell short of a majority but surged ahead of the far-right National Rally, which placed third behind the centrist party of President Emmanuel Macron. Voter turnout was high.

The outcome leaves France facing the stunning prospect of a hung parliament and threatens political paralysis in a pillar of the European Union and Olympic host country.

Accoridng to latest updates, Rupee fell 1 paisa to close at 83.50 (provisional) against US dollar on July 8.

Ex-Jharkhand CM Champai Soren took oath as minister in Hemant Soren government on Monday as part of the cabinet expansion ceremony.

Some militants have attacked an army vehicle in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua on Monday.

This comes days after twin encounters take place in Kulgam district killing two soldiers and six militants.

Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday visited relief camps in Manipur's Jiribam and Churachandpur districts and interacted with the inmates.

The former Congress president first visited a relief camp set up at Jiribam Higher Secondary School.

State Congress president Keisham Meghachandra told reporters that the inmates at Jiribam told Gandhi about the experiences they went through.

From Jiribam, Gandhi came to Imphal airport via Silchar in Assam and reached by road a relief camp in Tuibong village in Churachandpur district. There also he interacted with inmates.

He is also scheduled to call on Governor Anusuiya Uikey in Imphal before returning.

Fire broke out in an abandoned company in Noida Sector 2 in Uttar Pradesh. The company was sealed by Noida Authority 6-8 months back.

Four fire tenders at the spot, fire doused now.

No injuries or casualties reported.

At least two soldiers were injured after militants opened fire on Army vehicles in the remote Machedi area of Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district, officials said on Monday.

The incident took place at Badnota village in Lohai Malhar, 150 kilometres from Kathua town, when some Army vehicles were on a routine patrol in the area, they said.

Security forces retaliated and an exchange of fire was going on when last reports were received.

Reinforcements have been rushed to the area and further details are awaited, the officials said.

- PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Moscow on Monday on a two-day high-profile visit to Russia during which he will hold summit talks with President Vladimir Putin to review all aspects of bilateral ties and explore opportunities to further boost cooperation in sectors like trade, energy and defence.

It is Modi's first trip to Russia in nearly five years. His last visit to Russia was in 2019 when he attended an economic conclave in the Far East city of Vladivostok.

Shiv Sena leader Rajesh Shah granted bail by Mumbai court in BMW hit-and-run case on Monday.

His son and main accused in the case, Mihir Shah is still absconding.

Azad Samaj Party Chief and MP Chandrashekhar Azad met with victims and their families in UP’s Hathras.

Azad speaking to reporters later said, "Some injured people are here (admitted in the local hospital) with knee and chest pain. I hope as they receive treatment, they will be relieved from pain. If (Bhole) Baba is listening, I appeal to him to monetarily help the victims. If he doesn’t take care of his devotees, then who will? If he does not extend help, then the public should also understand that they should stay away from such hypocritical people."

Western Railway in a statement said, "Due to heavy rains in Mumbai since 2.30 am, there was water on tracks at some places. The high-capacity pumps installed at these locations were immediately put in service with staff monitoring the situation at all vulnerable locations. Due to these efforts, the train services could be run throughout the day without any interruption on any of the lines. Moreover, none of the long-distance mail express trains were rescheduled or cancelled, and they ran on schedule. This is a testament to the efforts put in by the Western Railway in multiple infra upgradation as well as monsoon preparedness works."

At least four army personnel were injured on Monday when militants ambushed their vehicle in the remote Machedi area of Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district, officials said.

The militants hurled a grenade and opened fire targeting Army vehicles which were on a routine patrol on the Machedi-Kindli-Malhar road at around 3.30 pm near Badnota village in Lohai Malhar, 150 km from Kathua town.

Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi meets with Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey at Raj Bhavan in Imphal.

Tamil Nadu BJP chief K. Annamalai arrives at the residence of Tamil Nadu BSP president K. Armstrong to meet his bereaved day after his last rites take place. Armstrong was hacked to death by a group of men near his residence in Perambur on July 5.

K. Annamalai told the media, "Tamil Nadu Chief Minister himself can give this case to CBI for probe because DMK is saying that they are a transparent government. The reality of the case will come out in the investigation."

"17 incidents have taken place recently In Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu BJP senior leaders are going to meet the National Human Rights Commission Chairman and other officials in Delhi. Justice needs to prevail in Tamil Nadu BSP president late K. Armstrong murder case. So we are requesting Union Minister Amit Shah to investigate the case," he added.

Addressing press in Imphal, Manipur, Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said, "I feel that it is important that the Prime Minister come here, listen to the people of Manipur, try & understand what is going on in Manipur. After all, Manipur is a proud state of the Indian Union...even if there was no tragedy, the Prime Minister should have come to Manipur."

"In this huge tragedy, I request the Prime Minister to take 1-2 days of his time and just come and listen to the people of Manipur. It will comfort the people of Manipur. We are, as the Congress party, ready to support anything that would improve the situation here, he added"

The Election Commission on Monday allowed the Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar to accept donations keeping in mind the forthcoming assembly polls in Maharashtra.

The Sharad Pawar-led outfit had requested the commission to certify the status of the party for it to accept voluntary contributions from the public.

The poll panel has authorised the party to "accept any amount of contribution voluntarily offered to it by any person or company other than a government company" under the relevant sections of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which govern the contribution to all political parties.

President Joe Biden, in a letter to congressional Democrats, continued to stand firm against calls for him to drop his candidacy and called for an “end” to the intraparty drama that has torn apart Democrats about whether he should stay in the race.

Biden wrote in the two-page letter Monday that “the question of how to move forward has been well-aired for over a week now. And it's time for it to end”.

He stressed that the party has “one job”, which is to defeat presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump in November.

“We have 42 days to the Democratic Convention and 119 days to the general election,” Biden said in the letter. “Any weakening of resolve or lack of clarity about the task ahead only helps Trump and hurts us. It's time to come together, move forward as a unified party, and defeat Donald Trump.”

- AP

As per latest update, four soldiers died and six others were injured after militants hurled bombs and opened fired targeting an Army vehicle in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua on Monday.

Security was tightened following a terror attack on an Army vehicle in the remote Machedi area of Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district earlier today.

CBI arrested a person in connection with alleged manipulation in NEET-UG in Maharashtra's Latur, say officials.

Olympic medallist former shooter Gagan Narang named Indian contingent's Chef-de-Mission for Paris Olympics.

Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation has declared a holiday in all schools in its limits on July 9. All govt and private schools to remain closed as per NMMC Education department orders after incessant rains in the city.

ED moves Supreme Court challenging Jharkhand High Court order granting bail to CM Hemant Soren in the money laundering matter related to land scam case.

The probe into the BMW hit-and-run case has found that victim Kaveri Nakhwa was run over by accused Rajrishi Bidawat just before Bandra Worli Sea Link after being dragged there by main accused Mihir Shah as the two fled, an official said.

The official further said Mihir Shah's father and Palghar Shiv Sena leader Rajesh Shah took active part in ensuring his son's escape and also had plans to tow away the offending vehicle.

Mihir Shah was allegedly driving the BMW car which fatally knocked down Kaveri Nakhwa (45) and injured her husband Pradeep while the couple was on their two-wheeler in Mumbai’s Worli area Sunday morning, police said. Bidawat was the other occupant in the luxury car.

J&K: 4 Soldiers Killed, Many Injured After Militants Attack Indian Army Vehicle In Kathua READ FULL STORY

NEET-UG 2024 Supreme Court Hearing: 'No Doubt Paper Leaked, Cancelling Exam Last Extreme Resort', Says SC READ FULL STORY

Mumbai BMW Accident: LOC Against Accused Mihir Shah, His Politician Father Granted Bail READ FULL STORY

20 Dead, 50 Injured As 40 Russian Missile Barrage Hits 5 Ukrainian Cities Including Children Hospital In Kyiv READ FULL STORY

Modi Gets Red Carpet Welcome In Russia, Dy PM Accompanies Him To Hotel; Set To Meet Putin READ FULL STORY

Mumbai Rains: Schools Shut, Flights Cancelled, Local Train Services Hit; CM Shinde Asks People To Stay Indoors READ FULL STORY

Jharkhand: 11 Ministers Take Oath In CM Hemant Soren's Cabinet After He Wins Floor Test | Full List READ FULL LIST

Rahul Gandhi Meets Displaced Persons In Manipur, Flood Victims In Assam; Cong Slams PM's Russia Trip READ FULL STORY