After the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) launched stringent action against Air India over serious lapses in crew scheduling protocols, directing it to remove three senior officials from rostering department without delay, the airline said on Saturday it has acknowledged the regulator’s directive and have implemented the order.

DGCA ordered Air India to remove the three officials from all roles and responsibilities related to crew scheduling and rostering.

According to a formal directive issued by the aviation regulator, it identified the trio as being directly responsible for multiple violations, including unauthorised and non-compliant crew pairings, breaches of mandatory licensing requirements, and a failure to adhere to flight crew recency norms.

The DGCA described the situation as a "systemic failure" in both scheduling procedures and supervisory oversight.

LIC Housing Finance on Saturday said it has reduced rate of interest on new home loans by 50 basis points.

With this revision, interest rates on new home loan sanctions will now start from 7.50 per cent, effective June 19, coinciding with the company’s 36th Foundation Day.

This move follows the recent repo rate cuts announced by the RBI’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), with LIC HFL passing on the benefit to new home loan customers to encourage home ownership and improve affordability.

“As we mark our 36th Foundation Day, we remain committed to making home ownership more accessible. The rate cut is a continuation of our effort to align with RBI’s policy direction and pass on the benefits to our customers,” said Tribhuwan Adhikari, MD and CEO, LIC Housing Finance.

At least two persons were killed in a bomb blast late Friday night at Hatia village under Labhpur block in West Bengal’s Birbhum district, police officials said on Saturday.

The incident followed a series of violent clashes throughout the day between two rival groups allegedly involved in criminal activities.

District police sources said the groups were fighting over local dominance, and the blast occurred during a particularly intense confrontation.

Birbhum SP Amandeep confirmed the deaths and said an investigation is underway. However, the identities of the deceased have not been officially disclosed.

Local sources, however, claim that both victims were associated with the ruling Trinamool Congress.

Telangana police on Saturday arrested Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLA Padi Kaushik Reddy over allegations of extortion.

Warangal Subedari police arrested the MLA from Huzurabad at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad and shifted him to Warangal for questioning.

The MLA will be produced before a court later in the day.

A case was registered against Kaushik Reddy at Subedari Police Station following a complaint by a granite quarry trader that the BRS leader threatened him, demanding payment of Rs 50 lakh.

Manoj Reddy, who operated a quarry in Vanagapalli in Kamlapur mandal, lodged a complaint through his wife Ramadevi that, citing public outcry over the granite quarry, the MLA extorted Rs 25 lakh and was demanding another Rs 50 lakh.

United States President Donald Trump has reiterated his claim that he prevented a war between nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan, expressing disappointment that his efforts have not earned him a Nobel Peace Prize.

Taking to his social media platform 'Truth Social', Trump credited himself for halting a potential military conflict between New Delhi and Islamabad following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which triggered retaliatory Indian strikes under the now-revealed Operation Sindoor.

Trump also announced a peace agreement between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, two African nations with a long and bloody history of conflict. He praised the deal and claimed it as a global milestone, before pivoting to what he sees as a consistent pattern of being denied international recognition for his peacemaking efforts.

"This is a Great Day for Africa and, quite frankly, a Great Day for the World!" Trump said in a post.

Indian women Under-23 wrestlers made the country proud with their outstanding performance in the U-23 Senior Asian Wrestling Championship, currently underway in Vung Tau (Vietnam), winning 10 medals in all.

In a remarkable display of skill and determination, the Indian women’s wrestling team clinched the Champion Trophy, securing medals in all 10 weight categories– four gold, five silver, and one bronze.

Priyanshi Prajapat in 50 Kg class, Reena in 55 Kg category, Shrishti in 68 Kg and Priya in the 76 Kg weight class won the gold medals for India.

The gross direct tax collection (corporate tax, non-corporate tax, securities transaction tax and other levies) in the current fiscal (2025-26) rose by 4.86 per cent to Rs 5.45 lakh crore (as of June 19), according to the latest figures released by the Income Tax (I-T) department.

However, net collections saw a marginal decline due to a rise in refunds. Net direct tax collection saw a marginal decline of 1.39 per cent to Rs 4,58,822 crore from Rs 4,65,275 crore in the previous year.

The government issued direct tax refunds of Rs 86,385 crore till June 19 — an increase of 58.04 per cent as compared to the corresponding period of 2024-25, as per the official data.

According to the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), net direct tax collection includes corporate tax at Rs 1.72 lakh crore (net of refund), non-corporate tax at Rs 2.72 lakh crore and securities transaction tax at Rs 13,013 crore (net of refund).

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), with assistance from INTERPOL and law enforcement authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has successfully secured the return of Upavan Pavan Jain, a key accused in a multi-crore cheating and forgery case registered in Gujarat.

According to an official statement, Jain, who was wanted by Gujarat Police in connection with a high-value real estate fraud, was deported from Dubai and landed in India on June 20.

He arrived at Ahmedabad International Airport, marking the culmination of a months-long international operation.

The International Police Cooperation Unit (IPCU) of the CBI, in coordination with the National Central Bureau (NCB) in Abu Dhabi, tracked down Jain's location in the UAE and facilitated his return. The Red Notice subject was returned to India on June 20, following his deportation from Dubai.

While Gilead Sciences’ HIV prevention drug lenacapavir got approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), its made-in-India generic versions may be a more affordable alternative that can boost the prevention of the deadly condition globally.

In a major breakthrough, the US FDA this week approved lenacapavir -- a long-acting injectable drug that offers near-complete protection against HIV with just two doses a year.

Marketed under the brand name Yeztugo, the world’s first twice-yearly HIV prevention shot can potentially, transform pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) options. The drug may be particularly crucial for those who struggle with daily medication adherence due to stigma, access issues, or lifestyle factors.

However, the high cost -- at $28,218 per person per year -- is likely to act as a deterrent to global HIV prevention goals.

The Indian equity benchmarks wrapped up the session on a robust note last week, decisively breaking through critical resistance level, propelled by sustained institutional accumulation, analysts said on Saturday.

The Nifty 50 convincingly closed above the psychologically significant 25,000 mark on Friday, underscoring bullish momentum. At the closing bell, the Sensex rallied 1,046.30 points, or 1.29 per cent, to settle at a fresh high of 82,408.17, while the Nifty 50 advanced 319.15 points, or 1.29 per cent, to end at 25,112.40.

“Relentless inflows from institutional investors — both Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) and Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs)—acted as key tailwinds, offsetting headwinds from prevailing geopolitical uncertainties and reinforcing positive sentiment across the street,” according to a note by Bajaj Broking Research.