Israeli Strikes Hit Near South Lebanon City Of Sidon: Live Breaking News Headlines & Updates, February 19, 2024

At least two Israeli air strikes hit southern Lebanon on Monday near the coastal city of Sidon, state media said.

Sidon Airstrikes

A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck Kargil, Ladakh, today, February 19 at 21:35 pm, according to the National Centre for Seismology.

A journalist affiliated with Republic TV has been apprehended by the West Bengal Police in Sandeshkhali on February 19, according to a report by news agency ANI. Further details on the situation are currently awaited as the incident unfolds.

Republic TV Reporter Detained by West Bengal Police

Israel’s output contracted sharply in the final three months of 2023, falling for the first time in nearly two years, as the war with Hamas takes a heavy toll on the economy, a media report said. The country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) plunged 19.4 per cent on an annualised basis compared to the July-to-September quarter, when it grew by a revised 1.8 per cent, Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics said on Monday in its initial estimate, CNN reported. contraction is the latest piece of bad economic news for Israel, which has been waging a war in Gaza aimed at destroying the Hamas after the latter's October 7 attack on the country, the report said.

The Supreme Court on Monday said that it would examine the ballot papers of the Chandigarh mayoral polls and the entire video recording of counting day on Tuesday, citing concerns about potential horse-trading. The apex court was slated to hear the explanation of Returning Officer Anil Masih, who had allegedly "defaced the ballots" in the Chandigarh mayoral polls.

A 20-year-old youth was arrested after he allegedly made a hoax call regarding the implanting of a bomb at Delhi airport to gain publicity, an official said on Monday. The accused was identified as Kushagra Aggarwal, a resident of Janakpuri in West Delhi. His arrest came after a police control room (PCR) call was received on February 18 at IGI Airport police station at 10:49 p.m. that “Maine Airport ground me bomb laga diya hai" (I have planted a bomb at airport ground).

Alexei Navalny’s widow said Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin killed her husband, as she vowed to carry on his work, three days after he died in an Arctic prison. Holding back tears in a video address published Monday, Yulia Navalnaya said: “Three days ago, Vladimir Putin killed my husband, Alexei Navalny.”

Three people were injured in an explosion that took place in a scan energy company in Kondurg, Rangareddy district in Telangana on Monday afternoon. All the injured were shifted to Shivram Nagar Hospital in Shadnagar.

Explosion in Telangana Factory 

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel flagged off 70 New Diesel Buses of the State Transport Department today, February 19.

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Congress leader Mahendrajeet Malviya, on Monday, February 19, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in Jaipur. Malviya joined the BJP in the presence of the party's state in-charge, Arun Singh, and the president of the party's state unit, CP Joshi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated an exhibition at the groundbreaking ceremony in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh on Monday, February 19, 2024. PM Modi is set to launch more than 14,000 projects worth Rs 10 lakh crore in the city today.

PM Modi Inaugurates Exhibition at Groundbreaking Ceremony

Samajwadi Party party chief Akhilesh Yadav, on Monday, February 19, said that his party will not participate in the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra till seat-sharing with the Congress in Uttar Pradesh is finalised. The Congress yatra will pass through Amethi today. Post this, the yatra will enter Raebareli, where the Samajwadi Party chief had earlier said he would join.

Madhya Pradesh LoP Umang Singhar, on Monday, February 19, said that Kamal Nath never said that he is joining the BJP. "He is a senior, former CM and an asset to the party. All the MLAs are with him. Nakul Nath is the only (Congress) MP of the state. He comes from a responsible family and he understands the seriousness," he added.

Congress workers held a protest in Jaipur today, February 16, against the freezing of the party's bank accounts by the IT department. The bank accounts were frozen over an income tax demand of Rs 210 crore, but an I-T appellate tribunal later allowed it to operate them, pending a further hearing next week, a huge relief for the party, which said the move had impacted all political activity.

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Madhya Pradesh Congress MLA Sajjan Singh Verma, on Monday, February 19, spoke about the reports of party leader Kamal Nath joining the BJP. "There's no suspense, Kamal Nath never said that he would change his side. We will hold a discussion on some points (today) and Kamal Nath will himself talk to you (media) about them," he said.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, on Monday, February 19, resumed Congress' Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from Pratapgarh in Uttar Pradesh.

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The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), on Monday, February 19, said that Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal will not appear before the ED today. "ED summons are illegal. The matter of the validity of the ED summons is now in court. Instead of sending summons again and again, ED should wait for the court's decision," AAP said.

The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) will run its premium Shivneri buses on newly inaugurated Atal Setu. Officials of the MSRTC said that two buses from Pune will leave daily for Mumbai and return back from Mumbai daily on a pilot basis. "There is no change in fare on the Mumbai-Pune route for these Shivneri buses," they said.

Acharya Pramod Krishnam, Chairman of Shri Kalki Dham Nirman Trust, on Monday, February 19, said that it is a matter of pride for them that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be laying the foundation of Shri Kalki Dham today. "PM Modi will reach here around 10:25 am. PM Modi will install the main stone in the sanctum sanctorum of the Shri Kalki Dham," he added.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch 14,000 projects across Uttar Pradesh worth more than Rs 10 Lakh crore today, February 19, at the fourth ground-breaking ceremony of UP Global Investors Summit 2023. Meanwhile, Lucknow is aglow with vibrant lights in preparation ahead of PM Narendra Modi's visit to Uttar Pradesh.