HIGHLIGHTS AT 9.30 PM

New Delhi, Jul 23 (PTI) Following are the top stories at 9.30 pm:
    
     DEL255 2NDLD BUDGET
     *Marginal tax relief to middle class, Rs 2 lakh cr job scheme in 1st budget post election
     New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday announced a marginal income tax relief for the middle class, a Rs 2 lakh crore outlay for job creation schemes over the next five years and a spending splurge for states run by parties that are needed to keep BJP in power as she unveiled Modi 3.0 government's first budget after the general elections.
    
     DEL274 BUD-DEFENCE-2NDLD ALLOCATION
     Rs 6.22 lakh cr outlay for defence in Union Budget; focus on procurement from domestic industry
     New Delhi: India on Tuesday set aside Rs 6.22 lakh crore as defence outlay for 2024-25 in a meagre increase of 4.79 percent over the previous fiscal's budgetary allocation amid the lingering border row with China in eastern Ladakh and concerns over frequent Chinese forays into the Indian Ocean Region.
    
     DEL243 BUD-3RDLD CONG
     Congress slams Union Budget; calls it 'copycat', 'kursi bachao' budget
     New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday termed the Union Budget a "copycat" and a "kursi bachao" budget, and said the "copy-paste government" borrowed ideas generously from the party's manifesto but botched up the policy.
    
          DEL275 INDIA BLOC-MEETING
     INDIA bloc to protest in Parliament over 'discrimination' against Oppn-ruled states in budget
     New Delhi: INDIA bloc parties on Tuesday decided that they will protest in Parliament and outside over "discrimination" against the opposition-ruled states in the Union Budget.
    
     DEL165 BUD-OPPN
     'Kursi bachao budget': Oppn says states ruled by it ignored, slams BJP for appeasing allies
     New Delhi: The Opposition on Tuesday termed the Union Budget as a "kursi bachao budget" driven by political compulsions and claimed that it ignored opposition-ruled states in a bid to "appease" BJP's allies.

     DEL204 BUD-LD BJP
     Budget will help realise PM Modi's dream of making India developed: BJP
     New Delhi: The BJP on Tuesday hailed the Union Budget as "outstanding" and said it will accelerate the country's economic transformation and help realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi's dream of making India developed.
    
     DEL268 BUD-LD AAP
     Nothing for people in 'jhunjhuna' Budget by BJP-led Centre: AAP's Sanjay Singh
     New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) dubbed the Union Budget 2024-25 as a "jhunjhuna" (rattle toy for kids) on Tuesday and said there was nothing in it for farmers, youngsters, traders and women.

     DEL237 BUDGET-REAX-LEFT
     Budget is contractionary, won't address unemployment, inflation: Left parties
     New Delhi: Left parties on Tuesday said the Union Budget is contractionary, does not address issues like inflation and unemployment and is trying to "mask the failures" of the government.

     DEL226 JK-LD INFILTRATION
     Soldier killed as Army foils infiltration bid by terrorists in Poonch
     Jammu: A soldier was killed as the Army thwarted an infiltration bid by terrorists along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district early Tuesday, officials said.
    
     DEL261 NEET-PRADHAN
     Pradhan hails SC decision on NEET issue, says exam's final results to be out within 2 days
     New Delhi: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday hailed the Supreme Court's decision on the NEET-UG issue, saying truth has prevailed, and announced that the final results of the medical entrance exam will be declared within two days.
    
     BOM22 GA-SHIP-LD FIRE-DOUSE
     Major blaze on merchant navy ship off Karnataka coast extinguished: Coast Guard
     Panaji: A major fire that broke out on July 19 on a merchant navy ship off the Karwar coast has been doused and efforts are underway to ensure the affected vessel remains in deep sea considering the grave threat posed to the coastline, the Coast Guard said on Tuesday.

     LEGAL

     LGD39 SC-NEET-LD JUDGEMENT
     SC rules out cancellation of NEET-UG, says no data to indicate systemic breach
     New Delhi: In a major setback to unsuccessful aspirants of NEET-UG 2024, the Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed the pleas seeking cancellation and re-test of the controversy-ridden exam, holding that there was no evidence on record to conclude that it was "vitiated" on account of "systemic breach" of its sanctity.
    
     LGD47 SC-LD GM MUSTARD
     SC gives split verdict on Centre's conditional approval for GM mustard release
     New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday delivered a split verdict on the validity of the Centre's 2022 decision granting conditional approval for environmental release of genetically modified (GM) mustard crop.

     LGD33 HC-LD ANJALI BIRLA
     HC orders removal of objectionable posts against IRPS officer and LS Speaker's daughter Anjali Birla
     New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed X Corp and Google Inc to remove alleged objectionable social media posts against Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS) officer and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla’s daughter Anjali Birla.
    
     BOM12 MH-HC-INDRANI-TRAVEL
     Sheena Bora murder: HC grants interim stay on order permitting Indrani Mukerjea to travel abroad
     Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday granted an ad-interim stay on a special court order permitting former media executive Indrani Mukerjea, who is accused of killing her daughter Sheena Bora in 2012 and is currently out on bail, to travel to Europe.
    
     LGD37 SC-LD BAIL ORDER
     Courts should stay bail orders in rare cases: SC
     New Delhi: High courts and sessions courts should be slow in staying bail orders and such a decision should be taken in very rare cases, as the liberty granted to an accused cannot be casually interfered, the Supreme Court said on Tuesday.
    
     FOREIGN
    
     FGN58 US-HARRIS-DEMOCRATS-2NDLD NOMINATION
     Kamala Harris wins enough support to clinch Democratic nomination on first full day of her campaign
     Washington: Kamala Harris has secured the support of enough delegates to become the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee for president after the US Vice President received a wave of endorsements from potential rivals, lawmakers, governors and influential advocacy groups.
    
     FGN44 LANKA-INDIAN-FISHERMEN
     Sri Lanka Navy arrests 9 Indian fishermen for alleged illegal fishing
     Colombo: The Sri Lankan Navy on Tuesday arrested nine Indian fishermen and seized their trawlers for allegedly poaching in its territorial waters, officials here said, taking the number of Indian nationals apprehended this year by the island nation in such incidents to 261.
    
     FGN35 UK-SUNAK
     Rishi Sunak to remain interim UK Opposition Leader until November 2
     London: Rishi Sunak will remain in place as the UK’s interim Opposition Leader for over three months after the Conservative Party set out the timetable to elect his successor by November, with nominations opening on Wednesday. By Aditi Khanna

     FGN20 CANADA-TEMPLE-VANDALISE
     BAPS Hindu temple vandalised in Canada
     Ottawa: A BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in the Canadian city of Edmonton has been vandalised with alleged hateful and anti-India graffiti, amidst rising Hinduphobia in the country.*
    
    

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)