News18 Evening Digest: Govt Announces Rs 3,737 Cr Bonus for 30L Non-gazetted Employees and Other Top Stories

Govt Announces Rs 3,737 Crore Bonus for 30L Non-gazetted Employees to Boost Spending during Festivals

The central government on Wednesday decided to give Rs 3,737 crore as bonus to 30.67 lakh non-gazetted employees with a view to encourage spending during the festival season. The decision to give productivity-linked bonus and non-productivity-linked bonus for 2019-2020 was taken at the meeting of the Union Cabinet, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar told reporters. READ MORE

'Unhappy Only With Devendra Fadnavis': Eknath Khadse Quits BJP After Months of Discontent, to Join NCP

Disgruntled BJP leader Eknath Khadse announced on Wednesday that he will be joining the NCP. Speculations were rife in the last few days that he may quit the BJP and join the Sharad Pawar-led party. "I have been pushed out of BJP. I am not unhappy with anyone else except Devendra Fadnavis...I haven't been given any assurance. I will be entering the party alone. No MLAs or MPs are with me," Khadse told News18. Maharashtra minister and state NCP chief Jayant Patil said on Wednesday, "He (Khadse) will join NCP at 2 pm on Friday...this will strengthen the NCP." READ MORE

Sanjay Dutt Confirms He Has Come Out 'Victorious' from His Battle with Cancer, Says 'My Heart is Filled With Gratitude'

Sanjay Dutt has announced that he is healthy now and has come out "victorious" from his battle with cancer. The actor, who recently revealed that he was battling cancer, has shared the happy news on Twitter by issuing a statement. Dutt tweeted, "My heart is filled with gratitude as I share this news with all of you today. Thank you." READ MORE

'Lost' River That Ran Through Thar Desert in Rajasthan 172,000 Years Ago Found

Researchers have found the evidence of a "lost" river that ran through the central Thar Desert, near Bikaner, as early as 172 thousand years ago, and may have been a life-line to human populations enabling them to inhabit the region. The findings, published in the journal Quaternary Science Reviews, represent the oldest directly dated phase of river activity at Nal Quarry in the central Thar Desert. READ MORE

Donald Trump’s Tax Records Shed New Light on Chinese Bank Account, Business Pursuits

US President Donald Trump and his allies have tried to paint the Democratic nominee, Joe Biden, as soft on China, in part by pointing to his son’s business dealings there. But Trump’s own business history is filled with overseas financial deals, and some have involved the Chinese state. He spent a decade unsuccessfully pursuing projects in China, operating an office there during his first run for president and forging a partnership with a major government-controlled company. READ MORE

IPL 2020: Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming Concedes That Their Season Might Be Over

For the first time in 13 years, Chennai Super Kings are on the verge of not making it through the playoffs. Three-time IPL champions are in troubled waters for the first time in the history of the IPL. Speaking at a post-match interview after their loss to Rajasthan Royals ,CSK coach Stephen Fleming said, looking at the points table stats his team may have ‘run out of juice’. The loss against RR at Dubai posed the team with a new set of challenges and requirements, he added. READ MORE

Truecaller Wants Anyone Calling You To Share The Call Reason In Advance & We Cannot Be More Thankful

Truecaller, popular for detecting and blocking spam calls and managing messages, is getting a new set of versatile tools that cover call security as well as SMS handling on your phone. On the menu for Android users with the latest app update are Call Reason, Schedule SMS and SMS Translate features for free. These three features are now rolling out globally with the newest update for Android. Apple iPhone users will have to wait till early next year. READ MORE