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Wed, 17 August 2022
Bhim Army chief detained at Jodhpur airport

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23:53   Delhi logs 1,652 new Covid cases, 8 more deaths
Delhi recorded eight more Covid-related fatalities and 1,652 new cases on Wednesday even as the positivity rate came down below 10 per cent after more than a fortnight, according to data shared by the city health department. 

The positivity rate in Delhi declined to 9.92 per cent on Wednesday, almost a 10 per cent decline from the previous day. 

The positivity rate on Wednesday was the lowest since July 31, when Delhi had logged 1,263 fresh COVID-19 cases with a positivity rate of 9.35 per cent. 

The capital had on Tuesday reported 917 COVID-19 cases with a positivity rate of 19.20 per cent and three deaths due to the infection. With the fresh cases on Wednesday, Delhi's caseload went up to 19,88,391 and the death toll to 26,400, it said. 

The fresh cases came out of 16,658 tests conducted the previous day, the health department's latest bulletin said. 

On Monday, the capital had reported 1,227 cases with a positivity rate of 14.57 per cent, while eight more people died due to the disease. 

Before this, the city logged more than 2,000 cases daily for 12 consecutive days. Delhi on Sunday reported 2,162 cases with a positivity rate of 12.64 per cent and five fatalities. -- PTI
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23:05   Bhim Army chief detained at Jodhpur airport
Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Aazad was detained at the Jodhpur airport for over three hours on Wednesday while on his way to Jalore to meet the family of a Dalit boy who died allegedly after being beaten up by his schoolteacher.

Police said he was allowed to leave the airport at around 7.30 pm after he assured them he would not go to Jalore, around 150 km from the airport.

However, as he came out of the airport, Aazad told reporters, "I will not return without meeting."

Indra Meghwal, a student of a private school in Surana village of Rajasthan's Jalore district, was beaten up by his teacher on July 20 for allegedly touching a drinking water pot.

The boy succumbed to his injuries at a hospital in Ahmedabad on August 13.

Aazad came from Delhi in a flight, accompanied by another person.

The Dalit leader was detained the airport.

"After talks, he assured that he will not be going to Jalore following which he was allowed to leave by road," Deputy Commissioner of Police Amrita Duhan said.

Another police official said he was adamant to meet the family in Jalore but he was not allowed because his visit could have created a law and order issue there.

"He was eventually convinced not to visit Jalore. He left the airport by road," the officer said.

He, however, did not share where Aazad went from the airport.

"It is his wish wherever he wants to go, but he is not going to Jalore."

But when reporter asked him about his plan, Aazad said, "I want to go to meet the family. I want to go alone. But (Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok) Gehlot should tell why I am not being allowed to go there. When the government can go there, the opposition can go there then why cannot his brother go there?"

"I will not return without meeting."

Meanwhile, a Bhim Sena leader Satpal Tanwar met the family in Jalore.He consoled the family and took details about the incident from the nine-year-old's father and other kin.

Additional police force has been deployed in the village in view of the visit of Bhim Army leaders.   -- PTI
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22:51   Lalu arrives in Patna; Nitish walks down for courtesy call
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday called on his old associate and Rashtriya Janata Dal president Lalu Prasad Yadav, with whom his rivalry has been the stuff of political legend and whose party helped him dump the Bharatiya Janata Party to form a new government.

Kumar walked down to 10, Circular Road, the bungalow allotted to Lalu's wife Rabri Devi, right across the street from his official residence 1, Anney Marg, accompanied by cabinet colleague and close aide Vijay Kumar Chaudhary.

Lalu's younger son and RJD heir apparent Tejashwi Yadav, who has returned as the deputy CM after five years, rushed to the bungalow's gate to receive his boss.

Kumar warmly greeted Lalu, whom he often calls his bade bhai (elder brother), presenting the RJD president with a bundle of flowers which the former CM accepted with one arm bandaged because of a shoulder fracture he suffered last month.

Notably, Kumar, the de facto leader of the Janata Dal-United, was last seen at 10, Circular Road earlier this year when he attended an Iftaar feast, an event which was seen as a proverbial straw in the wind.

The chief minister had also visited a private hospital in Patna where Lalu had been admitted following the fracture and from where he was taken to Delhi in an air ambulance.

The ailing septuagenarian, who awaits a kidney transplant abroad, came to the city in the evening accompanied by eldest daughter and Rajya Sabha MP Misa Bharti at whose Delhi residence he had been recuperating after undergoing treatment at AIIMS.

Old age and illness obviously seem to have taken a toll on the former Bihar chief minister and ex-Union minister with a legendary sense of humour.

While departing from Delhi, he testily denied before journalists allegations of an arrest warrant pending against Kartikey Singh, an RJD MLC who on Tuesday became a minister.

Upon landing in Patna, he was brought out of the airport in a wheelchair and the charismatic leader, clad in a T-shirt and track pants, responded with a nod and a feeble wave to roars of Lalu Yadav zindabad by supporters who had gathered in large numbers.   -- PTI

IMAGE: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar meets RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, in Patna on Wednesday. Photograph: ANI Photo
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22:46   Live mortar shell recovered from open field in J-K's Samba
A live mortar shell, weighing about 44 kg, was recovered on Wednesday from an open field in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir, the police said. 

The shell was noticed by a police party during a cleanliness drive at Kikri Morh in Parmandal area, an official said.         

He said a bomb disposal squad of the army was called and the shell was safely defused. -- PTI
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22:23   2 held for planting IED under Punjab cop's vehicle
A day after an IED was found hidden under the vehicle of a police officer, the Punjab police on Wednesday said two people who had allegedly planted the explosive material have been arrested from Delhi. 

A police official said those arrested belonged to Patti area of Tarn Taran district in Punjab. 

The improvised explosive device was found hidden under the SUV of sub-inspector Dilbagh Singh at Ranjit Avenue locality on Tuesday. 

A car cleaner had noticed the object under the vehicle. 

A CCTV footage showed that two motorcycle-borne unidentified people kept the explosive material under the sports utility vehicle and then fled the spot. 

Additional director general of police (internal security) RN Dhoke earlier visited the site in Amritsar. 

Speaking to media in Amritsar, Dhoke on Wednesday said the IED weighed about 2.70 kg and it contained RDX and a timer. 

A mobile phone has also been recovered, he added. 

Replying to a question, Dhoke said the police were also investigating the terror angle in it. 

He said the DGP and other senior officials were monitoring the case closely. 

On SI Dilbag Singh's claim of getting threats, Dhoke said investigation in this regard was going on. 

"Dilbagh Singh is a capable officer and he had done a very good job in the past. We will enhance his security cover," the senior police officer said. At present, it is difficult to say from where this IED came, he said. -- PTI
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21:39   Prashant Kishor will withdraw Bihar campaign if...
Poll strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor on Wednesday asserted that if the newly formed 'Mahagathbandhan' government in Bihar provides five to 10 lakh jobs in the next one or two years, he would withdraw his Jan Suraj Abhiyan' and extend support to the Nitish Kumar dispensation.

Addressing his supporters in Samastipur on Wednesday, Kishor, once a confidant of Kumar, also claimed that the Rashtriya Janata Dal-Janata Dal (United)-Congress government does not enjoy the support of people. Nitish Kumar uses Fevicol' (adhesive brand) to stick to the CM's post, while other parties continue to revolve around it, he stated.

Deputy Chief Minister and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav had recently said that his party, as part of the new government, would deliver on the promise of providing 10 lakh jobs, made during 2020 Assembly elections.

Kumar, during his Independence Day speech at Gandhi Maidan, too, said, "We aim to provide jobs to 20 lakh people in government and private sectors of the state. People of the new generation (Tejashwi Yadav) are with us; hence, we will jointly work to provide jobs. Our goal is to place Bihar in the category of developed states."

Responding to the promises made by the Grand Alliance government, Kishor said, I will withdraw my Jan Suraj Abhiyan' and extend support to the Nitish Kumar government, if five to 10 lakh jobs are provided in the next one to two years.

He predicted more upheavals in the state's political scenario before the next assembly polls. It has been only three months since I entered the political arena in Bihar, and the politics in the state took a 180-degree turn. The state will witness more political upheavals in the near future.

Kishor, who was earlier a part of the JD-U, had announced earlier in the year that he would launch Jan Suraj Abhiyan' to establish regional connections, find out about problems faced by the people of Bihar, and provide possible solutions to them.   --  PTI
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21:17   Coast Guard rescues 14 fishermen from sinking boat off Daman coast
The Indian Coast Guard on Wednesday rescued 14 fishermen from a sinking boat off the coast of Daman in the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu using choppers in multiple sorties, officials said. 

While 11 fishermen onboard a sinking boat were airlifted by a helicopter and safely brought to the shore in the afternoon, three others, who had refused to leave the boat earlier, were rescued in the evening, said deputy IG and commanding officer of the Coast Guard Air Station in Daman, SSN Bajpai. 

The Mumbai-registered fishing boat had started its journey from Navsari in Gujarat on Tuesday and was headed towards Mumbai. 

"When the boat was around 16 nautical miles off the Daman coast on Tuesday night, it experienced engine failure. As the engine stopped working, there was no power on the boat to pump out the water which ingressed the boat. Water ingress beyond a point eventually leads to the sinking of the boat," Bajpai told reporters. 

After the crew failed to start the engine, they contacted the Coast Guard for help, said Bajpai. -- PTI
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar
20:58   IAS officer Sunil Kumar Gupta appointed Vice President Dhankhar's secretary
Senior IAS officer Sunil Kumar Gupta was on Wednesday appointed as secretary to Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, according to an order by the personnel ministry.                 

Gupta, a 1987 batch Indian Administrative Service officer, is currently serving in his cadre state West Bengal.                 

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved Gupta's appointment as Secretary to the Vice President of India in the rank and pay of Secretary, on deputation basis, with effect from the date of his assumption of charge of the post till the date of his superannuation on December 31, 2023, it said.                 

Gupta had earlier worked with Dhankhar when he was the West Bengal governor.  -- PTI
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20:53   Mumbai logs 975 Covid cases, highest since July 1
Mumbai on Wednesday reported 975 new coronavirus cases, the highest daily count since July 1 and a jump of 643 from the tally a day ago, while two more patients succumbed to the infection in the metropolis, the city civic body said. 

With these additions, the overall COVID-19 tally surged to 11,34,479, while the death toll increased to 19,668, said the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation in a bulletin. 

The daily coronavirus case count has jumped by 643 as compared to Tuesday, when the city had logged 332 cases, but zero fatalities. 

The city has reported the highest single-day cases since July 1 when it detected 978 new COVID-19 patients. 

As per the bulletin, the new COVID-19 cases were detected after 8,173 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours, taking their cumulative count to 1,79,69,117. 

On Tuesday, 3,499 COVID-19 tests were conducted in the financial capital. 

Mumbai's tally of recuperated cases rose to 11,09,617 after 850 more patients recovered from the infection, said the BMC. 

The city has a coronavirus recovery rate of 97.8 per cent and is now left with 5,194 active COVID-19 cases, the bulletin said. -- PTI
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20:43   Maha records huge jump in new coronavirus cases at 1,800
Maharashtra on Wednesday recorded 1,800 fresh coronavirus cases, more than half of them from Mumbai and a steep jump from  836 a day ago, while six more patients succumbed to the infection in the state, the health department said.

With these fresh additions, the overall COVID-19 tally rose to 80,76,165, while the death toll increased to 1,48,180, said the department in a bulletin.

On Tuesday, the state had recorded 836 cases and two fatalities linked to the respiratory illness.

Mumbai recorded 975 fresh cases and two coronavirus-related fatalities, said the bulletin.

Municipal corporations of Mira Bhayander, Nashik, Pimpri-Chinchwad and Satara district recorded one fatality each, it said.

The case fatality rate in the state stood at 1.83 per cent, while the recovery rate was 98.02 per cent.

It said 2,182 patients recovered from the infection in the last 24 hours, taking their cumulative count to 79,16,615 and leaving the state with 11,370 active cases.

The department said 22,953 coronavirus tests were conducted in the state in the last 24 hours, pushing up their overall count 8,37,01,554.       

Maharashtra's coronavirus figures are as follows: Total cases 80,76,165; fresh cases 1,800; death toll 1,48,180; recoveries 79,16,615; active cases 11,370; total tests 8,37,01,554.
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20:17   Protests against CAA resume in Assam
After a gap of over two years, protests against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) resumed across Assam on Monday.

Protests by members of the All Assam Students' Union (AASU), a part of the North East Students' Organisation (NESO), was held in all the district headquarters of the state amid heavy security arrangements.

In Guwahati, the protests were held outside the 'Swahid Bhawan', the AASU headquarters.

NESO advisor Samujjal Bhattacharjee told reporters that the people of Assam can never accept the CAA and it has to be repealed.

"We had to suspend our protests two years ago due to the prevailing pandemic but have now decided to renew it so that the CAA is not implemented," he said.

"The anger against this unjust law, however, has been burning in the hearts of the Assamese people and our protests against it will continue till it is repealed," he added.

The students' organisation also demanded an end to the problem of radicalisation, a permanent solution to the foreigners' issue and the complete removal of the Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) from the entire Northeast.

It also demanded constitutional safeguards for the indigenous population of Tripura, resolving the problem of Chakma-Hajong refugees in Arunachal Pradesh and a separate recruitment board for the youths of the Northeast.

The protests were also held in all the Northeastern states.

The contentious CAA seeks to provide Indian citizenship to Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis entering India on or before December 31, 2014 from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan after five years of residence in Guwahati.

Assam witnessed widespread anti-CAA agitation led by different organisations in late 2019 and early 2020, leading to the deaths of five people.   -- PTI
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20:08   G23 leader Anand Sharma in Himachal poll committee
Ahead of the Himachal Pradesh assembly elections, the Congress on Wednesday constituted the Pradesh Election Committee for the state which includes state unit chief Pratibha Singh, Congress Legilsature Party leader Mukesh Agnihotri and former Union minister Anand Sharma.

Former party state unit chief Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu and Kuldeep Rathore are also part of the important panel.

'The Congress president has approved the constitution of the Pradesh Election Committee of Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPPCC) with immediate effect,' the party announced.

Others who are part of the panel include former Rajya Sabha MP Viplove Thakur, former ministers Thakur Kaul Singh and Ram Lal Thakur, former MP Dhaniram Shandil, and party's state unit working presidents Harsh Mahajan, Rajender Ranan and Vinay Kumar besides Rajneesh Kimta.

All AICC secretaries from Himachal Pradesh and heads of all frontal organisations of HP PCC have also been included in the panel.

Assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh are slated later this year and the Congress is seeking to wrest back power from the Bharatiya Janata Party. -- PTI 
Vinayak Mete/Twitter
Vinayak Mete/Twitter
20:01   Maharashtra CID to probe ex-MLC Mete's death in road accident
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday ordered a probe by the state police's Crime Investigation Department into the death of former MLC and prominent Maratha quota leader Vinayak Mete in a road accident, said an official. 

Mete (52), who headed the Maratha outfit Shiv Sangram Sanghatna, was killed after a vehicle hit his car on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway on Sunday last. 

The former Legislative Council member, a staunch supporter of reservation in government jobs and education for the Maratha community, was on his way to Mumbai to attend a meeting on the quota issue when he met with the fatal accident. 

Soon after the car crash, Shinde had assured Mete's supporters that there would be a thorough investigation into the matter. -- PTI
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19:41   Telangana minister KT Rama Rao invited to Asia Leaders Series meeting in Zurich
Telangana minister for IT and industries KT Rama Rao has received an invitation to the Asia Leaders Series meeting which will be held in Zurich on October 4, an official release said on Wednesday. 

The Asia Leaders Series is a neutral forum to facilitate open dialogue among the most influential leaders in Asia and Europe, advocating diversity, supporting collaboration and fostering trusted relationships. 

The meeting involves 100 of Europe and Asia's most prominent business leaders, who will gather to discuss growing geopolitical uncertainty affecting large companies operating in the Europe-Asia corridor, it said. 

"Our goal is to inspire a meaningful and thought-provoking discussion among respected, influential figures such as you. For this reason, access to the meeting is reserved for board members of companies with revenues of at least $ 1 billion, Callam Fletcher, Founder, Asia Leaders Series, said in the invitation letter to minister KTR. 

Among the leaders from Europe who are set to attend include John Scarlett, former chief of British Intelligence Service, Margarita Louis-Dreyfus, chair of LDC Group, Lord Jim O'Neill, former chairman of Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Prof Dr Jordi Gual, non-executive chairman of VidaCaixa, Dr Gerard Lyons, UK board member at the Bank of China, and Lord Stephen Green, former group CEO & chairman of HSBC. -- PTI
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19:15   Enforce Covid protocol: DGCA to airlines
Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation on Wednesday asked all Indian carriers to strictly enforce COVID-19 protocol, including mask mandate for passengers, in aircraft amid a rise in infections across the country. 

In a statement, the DGCA said it will be conducting "random checks" in aircraft across the country to see if the COVID-19 protocol is being enforced or not. 

Airlines have to ensure that passengers are wearing face masks properly throughout the journey and there is proper sensitisation of passengers through various platforms, it mentioned. 

"In case a passenger does not comply with the directions, strict action will be taken by airlines against the passenger," it added. 

In view of the rise in the number of COVID-19 cases, the airlines have been advised again on August 16 to strictly comply with COVID-19 protocol inside the aircraft, it mentioned. -- PTI
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19:01   CBI freezes TMC leader's FDs worth Rs 17 cr
The CBI has frozen fixed deposits worth Rs 16.97 crore allegedly belonging to TMC leader Anubrata Mondal and his family members in connection with a case of cattle smuggling across Indo-Bangladesh border, officials said Wednesday. 

The agency detected the fixed deposits during its continuing probe in the case, they said. 

The CBI on Wednesday visited Mondal's Nichupatti residence in Bolpur to question his daughter but left within 10 minutes after Sukanya refused to talk to them. 

The agency had arrested Mondal last Thursday from his residence after he skipped his scheduled appearance before the central probe agency twice in three days, an official said. 

The CBI has alleged that Vikas Mishra, brother of absconding TMC leader Vinay Mishra, and Mondal provided protection to associates of alleged cattle smuggler Enamul Haq who used to buy animals at a market in Ilambazar, the officials said. 

The smugglers used to ferry animals from Ilambazar to Indo-Bangla border under the alleged protection of Mondal and Mishra from state enforcement agencies, they said. 

They used services of some BSF officials, including charge sheeted Satish Kumar, to get these cattle smuggled to Bangladesh, the officials said. -- PTI
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18:32   2 Congress legislators from HP join BJP months ahead of poll
Two Himachal Pradesh Congress MLAs -- Pawan Kajal and Lakhwinder Rana -- joined the BJP in New Delhi in the presence of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur who said his party will break the trend of governments being voted out every assembly poll in the state.

Congress' Kangra MLA Kajal and Nalagarh representative Rana, who is also the party's state working president, joined the BJP just months before the assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh. 

Apart from Thakur, BJP national general secretary Arun Singh was also present at the event when the two Congress leaders switched over the the saffron party. 

Thakur welcomed the two leaders in the party. 

"This time the party will break the trend of changing government in Himachal Pradesh and will retain the power," he told a press conference at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi. 

Both Kajal and Rana said they were impressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "inspirational leadership" and were joining the BJP due to the BJP's "pro-people" policies. 

The state will go to poll later this year. -- PTI
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18:09  
Billionaire industrialist and Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani has been accorded a 'Z' category VIP security cover of Central Reserve Police Force commandos by the Central government, official sources said Wednesday. 

They said the all-India cover will be on a "payment basis" and is expected to cost about Rs 15-20 lakh per month. 

The security cover under the central list was accorded to Adani, 60, on the basis of a threat perception report prepared by central security agencies, they said. 

The Union home ministry has asked the CRPF VIP security wing to take over the job and its squad is now with the protectee, they said. 

RIL chairman Mukesh Ambani was given a 'Z+' category cover of CRPF commandos by the Union government in 2013, followed by a lower category cover to his wife Neeta Ambani some years later. -- PTI
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17:39   India supplies nearly 60% of vaccines used worldwide: FM
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday said nearly 60 per cent of all the vaccines used in the world are produced in India and over the decades, the country has made remarkable contribution to vaccinating the world.   

India today is double dosing every citizen and produced COVID-19 vaccines even during the lockdown period, she added.

Launching the book India's Vaccine Growth Story by Sajjan Singh Yadav, additional secretary, expenditure department, Sitharaman said it is in the country's DNA to be able to contribute to world vaccination.  

"Over the decades India has made remarkable contribution. Nearly 60 per cent of all the vaccines which are used in the world are produced in India. India has singular contribution to make to the world in terms of vaccination and that which is being produced and supplied to the entire world," Sitharaman said. 

Today, the country is double dosing every citizen, she said, adding it is not easy to produce and execute COVID vaccination at that scale.   

India crossed the target of 200 crore COVID vaccinations in a time-bound manner. 

So far, 208.57 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered under the nationwide inoculation drive. -- PTI
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17:29   4 arrested in CPI-M leader killing in Palakkad
Four people allegedly involved in the killing of a local CPI-M leader on the eve of Independence Day in the district were arrested on Wednesday. 

A top police officer told PTI that of the four, three were directly involved in the incident and one was a conspirator and they will be produced during the day before a court as per the procedure. 

Another senior officer, earlier in the day, told reporters in Palakkad that the killing was the outcome of a personal enmity. 

He said that there were some issues between Shajahan, who was killed on Sunday night, and some of the persons allegedly involved in the attack over their recent change in political affiliation. 

The attackers, who were earlier workers of CPI-M, had stopped taking part in party activities and had recently participated in a rakshabandhan event of RSS which had heightened tensions between them and the victim, they said. 

It all culminated in the attack on Shajahan, a CPI-M local committee member, on August 14 night near his home while he was carrying out preparations for Independence day celebrations on the next day. 

Both the CPI-M and BJP have been trying to pin the killing on each other while the Congress, in an apparent support to the latter, said that everything cannot be pinned upon the saffron party merely because they are the political rivals. 

The Congress also called for an independent probe into the killing and alleged that there was an increase in the number of murders in the state which indicated a failure of the Home Department. 

The victim's family, meanwhile, had told the media that Shajahan was threatened with dire consequences by the accused who were not happy that he won a seat in the local committee. -- PTI
Naresh Raval (left) and Raju Parmar (second from right)/BJP Gujarat/Twitter
Naresh Raval (left) and Raju Parmar (second from right)/BJP Gujarat/Twitter
17:22   Former Gujarat minister, ex-Cong MP join BJP
Nearly two weeks after resigning from the Congress, former Gujarat minister Naresh Raval and ex-Rajya Sabha member Raju Parmar joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Gandhinagar on Wednesday, months ahead of the assembly polls. 

The two veteran politicians joined the saffron outfit in the presence of Gujarat BJP president CR Paatil along with a large number of their supporters and Raval also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. 

They criticised the Congress leadership. 

Paatil welcomed them into the party fold by offering them saffron scarves and caps. 

Parmar has served as a Congress Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat for three terms between 1988 and 2006. 

A prominent leader from the Dalit community, he has also served as a member of the National Committee for SC/ST. 

Raval, a three-term former MLA from Vijapur in Mehsana district, served as the minister of state for home and industry in a previous Congress government in Gujarat. 

He won assembly polls in 1985,1990 and 1998. 

 After joining the BJP at its state headquarters "Kamalam", Raval likened the pair of Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Shah to that of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel and said he was not happy with the way top Congress leadership "insulted" Gujarat and Gujaratis. 

Parmar attacked the state Congress leadership and said there was no space for dialogue in the opposition party and veterans like him felt sidelined and insulted, which prompted him to join the BJP. 

Raval also hit out at his former party. 

"I felt uncomfortable the way top Congress leadership insulted Gujarat and the leadership of Modi and Shah who are leading the country. Similarly, they called top industrialists like Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani as 'thieves'. The way they neglected Gujarat and Gujaratis was not acceptable to me," said Raval, a former Leader of the Opposition in the assembly. -- PTI
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16:49   No changes in rules for booking tickets for kids: Railways
The railways on Wednesday clarified that there has been no change in the rule concerning booking of tickets for children travelling by train after news reports claimed that those in the age group of one to four years are now being charged adult fares. 

A circular dated March 6, 2020 of the ministry of railways states that children under five years of age shall travel for free. 

However, it said that in that case, a separate berth or seat (in chair car) shall not be provided. 

Passengers can, however, purchase tickets if they require berths/seats for their children who are below the age of 5 years. 

In that case, the full adult fare will be charged. 

"There have been some recent media reports that claim that Indian Railways has changed the rule with regards to booking of tickets for children travelling in the train. These reports claim that now children between the age of one to four years will have to get a ticket for travelling on the train," said the railways. 

These news items and media reports are misleading. It is informed that Indian Railways has not introduced any changes with regards to booking of tickets for children travelling in the train, it said. 

"On the demand of the passengers, an option has been given to them to buy a ticket and book a berth for their under 5-year-old child if they want. And if they don't want a separate berth, then it is free, same like it used to be earlier," the statement from railways said. 

Earlier, the news reports had led to angry reactions from a section. --PTI
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16:14   CM's nod mandatory for transfer of govt staff in UP
All transfers in Uttar Pradesh will now be done only after the approval of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, an order issued by Chief Secretary Durga Shankar Mishra said.
 
The state had recently witnessed a major controversy over transfers in the PWD, Health and Jal Shakti Departments, leading to suspension of senior officials.
 
The chief secretary's order issued to all additional chief secretaries, principal secretaries and secretaries on Tuesday said the season of transfers ended on June 30 and now shifting of all employees will be done after taking necessary permission from the chief minister.
 
According to the annual transfer policy issued on June 15, all transfers at the district and division-level were to be done by June 30.
 
There had been a major controversy in the state's PWD Department headed by Minister Jitin Prasada over the transfer of employees, leading to the removal of his Officer on Special Duty (OSD) and suspension of five senior department officials.
 
Deputy Chief Minister Brijesh Pathak, who also holds the medical and health portfolios, was unhappy about the transfer of doctors in his department and had written to Amit Mohan Prasad, the additional chief secretary, questioning the procedure followed.  
 
The Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Dinesh Khatik, had sent his resignation to Governor Anandiben Patel and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, alleging irregularities in transfers and that he was facing discrimination because he was a Dalit. -- PTI
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16:11   India home to 18 of 20 cities with PM2.5 pollution
India is home to 18 of the 20 cities with the most severe increase in fine particle pollutants (PM2.5) from 2010 to 2019, according to a comprehensive and detailed analysis of air pollution and global health effects for over 7,000 cities released on Wednesday.
   
The report published by the US-based research organisation Health Effects Institute (HEI) also shows that Delhi has the highest average level of fine PM 2.5 among the world's most populated cities.
 
The analysis used data from 2010 to 2019 and focussed on two of the most harmful pollutants; fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2).
 
The report 'Air Quality and Health in Cities' combined ground-based air quality data with satellites and models to produce air quality estimates for cities around the world.
 
The authors noted that in 2019, 1.7 million deaths linked to PM2.5 exposure occurred in the 7,239 cities included in the analysis, with cities in Asia, Africa, and Eastern and Central Europe seeing the greatest health impacts.
 
They zoomed in to the most populous cities in each region i.e. a subset of 103 cities across 21 regions.
 
Among the most populous cities in each region, Delhi and Kolkata featured in the top 10 with the highest PM2.5-related disease burden in 2019.
 
In the 20 cities with highest PM2.5 exposures, residents in cities from India, Nigeria, Peru, and Bangladesh are exposed to PM2.5 levels that are several-fold higher than the global averages, the report said.
 
Only four of these cities, and none in India, met the WHO annual PM2.5 Air Quality Guideline of 5 microgrammes per cubic metre (g/m3) in 2019, it said.
 
India and Indonesia have seen the most severe increase in PM2.5 pollution, whereas China has seen the greatest improvements.
 
"Of 7,239 cities, India is home to 18 of the 20 cities with the most severe increase in PM2.5 pollution from 2010 to 2019. The other two cities are in Indonesia," the authors of the study noted.
 
"Of the 50 cities with the most severe increase in PM2.5, 41 are in India and 9 are in Indonesia. On the other hand, of the 20 cities with the greatest decrease in PM2.5 pollution from 2010 to 2019, all are located in China," they said.
 
The report found that while exposures to PM2.5 pollution tend to be higher in cities located in low- and middle-income countries, exposure to NO2, is high across cities in high-income as well as low- and middle-income countries.
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16:04   Sensex settles above 60,000 mark; logs 4th day of gains
Equity benchmarks maintained their winning run on Wednesday, with the Sensex ending above the crucial 60,000 mark amid persistent foreign fund inflows.
   
The 30-share BSE index jumped 417.92 points or 0.70 per cent to settle at 60,260.13. During the day, it climbed 481.04 points to 60,323.25.
 
The broader NSE Nifty went higher by 119 points or 0.67 per cent to close at 17,944.25.
 
From the Sensex pack, Bajaj Finserv, Bajaj Finance, Bharti Airtel, Tech Mahindra, HCL Technologies, NTPC, Wipro and Hindustan Unilever were the biggest gainers.
 
On the other hand, Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti, UltraTech Cement and Power Grid were among the laggards.
 
"Consistent participation by FIIs is the backbone of the current rally in the domestic market. This reversal in the FII trend is owed to the resilience showcased by the Indian economy even as inflation continues to plague the western markets.
 
"Declining commodity and oil prices also instilled confidence in foreign investors," said Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services. -- PTI
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15:51   6 of family found dead in separate houses in Jammu
Six members of a family were found dead in two separate houses here in the early hours of Wednesday, police said. Prima facie, it appears that they were poisoned, they said.
Noor Ul Habib, Sajad Ahmad Magrey, Sakina Begum and her daughter Naseema Akhter were found dead inside Habib's house in the posh Tawi Vihar locality of Sidhra. The bodies of Rubina Bano and her brother Zafar Salim were recovered from a nearby house, the police said.
A four-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Superintendent of Police (Rural) Sanjay Sharma has been formed to investigate the incident, Senior Superintendent of Police (Jammu) Chandan Kohli said.
A police spokesperson said a call was received from Habib's sister Shahzada, a resident of Srinagar's Barzulla locality, wherein she expressed apprehension that her brother might have committed suicide as he was not answering her calls.
After reaching Habib's house, police found it bolted from inside and noticed a foul smell emanating from it, he said.
The doors of the house were broken down and four semi-decomposed bodies were found inside, he said.
The locals informed police that a house nearby belongs to a relative of the family, Gulam Husain. When the police reached the other house, they found two more bodies there, the spokesperson said.
Prima facie, it appears to be a case of poisoning. It is being ascertained whether it is a case of forced poisoning, he said.
SSP Kohli also rushed to the spot and ordered a thorough probe into the incident.
The bodies have been shifted to Government Medical College and Hospital for a post-mortem examination, Kohli said. -- PTI
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15:47   Kejriwal launches 'Make India No. 1' mission, calls for focus on education, healthcare
Delhi Chief Minister and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday launched a national mission to make India the number one country in the world and called on all citizens and political parties to join it.
 
Providing free education and healthcare to citizens, employment to youths, equal rights and dignity to women and fair price to farmers for their produce are needed to achieve the goal, he said.
Kejriwal said he will travel across the country as part of the mission -- 'Make India No. 1' -- to encourage people to join the initiative and achieve its objectives.
He said the mission is apolitical in nature.
"This is not the mission of a political party, it's a national mission. I call upon the BJP and all other parties to come forward and join this initiative to make India the number one country in the world," the chief minister said.
Many countries like Singapore got independence after India but are ahead of us. Why is India lagging behind despite Indians being the "most intelligent and hard working in the world", Kejriwal asked. -- PTI
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15:41   MHA contradicts Puri over flats for Rohingyas
The Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday made it clear that it has not given any direction to provide EWS flats to Rohingya Muslims in Delhi and asked the Arvind Kejriwal government to ensure the illegal foreigners remain at their present location.
   
The MHA also said the Rohingya illegal foreigners are to be kept in detention centres until their deportation as per the law and the Delhi government has been directed to declare the current site of their stay as a detention centre.
 
"With respect to news reports in certain sections of media regarding Rohingya illegal foreigners, it is clarified that the MHA has not given any directions to provide EWS flats to Rohingya illegal migrants at Bakkarwala in New Delhi," an MHA spokesperson said.
 
On the proposed move by the Delhi government to shift the Rohingya Muslims to a new location, the MHA has directed the Delhi government to ensure that the Rohingya illegal foreigners remain at their present location as it has already taken up the matter of their deportation with the country concerned through the Ministry of External Affairs.
 
"The illegal foreigners are to be kept in the detention centre till their deportation as per law. The government of Delhi has not declared the present location as a detention centre. They have been directed to do the same immediately," the spokesperson said. 

Earlier, Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri said that Rohingya Refugees will be shifted to apartments in Bakkarwala in outer Delhi and will also be provided basic amenities and police protection.

"India has always welcomed those who have sought refuge in the country. In a landmark decision all Rohingya Refugees will be shifted to EWS flats in Bakkarwala area of Delhi. They will be provided basic amenities, UNHCR IDs & round-the-clock Delhi Police protection," Puri tweeted.
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15:16   Rohingyas to be shifted to apartments in Delhi: Govt
Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri on Wednesday said that Rohingya Refugees will be shifted to apartments in Bakkarwala in outer Delhi and will also be provided basic amenities and police protection.
   
EWS flats have been constructed by the New Delhi Municipal Council and are located in the Bakkarwala area near Tikri border.
 
"India has always welcomed those who have sought refuge in the country. In a landmark decision all Rohingya Refugees will be shifted to EWS flats in Bakkarwala area of Delhi. They will be provided basic amenities, UNHCR IDs & round-the-clock Delhi Police protection," Puri tweeted.
 
The minister also hit out at those who had criticised the country's refugee policy and said that such people would be disappointed with the move.
 
"Those who made a career out of spreading canards on India's refugee policy deliberately linking it to CAA will be disappointed. India respects & follows UN Refugee Convention 1951 & provides refuge to all, regardless of their race, religion or creed," the minister said in another tweet. -- PTI 
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14:49   72% of Bihar ministers face criminal cases: ADR
More than 70 per cent of the newly sworn-in ministers in Bihar have declared criminal cases against themselves, the poll rights body ADR said.
   
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav also have cases registered against them.
 
Kumar, who recently severed ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party and joined hands with the Rashtriya Janata Dal to form the government in Bihar, expanded his new cabinet on Tuesday by inducting 31 new ministers. Kumar and Deputy CM Yadav had been sworn in earlier on August 10.
 
Consequent to the reconstitution of the Bihar Council of Ministers, the Association for Democratic Reforms and the Bihar Election Watch have analysed the self-sworn affidavits of 32 out of 33 ministers, including the chief minister, submitted during the 2020 Assembly polls.
 
One Cabinet minister, Ashok Chaudhary of JD(U), who is a nominated member of the Legislative Council, is not required to submit his affidavit, hence his information on criminal, financial and other details are not available in the public domain, the ADR said in its report.
 
According to the report, 23 ministers (72 per cent) have declared criminal cases against themselves and 17 ministers (53 per cent) have declared serious criminal cases against themselves.
 
Out of the 32 ministers, 27 (84 per cent) are crorepatis and the average assets of 32 ministers analysed is Rs 5.82 crore.
 
The minister with the highest declared total assets is Samir Kumar Mahaseth from the Madhubani constituency with assets worth Rs. 24.45 crore and the minister with the lowest declared total assets is Murari Prasad Gautam from the Chenari (SC) constituency with assets worth Rs 17.66 lakh.
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14:29   Consumer Authority fines Flipkart over substandard pressure cookers
The Central Consumer Protection Authority on Wednesday said it has imposed a penalty of Rs 1,00,000 on e-commerce player Flipkart for allowing the sale of substandard domestic pressure cookers on its platform. 
           
Speaking to PTI, CCPA Chief Commissioner Nidhi Khare said a penalty of Rs 1,00,000 has been imposed on Flipkart for allowing the sale of substandard pressure cookers on its e-commerce platform and violating the rights of consumers. 
Flipkart has also been directed to notify consumers of all 598 pressure cookers sold on its platform, recall the pressure cookers and reimburse money to the consumers, she said.
The company has also been asked to submit a compliance report of the same within 45 days, she added. -- PTI 
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14:17   Gadkari, Shivraj dropped from top BJP body
Union minister Nitin Gadkari and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan have been dropped from the Bharatiya Janata Party;s parliamentary board.

Former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, former Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal have been included in the rejigged parliamentary party board, which now has many new faces.

Devendra Fadnavis, Om Mathur, Bhupender Yadav have been made members of BJP's Central Election Committee.
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14:15   High alert in Jammu after terrorists escape during encounter
Security forces and police have intensified operation to track down terrorists, who managed to escape from the cordon after a bried gunfire encounter in Rajouri district, sources said.
   
Security forces had on Sunday located a group of 2-3 terrorists in Sojan forest area of Samote in Rajouri and laid a seige to neutralise them, they said.
 
Terrorists fired on the security forces during cordon and search operation but managed to escape using heavy rains and bad weather conditions as cover, they said.
 
Forces have now intensified the operation to track down the terrorists, who may be trying to find new targets in the area, they said.
 
Security forces and police have been put on high alert in view of movement of two suspected persons around Rajouri city, particularly around security forces area on Tuesday, they said.
 
Agencies also spotted two suspected persons, including one carrying a bag, in CCTV footage, they said.
 
On August 11, two terrorists had attacked an Army camp in Rajouri, killing four soldiers in a pre-dawn suicide strike that marked the return of ;fidayeen' to Jammu and Kashmir after more than three years.
 
Both the terrorists, believed to be from the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed, were shot dead after an over four-hour gun battle.
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13:57   CBI grills arrested TMC leader's accountant in cattle smuggling scam
The Central Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday morning grilled arrested Trinamool Congress leader Anubrata Mondal's accountant at their temporary camp office here as a part of its ongoing investigation into an alleged cattle smuggling scam, a senior officer of the agency said.
          
A team of Central Bureau of Investigation sleuths grilled for two hours Mondal's accountant Manish Kothari and two officials of the bank where the TMC leader has several bank accounts, he said.
        
The four-member team including a woman officer also went to Mondal's Nichupatti residence here as a part of the probe, the official said.
        
The officers, who were supposed to question Mondal's daughter Sukanya who is a primary school teacher, left the premises after around 10 minutes.
        
However, whether they have questioned Sukanya Mondal is not yet clear as the CBI has not given any confirmation so far.
        
The central agency suspects that several bank accounts belonging to Mondal's daughter were used for financial transactions in the scam, he added. -- PTI
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13:17   Jacqueline Fernandez named as accused in 'conman' case
The Enforcement Directorate has decided to name Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez as an accused in a multi-crore money laundering case linked to alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar and others, officials said on Wednesday.
 
The federal probe agency is expected to file a fresh (supplementary) chargesheet or prosecution complaint in this case on Wednesday before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act court in Delhi and the actor has been arraigned in it as an accused, they said.
The 36-year-old actor has been questioned multiple times by the agency in the this case, the last being in June. The actor, a Sri Lanka national, debuted in the Hindi film industry in 2009.
The ED in April provisionally attached Rs 7.27 crore funds of the actor under the PMLA apart from Rs 15 lakh cash as the agency called these funds as "proceeds of crime".
"Sukesh Chandrasekhar had given various gifts worth Rs 5.71 crore to Jacqueline Fernandez from the proceeds of crime generated by criminal activities including extortion."
"Chandrasekhar had put Pinky Irani, his long time associate and co-accused in this case to deliver the said gifts to her," the ED had then said in a statement.
In addition to these gifts, it said, Chandrasekhar also gave "funds to the tune of USD 1,72,913 (about Rs 1.3 crore as per current exchange rate) and AUD 26740 (approx. Rs 14 lakh) to the close family members of Fernandez out of the proceeds of crime through co-accused Avtar Singh Kochhar, an established and well known international hawala operator."
Bilkis Bano case convicts greeted with sweets
Bilkis Bano case convicts greeted with sweets
13:14   Rahul questions PM's 'words vs deeds' in Bilkis case
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi on Wednesday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the release of the convicts in the Bilkis Bano case and said the entire country is seeing the difference between his words and deeds.
 
Rahul asked what message is being sent out to the women of the country through such decisions.
The BJP government in Gujarat released all the 11 people convicted for the rape of a pregnant Bilkis Bano and murder of seven of her family members during the 2002 Gujarat riots, under its remission policy.
"Those who raped a five-month pregnant woman and killed her three-year-old daughter were released during 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav'. What message is being given to the women of the country by those who peddle lies about 'Nari Shakti'?
"Prime Minister ji, the entire country is seeing the difference between your words and deeds," Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi.

Priyanka to took to Twitter to write, "The release by the BJP government of the criminals who were convicted from all the courts for the crime of gang-rape and murder of a pregnant woman, welcome in front of the camera - is it not the height of injustice and insensitivity? @narendramodi Respect for women only for speeches? Women are asking."
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13:09   Tamil Nadu CM meets Prez Murmu
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Wednesday called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi
 
Earlier, Stalin met Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.
The Tamil Nadu chief minister is on a two-day visit to the national capital. 
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12:44   EPS appointment as AIADMK Gen Secy not valid: HC
In a  setback to All Indian Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam interim General Secretary Edappady K Palaniswami (EPS), the Madras high court on Wednesday ordered maintaining status-quo as was the case on June 23 in  the matter relating to the conduct of the July 11 General Council meet of the main opposition party in Tamil Nadu.
  
The general council, AIADMK's highest decision-making body, 'expelled'  rival leader O Panneerselvam and some of his associates from the party amid his leadership tussle with Palaniswami, who was picked as the interim general secretary of the party by the GC members.
        
The order passed by Justice G Jayachandran on Wednesday, in effect held invalid the July 11 GC meeting.
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11:54   'Moral duty': Jaishankar on India buying Russian oil
The United States and other nations in the world may not appreciate India buying Russian oil, but they have accepted it as New Delhi has not been defensive about its stand but made them realise the obligation the government has to its people amidst "unreasonably high" oil and gas prices, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said.
 
Jaishankar, who arrived in Bangkok on Tuesday to attend the 9th India-Thailand Joint Commission Meeting, took part in an event where he met members of the Indian community.
In an interaction with the diaspora, Jaishankar defended India's decision to buy discounted Russian oil amid Moscow's ongoing war with Ukraine, saying many suppliers of India have diverted their supplies to Europe, which is buying less oil from Russia.
Oil prices are "unreasonably high" and so are the gas prices. A lot of traditional suppliers to Asia are diverting to Europe because Europe is buying less oil from Russia, he said.
"It is a situation today where every country will try to get the best deal possible for its citizens, to try to cushion the impact of these high energy prices. And that is exactly what we are doing," Jaishankar said in response to a question.
He said India is not doing it in a "defensive way". 
"We are being very open and honest about our interests. I have a country that has a per capita income of two thousand dollars. These are not people who can afford higher energy prices," Jaishankar said.
He said it was his "obligation" and "moral duty" to ensure that the people in India get the best deal.
"I do see that -- not just in the United States but including the US -- that they know what our position is and they move on with that," he said when asked about the impact of buying Russian oil on India's ties with the US.
"Once you lay out very openly and honestly, people accept it," he added.
"They may not always appreciate it but once it is there and you are not trying to be too clever about it, you actually have laid out your interest in a very direct manner, my sense is that the world somewhat accepts that as reality," Jaishankar said.
The US and European nations have imposed heavy sanctions on Russia since Moscow sent troops into Ukraine on February 24.  
India has raised oil imports from Russia after the Ukraine war despite criticism from the west and continues to engage with Moscow for business.
A senior Indian government official said in June that India's crude oil imports from Russia had jumped over 50 times since April.
In May, Russia overtook Saudi Arabia to become India's second-biggest supplier of oil behind Iraq as refiners snapped up Russian crude available at a deep discount following the war in Ukraine.
Indian refiners bought about 25 million barrels of Russian oil in May.
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11:45   SC seeks response of Centre, poll panel on PIL seeking voting rights for NRIs
The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought responses from the Centre and the Election Commission on a PIL seeking voting rights for non-resident Indians (NRIs) in polls here.
   
A bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices J K Maheshwari and Hima Kohli took note of the PIL filed by the Kerala Pravasi Association that the NRIs be given the voting rights.
 
The top court issued notices and ordered the tagging of the PIL with pending ones on the issue.
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11:10   KP killing: J-K admin to attach house of terrorist
The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Wednesday initiated the process of attaching the house of a terrorist who killed a Kashmiri Pandit in Shopian, while his father and three brothers were arrested for sheltering him.
 
Police said Adil Wani killed Sunil Kumar Bhat in an orchard in a Shopian village on Tuesday and later took shelter at his home in Kutpora.
The security forces launched a cordon and search operation but Wani, a categorised terrorist of the banned Al-Badr outfit, fled in the cover of darkness after hurling grenades at the approaching police party, they said.
During the search operation, police also recovered arms and ammunition from Wani's house, prompting the authorities to place his father and three brothers under arrest besides initiating the process of attaching their house.
Wani was identified by eyewitnesses and Sunil Kumar's cousin as the person who fired indiscriminately at him and his brother while they were working in the apple orchard on Tuesday.
Earlier this year, the Jammu and Kashmir Police had announced that it would start the process of "attachment of some immovable properties which have been used for purpose of terrorism as per section 2(g) and 25 of ULP Act (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act)" and asked people not to shelter or harbour terrorists/terror associates.
Under this provision, all kinds of properties that have been derived or obtained from the commission of any terrorist act or intended to be used for a terrorist act can be seized. -- PTI 
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10:48   9,062 fresh COVID-19 cases in India
India on Wednesday recorded 9,062 fresh COVID-19 infections that took its tally to 4,42,86,256, while the number of active cases came down to 1,05,058, according to Union health ministry data.
The death toll climbed to 5,27,134 with 36 new fatalities, including six reconciled by Kerala, the data updated at 8 am stated.
The active cases comprise 0.24 per cent of the total infections. The national COVID-19 recovery rate stands at 98.57 per cent, the ministry said.
A decline of 6,194 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.
The daily positivity rate was recorded at 2.49 per cent and the weekly positivity rate at 4.38 per cent, the ministry said.
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10:36   Sensex crosses 60,000 mark in early trade
Equity benchmarks on Wednesday continued to trade higher, with the Sensex breaching the crucial 60,000 mark in early trade amid positive global trends and persistent foreign fund inflows.
   
From the Sensex pack, NTPC, Hindustan Unilever, Bajaj Finance, Asian Paints, UltraTech Cement, Reliance Industries and Bajaj Finserv were the biggest gainers.
 On the other hand, Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, HDFC and HDFC Bank were among the laggards.
 
In Asia, markets in Tokyo, Shanghai and Hong Kong quoted higher while Seoul was trading lower in mid-session deals.
 
Markets on the Wall Street had ended mostly higher on Tuesday.
 
The BSE benchmark index advanced 379.43 points or 0.64 per cent to settle at 59,842.21 points on Tuesday. 

The Nifty climbed 127.10 points or 0.72 per cent to 17,825.25 points.
 
Meanwhile, the international oil benchmark Brent crude was trading 0.5 per cent higher at USD 92.83 per barrel.
 
Foreign Institutional Investors were net buyers in the Indian capital market as they bought shares worth Rs 1,376.84 crore on Tuesday, according to exchange data.
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09:55   Row over child dressed as Savarkar in Kerala school
The participation of a child allegedly dressed as V D Savarkar in an Independence Day programme organised at a government school in this district has sparked a row with various youth outfits raising voice of their protests. 
    
Activists of the Youth Congress and the Youth League -- the youth wing of the Indian Union Muslim League -- held protest marches towards the Government Vocational Higher Secondary School at Keezhooparamba on Tuesday seeking action against those who dressed the child as Savarkar for the programme.
   
Blurred photographs of the programme aired by news channels showed the children dressed as freedom fighters including Savarkar participating in the programme. 
   
A child dressed as one of the freedom fighters to take part in the rally had the name of V D Savarkar written on him. 

Controversy erupted when its photo was circulated on social media.
   
Local media reports said that the photo was taken from the green room. 

However, sensing that it would create controversy, the nameboard of Savarkar was removed before the procession.
   
The school authorities have not reacted to the controversy. -- PTI 
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09:29   Terror hideout busted in JK; arms and ammunition recovered
The security forces launched a cordon and search operation at Kutpora in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian, informed the Kashmir Zone Police on Wednesday.

During the search operation, terrorists lobbed grenades at the search party and escaped taking advantage of the darkness.

However, police and security forces busted a hideout inside a house and recovered arms and ammunition.

The Kashmir Zone Police tweeted, "On specific input Security Forces launched a CASO in Kutpora, #Shopian. During search, #terrorists lobbed grenades on the search party. Search party also retaliated. However terrorists escaped due to darkness. Police & SFs busted a #hideout inside a house & recovered Arms/Amns."
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09:26   Maha: 4 wheels of express train come off track after it hits goods train
Four wheels of an express train going from Chhattisgarh to Rajasthan got off the tracks in Gondia district of Maharashtra after it hit a goods train from behind in the wee hours of Wednesday, although nobody was seriously injured, an official said. 
           
The incident occurred around 1.20 am between Gudhma and Gondia railway stations, the official of South East Central Railway (SECR) said.         
        
"Prima facie, the loco pilot of the express  - Bhagat Ki Kothi SF Express (20843) - could not control the train, due to which it hit the brake van of a goods train that was standing ahead of it," a senior SECR official said.
        
"Due to the impact, four wheels of a coach of the express train got off the tracks. But no passenger was seriously injured in the incident. Only a few received minor injuries. One passenger suffering from anxiety was admitted to a hospital," he said. 
        
After being alerted, a medical relief train and railway officials reached the accident site, he added. 
        
Restoration work was carried out immediately, after which the express train continued its further journey, the official said. -- PTI 
Representative image
Representative image
08:40   Drones spotted near Ambala air base, probe initiated
The Indian Air Force has lodged a police complaint at the Ambala Cantonment police station after allegedly spotting two drones flying around Ambala Air Force Station on August 13 and August 15.

An FIR has been filed in this connection, officials said.

As per the Air Force guidelines, flying of drones is prohibited around the Air Force Station.

"We received a complaint on August 15 from the Ambala Air Force Station about spotting a red-coloured drone; another flying object was witnessed on August 13. FIR registered immediately at Ambala Cantt PS u/s 188; action will be taken, probe underway," said Additional Superintendent of Police, Pooja Dabla.

Further investigations are underway.
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08:14   BJP sets target of 35 seats in Bihar for 2024 LS poll

Days after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal-United parted ways with the National Democratic Alliance, the Bharatiya Janata Party has set a target of winning 35 seats in Bihar in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Bihar BJP core committee meeting was conducted at party headquarters in Delhi on Tuesday in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and party president JP Nadda.

Bihar BJP state president Sanjay Jaiswal, BL Santosh, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Sahnawaz Hussain, Mangal Pandey, Janak Ram, Nand Kishore Yadav and many other leaders were present at the meeting. 

After the meeting, Jaiswal said, "the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar is an alliance of deceiving the people. The BJP will fight against it from the street to the state assembly. The party has set the target of winning 35 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections."

"The meeting of Bihar core committee was held today in the presence of President JP Nadda ji and Union Home Minister Amit Shah ji. There has been a very thorough and detailed discussion on all the issues. It is well known that this coalition betrays the people and this is a backdoor alliance which is trying to re-establish Lalu Raj," he added. 

Jaiswal said the BJP will set the record by winning more than 35 seats in Bihar in the 2024 general elections. 

There are 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar out of which 17 are presently held by the BJP while the JD-U has 16 seats. 

Further, Lok Janshakti Party has six seats and the Congress has one seat. 
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01:44   No Mamata pic on posters promising 'new TMC'
Posters claiming that a 'new and reformed TMC will come into being in six months', bearing photographs of party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee but not of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, have been put up in various parts of Kolkata.

The posters were put up mostly in south Kolkata's Hazra and Kalighat areas, both near the Trinamool Congress supremo's residence in Bhowanipore.

However, none of the posters bore Mamata Banerjee's photographs, which has seldom been the case in TMC posters since the party's inception in 1998.

Although most of the party leaders remained tight-lipped over the development, TMC state secretary general Kunal Ghosh, who is considered close to Abhishek Banerjee, said there was nothing wrong with the posters.

"Time and again, Abhishek Banerjee has said that we need to learn and improve ourselves. We need to fulfil the aspirations of the masses. So maybe some over-enthusiastic party workers put up posters with his quotes issued in the past," Ghosh said.

According to TMC insiders, the arrest of senior leaders Partha Chatterjee and Anubrata Mondal will have far-reaching consequences within the party as it will further cement the young brigade's grip on the organisation.

Reacting to the development, state Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said these posters were the fallout of an inner-party struggle with the TMC.

"For last one year, an inner-party struggle within the TMC has been out in the open. But whether it's for good or bad, there is no harm in accepting the truth that Mamata Banerjee is still and will remain the driving force behind the TMC," he said.  -- PTI

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