Breaking News, August 23

As Russia's war on Ukraine drags on, U.S. security assistance is shifting to a longer-term campaign that will likely keep more American military troops in Europe into the future, including imminent plans to announce an additional roughly $3 billion in aid to train and equip Ukrainian forces to fight for years to come, U.S. officials said.

West Bengal Police rescued at least 17 cows when the milk van in which they were being transported overturned in Purulia district on Tuesday, an officer said. Five cows were killed and five were injured in the mishap and three persons including the driver and two helpers of the vehicle were detained, the officer said. The milk van overturned on NH 60 near Bishpuria village panchayat office in Hura at around 2.30 pm, he said.

Three persons including a three-year-old boy were injured in the explosion of an LPG cylinder in Dombivli city of Thane district on Tuesday evening, an official said.

Chhattisgarh on Tuesday reported 234 new COVID-19 cases at a positivity rate of 2.46 per cent, taking the overall tally to 11,72,708, while no fresh death linked to the infection was reported in the state, an official said.

An ITBP jawan and his wife were killed when their car collided with a truck in the Sadar area here on Tuesday, police said. The collision occurred on the Jaipur-Bikaner bypass Tuesday afternoon while overtaking the truck, they said.

The Jharkhand government on Tuesday signed a pact with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) of the British High Commission, New Delhi to award the Chevening Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Scholarship to five scholars belonging to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes and minority community in the state.

A sharp shooter of Nasir gang along with his sister and associate were arrested for allegedly killing a person in order to usurp his flat in southeast Delhi's Jamia Nagar area, police said on Tuesday. The accused have been identified as Mohammad Azim alias Sultan Azim (40), resident of Welcome, his sister Nahid Abbasi (38) and Arman (19), both residents of Jamia Nagar, police said.

An illegal liquor factory was busted with the arrest of four inter-state smugglers and seizure of large quantity of illicit liquor in Jharkhand's Chatra district on Tuesday, a police officer said.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Tuesday supported suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma over her remarks against Prophet Mohammad.

Delhi Police's Crime Branch has arrested two men for allegedly carrying illegal weapons, officials said on Tuesday. The accused have been identified as Saif Ali, 26, and Zubair, 26, they said.

The police seized 17 cattle, including cows, which were being transported illegally in a truck in Maharashtra's Aurangabad district, police said on Tuesday.

A clerk in the Maharashtra Land Records department and two others were arrested in Palghar district on Tuesday for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 30,000, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) said.

A wild elephant has died after allegedly falling into a septic tank in the backyard of an uninhabited house near a forest area in this district, forest officials said on Tuesday.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) suspended its Telangana MLA T Raja Singh for his controversial remarks targeting Islam. 

A man from Osmanabad district in Maharashtra tried to commit suicide by setting himself on fire outside the Vidhan Bhavan in Mumbai on Tuesday morning, a police official said. Police personnel on duty in the area doused the flames and rushed him to a hospital, he said. Subhash Bhanudas Deshmukh, from Tandulwadi village of Washi tehsil in Osmanabad, set himself ablaze following a fight with his brother, the official said. "He is not a farmer. We are trying to get information and ascertain the exact reason behind taking such a step," he said.  The man was rushed to the GT Hospital with 20 to 30 per cent burns, the official said. He is conscious and the Marine Drive police are conducting further probe into the incident, he added. 

The Bombay High Court refused to quash the Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal's (MAT) order revoking the suspension and ordering for reinstatement of a senior police officer, noting the suspension orders cannot be kept pending indefinitely. Dhiraj Patil, a superintendent of police level officer, held the post of executive director (security and enforcement) at the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co Ltd (MSEDCL), at the time of his suspension. A division bench of Justices Gautam Patel and Gauri Godse on August 18 dismissed the petition filed by a woman who had challenged the MAT's July 2022 order, revoking Patil's suspension and directing for his reinstatement in service. The MAT had also directed for the departmental enquiry initiated against Patil to be completed within three months.

BJP on Tuesday charged Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with "deliberate insult" to Hindu sensibilities for taking along a minister from the Muslim community inside an ancient temple where entry of people of other faiths is prohibited. Kumar had on Monday offered prayers at the famed Vishnupad temple in Gaya where he was accompanied by Mohd Israil Mansuri, a cabinet colleague from his new ally RJD. Mansuri, a Pasmanda Muslim who holds the Information Technology portfolio, had later told reporters, "I feel blessed to have got the opportunity for a darshan of the temple with the honourable chief minister".

The Congress on Tuesday officially launched the website and tagline for the pan-India 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' scheduled to begin on September 7 from Kanyakumari. It said that the aim of the yatra is to unite India; to come together and get the country back on its feet.Veteran leaders Jairam Ramesh and Digvijaya Singh jointly launched the detailed programme of the event. After being kick-started on September 7, the yatra will pass through 12 states and culminate in Jammu and Kashmir - spanning a distance of nearly 3,500 kilometres in a time period of about 150 days. Senior leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, will actively participate in the march. Those who are unable to join physically, will help spread its message by organising events and participating in online campaigns.

BSP chief Mayawati on Tuesday termed as "disgraceful" the alleged remarks made of BJP leader T Raja Singh against a religion and asked was it not the responsibility of the party's leadership to restrain its people to maintain peace in the country. The BJP's Telangana MLA was arrested on Tuesday for his alleged controversial remarks against a particular religion. On Monday, the BJP MLA released a video criticising stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui, who recently performed in the city. Singh is also purportedly seen making some comments against the religion in it. In a tweet, the BSP president said "The heated atmosphere across the country has not even cooled down completely over the controversial remarks by now-suspended Nupur Sharma. Now another BJP leader, Telangana MLA Raja Singh did the same kind of provocative act, which is disgraceful and utterly condemnable."

The Supreme Court on Tuesday (August 23) referred to a five-judge bench the petitions filed by the Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde raising several constitutional questions related to defection, merger and disqualification. A bench headed by Chief Justice NV Ramana ordered the listing of petitions before the constitution bench on Thursday and directed the Election Commission not to pass any orders on Shinde faction's plea that it be considered the real Shiv Sena and granted the party's poll symbol.

Four earthquakes jolted Jammu and Kashmir in less than six hours on Tuesday, officials said. No loss of life or damage to property was reported, they said. The epicentre of the first quake, which occurred at 2.20 am, was 61 km east of Katra area in Jammu region, they said. The officials said the quake hit at latitude 33.07 degrees north and longitude 75.58 degrees east at a depth of 10 km. The second earthquake of 2.6 magnitude occurred 9.5 km north east of Doda in Jammu region at 3.21 am, they said. The quake hit at latitude 33.23 degrees north and longitude 75.56 degrees east at a depth of 5 km. The third quake of 2.8 magnitude occurred 29 km east of Udhampur in Jammu region at 3.44 am on Tuesday, they said. The quake hit at latitude 32.89 degrees north and longitude 75.45 degrees east at a depth of 10 km. The fourth earthquake of 2.9 magnitude occurred 26 km south east of Udhampur at 8.03 am, they said. It occurred at latitude 32.83 degrees north and longitude 75.40 degrees east at a depth of 5 km. 

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Mangaluru on September 2 to attend various programmes. Modi will inaugurate six projects, including Anagha Refinery and berth number 14 at New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT). He will also lay foundation to the Sagarmala project. Later, the PM will address a convention, which is likely to take place at Goldfinch grounds at Kulur. Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner K V Rajendra has confirmed the visit of Modi. All preparations including security arrangements have begun ahead of the visit. Modi will inaugurate first indigenous aircraft carrier war ship INS Vikrant on September 2. He will take part in the public programme in the afternoon and leave for Delhi in the evening. 

BJP leader Raja Singh was taken into custody on Tuesday for his alleged controversial remarks against a particular religion, police said. On Monday, the BJP MLA released a video criticising stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui, who recent performed in the city and also against the religion. Singh is purportedly seen making some comments against the religion. Several people belonging to a community staged a protest in the old city area on Monday night demanding the BJP leader’s arrest. 

The rupee depreciated 4 paise to 79.88 against the US dollar in opening trade on Tuesday tracking a strong American currency and risk aversion in domestic markets. At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 79.85 against the dollar, then fell to 79.88, registering a decline of 4 paise over the last close. On Monday, the rupee closed at 79.84 against the dollar. "The rupee could continue to extend losses in the week and possibly test new lows on prospects that the US Federal Reserve will continue to deliver large rate hikes," said Sriram Iyer, Senior Research Analyst at Reliance Securities. Moreover, worries about inflation could also keep the local unit under pressure. However, the presence of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) could cap losses in the domestic unit.

Equity benchmarks began the trade on a weak note on Tuesday amid a sell-off in world stock markets but later traded with high volatility. The 30-share BSE Sensex fell 601.39 points to 58,172.48 in early trade. The broader NSE Nifty declined 145.5 points to 17,345.20. Later, both the benchmark indices turned volatile swinging between gains and losses. The Sensex quoted 88.72 points higher at 58,862.59, while the Nifty climbed 33.50 points to 17,524.20 after initial decline. From the Sensex pack, Infosys, Tech Mahindra, HCL Technologies, Wipro, Tata Consultancy Services, IndusInd Bank, Dr Reddy's Lab and HDFC Bank were the major laggards in early trade.

Indian Army on Monday night thwarted an infiltration attempt at the Line of Control (LoC) in the Rajouri district of Jammu. According to an defence official in Jammu, the Indian Army successfully stopped an attempt of infiltration at the LoC border in the Naushera Sector of Rajouri, Jammu and Kashmir.

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Pfizer has asked US regulators to authorise its combination COVID-19 vaccine that adds protection against the newest omicron relatives — a key step toward opening a fall booster campaign. The Food and Drug Administration on Monday ordered vaccine makers to tweak their shots to target BA.4 and BA.5 that are better than ever at dodging immunity from earlier vaccination or infection. Pfizer and its partner BioNTech aim to offer updated boosters to people 12 and older, and shots could begin within weeks if the FDA quickly clears the modified vaccine — a step not expected to require waiting on new studies.

The Shivnath Express train derailed at Dongargarh in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday while it was heading to Nagpur to Maharashtra, railway officials said. No casualty was reported, they said. Five wheels of two trolleys next to the train's engine derailed at the Dongargarh yard at 3.42 am, a railway official told PTI. The train was on way from Korba in Chhattisgarh to Itwari in Nagpur, he said. No passenger was injured. They were provided food and snacks, the official said.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia will on Tuesday interact with youth in Gujarat's Bhavnagar city on the issues of education and employment on the second day of their visit to the state where elections are due later this year. On Monday, the two Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders participated in a programme in Himmatnagar where they interacted with voters. AAP national convener Kejriwal and Sisodia, who is the education minister of Delhi, will hold a town hall meet on education and employment on Tuesday with youth from Gujarat in Bhavnagar, a state party official said.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has demanded a halt to “nuclear saber-rattling”, saying the world is at a “maximum moment of danger” and all countries with nuclear weapons must make a commitment to “no first-use”. nThe UN chief on Monday told the Security Council that the commitment to dialogue and reason that led to the recent deal restarting grain and fertiliser shipments from Ukraine and Russia must be applied to “the critical situation” at Europe's largest nuclear power plant at Zaporizhzhia in southeastern Ukraine, where continued shelling and fighting in the area has raised fears of a nuclear catastrophe.

The US State Department has issued a security alert warning that Russia is stepping up efforts to launch strikes against Ukraine's civilian infrastructure and government facilities in the coming days. The US Embassy in Kyiv on Monday urged US citizens still in Ukraine to depart the country immediately. “If you hear a loud explosion or if sirens are activated, immediately seek cover,” the State Department said in its alert.

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and Union minister Anurag Thakur will on Tuesday address four functions on the state's Diamond Jubilee, officials said. The functions are being held in Solan, Shimla, Hamirpur, and Una districts on 75 years of the formation of Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday. The Chief Minister will preside over two functions in Solan's Kunihar and Shimla's Baloh at 11 am and 3 pm respectively, they added. Similarly, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur will attend functions at Bumbloo in Hamirpur district and Bangana in Una district at 11 am and 2 pm respectively as the chief guest. 

A journalist who ran an online local news programme was shot to death in southern Mexico, making him the 15th media worker killed so far this year nationwide. Prosecutors in the southern state of Guerrero said on Monday that Fredid Román was gunned down in the state capital, Chilpancingo. Román's programme, “The Reality of Guerrero”, focused heavily on state-level politics. He also wrote a column.

The flood situation in several northern Odisha districts, including Balasore, turned grim on Monday, with the swollen rivers inundating low-lying areas, leaving people in at least 134 villages marooned, officials said. Rivers such as Subarnarekha, Budhabalang, Jalaka and Baitarani in north Odisha are in spate due to heavy rain caused by a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal, and subsequent flood water release from Jharkhand, they said. As many as 251 villages in the districts of Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Jajpur and Bhadrak have been impacted by the north Odisha floods, while the total number of affected population crossed 9.66 lakhs, the officials said.

Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora will hold his first 'Jan-Sunwai' (public hearing) in his office at the city police headquarters from August 24 onwards, officials said on Monday. This will be the first 'Jan Sunwai' session by a Delhi Police chief in two years. In the past, 'Jan Sunwai' was conducted to meet complainants to address their grievances but the practice was stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Arora, who took charge as Delhi Police commissioner on August 1, will restart 'Jan Sunwai'. According to an official circular, 'Jan Sunwai' will commence from August 24. It will be held from Monday to Friday from 10 am to 12 noon. "Vigilance Division of Delhi shall be the nodal agency for 'Jan Sunwai' and Special Commissioner of Police (Vigilance) shall create a 'Jan Sunwai Desk' at the PHQ to facilitate the public and it shall be the first point of contact for all visitors who wish to attend 'Jan Sunwai'," the circular said.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday held a meeting with party leaders from Telangana, including state unit chief Revanth Reddy. Priyanka Gandhi said she was happy that the leaders have renewed their resolve to fight unitedly against both the state and central governments. Revanth Reddy, AICC in-charge of Telangana, Manickam Tagore and N Uttam Kumar Reddy among others attended the meeting. "Had a good meeting with leaders from Telangana today and I am happy that they have renewed their resolve to fight unitedly against both the state and central government," she said in a tweet. The Legislative Assembly elections in the state are more than one year away, towards the end of 2023.