LIVE: India, China to hold another 'working mechanism' meet on Thursday

The WMCC talks are headed by joint secretary-level officials from both sides. Stay tuned for the latest news of the day

3:08 AM

Imran Khan says Pakistan won't have diplomatic relations with Israel

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has categorically rejected any possibility of establishing diplomatic relations with Israel, according to a media report.

 

"Our policy on Israel is clear: The Quaid-i-Azam (Muhammad Ali Jinnah) had said that Pakistan can never accept state of Israel until the people of Palestine get rights and an independent state, Khan said in an interview with private news channel Dunya TV' on Tuesday.

 

Pakistan and Israel do not have diplomatic relations and their aircraft are not allowed to use each other's airspace.

3:08 AM

PepsiCo hires WTO head Roberto Azevedo as chief corporate affairs officer

Departing World Trade Organization Director General Roberto Azevedo will join PepsiCo as chief corporate affairs officer, the soft drink and snack foods giant said on Wednesday as the WTO remains far from deciding on a successor.

 

PepsiCo said in a statement that Azevedo will oversee its public policy, government affairs and communications efforts in a newly created role that works with governments, international organisations and other stakeholders.

 

8:59 PM

Yanam district of Puducherry flooded due to rise in the water level of river Godavari

8:53 PM

Latest News LIVE: Railways mulls health insurance cover for employees

The Railways on Wednesday said it is contemplating to widen the scope of medical treatment of its 13 lakh employees by providing them a health insurance scheme, according to a PTI report.

 

In a statement, the national transporter said it was already providing medical health facilities to its employees and their dependant family members through 'Railway Employees Liberalized Health Scheme' and 'Central Government Health Services'.

 

"Indian Railways is now proposing to widen the scope of medical treatment of railway employees," it said.

8:43 PM

Sushant Singh Rajput case: CBI team to visit Mumbai for probe into actor's death

After getting a nod from the Supreme Court to probe actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death, a CBI team will visit Mumbai to investigate the case further, according to a PTI report. The CBI, which took over the probe into an FIR registered by the Bihar Police on the basis of a compaint by Rajput's father KK Singh, is yet to visit the megacity regarding the investigation.

 

It has collected relevant material from the Bihar police and has also spoken to some stakeholders in the case, they said. The Supreme Court on Wednesday handed over the probe to the CBI which has already registered an FIR in the matter.

8:27 PM

National Recruitment Agency to conduct online test for govt jobs twice a year: Jitendra Singh

Terming the setting up of a National Recruitment Agency as "historic", Union minister Jitendra Singh on Wednesday said it will conduct an online Common Eligibility Test for shortlisting candidates for majority of central government jobs twice a year, according to a PTI report. He said the multiple recruitment examinations are a burden on the candidates, as also on the respective recruitment agencies, involving avoidable or repetitive expenditure, law and order or security-related issues and venue-related problems.

 

Singh, Minister of State for Personnel, said on an average 2.5-3 crore candidates appear in each of these examinations, but a Common Eligibility Test (CET) would enable these candidates to appear once and apply to any or all of these recruitment agencies for the higher level of examination.

 

"This would indeed be a boon to all the candidates," he said. Singh said there will be two tests per year under the NRA and the scores of the candidates will remain valid for three years.

8:16 PM

Latest News LIVE: Supreme Court dumps plea against Vikas Dubey probe panel

The Supreme Court on Wednesday said the probe into the encounter of gangster Vikas Dubey would be held in public domain, and, as a result, there would be a sufficient safeguard to the way the inquiry is held, according to a PTI report.

 

A bench, headed by Chief Justice S.A. Bobde and comprising Justices A.S. Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian, dismissed a plea filed by advocate Ghanshyam Upadhyay seeking to disband the three-member inquiry commission, headed by Justice B.S. Chauhan (retd), tasked to investigate the extrajudicial killing of Dubey by the Uttar Pradesh Police.

 

The top court said: "The enquiry held would be in public domain and the petitioner has already been granted the liberty of participating therein. The report of the enquiry is ordered to be filed in the petitions which were filed before this court. Therefore, there would be a sufficient safeguard to the manner in which the inquiry would be held."

8:03 PM

777 villages across 16 districts of Uttar Pradesh affected due to flood, 520 villages marooned: CMO

7:50 PM

'One nation, one test' for majority of govt jobs; Cabinet nod to National Recruitment Agency

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved creation of a National Recruitment Agency (NRA) to conduct an online Common Eligibility Test for selecting candidates for majority of central government jobs, according to a PTI report.

 

Briefing the media on the Cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said it was a historic decision that will allow job-seekers take one common test and save costs and time spent on writing multiple exams.

 

The NRA will set up examination centres in every district of the country to help youths, especially women, from rural and far flung areas of the country, as they won't be required to travel to another place to take recruitment tests, the statement issued by the Personnel Ministry said.

7:33 PM

Flood-like situation in Puducherry's Yanam due to a rise in water level of river Godavari

7:26 PM

Latest News LIVE update: Bhagat Singh Koshyari sworn in as Goa Governor

7:21 PM

National Recruitment Agency would create a uniform transformative recruitment process: Amit Shah

6:49 PM

India, China likely to hold another meeting tomorrow, discuss disengagement along LAC in Ladakh

A meeting of Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) is expected to take place on Thursday as part of the dialogue between the two countries for disengagement along LAC in Eastern Ladakh and de-escalation of troops, according to an ANI report.

 

The seventeenth meeting of WMCC was held last month in which the two countries agreed that early and complete disengagement of the troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and de-escalation from India-China border areas in accordance with bilateral agreement and protocols and full restoration of peace and tranquillity was essential for smooth overall development of bilateral relations.

 

The WMCC talks are headed by joint secretary-level officials from both sides.

6:36 PM

Latest News LIVE update: Kerala's Rajamala landslide death toll rises to 62

6:20 PM

Tamil Nadu govt announces ex-gratia of Rs 300,000 each to kin of deceased in Rajamala landslide

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami on Wednesday announced ex-gratia of Rs 300,000 each to the kin of deceased in Rajamala landslide. Financial assistance of Rs 100,000 each was also announced for the severely injured people in the landslide.

 

The death toll in the Rajamala landslide, which was triggered by torrential rains, rose to 62 after a nine-year-old boy's body was recovered in the search operations in Pettimudi in Idukki district of Kerala. The incident occurred in the Idukki district on August 7. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said the government will ensure the rehabilitation of the families affected in the landslide.

6:10 PM

Cabinet approves hike in sugarcane FRP, to benefit 10 million farmers

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a hike in the fair and remunerative price (FRP) of sugarcane by Rs 10 to Rs 285 per quintal, for upcoming crushing season 2020-21 (October-September).

 

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs gave its assent fto the proposal in this regard by the Department of Food under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, on the recommendation of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).

5:53 PM

Latest News LIVE: Cabinet approves setting up of National Recruitment Agency

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the setting up of the 'National Recruitment Agency' to conduct the Common Eligibility Test, said Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar. This, he argued, will benefit the youths seeking jobs, news agency IANS reported.

 

Elaborating on the benefits of the agency, C. Chandramouli, the DoPT Secretary said, "There are more than 20 recruitment agencies in the Central government although we are making exams of just three agencies common as of now. In due course, we will be able to have a Common Eligibility Test for all the recruitment agencies."

 

The National Recruitment Agency (NRA) was proposed by the Modi government in the Union Budget this year. The agency is slated to be an independent organisation which will conduct a Common Eligibility Test, for selection to government jobs or so said the proposal during the Budget.

5:35 PM

Tablighi Jamaat: Enforcement Directorate conducts multi-city raids

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday conducted multi-city searches in connection with a money laundering case filed againstTablighi Jamaat leader Maulana Saad Kandhalvi, trusts linked to the Jamaat and others, officials said. They said various premises in Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad and a few other locations are being raided to collect evidence.

 

The action is being carried out under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the ED said. The central probe agency had filed a money laundering case in April against Maulana Saad and others after it took cognisance of a Delhi Police complaint against these entities.

5:31 PM

Militant killed in encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district

5:22 PM

Fans of Sushant Singh Rajput burst crackers celebrating the Supreme Court's decision to have CBI probe

5:18 PM

SC invokes Article 142 of Constitution for CBI into SSR death case, cites 'complete justice'

The Supreme Court ruling ordering a CBI probe into the unnatural death of Sushant Singh Rajput will be remembered as a case where a single judge bench exercised the powers under Article 142 of the Constitution, according to an IANS report.

 

Justice Hrishikesh Roy cited the Justice L.S. Panta judgement, "Under Article 142 of the Constitution, this court in exercise of its jurisdiction may pass such decree or make such order as is necessary for doing complete justice in any "cause" or "matter" pending before it. The expression "cause" or "matter" would include any proceeding pending in court and it would cover almost every kind of proceeding in court, including civil or criminal."

 

The apex court cited that its power under Article 142(1) to do "complete justice" is entirely of different level and of a different quality.

4:56 PM

Health Ministry's 'eSanjeevani' telemedicine service records 200,000 tele-consultations

The 'eSanjeevani' digital platform of the Union government has provided two lakh tele-consultations,the health ministry said on Wednesday. This milestone was achieved in 10 days only sinceAugust 9 when Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan presided over a review meetingwith states and Union territories to commemorate the completion of 1.5 lakh tele-consultations.

 

In a short span of time since November 2019, tele-consultation by 'eSanjeevani' has been implemented by 23 states (which covers 75per centof the population) and other states are in the process of rolling it out

 

"In what can be seen as a big push for the 'Digital India' initiative of the prime minister, the eSanjeevani platform has proved its usefulness and easy access for the caregivers and the medical community, and those seeking healthcare services in the time of COVID-19," the ministry said

4:40 PM

Maharashtra govt allows resumption of inter-district bus services of state transport corporation

4:35 PM

Three more airports to be leased to private firms for 50 years, says govt

The airports in Jaipur, Thiruvanthapuram and Guwahati airports will be leased to private companies for development, operation and maintenance on a public-private partnership (PPP) model for 50 years, said the government on Wednesday as it sought to open up the aviation sector, which has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.

 

The three airports are part of the six airports won by the Adani group under a competitive bidding process. The group had in February signed a concession agreement with state-run Airports Authority of India (AAI) to manage airports in Ahmedabad, Lucknow and Mangalore but approval regarding the other three had been deferred.

 

Privatisation of airports, development of maintenance repair and overhaul facilities along with freeing up of defence airspace for passenger aircraft have been proposed as the government’s relief plan to support the aviation sector amid the pandemic. READ MORE...

4:30 PM

Those involved in the dastardly crime will be brought to justice: Sushant Singh Rajput's family

4:27 PM

Prashant Bhushan moves SC, seeks deferment of hearing on sentence till review plea considered

A day before the scheduled hearing on quantum of sentence, activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan who has been held guilty of criminal contempt for his two derogatory tweets, moved the Supreme Court seeking deferment of the proceedings till a review petition is filed and considered, news agency PTI reported.

 

The top court on August 14 held Bhushan guilty of criminal contempt for his derogatory tweets against the judiciary saying they cannot be said to be a fair criticism of the functioning of the judiciary made in the public interest.

 

The apex court had said it would hear on August 20, the arguments on the quantum of sentence to be awarded to Bhushan in the matter. A contemnor can be punished with simple imprisonment of up to six months or with a fine of up to Rs 2,000 or with both.

4:27 PM

Tamil Nadu govt announces ex-gratia of Rs 300,000 each to kin of deceased in Rajamala landslide

4:10 PM

Cabinet approves proposal for leasing out Jaipur, Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram airports

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the proposal for leasing out airports at Jaipur, Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram through public-private partnership (PPP). Adani Enterprises had won the rights to run six airports -- Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Mangaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, and Guwahati -- through PPP model after a competitive bidding process in February 2019, according to a PTI report.

 

These six airports are owned by the Airports Authority of India (AAI). Adani Enterprises had signed the concessionaire agreement with AAI for three airports - Ahmedabad, Mangaluru and Lucknow - on February 14, 2020.

 

At a press conference on Wednesday, Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said the cabinet has approved the proposal for leasing out Jaipur, Guwahati, Thiruvananthapuram airports through PPP model.

4:02 PM

Govt to set up National Recruitment Agency to hold common govt job exam

The government on Wednesday approved the proposal to set up a National Recruitment Agency (NRA) to conduct a common examination for jobs in the government and state-owned banks. This “historic decision”, Information & Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said, was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

 

This Common Eligibility Test will help "youngsters of the country find jobs easily”, said Javadekar, explaining that this will remove the hassle of multiple tests for various government jobs and make the process smoother and simpler. “Candidates for government jobs appear for multiple examinations and pay repetitive fees. The NRA will remove these pain points with a common test for multiple government jobs.”

Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office Jitendra Singh called this a "revolutionary reform”. READ MORE...

3:50 PM

Merit list of Common Entrance Test will remain valid for 3 years: Union Minister Jitendra Singh on National Recruitment Agency