New updates: Vinesh's petition for silver in Olympics 2024 has been dismissed, says IOA President

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9:23 PM

Vinesh Phogat's petition for silver in Olympics 2024 has been dismissed

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President Dr PT Usha has expressed her shock and disappointment at the decision of the Sole Arbitrator at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to dismiss wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s application against the United World Wrestling (UWW) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

9:18 PM

PM Modi likely to travel to New York next month

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit New York next month to attend the UN's Summit of the Future, which is likely to be attended by a host of world leaders, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. The Summit is scheduled to be held on September 22 and 23. In New York, the prime minister is also set to address an Indian community event besides holding talks with a number of world leaders on the sidelines of the Summit, the people said.

8:55 PM

Delhi receives light rain, mercury settles at 35.4 degrees Celsius

The maximum temperature in Delhi on Wednesday was recorded at 35.4 degrees Celsius, a notch above the season's normal even as parts of the city received scattered rains and an overcast sky prevailed in many areas, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

 

The relative humidity level stood at 70 per cent at 5.30 pm.

 

Very light rain was recorded in several areas with Delhi's weather stations like Ridge and Delhi University recording 4mm of rainfall between 2.30 pm to 5.30 pm.

 

The weather office had predicted light rain accompanied by thunderstorm during the day.

 

The downpour is expected to continue on the Independence Day on Thursday with moderate rain and cloudy sky predicted for the day.

 

A spell of light rain (upto 5mm)/thunderstorm during morning, forenoon hours and one or two spells of light rain during noon to night hours is expected over the Red Fort where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hoist the national flag.

 

For the next two days the city will be under a Yellow Alert, indicating to 'be aware', as per the IMD's colour codes.

 

Thereafter, the rains are expected to continue till August 20, according to the IMD.

8:21 PM

75 ASHAs, ANMs felicitated by health ministry

Union Minister Anupriya Patel on Wednesday felicitated 75 ASHAs (Accredited Social Health Activists) and ANMs (Auxiliary Nurse Midwives) for their efforts towards the success of various health initiatives.

 

They have been invited to the 78th Independence Day ceremony at the Red Fort as special guests, the health ministry said in a statement.

 

"There are currently more than 10.29 lakh ASHAs and 89,000 ANMs who serve as the cornerstone of community health in our country and play a crucial role in transforming healthcare at the grassroots," minister of state for health said.

 

"Their contributions include mobilising communities, facilitating health services, providing community-level healthcare, and promoting health awareness. Their dedication has been essential in delivering vital health services to even the most remote and vulnerable populations," Patel said.

 

Underlining the contributions of ASHAs and ANMs in advancing India's maternal, child, and adolescent health, Patel said they have played a pivotal role in improving the landscape of maternal, child, and adolescent health in India, with an 82 per cent decline in the maternal mortality ratio since 1990.

8:19 PM

Rains in Himachal lead to closure of 75 roads

A total of 75 roads, including two national highways, are closed in Himachal Pradesh following landslides and flash floods triggered by rains in several parts of the state since the past week, officials said on Wednesday.

 

The local meteorological office has issued a 'yellow' alert for heavy rain in isolated parts of the state till Sunday and also warned of low flash floods in parts of Sirmaur district till Thursday.

 

Intermittent rains continued to lash parts of the state since Tuesday evening and Narkanda recorded 47 mm of rain followed by Dharamshala (42.2 mm), Kangra (35.9 mm), Sundernagar (34 mm), Nahan (23.8 mm), Brahmani (19.2 mm), Sujanpur Tira (16 mm), Bharari (15.2 mm), Palampur (14.4 mm) and Rampur (11.2 mm).

 

The State Emergency Operation Centre said that 31 roads were closed in Shimla, 18 in Mandi, 12 in Kullu, five in Kangra, three in Kinnaur, two each in Chamba, Lahaul and Spiti, and Sirmaur on Wednesday evening.

 

The State Emergency Operation Centre said that 105 water supply and 19 power schemes were also affected.

7:59 PM

Watch the President's full Independence Day speech here

7:52 PM

Independence Day address: President recalls sacrifices of freedom fighters

President Droupadi Murmu said, "When we hear them talking about our great nation and about the privilege of being a citizen of it, we find in their words echoes of what our great freedom fighters used to say. Then we realise that we are part of a chain that binds the dreams of those who participated in the freedom struggle and the aspirations of those who will witness the nation regaining its full glory in the years to come."

7:32 PM

Imports from China up 13% to $10.2 bn, exports dip 9.44% to $1.5 bn in July

India's exports to China dipped by 9.44 per cent to $1.05 billion, while imports rose by 13.05 per cent to $10.28 billion in July, according to the commerce ministry data. Cumulatively, during April-July this fiscal, exports to the neighbouring country also dipped by 4.54 per cent to $4.8 billion, while imports grew 9.66 per cent to $35.85 billion, leaving a trade deficit of $31.31 billion, the data showed.

6:52 PM

Rahul Navin, Special Director, ED has been appointed as Director of Enforcement Directorate

6:52 PM

Karnataka govt orders state departments to close accounts in SBI & PNB with immediate effect

The Karnataka government on Wednesday ordered all departments to close their accounts in SBI and PNB. All state departments have been directed to close accounts and recover deposits with immediate effect, according to MoneyControl report.

6:31 PM

Thai parliament to hold special session on Friday to select new PM

Thailand's parliament will convene on Friday for a special meeting to choose a new prime minister, the legislature announced on its website, following the court's dismissal of Srettha Thavisin as premier. According to parliamentary rules, a candidate nominated for prime minister must win support of more than half of the lower house, which currently has 493 members.

6:24 PM

Horrors seen during Partition now happening in Bangladesh, Pakistan: Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said the horrors seen during Partition are now happening in Bangladesh and Pakistan. "The date and faces might have changed but the nature of incidents is the same as 1947. It is still happening in Pakistan. It is happening in Bangladesh," he said at a function here on Partition Horrors Remembrance Day.

6:10 PM

Congress nominates Abhishek Manu Singhvi as its candidate for Rajya Sabha bypoll in Telangana

Abhishek Manu Singhvi, a senior Congress leader, is a senior advocate. 

6:01 PM

P Harish to be India's next envoy to UN in New York

Seasoned diplomat Parvathaneni Harish was on Wednesday appointed as India's next ambassador to the United Nations in New York. Harish, a 1990-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, is presently serving as India's ambassador to Germany. He is expected to take up the assignment shortly, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a brief statement. The position of India's ambassador or permanent representative to the UN has been lying vacant after Ruchira Kamboj retired in June.

5:56 PM

Complaint filed at International Crime Tribunal accuses Hasina, others of committing crimes against humanity

A complaint was filed on Wednesday with the investigation agency of Bangladesh's International Crime Tribunal against deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and several others, accusing them of committing crimes against humanity during the recent mass movement of the students against her government. "The complaint was filed by the father of one of the students who died in police gunshots during the massive street protests," an official of the agency said.

5:51 PM

Doctor murder: Cong leader Adhir demands exemplary punishment of culprits

Demanding the immediate arrest and punishment of those involved in the alleged rape-murder of a woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital here, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Wednesday claimed that law and order in West Bengal had reached its lowest point under TMC rule. Extending full support for the midnight protests planned across the state, he urged Congress workers to participate as ordinary citizens, not as political representatives.

5:46 PM

Delhi airport's new T1 terminal to be operational from Aug 17

Delhi airport operator DIAL on Wednesday said the new T1 terminal will be operational from August 17, with IndiGo and SpiceJet set to shift a significant part of their domestic operations to the new terminal. The old T1 was temporarily shut on June 28 following a roof collapse incident and flight operations from there were shifted to Terminal 2 (T2) and Terminal 3 (T3).

4:56 PM

Allahabad HC rejects BJP leader Maneka Gandhi's plea against Sultanpur MP's election

The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday rejected a plea moved by Senior BJP leade Maneka Gandhi challenging the election of Samajwadi Party MP Ram Bhuwal Nishad from the Sultanpur Lok Sabha constituency.

4:47 PM

SC rejects plea challenging NMC's decision to not conduct NEET-Super Speciality examination in 2024

The petition had termed the decision to indefinitely put off the NEET–Super Speciality Examination 2024 as arbitrary and irrational.

4:42 PM

Weakening the military is weakening the nation: Pak Army chief Gen Munir

Addressing the Azadi Parade at the Pakistan Military Academy on the eve of the country's 78th Independence Day, Pakistan's Army chief General Asim Munir asserted that any attempt to undermine the nation's powerful military is tantamount to weakening the country. The Chief of Army Staff also underscored the importance of maintaining national unity amidst efforts by foreign powers using "digital terrorism" to create a gulf between state institutions and the people of Pakistan.

4:38 PM

Patna HC reinstates CRPF constable dismissed for being absent to take care of ailing mother

The Patna High Court has ordered the reinstatement of a CRPF personnel who was dismissed from the service on account of being absent from duty for 196 days to take care of his mother, a cancer patient. Taking a "sympathetic approach" towards the constable, a division bench comprising Justices P B Bajanthri and Alok Kumar Pandey also directed that its order be implemented within three months.

4:26 PM

Bihar HC sets aside conviction of former Bihar lawmaker Anant Singh

The Patna High Court on Wednesday set aside the conviction of former Bihar MLA Anant Kumar Singh, in two cases of similar nature which had earned him sentences of 10 years each. Justice Chandra Shekhar Jha allowed appeals of Singh challenging the orders of MP/MLA court, Patna, passed in June and July. Singh is now expected to walk out of jail.

4:25 PM

Delhi HC issues notice to Bansuri Swaraj after LS election result challenged

The Delhi High Court has  issued a notice to BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj on AAP leader Somnath Bharti's petition challenging her election in Lok Sabha polls 2024. 

4:19 PM

Two workers killed in explosion at fireworks unit in TN, CM announces compensation

Two workers were killed on the spot in an explosion at a fireworks unit near here on Wednesday and Chief Minister M K Stalin announced a solatium of Rs 3 lakh to the kin of each of the deceased. The dead workers were identified as 65-year old G Pullakutti and 35-year old J Karthik Easwaran and two others -- S Bose (35) and P Manikandan (31)-- sustained injuries and they were admitted at the Sivakasi government hospital. Expressing grief, Stalin conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families.

4:10 PM

Will try those involved in killings in International Crimes Tribunal: Bangladesh interim govt

Bangladesh's interim government says it will try those involved in killings during mass movement of students in International Crimes Tribunal.

3:56 PM

Cong capable of winning on its own in Haryana, no talks with any party for alliance: Bhupinder Hooda

The Congress is capable of winning the Haryana assembly polls on its own and no talks have been held with any party for an alliance, former Harayana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has said, indicating that his party may not have a tie-up with the AAP in the upcoming elections. Hooda also stressed that winnability would be the criteria for ticket distribution for the assembly polls.

3:47 PM

Delhi HC judge recuses himself from hearing plea of Sukesh Chandrasekhar

Delhi High Court Justice Subramonium Prasad has withdrawn from hearing a petition involving alleged conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar. Chandrasekhar had petitioned for more meetings with his legal representatives while in prison, citing the numerous legal proceedings against him.

3:41 PM

Supreme Court stays coercive proceedings against TN YouTuber, issues notice to state govt

In a relief to Savukku Shankar, the Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the coercive proceedings against the well-known YouTuber in 16 FIRs lodged by the Tamil Nadu Police against him in cases emanating from his interview to a YouTube channel. Shankar (48) was arrested by the Coimbatore Police from southern Theni on May 4 for alleged derogatory statements about women police personnel in an interview to YouTube channel "RedPix 24x7" on April 30, which led to several FIRs against him.

3:37 PM

Finance Ministry exempts UIDAI from payment of income tax

The finance ministry has exempted the income of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) from payment of income tax for five years till fiscal 2027-28.Accordingly, grants/subsidies received from the central government; fees/ subscriptions, including RTI fee, tender fee, sale of scrap, PVC card; authentication, enrolment and updation service charges received; term/fixed deposits; and interest on bank deposits earned by UIDAI would be exempt from income tax. A notification to this effect was issued by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) under the Ministry of Finance.

3:22 PM

Telangana CM Revanth Reddy returns to Hyderabad after US, South Korea trip

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy returned to Hyderabad on Wednesday after a successful tour of US and South Korea to attract investments to the state.

Revanth Reddy and his team, including state Industries Minister D Sridhar Babu, were accorded a grand welcome when they arrived at the RGI airport here.