News updates: PM Modi to visit Ukraine on Aug 23 to hold talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

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10:23 PM

PM Modi meets Japanese MEA Yoko Kamikawa and defence minister Minoru Kihara

10:14 PM

CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury admitted to Aiims due to pneumonia

Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences on Monday after he complained of a high fever, sources said.

 

According to hospital sources, Yechury was admitted in the emergency department of the hospital in the evening.

 

However, the exact nature of his ailment was not revealed by the hospital.

 

A source from the CPI(M) said he had gone for a checkup, and was admitted due to pneumonia.

 

The source added that he was undergoing treatment and he is fine.

 

"There is nothing serious, he has been admitted due to pneumonia," the source said.

 

The CPI(M) leader had recently undergone a cataract surgery.

9:55 PM

CAS reasons that onus lies on Vinesh to remain below weight limit

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has ruled that athletes will have to ensure that they remain below their wight limit and no exception can be provided under any circumstance, while giving reasons for its rejection of Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat's appeal against her disqualification from the Paris Olympics final.

 

An ad-hoc division of the CAS had on August 14 rejected her appeal against a gut-wrenching disqualification from the final for being 100gm overweight, a decision that evoked a sharp reaction from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).

 

The CAS on Monday published a detailed decision, furnishing reasons why Vinesh's appeal was rejected.

 

"The problem for the Athlete is that the Rules are clear as to the weight limit and are the same for all participants. There is no tolerance provided for - it is an upper limit. It does not even allow for the weight of the singlet. It is clearly up to an athlete to ensure that they remain below that limit," the CAS said.

9:54 PM

Tribal Affairs Minister Oram admitted to Aiims

Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram was admitted to AIIMS, Delhi, on Monday, official sources said.

 

He was admitted around 9 pm in the new private ward under Dr Anant Mohan, head of the Department of Pulmonary Medicine and Sleep Disorders.

 

"He is stable," an official source said.

 

Oram's wife Jhingia Oram (58) died of dengue on Saturday while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Odisha's Bhubaneswar.

 

He was also undergoing treatment at the same hospital after being diagnosed with dengue.

9:49 PM

India boosts gold reserves by 9.33 tonnes to 840.78 tonnes in 2024

India increased its gold reserves by 9.331 tonnes, bringing the total amount of gold it holds to 840.779 tonnes as of June 2024, according to data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

8:46 PM

Cong leaders protest rising crime against women in Uttarakhand, slam BJP govt

Congress leaders on Monday staged protests against the recent surge in incidents of crime against women in Uttarakhand, slamming the BJP-led government and state police.

 

While Leader of Opposition in Uttarakhand Assembly Yashpal Arya led a one-hour "maun upwas" (silent fast) at Ranikhet, state Congress chief Karan Mahara observed it in Haldwani with other party leaders and workers.

 

Earlier in the day, Arya issued a statement saying the recent spate in incidents of rape and murder of women in Uttarakhand highlighted how unsafe they were in the BJP-led state.

 

"The rape and murder of a nurse from Rudrapur in Udham Singh Nagar district and the rape of a teenaged girl inside a bus at the ISBT in the state capital barely a week later show how insecure women have become in the state," Arya said in a statement here.

 

The Congress leader also highlighted the alleged gangrape and murder of a minor recently in Haridwar.

8:24 PM

Cooperation between India and Poland essential for strenthening ties, says Poland's Chargé d’affaires to India

Economic cooperation between India and Poland essential for strenthening bilateral ties, says Poland's Chargé d’affaires to India.

7:40 PM

146 roads blocked in Himachal amid heavy rains, Met sounds yellow alert

Heavy rains continued to lash several parts of the Himachal Pradesh on Monday, shutting 146 roads for vehicular movement and disrupting 310 power schemes, officials said.

 

The Shimla Meteorological Department has sounded a 'yellow' alert for heavy rain in isolated parts of the state till Wednesday and cautioned of the possibility of damage to plantations, crops, vulnerable structures and kutcha houses.

 

The state emergency operation centre said 48 roads were blocked in Shimla, 43 in Mandi, 33 in Kullu, 10 in Kangra, five in Solan, three in Sirmaur, two in Kinnaur, one each in Una and Bilaspur district, on Monday morning following heavy rainfall.

 

The rains also disrupted 301 power and 20 water supply schemes in the state, the centre said.

7:39 PM

PM Modi to visit Ukraine on Aug 23

Days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Kyiv, India on Monday said it is willing to contribute in finding a peaceful solution to the conflict in Ukraine.

 

Modi will visit the Ukrainian capital on August 23 to hold talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

 

India has always been advocating diplomacy and dialogue to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, Tanmaya Lal, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), said at a media briefing.

 

The ongoing conflict in Ukraine will form a part of discussions, he said.

 

India has independent ties with both Russia and Ukraine, Lal said replying to a question.

 

Modi will travel to Poland before visiting Ukraine.

7:30 PM

Reserve Bank of India approves IndusInd Bank's request to set up new Mutual Funds subsidiary

The Reserve Bank of India on Monday gave IndusInd Bank the green light to start a fully owned subsidiary for managing mutual funds. This approval includes investing equity in the new asset management company, as long as certain additional conditions are met, IndusInd Bank said.

7:29 PM

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's office releases statement on PM Modi's upcoming visit

Office of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issues statement - On August 23, the National Flag Day of Ukraine, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi will pay an official visit to Ukraine. This is the first visit of an Indian Prime Minister to Ukraine in the history of our bilateral relations. During the visit, in particular, the talks with the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be held to discuss issues of bilateral and multilateral cooperation. It is also expected that a number of documents between Ukraine and India will be signed.

6:34 PM

PM Modi set to visit Poland on August 21-22, meet Polish counterpart Donald Tusk: MEA

6:05 PM

Japan’s Foreign Minister arrives in India for India-Japan 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministers’ meet

6:04 PM

CRPF inspector killed in Udhampur terrorist attack

CRPF inspector killed after terrorists attack joint party of the force and SOG of J&K Police in Udhampur district, according to officials.

4:52 PM

Karnataka HC directs trial court to defer proceedings against CM Siddaramaiah in Muda case

The Karnataka High Court today asked the trial court to defer proceedings against Chief Minister  Siddaramaiah related to complaints alleging irregularities in land allocation by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA).

4:42 PM

Break fingers of those blaming Mamata: TMC minister amid protests over doctor's rape-murder

Senior TMC minister Udayan Guha has sparked controversy by claiming that fingers of those blaming Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and demanding her resignation over the rape and murder of a woman doctor would be broken. “Those who are attacking Mamata Banerjee, pointing fingers at her, and demanding her resignation will never succeed. Those pointing fingers at Mamata Banerjee will be broken and crushed,” he was heard saying in the video.

4:30 PM

Bus overturns on Jalandhar-Pathankot highway, 16 injured Hoshiarpur

Sixteen people were injured when a private bus overturned on the Jalandhar-Pathankot National Highway in this Punjab district on Monday, police said. The injured were taken to the civil hospital, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Dasuya) Jatinder Singh said. The accident occurred near Pawan Jhingran village after the bus driver lost control of the vehicle, causing it to veer off the road and overturn in a field, the police said.

 

4:28 PM

Ukrainian officials issue an evacuation order for families with children from the city of Pokrovsk

Ukrainian local authorities on Monday issued a mandatory evacuation order for families with children from the eastern city of Pokrovsk, where 53,000 people still live. They say Russian forces are advancing so quickly that it is compulsory for families to leave the city and other nearby towns

4:23 PM

RG Kar hospital rape-murder case: UP medics observe 'Kala Rakasha Bandhan' on eighth day of protest

Junior doctors in Uttar Pradesh medical colleges and hospitals observed "Kala Raksha Bandhan" while elective services remained disrupted for the eighth consecutive day on Monday amid a protest over the alleged rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee in Kolkata. Resident doctors in several states have withdrawn elective services, including at outpatient departments (OPDs), over the incident.

 

4:15 PM

Every dimension of Great Nicobar Infra Project has seen 'irregularities and malpractice': Congress

The Congress cited a media report to allege that it was becoming increasingly clear that every dimension of the Great Nicobar Infra Project had seen "irregularities and malpractice". Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh posted an Indian Express report that said residents of Great Nicobar Island who would be affected by land acquisition for the greenfield international airport project had raised demands for a fair and comprehensive compensation package after a social impact assessment report was submitted before the Union Territory administration last month.

4:11 PM

Seven people killed in landslide in western Nepal

Seven people from two families were killed in separate incidents of landslides triggered by incessant rains in western Nepal in the last 24 hours, police said on Monday. Four members of a family were buried alive in the Bajhang district as a landslide swept away a house at the Bungal municipality-10 on Sunday night, according to the police.

4:01 PM

TN CM expresses disappointment over reduction in central funds for railway projects

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin today expressed “disappointment” over the reduction in central funds for railway projects in the state and said the move would drastically affect TN's progress. Taking up the issue with Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, regarding reduction in allocation of funds for Southern Railways in the regular railway Budget 2024-2025, he sought the minister's intervention to ensure allocation of adequate funds earmarked for new lines, doubling and customer amenities projects in Tamil Nadu.

 

 

3:57 PM

Governor is making a case out of nothing: Deputy Karnataka CM DK Shivakumar on Muda case

Congress leaders and workers staged dharnas, foot-marches and rallies in district headquarters, holding placards denouncing the action and raising slogans against Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, who gave sanction for investigation against the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in connection with irregularities in the allotment of alternative sites by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority. Demonstrations were held in various parts of the state including Bengaluru, Udupi, Mangaluru, Hubballi-Dharwad, Vijayapura, Kalaburagi, Raichur, Tumakuru and Mysuru. “The Governor is making a case out of nothing. This is a murder of democracy and we will protest it," Shivakumar had said on Sunday.

3:35 PM

Domestic air traffic rises 7.3% to 12 million on annual basis in July

Indian carriers flew more than 12 million passengers in July, an increase of more than 7.3 per cent compared to the year-ago period, official data released on Monday showed. However, the air traffic in July was lower compared to 13 million people carried by the domestic airlines in June this year.

3:33 PM

ACB letter to school about children's education expenses 'witch-hunt', says Sena (UBT) lawmaker

Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Nitin Deshmukh on Monday dubbed as a witch-hunt the Maharashtra Anti Corruption Bureau's letter to the school where his children are studying as part of the agency's probe against him. The Amravati unit of ACB had in July sent the school a letter seeking details of expenses incurred on the education of Deshmukh's daughter and son who are studying in Class VII and X, respectively. A copy of the letter went viral on social media recently. It is part of the ACB's inquiry over the past two years against Deshmukh, Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA from Balapur in Akola district. "It is a witch-hunt and it is being done since I did not join the Eknath Shinde group after the Shiv Sena split. The inquiry should be done in a transparent manner and not in a closed room like this," he told reporters.

3:15 PM

Kolkata doctor's rape-murder case: Hope SC looks into role of Bengal Police, says CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat

“The Supreme Court has said that it is taking suo-moto cognisance of this case. There is one important issue and that is the role of the Bengal Police and the Police Commissioner himself. I hope the Supreme Court will take note of that because it affects the credibility of the probe, even though it has been handed over to the CBI,” says CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat. 

 

3:11 PM

Doctors take out march to Lalbazar over police notice to senior physicians

Doctors took out a march on Monday to Kolkata Police headquarters from Medical College over a notice to two senior physicians in connection with their alleged public comments over the murder of a woman postgraduate trainee doctor.

2:58 PM

Law ministry plans study on efficacy of special MP-MLA courts

The Union law ministry has invited proposals from top institutes, including IIMs, IITs, law universities and judicial academies, to carry out a "comprehensive evaluation" of special courts set up to hold expeditious trial of criminal cases involving MPs and MLAs to assess their functionality, efficacy and overall impact.

The proposals have been invited under 'Scheme for Action Research and Studies on Judicial Reforms' of the Department of Justice which functions under the law ministry.

2:54 PM

RG Kar Hospital case: Lawyers take out procession seeking punishment for culprits

Lawyers practising at the Calcutta High Court marched in a procession on Monday demanding justice and "punishment to the real culprits" in the alleged rape and murder of a woman doctor in R G Kar Medical College and Hospital. Several senior lawyers, including former West Bengal Advocate General Jayanta Mitra, joined the protest march.

 

2:30 PM

Karnataka Cong workers hold protest after Governor granted permission to prosecute CM in MUDA case