Live new: Draupadi Murmu will be NDA's presidential candidate, says BJP

From International Yoga Day 2022 celebrations to rising Covid cases, protests against Agnipath scheme, and more, catch all the latest developments from across the globe here

10:32 PM

Droupadi Murmu 'delighted' at being NDA's presidential candidate

Droupadi Murmu says she was surprised and delighted on learning she is NDA's presidential candidate: PTI quotes her as saying.

9:52 PM

Draupadi Murmu set to be first tribal president

NDA candidate Draupadi Murmu would become the first tribal President of India and second ever female President if she is elected.

 

5:15 PM

3 Shiv Sena MLAs close to Eknath Shind meet Uddhav Thackeray

Maharashtra political crisis: Three Shiv Sena MLAs, close to rebel party leader Eknath Shinde, meet Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai, reports NDTV.com.

4:54 PM

Will not cheat for power: Shinde

Shiv Sena minister Eknath Shinde, who is camping in BJP-ruled Gujarat, was removed from the post of party group leader. MLA Ajay Chaudhary will replace Shinde. Shinde has said that he is a part of “Balasaheb’s staunch Shiv Sainiks,” and he “will never cheat for power”. “We are Balasaheb’s staunch Shiv Sainiks … Balasaheb has taught us Hindutva. We have never and will never cheat for power regarding Balasaheb’s thoughts and Dharmaveer Anand Dighe Saheb’s teachings,” Shinde tweeted.

 

4:15 PM

Yashwant Sinha eminently qualified to uphold secular fabric of India: Opposition statement

Yashwant Sinha, chosen as joint Opposition candidate for president, is eminently qualified to uphold secular, democratic fabric of India: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh.

3:34 PM

Sharad Pawar says he has 'full faith' in Uddhav

NCP Sharad Pawar, an ally of Shiv Sena ally, has said he has "full faith" in Mr Thackeray and assured that a way will be found out of this situation. He also said it is an internal matter of Sena. Pawar, who is in Delhi for the Opposition's meet on Presidential poll, is likely to meet Mr Thackeray tonight, NDTV.com reported quoting sources. 

 

2:49 PM

Shiv Sena to sack Eknath Shinde

Shiv Sena has decided to remove Eknath Shinde as its Legislative party leader, Sewri MLA Ajay Chaudhary to be the new Shiv Sena Legislative Party leader: Report

 

2:48 PM

Tokyo closes books on costly, pandemic-delayed Olympics

Organisers of last year's Covid-delayed Tokyo Olympics were expected to place the final cost of the Games at 1.42 trillion yen, about twice what was forecast when the IOC awarded them in 2013.

Tokyo Olympic officials, meeting Tuesday before the body dissolves at the end of the month, were to detail final numbers, which were increased by the pandemic, but were in record range long before that.

Calculating the costs is challenging because of recent fluctuations in the exchange rate between the dollar and the Japanese yen. When the Olympics opened a year ago, $1 bought 110 yen. On Monday, $1 bought 135 yen, the dollar's highest level against the yen in about 25 years.

The fall in the yen's value means the cost of the Olympics quoted in dollars is now about $10.5 billion. A year ago, the price was about $13 billion.

Victor Matheson, a sports economist at the College of the Holy Cross who has written extensively on the Olympics, suggested by email to AP that most of the expenses and revenues are in yen, so the exchange rate changing the dollar amounts doesn't affect how the event feels' to the organizers.

In the runup to the Tokyo Games, organizers often used the exchange rate of 107. At that rate, the equivalent of 1.42 trillion yen would be $13.33 billion as final price tag.

Matheson and fellow American Robert Baade researched Olympic costs and benefits in a study called Going for Gold: The Economics of the Olympics."

They write the overwhelming conclusion is that in most cases the Olympics are a money-losing proposition for host cities; they result in positive net benefits only under very specific and unusual circumstances.

 

10:02 AM

Yoga Day celebrations continue

10:01 AM

Presidential elections: Leaders of 17 Opposition parties meet at Sharad Pawar's house

Opposition leaders of 17 parties to meet at the residence of NCP leader Sharad Pawar today to strategise for the Presidential election.

9:15 AM

India logs 9,923 new Covid cases in 24 hours

India logs 9,923 new Covid cases in 24 hours. 17 deaths reported.

9:03 AM

Yoga Day 2022: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh performs Yoga

9:02 AM

Yoga Day 2022: Celebrations held at the Gateway of India

8:29 AM

Yoga Day: Central Ski Team of ITBP participates from Rohtang Pass

8:28 AM

Yoga Day 2022: Haryana CM ML Khattar participates from Bhiwani