LIVE: India to host first edition of 'Global IndiaAI 2023' in October

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Conference will bring together best and brightest in AI from India and around the world: MoS Rajeev ChandrasekharAfter huge success of SemiconIndia conference, the Global IndiaAI will also catalyze India’s AI landscape: MoS Rajeev Chandrasekhar

Seeking to fulfill another key pre-poll promise, the Congress government in Karnataka on Wednesday launched the 'Gruha Lakshmi' scheme, offering a monthly assistance of Rs 2,000 to about 1.1 crore women who are heads of their households. AICC President M Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar were among those present at the public function on Maharaja College grounds, attended by tens of thousands of people. "Gruha Lakshmi" scheme, rolled out amid fanfare, is one of the five pre-poll 'guarantees' of the Congress, which ousted the BJP from power in the May Assembly elections.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Wednsday said that Karnataka will seek to reduce the amount of Cauvery water released to neighbouring Tamil Nadu by making the Supreme Court understand the "situation" prevailing in his state. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the Tamil Nadu government's plea seeking direction to Karnataka to release 24,000 cusecs of water daily starting from August 14 to the end of the month- from the reservoirs in Karnataka on Friday. "I'm going to Delhi tomorrow to meet our legal team. The hearing( on TN's plea on Cauvery water) will be coming on Friday. All ready our department officials argued very well after Tamil Nadu demanded 24-25 TMC. we said we can give 3 thousand cusecs," DK Shivakumar said.

Former Chief Minister and veteran Congress leader Digvijaya Singh has once again hit the headlines after his post on X (formerly twitter) claiming that Bajrang Dal workers were installing Shivling on the premises of Shri Digambar Jain Siddha Kshetra Kundalpur in Damoh district was said to be misleading. A case was registered against the X account holder following a complaint lodged by a convener of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) in the district on Tuesday late evening.

7:57 PM

Rajasthan: Drone visuals of firing drill conducted by Indian Army in Pokhran

7:56 PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated #RakshaBandhan with children at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg in Delhi today

7:36 PM

Mehbooba Mufti's daughter appointed as her media advisor

Iltija Mufti was on Wednesday appointed media advisor to People's Democratic Party (PDP) president and her mother Mehbooba Mufti, a senior party leader said. The decision to appoint 35-year-old Iltija Mufti, who takes a plunge into politics with this move, as media advisor to the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister was taken by the party high command, the leader said. Iltija Mufti has been in charge of Mehbooba Mufti's social media handles since 2019, when Jammu and Kashmir's mainstream leaders were under arrest.

 

7:35 PM

China defends new map; urges India not to 'over-interpret' it

China defended its move to release a new 'standard map' for 2023 showing Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin as part of its territory, saying that it is a 'routine practice' in accordance with its law and urged India to 'stay objective and calm' and refrain from 'over-interpreting' the issue. India on Tuesday lodged a strong protest with China over its so-called 'standard map' laying claim over Arunachal Pradesh and the Aksai Chin, and asserted that such steps only complicate the resolution of the boundary question. The External Affairs Ministry also rejected these claims as having 'no basis'.

7:34 PM

A super blue moon lights up the sky; visuals from Patna

2:45 PM

Praggnanandhaa meets Tamin Nadu CM MK Stalin, Sports Minister Udhayanidhi

India chess prodigy and FIDE World Cup 2023 runner-up Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and Sports Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin in Chennai in Chennai on Wednesday. Praggnanandhaa returned to India today after enjoying a successful campaign in the FIDE World Cup 2023 in Baku, Azerbaijan, where he went toe to toe with the Top 3 chess players in the world. The young chess grandmaster was received with a rousing welcome on his arrival at the Chennai Airport. Outside the Airport, students were ween waiving the tricolour and some of them were holding banners of 'World Cup Runner Up' to welcome the Indian prodigy.

 

1:59 PM

K'taka govt launches 'Gruha Lakshmi' scheme, to benefit 11 mn women

Seeking to fulfill another key pre-poll promise, the Congress government in Karnataka on Wednesday launched the 'Gruha Lakshmi' scheme, offering a monthly assistance of Rs 2,000 to about 1.1 crore women who are heads of their households. AICC President M Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar were among those present at the public function on Maharaja College grounds, attended by tens of thousands of people. "Gruha Lakshmi" scheme, rolled out amid fanfare, is one of the five pre-poll 'guarantees' of the Congress, which ousted the BJP from power in the May Assembly elections.

 

1:49 PM

Isro completes launch rehearsal of Aditya-L1 solar mission

Giving an update on its Aditya-L1 mission to study the Sun, Isro said on Wednesday the launch rehearsal and the rocket's internal checks have been completed. 

The mission is scheduled to be launched on September 2 at 11.50 am from the Sriharikota spaceport. Aditya-L1 spacecraft is designed for providing remote observations of the solar corona and in situ observations of the solar wind at L1 (Sun-Earth Lagrangian point), which is about 1.5 million kilometres from the earth.

1:18 PM

Will discuss how much we can cut Cauvery water released to TN: Shivakumar

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Wednsday said that Karnataka will seek to reduce the amount of Cauvery water released to neighbouring Tamil Nadu by making the Supreme Court understand the "situation" prevailing in his state. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the Tamil Nadu government's plea seeking direction to Karnataka to release 24,000 cusecs of water daily starting from August 14 to the end of the month- from the reservoirs in Karnataka on Friday. "I'm going to Delhi tomorrow to meet our legal team. The hearing( on TN's plea on Cauvery water) will be coming on Friday. All ready our department officials argued very well after Tamil Nadu demanded 24-25 TMC. we said we can give 3 thousand cusecs," DK Shivakumar said.

 

1:00 PM

Former Pak PM Imran Khan to remain behind bars till September 13 in cypher case

Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan will remain behind bars after a special court extended his judicial remand in a cypher case till September 13, Geo News reported citing sources. Pakistan's special court established under the Official Secrets Act extended Khan's judicial remand in the cypher case, a hearing of which was held at the Attock District Jail on Wednesday. The case was heard by Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnai. He issued the decision in the case of the missing cypher, a classified state document that Khan had waved during his political gathering ahead of his ouster from office last year.

12:50 PM

VHP member files case against Digvijaya Singh for posting 'misleading' social media posts

Former Chief Minister and veteran Congress leader Digvijaya Singh has once again hit the headlines after his post on X (formerly twitter) claiming that Bajrang Dal workers were installing Shivling on the premises of Shri Digambar Jain Siddha Kshetra Kundalpur in Damoh district was said to be misleading. A case was registered against the X account holder following a complaint lodged by a convener of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) in the district on Tuesday late evening.

12:23 PM

'INDIA', NDA both 'anti-poor' says Mayawati, BSP will fight polls on own

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati dismissed speculations of joining any alliance said her party will "single-handedly" contest the 2024 general elections. "BSP, like in 2007, will single-handedly contest the upcoming general elections and four state assemblies by connecting crores of neglected and scattered people of the society on the basis of mutual brotherhood, rather than the 'jugaad' and manipulation done by opponents," Mayawati posted on 'X' app today. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister dismissed speculations that the BSP may join the Opposition alliance bloc INDIA and urged the media not to spread fake news.

 

12:10 PM

Over 38,000 conjunctivitis cases reported in Himachal Pradesh in August

Himachal Pradesh has registered over 38,000 conjunctivitis cases this month with 1,701 infections reported on August 28 alone, officials said on Wednesday. According to data available with the state's Health Department, Mandi district reported the maximum of 6,084 cases, followed by 5,840 infections in Kangra, 5,797 in Hamirpur, 4,033 in Solan and 3,944 in Chamba. Sirmaur district has recorded 3,855 conjunctivitis cases, Una 3,471, Shimla 2,200, Bilaspur 1,839, Kullu 1,442 and Kinnaur 16, the data showed.

10:59 AM

Inflation will remain steady in coming months, growth on track: FinMin

Indian inflation will remain steady in coming months, despite short-term rises in the prices of certain food items, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told the Economic Times newspaper in an interview. Food price inflation rose to 11.5% in July, its highest in more than 3-1/2 years, while India is set to receive its sparsest monsoon rains in eight years, adding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's woes in an election year.

9:58 AM

Joint campaign strategy on cards during 'INDIA' bloc's meet this week

Leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc are set to hold hectic parleys during a two-day conclave here starting Thursday during which they will announce a coordination committee and a logo for the alliance. They would chalk out a joint campaign strategy to take on the NDA in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and iron out the differences among themselves. The leaders are also likely to announce a few panels to draft a common minimum programme of the alliance, to frame joint plans for holding agitations across the country and for seat sharing.