News updates: AAP MLAs to meet CBI chief, seek probe into 'Operation Lotus'
From India's GDP data for the April-June quarter to Covid-19 updates, catch all the latest news here
 "Arvind Kejriwal")
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal (Photo: ANI)
India on Wednesday recorded 9,808 new Covid cases, taking the nation's tally to 44,428,393. With 45 new deaths, including 10 reconciled by Kerala, the nation's toll from the pandemic has reached 527,874. India's tally of cured Covid cases reached 43,835,852 after 10,828 people recovered from the diseases in the last 24 hours.
The Indian economy probably achieved its fastest annual expansion in the April-June quarter, reported Reuters quoting economists, who expect the pace to slow this quarter and in the next two as higher interest rates hit economic activity. Gross domestic product (GDP) in the three months to June 30 was probably 15.2 per cent higher than a year earlier, a Reuters poll showed this week. The GDP in January-March was up 4.1 per cent from a year before.
The Indian economy probably achieved its fastest annual expansion in the April-June quarter, reported Reuters quoting economists, who expect the pace to slow this quarter and in the next two as higher interest rates hit economic activity. Gross domestic product (GDP) in the three months to June 30 was probably 15.2 per cent higher than a year earlier, a Reuters poll showed this week. The GDP in January-March was up 4.1 per cent from a year before.
In a late-night hearing on Tuesday, the Karnataka High Court upheld an order of the Dharwad municipal commissioner allowing the Ganesh Chaturthi festival to be held at the Hubballi Idgah maidan. Justice Ashok S Kinagi held that the property belonged to the Dharwad municipality and Anjuman-e-Islam was only a leaseholder for a period of 999 years at a fee of Re 1 per year.
As many as 32 MLAs of the ruling UPA coalition in Jharkhand on Tuesday arrived in Raipur by a chartered flight in a bid to thwart the BJP's possible attempt to poach them, and moved into a nearby resort. The United Progressive Alliance of the JMM, Congress, and RJD in Jharkhand has 49 MLAs in the 81-member Assembly. The flight carrying the MLAs took off from the Ranchi airport shortly after 4.30 pm and arrived at Swami Vivekananda Airport in Raipur, the capital of the Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh, around 5:30 pm.
2:07 PM
Cabinet approves disposal of 150,000 tons of chana from buffer stock
The Union Cabinet approves disposal of 150,000 tons of chana from buffer stock to states at discounted rates
2:04 PM
Cabinet approves raising procurement ceiling for tur, urad and masur
The Union Cabinet approves raising procurement ceiling for tur, urad and masur under two schemes
1:37 PM
NCPCR to visit Jharkhand's Dumka were girl died after being set on fire
National Commission for Protection of Child Rights chairperson Priyank Kanoongo will visit Dumka district in Jharkhand on September 4 and 5 to take stock of the status of the matter where a girl died days after being set ablaze by a man for allegedly turning down his proposal. reports ANI
1:27 PM
'One Nation, One Election' need of hour, says Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi
Former Union minister and BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi says 'One Nation, One Election' is need of hour and political parties should not have 'prejudiced mindset' on this issue
12:52 PM
Kejriwal launches virtual school for students across the country
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday launched a virtual school and said students from across the country will be eligible for admission.
The application process for the Delhi Model Virtual School (DMVS) began on Wednesday. The school is for classes 9-12.
"The admission to the schooling platform will be open for students across India and they will also be prepared by experts for entrance exams like NEET, CUET and JEE along with skill-based training," Kejriwal said at an online media briefing.
12:44 PM
AAP MLAs to meet CBI director, seek probe into alleged 'Operation Lotus'
AAP MLAs in Delhi will meet the CBI director on Wednesday to demand a probe into the alleged 'Operation Lotus' of the BJP to topple opposition ruled state governments, party leader Atishi said.
A delegation of 10 AAP MLAs will meet the CBI director at 3 PM, Atishi said at a press conference.
The AAP leaders including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal have claimed that the BJP targeted 40 MLAs of the ruling party in Delhi offering them Rs 20 crore each to switch sides.
12:17 PM
G20 host Indonesia urges cooperation to tackle global climate issues
Senior officials from the Group of 20 major (G20) economies met for climate talks on the resort island of Bali on Wednesday, with host Indonesia warning that failure to work together to cut emissions would push the planet toward "unchartered territory".
Indonesia's Environment Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar said countries must jointly arrest global warming or see the planet pushed to a point "where no future will be sustainable".
"It is our responsibility to the be part of the solution. We build bridges, not walls," she said.
12:08 PM
France has been ready for Gazprom's 'pretext' to switch off gas: Minister
Gazprom is using a mere excuse to switch off natural gas deliveries to its French contractor, the energy minister in Paris said on Wednesday, but added that the country had anticipated the loss of supply.
"As we anticipated, Russia is using gas as a weapon of war and is using Engie's way of applying the contracts as a pretext to further reduce French supplies," Agnes Pannier-Runacher said in an overnight statement.
The comments came hours after Russia's Gazprom announced that from Thursday it would fully suspend gas deliveries to Engie, a French utility, citing a dispute over payments. The move will deepen concerns about Europe's winter energy supply.
12:07 PM
Crisis-hit Sri Lanka strikes staff-level pact with IMF on loan: Reports
Sri Lanka and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have reached a preliminary, staff-level agreement on an emergency loan to the crisis-hit country and a formal announcement is likely on Thursday, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
The island nation, struggling with its worst economic crisis in more than seven decades, had sought up to $3 billion from the IMF.
Spokespersons for the IMF and the Sri Lankan government did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
11:55 AM
Delhi pvt liquor shops to close from Thursday, 300 govt vends to take over retail sale
Private liquor shops will be a thing of the past for the national capital as they will be replaced by over 300 Delhi government vends from Thursday due to the switch over from the Excise Policy 2021-22 to the old regime, officials said on Wednesday.
Nearly 250 private liquor vends, licensed under now-withdrawn Excise Policy 2021-22, are running currently in the city.
The Excise officials said the liquor supply will improve from first week of September due to opening of more shops.
11:37 AM
CBI raids at multiple places in Bengal in cattle smuggling case
CBI is conducting searches at four places in West Bengal (in Bolpur and Kolkata) in connection with a cattle smuggling case, reports ANI
11:33 AM
Long way to go before India reverses pre-Covid 'Modi slowdown': Congress
Ahead of the release of GDP numbers for the April-June quarter, the Congress on Wednesday said the figure could show a jump and turn out to be a headline grabber but the real growth is lower than in 2018.
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said there is still a long way to go before India reverses the pre-Covid "Modi slowdown".
"Jumla Alert: Apr-Jun 2022 quarterly GDP figure later today could show a jump from a year ago. This headline-grabbing number will be due to low-base effect," the Congress general secretary said on Twitter.
11:32 AM
Japan plans to develop longer-range missiles to counter China, Russia
Japan will develop and mass produce a cruise missile and a high-velocity ballistic missile, it said on Wednesday, as it seeks the ability to strike more distant targets as part of a military expansion aimed at meeting threats from China and Russia.
The procurement plan unveiled in the Ministry of Defence's annual budget request represents a clear departure from a decades-long range limit imposed on Japan's constitutionally constrained Self Defence Forces, that meant they could only field missiles with ranges of a few hundred kilometres.
11:14 AM
Ganesha festival celebrated at Hubballi Idgah ground amid tight security
Ganesh Chathurthi was celebrated at the Idgah grounds here on Wednesday amid tight security arrangements, hours after the Karnataka High Court gave the go-ahead for it.
Amid chants of vedic hymns, Sriram Sena chief Pramod Muthalik along with his supporters installed the idol of Lord Ganesha and offered prayers on the occasion.
“We performed the prayers within the legal framework. Some miscreants had attempted to stop us but we performed our Pooja, which is not only a matter of joy for the people of Hubballi but also across the north Karnataka,” Muthalik told reporters at the Pooja Pandal.
11:07 AM
India, France holds consultations on UNSC and other multilateral issues: MEA
India and France held consultations on the UN Security Council and other multilateral issues on August 30 in Paris. In keeping with India-France Strategic Partnership, both sides had an in-depth exchange of views on various thematic and country-specific issues on the agenda of the UN Security Council, says the Ministry of External Affairs.
Topics : Coronavirus Today News Karnataka India GDP growth Indian Economy Coronavirus Tests Hemant Soren Coronavirus Vaccine Congress JMM
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First Published: Aug 31 2022 | 7:04 AM IST
