Latest LIVE: SC to review 2 points in PMLA verdict, issues notice to Centre

From Supreme Court's hearing on review plea of PMLA, remission order of Bilkis Bano convicts, to latest Covid and Russia-Ukraine war updates, catch all the latest news here

8:48 AM

UNSC: India to dispatch 12th consignment of humanitarian aid to Ukraine

India on Wednesday announced that it is ready to dispatch its 12th consignment of humanitarian aid to Ukraine consisting of twenty-six types of medicines on the special request of the Ukrainian side.

Addressing a United Nations Security Council briefing, the country's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ruchira Kamboj said that the humanitarian aid includes 'hemostatic bandages' which are meant to stem the bleeding of deep wounds in children and adults and are included in the aid on the specific request by the Ukrainian side as the members meet to mark 6 months since the beginning of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

This comes as the Ukrainian authorities by requested assistance from the govt of India to tackle the looming crisis in the country.

8:44 AM

ED arrests middle man Prem Prakash after day-long raid

Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrests Prem Prakash, the middle man whose premises were searched yesterday in Jharkhand capital Ranch, reports ANI. 
ED officials during the raid found two AK 47 rifles. 

8:37 AM

Blasts heard near Kyiv region, say Ukraine officials

Blasts were heard near Kyiv region early this morning, say Ukrainian officials, reports Guardian. 

Ukraine’s armed forces said that “several” explosions were heard in the Vyshgorod district around 3am on Thursday1

8:24 AM

US: Baltimore shooting leaves 1 dead, 6 injured

One person died and six others sustained injuries in an apparent targeted shooting in the US state of Maryland on Wednesday afternoon.

Police said one victim succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead by medical personnel. All of the victims are adult males.

Witnesses reported that the suspect vehicle is a 4-door silver Lexus sedan.

8:22 AM

India breaks streak of UN abstentions on Ukraine, votes in opposition to Russia

Breaking its streak of abstentions on votes related to Ukraine, India has voted for a procedural matter that Russia opposed at the UN Security Council.

Going against Moscow's stance, India on Wednesday joined 12 other members of the Council to vote for inviting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to speak via a remote video link.

China abstained on the vote and Russia naturally voted against the invitation, but because it was a procedural matter it did not count as a veto.

7:56 AM

Bilkis Bano matter, Pegasus panel report, PMLA verdict review in SC today

The Supreme Court will on Thursday hear a joint petition filed by former MP Subhashini Ali, journalist Revati Laul, and Prof. Roop Rekha Verma against the Gujarat government's decision to grant remission to 11 convicts for multiple murders and gang-raping pregnant Bilkis Bano during the 2002 post-Godhra riots.

 

A three-judge bench, presided over by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and also comprising Justices Ajay Rastogi and Vikram Nath, will take up the plea seeking a direction to cancel the remission granted to 11 convicts.

 

A bench headed by the CJI will also take up the batch of petitions seeking a probe into the Pegasus snooping case, wherein a court-appointed panel headed by former apex court judge, Justice R.V. Raveendran has filed a report.

 

The apex court will also hear in open court review petitions challenging the PMLA judgment.

7:55 AM

Bhupendra Chaudhary likely to be appointed as UP BJP chief: Reports

Uttar Pradesh minister Bhupendra Chaudhary is likely to be appointed the BJP's state unit chief, sources said on Wednesday.

 

Chaudhary, a Jat leader from western Uttar Pradesh, met BJP president J P Nadda late on Wednesday evening, they said.

 

Chaudhary will replace Swatantar Dev Singh, who has been made the minister in the Yogi Adityanath-led government.

 

7:55 AM

India calls for immediate end to Ukraine conflict

Calling for an immediate end to the violence and war in Ukraine, India has vowed to work to help blunt the economic fallout of the conflict.

 

"India's approach will be to promote dialogue and diplomacy with an overarching aim to end the conflict and work with other partners to mitigate economic challenges emerging from the Russia-Ukraine conflict," India's Permanent Representative Ruchira Kamboj told the Security Council on Wednesday.

 

She said, "India continues to advocate for an immediate cessation of hostilities and an end to violence."

 

7:54 AM

Pakistan: Demanding early polls, Imran Khan tells nation to wait for his call

Reiterating his demand for early general elections in the country, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief, Imran Khan on Wednesday urged his supporters and party workers to await his call for another protest movement if elections were not called by the Shehbaz Sharif-led Pakistan government.

 

While addressing a massive public gathering in Haripur on Wednesday, Imran Khan demanded the Pak government to immediately call the general elections in the country and hinted at another protest movement if elections were not called.

 

"I ask of the entire nation to prepare and wait for my call," Imran said, warning Shehbaz Sharif's government that they will not be able to stop the sea of people when they will gather in Islamabad from all four provinces, ARY News reported.

7:54 AM

US sees India as its indispensable partner: White House

The United States sees India as an indispensable partner, the White House asserted Wednesday even as the two countries are pursuing their own national interests in Ukraine.

 

"We see the (Indian) partners as indispensable partners. And the US-India Strategic Partnership is grounded in our shared commitment to the advancement of a free and open Indo-Pacific region," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters during her daily news conference.

 

The press secretary was responding to a question if the relationship is drifting apart in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. "You've heard the President say this, the rule of law and the promotion of human freedom and dignity," she said.

7:53 AM

Pak calls India's action over missile incident 'inadequate', redemands joint probe

Pakistan has rejected India's action over the March 9 accidental firing of a supersonic missile that landed in its territory and demanded a joint probe.

 

The services of three officers of the Indian Air Force were terminated on August 23 after a Court of Inquiry (CoI) found that deviation from the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) by them led to the accidental firing of the missile.

 

The Foreign Office in a late Wednesday night statement said Pakistan has seen India's announcement of the findings of an internal CoI regarding the "incident of firing of a rogue supersonic missile" into its territory and the decision to terminate the services of three IAF officers reportedly found responsible for the reckless incident.

7:52 AM

Justice Chandrachud headed bench to hear BCCI matter

A bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud will hear the plea relating to the BCCI administration, the Supreme Court said on Wednesday.

 

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India NV Ramana directed the matter to be listed before a bench led by Justice DY Chandrachud, observing that he was part of the bench which passed the earlier order in the issue.

 

The court was hearing a petition related to the amendments in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) constitution.

 

A plea had been filed by BCCI seeking permission to change the rules relating to the "cooling off" period for the President, secretary and other office bearers. The petition also sought a direction for the extension of the tenure of BCCI President, Sourav Ganguly and Secretary Jay Shah. The petition was filed in 2020.

 

7:52 AM

Lumpy skin disease affects over 5,000 cattle in west UP

More than 5,000 cattle have been affected by the lumpy skin disease virus while 30 have died due to this so far in eight districts of Uttar Pradesh including Meerut, Baghpat, Hapur, Bulandshahr, Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, Saharanpur, and Bijnor.

 

Farmers have been told to keep affected animals away from healthy ones and to ensure fogging in animal sheds.

 

According to veterinary doctors, animals affected by the disease go down with fever and develop rashes on their skin which turn into wounds after some time. It takes 2 to 3 weeks to recover from the disease.

7:52 AM

PM Modi to address first labour ministers' conference in eight years

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the 44th National Conference of Labour Ministers and Secretaries of all states and Union Territories on Thursday via video conferencing. The two-day conference is being organised by the Union Ministry of Labour & Employment on 25-26 August, 2022 at Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. The conference will be presided over by Union Labour Minister Bhupinder Yadav.

 

“The conference is being convened in the spirit of cooperative federalism to discuss various significant labour related issues. It will help create further synergy amongst the centre and state governments in formulating better policies and ensuring effective implementation of schemes for the welfare of workers,” said the labour ministry in a statement.

 

The move comes in the backdrop of the Prime Minister’s vision for the next 25 years in preparation for India’s 100th year of independence. Accordingly, the 44th session of the National Labour Conference has been named Vision Shramev Jayate @2047.

7:51 AM

Bihar: Nitish reiterates call for Opposition unity ahead of 2024 LS polls

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday reiterated his call for Opposition unity ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

 

The Chief Minister, in his address in the Assembly ahead of the trust vote of the new Mahagathbandhan government in the state, alleged that the BJP "creates trouble" in society and the Opposition will visit every nook and corner of the country and make people and society aware of the wrong policies implemented by the government including the discrimination on the basis of religion.