LIVE news updates: Nomination process for presidential election begins

Live news updates: The nomination process began on a day when various opposition parties are meeting in Delhi to decide on a presidential candidate

9:42 AM

$150 million aid by World Bank comes as relief to Afghan farmers under Taliban regime

The World Bank has granted USD 150 million in aid to Afghan farmers as food security continues to plummet in the country due to the ongoing invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

 

According to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), aid has been provided to the farmers to enhance their agricultural products as well as to reduce increased insecurity and widespread humanitarian crisis pressure has resulted in extreme food insecurity among Afghans at various levels, Khaama Press reported.

 

According to the FAO, this is the first tranche of World Bank assistance, with the second instalment, totalling USD 45 million, expected to be released within the forthcoming 24 months.

9:42 AM

NIA conducts searches at multiple locations in J&K linked to a terror funding case: ANI

National Investigation Agency (NIA) today conducted searches at multiple locations in Jammu and Kashmir linked to a terror funding case: ANI

 

9:41 AM

Cases against over 200 people for protest against supporters of Nupur Sharma

The Bhiwandi police have registered two cases against more than 200 people for alleged unlawful assembly to protest against supporters of BJP functionary Nupur Sharma, who was recently suspended by the party over her derogatory remarks against Prophet Mohammad, officials said. On June 12, several people gathered at a spot in Bhiwandi town here in Maharashtra, leading to a tense situation. 

 

Some of them had also marched to the houses two persons - Mukesh Baburam Chavan and Saad Ansari- and protested against their posts on social media showing support to Sharma, police said. Some of the protesters had also allegedly hit Ansari, they said, adding that Chavan and Ansari were subsequently taken into custody.

9:40 AM

Over 600 new Covid-19 cases in Thane, 1 death

With the addition of 607 new COVID-19 cases, the infection count in Maharashtra's Thane district has gone up to 7,15,305, an official said on Wednesday. These new cases were reported on Tuesday, he said. The viral infection also claimed the life of one person, taking the death toll in the district to 11,896, he said, adding that the COVID-19 mortality rate in Thane stood at 1.67 per cent.

8:49 AM

India logs 8,822 new cases in 24 hours

India has logged 8,822 new cases in 24 hours. 15 new deaths have been reported. Caseload stands at 43,245,517.

7:52 AM

I2U2 part of US' effort to revitalize, re-energise its system of partnerships

The new grouping of India, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and the United States, which will hold its first virtual summit next month as part of the efforts of the Biden administration to re-energize and revitalize American alliances across the world, a US official said. Part of our approach, from the start, is not only to revitalise and re-energize our system of alliances and partnerships around the world, but also to stitch together partnerships that did not exist previously or were not utilised to their full extent, State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters at his daily news conference on Tuesday.

7:11 AM

Dollar towers over peers as markets bet on large Fed rate hike

The dollar held near its overnight 20-year peak on Wednesday ahead of the outcome of the Federal Reserve policy meeting at which markets are pricing in an outsized 75 basis point interest rate hike as policymakers try to rein in rampant inflation. A key U.S. currency index, which tracks its performance against six peers, was at 105.3 having hit 105.65 on Tuesday, its strongest since December 2002.

 

Sterling was at $1.20135 after slumping to a 15-month low versus the dollar at $1.1934 the previous day, not helped by the possibility of a new referendum on Scottish independence, while the euro was at $1.0428 just above its overnight one-month low.

7:02 AM

Mexico to begin COVID-19 vaccination of children between 5-11 yrs old

Mexico will begin vaccinating children between 5 and 11 years old against COVID-19 in the coming days, following the completion of six immunization phases, Undersecretary of Prevention and Health Promotion Hugo Lopez-Gatell announced Tuesday. The official said the process will be carried out by municipalities, with registration starting on Thursday. "In essence, the policy has been very consistent with what we planned from the beginning," Lopez-Gatell told journalists from the National Palace in Mexico City.

6:59 AM

Two LeT militants killed in encounter in J-K

Two Lashkar-e-Taiba militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, police said. The encounter broke out between the militants and security forces at Kanjiular in Shopian after the personnel launched a cordon and search operation in the area, they said.

6:57 AM

EU buys almost 110,000 doses of Danish vaccine to curb monkeypox

The European Union (EU) has signed a deal with Danish manufacturer Bavarian Nordic for the purchase of 109,090 doses of vaccine to curb the spread of monkeypox. European Commissioner for Health Stella Kyriakides said that the vaccines will be donated to EU member states, Norway, and Iceland. The first deliveries were scheduled for the end of June.