Live news updates: Lanka prez may expand Cabinet to include all parties

Live news updates: Wickremesinghe on Friday appointed an 18-member Cabinet that included Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena

5:01 PM

Latur forestation drive: Over 28,000 sapling to be planted on Sunday

Over 28,000 saplings will be planted in 14 villages located along the banks of the Manjara river in Maharashtra's Latur district as part of a mega forestation drive on Sunday, Collector Prithviraj BP said.

A human chain 10 kilometres long will be formed for the plantation drive, he said, adding that pits for the saplings were dug amid heavy rains in the region.

4:35 PM

Delhi Congress demands Sisodia resign over alleged lapses in excise policy

The Delhi Congress on Saturday staged a protest outside the AAP office here, demanding the resignation of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia over alleged violation of rules and procedural lapses in the Kejriwal government's Excise Policy, 2021-22.

Several Delhi Congress leaders and workers gathered near the DDU Marg office of the AAP, holding banners and raising slogans against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Sisodia.

4:10 PM

Delhi riots: Court seeks presence of jail officials on Aug 1 in case involving Sharjeel Imam

A Delhi court on Saturday directed Tihar jail officials to appear before it on August 1 during the hearing on the matter related to the alleged assault on former JNU student Sharjeel Imam on prison premises.

Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat passed the directions after watching the CCTV footage submitted by Tihar jail authorities related to the alleged incident.

During the hearing, the judge observed that prima facie, it was not an assault. But the counsel said that pushing, shoving and slapping were within the ambit of assault.

3:56 PM

Murmu's victory a reply to those who pay lip service to tribal empowerment, but divide communities: Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday termed Droupadi Murmu's election as India's President a "historic event", and said her victory was a reply to those who only talk about empowerment of tribals, but divide communities.

He said empowerment of tribals is achieved not by talking about it, but through the moves like these (Murmu's election).

Shah added that a person belonging to a tribal Santhal community and coming from a very backward region, occupying the country's top post is a "huge victory of democracy".

3:08 PM

Ladakh reports 17 fresh Covid cases

Ladakh has reported 17 fresh cases of Coronavirus, thereby increasing the COVID-19 tally to 28,726, while 13 patients were cured and discharged a hospital, officials said.

All positive cases were received in Leh.

So far, 228 people have succumbed to COVID-19 in Ladakh. Of these, 168 deaths were reported from Leh and 60 from Kargil, according to the officials.

3:06 PM

Punjab CM's Chandigarh residence fined Rs 10,000 for littering

The Chandigarh Municipal Corporation on Saturday imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on the Punjab chief minister's residence here for littering.

 

A challan has been issued in the name of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Battalion Deputy Superintendent of Police Harjinder Singh.

 

The house address mentioned in the challan is: House number-7, Sector-2, Chandigarh.

 

Local BJP councillor Maheshinder Singh Sidhu said he had been receiving complaints for some time from residents regarding the disposal of waste by the staff of the chief minister's residence behind house number-7.

3:00 PM

US pledges more military aid to Ukraine, peace seems far off

The United States promised more military support for Ukraine, including drones, and is doing preliminary work on whether to send fighter aircraft, as fighting raged on in the east of the country five months into Russia's invasion.

 

Moscow and Kyiv signed a landmark deal on Friday to unblock grain exports from Black Sea ports. However, representatives declined to sit at the same table and avoided shaking hands at the agreement ceremony in Istanbul, reflecting wider enmity.

 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy hailed Friday's agreement as unlocking around $10 billion worth of grain exports, needed to ease a food crisis. But on the war, he said there could be no ceasefire unless lost territory was retaken.

3:00 PM

PM Narendra Modi urges people to take part in paying digital tributes to freedom fighters

Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged people on Saturday to take part in a "unique" endeavour that allows every tribute made online to add to the intensity of the illumination of the "Digital Jyot" at Central Park here.

 

"A sky beam light has been installed at Central Park in Delhi. Every tribute paid will intensify the illumination of the Digital Jyot. Do take part in this unique endeavour and strengthen Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav," Modi said in a tweet.

 

2:51 PM

Thirteen Russian missiles hit central Ukraine region, local governor says

Thirteen Russian missiles hit a military airfield and railway infrastructure in Ukraine's central Kirohovrad region on Saturday, killing and wounding a number of people, the local governor said.

 

Governor Andriy Raikovych wrote on Telegram that rescue teams were working at the impact sites, and that one small district of the regional capital, Kropyvnytskyi, had been left without electricity by the strikes.

 

2:49 PM

BCCI aims to cut costs by 80 percent with experiment on age detection software

New Delhi, Jul 23 (PTI) The BCCI will be using a software on an experimental basis to detect age fraud alongside the existing TW3 method with an aim to save costs by as much as 80 percent.

 

The BCCI, which has a zero tolerance policy towards age fraud, currently uses the TW3 method (based on X-ray of left hand and wrist) for age determination.

 

The current method costs Rs 2400 per bone test and takes about 3-4 days while the proposed usage of BoneXpert Software will give instantaneous result and costs only Rs 288.

2:45 PM

EC takes note of fight over Shiv Sena symbol, seeks submissions by Aug 8

The Election Commission has asked the rival factions of the Shiv Sena, led by Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde, to submit documents by August 8 in support of their claims on the election symbol of the political outfit.

 

Election Commission sources said the two sides have been asked to submit documents, including letters of support from the legislative and organisational wings of the party and the written statements of the rival factions.

 

They said the requirement were made in line with the Paragraph 15 of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.

 

2:34 PM

Human rights group urge new Sri Lankan president not to use force on anti-government protesters

An international rights group has urged Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe to cease the unlawful use of force against anti-government protesters and probe those responsible for abuses of human rights during the pre-dawn assault on them on Friday, a day after he assumed office.

 

According to a statement by the Human Rights Watch group, Sri Lankan security forces on Friday forcibly dispersed people at a peaceful protest site near the President's Secretariat and assaulted protesters that left more than 50 people injured.

 

At least nine persons were arrested in the incident at Galle Face protest site where several key government offices are located.

2:25 PM

SC order: Lakshadweep administration to continue meat products in school mid-day meal menu

School children of Lakshadweep will not miss chicken and other meat products from their mid-day meals anymore as the administration of the Union Territory (UT) directed the school authorities to comply with a recent Supreme Court order in this regard.

 

The Directorate of Education here on Friday issued an order asking the "school principals of all islands and Headmaster Bitra" to comply with the top court order dated May 2 which directs them to continue to serve food including meat, chicken, fish, egg and other items to the children as done in the past.

 

The Directorate, in the order, also attached relevant portions of the apex court directive for their reference: "Food, including meat, chicken, fish and egg, and other items, prepared and served to the school going children of Lakshadweep, as done in the past, should be continued until further orders. To make it clear, the earlier system should continue."

2:16 PM

NDA is 'No Data Available' govt with no accountability: Rahul Gandhi

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday dubbed the NDA government as a "No Data Available" regime which gives no answers and has no accountability.

 

"'No Data Available' (NDA) government wants you to believe: No one died of oxygen shortage. No farmer died protesting. No migrant died walking. No one was mob lynched. No journalist has been arrested," he said on Twitter.

 

2:10 PM

At 80 new COVID-19 cases, Arunachal records highest single-day spike in July

Arunachal Pradesh on Saturday reported 80 new COVID-19 cases, the highest single-day spike this month, pushing the total caseload to 65,231, a senior health official said.

The toll remained at 296 with no new fatality recorded in the last 24 hours, State Surveillance Officer (SSO) Dr Lobsang Jampa said.

Arunachal Pradesh, which remained virus-free for the last couple of months, has been witnessing a surge in COVID-19 cases since July 1, much like the other parts of the country, the SSO said.