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Live news: Misuse of probe agencies erodes their credibility, says Congress

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Delhi Congress leader Alka Lamba said Manish Sisodia should face the action by the probe agency instead of "running away" to the cool climes of Himachal Pradesh.

Russia said on Thursday it could shut down Europe's largest nuclear power station after it came under shelling at the front lines in Ukraine, a move Kyiv said would increase the risk of a nuclear catastrophe there. Moscow also rejected international calls for a demilitarised zone around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which it seized early in the war and which is still operated by Ukrainian engineers under Russian occupation.

Delhi on Thursday recorded 1,964 fresh Covid-19 cases with a test positivity rate of 9.42 per cent, while eight people died of the viral disease for the second consecutive day, according to data shared by the city health department. With this, Delhi's caseload went up to 19,90,355 and the death toll to 26,408, as per the latest bulletin. The fresh cases came out of 20,844 tests, the bulletin said.
11:07 PM

No question of handing over probe into post matric scholarship scam to central agency: Mann

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday said the state's investigating agencies were fully capable of investigating the alleged irregularities in the post matric scholarship scheme and there was no need to hand the over the probe to a central agency.

He also told leaders of the Valmiki community that services of 'safai sewaks' were being regularised and they soon will be taken off the contractual system.

On the alleged "multi-crore" post matric scholarship scam, Mann reiterated his government's commitment to ensure stern action against the culprits.

10:11 PM

Lumpy skin disease: Khattar directs officials to get cows, cattle vaccinated on priority

Amid the spread of lumpy skin disease in Haryana, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday directed the officials to work on a mission mode "just like the state did during Covid times".

He directed Chief Secretary Sanjeev Kaushal to procure available vaccination and inoculate all cows and cattle on a war footing, besides monitoring the situation on a daily basis.

The minister also said he will speak with the Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Parshottam Rupala and seek more vaccine doses to the state at the earliest.

9:03 PM

Protests against Siddaramaiah: CM Bommai assures him of security

Following incidents of eggs being hurled at Congress leader Siddaramaiah's car and black flags waved at him during his visit to Kodagu, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday said he has personally spoken to the Leader of Opposition in the State and assured him of adequate security and a thorough probe.

Earlier in the day, alleging that those who pelted his car with eggs were from "an organisation which Mahatma Gandhi's killer Nathuram Godse belonged to", Siddaramaiah, who termed the incident as "State-sponsored", wondered whether such people would spare him.

8:27 PM

Centre restricted from participating in power exchanges without notice, says Telangana

Telangana power utilities on Friday accused the Centre of restricting them to participate in power purchases through exchanges citing overdues.

Power System Operation Corporation Ltd (POSOCO) on Thursday asked three power exchanges -- IEX, PXIL and HPX -- to restrict electricity trading by 27 discoms in 13 States, including Telangana, having outstanding dues towards gencos.

7:46 PM

Twin Tower demolition: 7,000 people to temporarily vacate their houses

As the date for the demolition of Noida Twin Towers nears, around 7,000 people living in and around the two buildings in Sector 93A will have to temporarily vacate their houses and shift to some other place.

Accordingly, people have booked studio apartments and hotels, while some others are thinking of moving to their relatives' places.

7:28 PM

Maharashtra reports 2,285 new Covid-19 cases, 5 deaths; active tally at 11,733

Maharashtra on Friday reported 2,285 new Covid-19 cases and five fresh deaths linked to the infection, while 2,237 more patients recovered in the state, said the health department.

With this, the overall tally of Covid-19 cases in Maharashtra jumped to 80,80,696, while the death toll increased to 1,48,191, said the department in a bulletin, as reported by the PTI.

7:20 PM

Centre extends the service of Union Home Secretary for one year

The Centre extends the service of Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla for a period of one year up to August 22, 2023, the ANI reported.
 
7:16 PM

Demolition teams race against time to rig Noida Twin Towers with 4 tonnes of explosives

Teams of experts are racing against time to install four tonnes of explosives into the stripped down skeleton of Noida's Twin Towers marked for demolition on August 28 in the most daring such exercise in India's history, IANS reported.

Engineers from South Africa and Mumbai are working non-stop for the precision demolition of Apex and Cayenne towers, comprising 915 flats, which took three years to build but were deemed illegal by the Supreme Court, signalling zero tolerance for dodgy builders.

6:57 PM

Deep depression to bring heavy rain in Odisha; no possibility of cyclone: IMD

As the depression in the Bay of Bengal intensified into a deep depression bringing rainfall in Odisha and West Bengal, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday rejected the possibility of any cyclone now, the PTI reported.

Social media was flooded with posts on the possibility of a cyclone following the US Joint Typhoon Warning Center's (JTWC) warning on Thursday that the system has the potential to intensify into a cyclone.

6:46 PM

Doesn't take much effort to form govt but hard work needed to build country: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said it does not take much effort to form a government, but a lot of hard work goes into building a country as he took a veiled jibe at the Opposition for neglecting a key issue like water conservation, the PTI reported.
6:00 PM

India's smartwatch market grows highest ever at 312%, Fire-Boltt leads: Report

India's smartwatch market grew an impressive 312 per cent (on-year) in the June quarter, and homegrown company Fire-Boltt led the market for the first time with a 28 per cent share, a new report said on Friday, the IANS reported.

Noise was second with a 26 per cent share (best-selling brand in online channels) and boAt, together with its sub-brands, maintained the third place with a 19 per cent share, according to Counterpoint Research.

5:45 PM

IAF deploys Cheetal helicopter to rescue Italian mountaineer stranded in Kargil sector

The Indian Air Force has deployed Cheetal helicopter to rescue Italian mountaineer stranded in Kargil sector, the ANI reported.
 
5:36 PM

AstraZeneca India receives DCGI's nod to market drug treating breast cancer

Drug firm AstraZeneca India on Friday said it has received an approval from the Drugs Controller General of India to market its drug for the treatment of breast cancer, PTI reported.

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has approved Lynparza (Olaparib) as a monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with early breast cancer, who have previously been treated with neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy.

5:29 PM

AIFF ban: Sports Ministry requests FIFA, AFC to allow Indian clubs play AFC tournaments

The Sports Ministry has requested the world football governing body FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to allow Indian clubs -- Sree Gokulam Kerala FC and ATK Mohun Bagan -- compete in the tournaments as scheduled despite the ban on AIFF, the PTI reported.

With FIFA suspending the All India Football Federation (AIFF) late on Monday, there was chaos as Gokulam Kerala women's team had already reached Uzbekistan to participate in their second AFC Women's Club Championship.

5:22 PM

Despite directions, Delhi private schools didn't give admission to EWS children: NCPCR

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) on Friday said despite its directions, private schools in Delhi did not give admission to certain children under the economically weaker section (EWS) category, the PTI reported.

In a letter to the Delhi chief secretary, the NCPCR sought details of EWS admissions in private schools since the 2020-21 academic year.

It has been observed that despite strict directions to the officers and branches involved in ensuring admission of the candidates under EWS/DG and CWSN category, they have not been given admission till date.

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First Published: Aug 19 2022 | 7:07 AM IST

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