Mahagathbandhan government wins trust vote in Bihar
A total of 160 MLAs, comprising those of the JD(U), the RJD, the Congress, the HAM(S) and Left parties, voted in favour of the government, with no member voting in opposition as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chose to boycott the House proceedings. The lone MLA of AIMIM, Akhtarul Iman, whose party is not a part of the ruling alliance, also took part in the exercise and supported the confidence motion.
AAP MLAs threatened, offered bribes to break party: Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said some of his Aam Aadmi Party MLAs have approached him alleging that they have been threatened and offered bribes to break the party and the AAP’s political affairs committee will meet on Wednesday to take stock of the situation. The AAP’s national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said the legislators — Ajay Dutt, Sanjeev Jha, Somnath Bharati and Kuldeep — have been approached by leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with whom they have “friendly relations”.
Land-for-job scam | CBI raids residences of RJD leaders close to Lalu Prasad’s family
The CBI on Wednesday, August 24, 2022 morning conducted raids at the residences of party leaders — former MLC Subodh Rai, party Rajya Sabha MP Ashfaque Karim, party MLC Sunil Singh and party leader Faiyaz Ahmad. Reacting to the development, former CM and wife of Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi said this is not the first time that the CBI raids are being conducted. “It has happened earlier too, but we’ll not be cowed down,”, she said.
Parliament panel calls IRCTC and Twitter officials over citizens’ data security, privacy
The officials of the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation will depose before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology chaired by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on the issue of citizens’ data security and privacy on Friday, as per the notice of the meeting issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat. On the same day, representatives of Twitter India will also appear before the panel on the same issue, the notice reads.
BJP leader Sonali Phogat was murdered, claims brother; police conducting detailed probe, says Goa CM
BJP leader Sonali Phogat’s brother Rinku Dhaka alleged that a short while before her death, Phogat had spoken to her mother, sister and brother-in-law during which she sounded disturbed and complained against her two colleagues.
Composite health care for transgenders under Ayushman Bharat scheme; MoU signed
The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment will fund ₹5 lakh insurance cover per transgender beneficiary per annum. A comprehensive package is being prepared for transgender category including the existing AB PM-JAY packages and specific packages (Sex Reassignment Surgery and treatment) for transgenders.
Why can’t govt call all-party meeting to discuss freebies?: Supreme Court asks Centre
The court’s question came even while toying with a proposal to form a “broad-based and neutral committee of experts” to study the problem of free gifts. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, for the Centre, demurred, saying the court should take the lead and form an expert committee. A “comprehensive” report from the Committee would help in resolving the problem of freebies.
The High Court, while passing the interim order, observed that the findings of the sessions court that Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code (related to sexual harassment) would not prima facie stand against the accused as the victim was wearing sexually provocative dresses could not be justified. The court added that prima facie it appeared that there was an improper exercise of jurisdiction by the sessions court. Irrelevant materials were seen relied upon by the court while granting him bail.
TMC’s Anubrata Mondal sent to 14 days in judicial custody
Rejecting the bail plea of Trinamool Congress leader Anubrata Mondal, Asansol special CBI court judge Rajesh Chakraborty remanded him to judicial custody till September 7. He will be produced before the court again on that day.The court also allowed the agency’s prayer for questioning Mondal in the correctional home.
The Supreme Court directed the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (MMRCL) to strictly abide by its undertaking that no trees would be cut in Mumbai’s Aarey colony and warned that any violation will result in strict action. “The counsel for MMRCL submits that her clients have already filed an affidavit that no trees have been or would be cut in any manner. The said undertaking by the MMRCL director has already been taken on record and MMRCL shall be strictly bound by the same,” the Bench comprising Justices U.U. Lalit, S.R. Bhat and Sudhanshu Dhulia said.
Congress leader Jaiveer Shergill quits as party’s national spokesperson
In his letter to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, the party’s national spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill resigned from the post of the national spokesperson and said the primary reason was that “the ideology and the vision of the current decision makers of the Congress is no longer in sync with the aspirations of the youth and modern India”.
Ukraine marks Independence Day six months after start of war
Residents of Kyiv woke up to air raid sirens as Ukraine observed its Independence Day on Wednesday, which also marked exactly six months since the start of Russia’s military invasion. Authorities in the capital banned large-scale gatherings until Thursday, fearing the national holiday might bring particularly heavy Russian missile attacks. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged the public to be vigilant.
Sri Lanka bans import of 300 items of consumer goods to stabilise economy
In a special notification issued by the Sri Lankan Finance Ministry, the ban was imposed on a total of 300 items including chocolates, perfumes, makeup and shampoo among several other products. “Under imports and exports control regulations dated August 22 an import ban on a wide range of consumer items from food to machinery has come into immediate effect,” the notification said. However, these items if shipped before August 23 and arrive in the country before September 14 would still be allowed, it stated.
PM Prayuth Chan-ocha must suspend active duties: Thailand court
Thailand’s Constitutional Court ruled on August 24 that Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha must suspend his active duties while the court decides whether he has overstayed his legal term in office. It was not immediately announced who would assume his duties as acting Prime Minister. Under law, it would be Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, who is ranked first among several deputies. He is a close political ally of Prayuth and part of the same military clique that staged the 2014 coup that initially brought him to power.
Markets settle with modest gains in highly volatile trade
In a trade marked with highs and lows, the 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 54.13 points or 0.09% to settle at 59,085.43. During the day, it hit a high of 59,170.87 and a low of 58,760.09. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty went up by 27.45 points or 0.16% to 17,604.95.
Rupee slips 2 paise to close at 79.85 against U.S. dollar
At the interbank foreign exchange market, the domestic currency opened at 79.84 per dollar. It hovered in a range of 79.68 to 79.87 during the session. The domestic unit finally settled at 79.85, down 2 paise over its previous close of 79.83.
Justice Chandrachud-led Bench to hear BCCI matters, says SC
The plea of the cricket body seeks to amend its constitution concerning the tenure of its office bearers including its president Sourav Ganguly and Secretary Jay Shah by doing away with the mandatory cooling-off period between tenures of office bearers across state cricket associations and the BCCI. The BCCI, in its proposed amendment, has sought the abolition of a cooling-off period for its office bearers which would enable Ganguly and Shah to continue in office despite them having completed six years at respective state cricket associations.
Badminton | Lakshya Sen enters pre-quarters of BWF World Championships
Young Indian badminton ace Lakshya Sen sailed into the men’s singles pre-quarterfinals with a straight game win over Spain’s Luis Penalver in the BWF World Championships in Tokyo. After trailing 3-4, the ninth seeded Sen grabbed a six-point lead to be 13-7. The Indian continued to stay ahead before comfortably wrapping up the first game.
‘No more racing in Russia’: F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali reiterates stand over Ukraine invasion
The Russian Grand Prix was scheduled to be held in Sochi this year before moving to Igora Drive in St. Petersburg in 2023, but F1 canceled the race after Russia invaded Ukraine. And Domenicali said the sport has no intention of returning to the country.
