TODAY NEWS ON 26 AUGUST 2022
News Headlines

India’s vote to allow Zelensky speech was not against Russia, says MEA

India on Thursday denied that it had voted “against Russia”, at the U.N. Security Council during a procedural vote on whether to allow Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to address the Council virtually during a debate on the Ukrainian situation on August 24.

Schedule to elect Congress chief likely on August 28

Amid reports that the polls to elect a new Congress president could be put off for some time, senior party sources on Thursday said that the Congress Working Committee (CWC) would come out with a precise election schedule on August 28.

However, the deadline to elect the new party chief by September 20 is likely to be delayed by a week or two as the party is focussed on the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ that starts on September 7.

INS Vikrant, India’s first indigenously-built aircraft carrier, to be commissioned on September 2

Commissioning of the country’s first aircraft carrier Vikrant will enhance peace, security and stability in the Indian Ocean and Indo-Pacific Region, Navy Vice Chief Vice Admiral S.N. Ghormade said on Thursday.
The carrier is set to be commissioned on September 2, 2022 in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Indians get largest share of U.K. student, skilled worker and visitor visas: official data

Indian citizens received the largest share of U.K. student, skilled worker and visitor visas for the year ending June 2022, as per official data published by the British government on Thursday.

This data comes as British visa applicants have faced severe delays in the adjudication of their applications, owing to an increase in the number of applicants as travel recovers post-pandemic and the prioritisation of visas for Ukrainians.

Former CEA Krishnamurthy Subramanian appointed India’s Executive Director at IMF

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved former Chief Economic Adviser Krishnamurthy Subramanian for the post of Executive Director (India) at the International Monetary Fund for a period of three years starting November 1, 2022, or until further orders.

Pakistani court bars police from arresting ex-PM Imran Khan in contempt case

A Pakistani court on August 25 extended former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s protection from arrest through the end of the month, officials said, after police filed terrorism charges against the country’s popular opposition leader.

The decision effectively shields Mr. Khan from arrest until September 1 over accusations that during a speech last weekend, he threatened police officers and a female judge — remarks that triggered the terrorism charges.

Labour Codes empower workers: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the Centre has taken initiatives to abolish laws from “the period of slavery” that reflect slavery mentality.

He said the country is now changing, reforming and simplifying such labour laws and justified the decision to convert 29 labour laws into four “simple labour codes”.

India limits wheat flour export to curb price rise

The Central government has decided to restrict the export of wheat flour in order to curb the rising prices of the commodity and ensure food security of the most vulnerable sections of the society. The decision was taken by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Thursday.

The government will accordingly amend the policy of exemption for the commodity from export restrictions or ban.

A missing pot and the unmissable caste divide

The death of a Dalit boy after a thrashing from his upper caste school principal has once again brought to the fore the old normal of deep-seated discrimination in Rajasthan.

The victim’s family finds itself isolated as fellow villagers in Surana refuse to acknowledge a caste angle to the incident.

Putin orders Russian military to start beefing up in 2023

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Thursday to increase the size of Russia’s armed forces from 1.9 million to 2.04 million as the war in Ukraine enters its seventh month.

Moscow has not revealed any losses in the conflict since its first weeks, but Western officials and the Kyiv government say they number in the thousands.

India will recruit Gurkha soldiers from Nepal under Agnipath scheme: MEA

The Indian Army will continue to recruit Nepal Domicile Gurkhas (NDGs) under the Agnipath scheme, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday. The comment came hours after Nepal postponed a recruitment drive for Gurkha soldiers in Butwal where arrangements were made for a round of recruitment for Gurkha soldiers into the Indian Army on Thursday.

It is understood the issue would be taken up by the Nepalese authorities during the upcoming visit by Indian Army Chief General Manoj Pandey to Kathmandu.

UEFA Champions League draw | Bayern, Inter, Barcelona in group of death; Benzema is UEFA player of the year

Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Inter Milan will play each other in the 2022-23 UEFA Champions League group stage, while holders Real Madrid have it fairly easy, grouped with Celtic, RB Leipzig and Shakhtar Donetsk.

On the night of the new season’s draw, the awards for 2021-22 season were also announced. French striker Karim Benzema won his first UEFA Men’s Player of the Year award for his role in Real Madrid’s victory over Liverpool, while the Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti was adjudged Coach of the Year.

Telangana Police arrest suspended BJP MLA Raja Singh again

The Hyderabad City Police, on August 25, served a notice under Section 41 of the CrPC to the legislator. Soon after this development, suspended BJP MLA T. Raja Singh circulated a video in which he said that his arrest was likely in connection with “old cases”. The MLA described the issue as “  dharam yudh” and said he would not relent. The BJP legislator had made objectionable comments against Prophet Muhammad which triggered protests in the city. He was arrested the first time on August 23.

Of 29 phones examined, five infected with ‘some malware’, but does not mean it is Pegasus spyware: Panel report in Supreme Court

“Twenty-nine phones were given to the Committee. There is evidence found of some malware in five out of the 29 phones, but it does not mean the malware of Pegasus,” Chief Justice Ramana remarked orally. The Bench also conveyed the Committee’s observation that the Government of India was “not cooperative”. The CJI said it has just opened and read the final report of the Pegasus technical committee in the courtroom. The Bench needed time to study the report in detail. The court said it would take into consideration the request to release a redacted copies of the technical committee report.

PM Modi’s security lapse in Punjab: Supreme Court committee finds Ferozepur SSP failed to discharge duty

“The Ferozepur SSP failed to discharge his duty to maintain law and order. He failed to do this even though sufficient force was available and even though he was informed two hours before that PM will enter that route,” the bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and also comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli said while reading from the committee’s report.

Bilkis Bano case | Supreme Court issues notice to Gujarat government, directs impleadment of 11 convicts

The petition challenging the release of the convicts on August 15 was filed by CPI(M) leader Subhashini Ali, independent journalist and filmmaker Revati Laul and former philosophy professor and activist Roop Rekh Varma. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioners, said the petitioners are seeking the court to bring the remission records and see if there was any application of mind by the State.

Supreme Court prima facie agrees to review PMLA verdict on two key aspects

A Review Bench led by Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana clarified that its move to reconsider these two key points in the apex court judgment which upheld several core amendments made to the PMLA should not be construed to mean that the court was opposing the efforts of the government to prevent the circulation of black money or money-laundering. It said the objective of the government was “noble”.

Supreme Court accepts Gujarat’s request to adjourn Teesta bail hearing, points out she continues to remain ‘behind bars’

The Supreme Court underscored that activist Teesta Setalvad is behind bars even as the Gujarat government maintained that she is in custody as per the law and there is nothing “special” about her case while seeking an adjournment to fine-tune its reply to her plea for bail. The Bench asked the State to file its reply by Saturday and told senior advocate Kapil Sibal, for Ms. Setalvad, to file a rejoinder by Monday.

EC sends its recommendation in Hemant Soren office of profit case to Governor

An Election Commission official said the Commission’s recommendation in the case had been sent to the Governor under sealed cover. The matter was referred to the EC after the BJP complained to the Governor about Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren allocating a mining lease to himself while holding the portfolio of Mines Minister in 2021. The EC was asked to examine the matter and recommend whether Mr. Soren should be disqualified or not.

For the first time, India votes against Russia in UNSC during procedural vote on Ukraine

India for the first time voted against Russia during a “procedural vote” at the United Nations Security Council on Ukraine, as the 15-member powerful U.N. body invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to address a meeting through a video teleconference. India has not criticised Russia for its aggression against Ukraine. New Delhi has repeatedly called upon the Russian and Ukrainian sides to return to the path of diplomacy and dialogue, and also expressed its support for all diplomatic efforts to end the conflict between the two countries.

PLA, after LAC transgressions, cites border pacts to object to India-U.S. drill

According to reports, the upcoming fifteenth edition of the “Yudh Abhyas” joint exercise is expected to take place next month in a high-altitude area in Uttarakhand less than 100 km from the LAC. “We firmly oppose any third party to meddle in the China-India border issue in any form,” People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Senior Colonel Tan Kefei, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence, said at a monthly press conference in Beijing in response to questions about the upcoming drills.

Pakistan anti-terrorism court grants interim bail to Imran Khan

As there was a possibility of his arrest, Imran Khan’s party had called on supporters to “come out on the streets and then head to Islamabad the next day” if he is taken into custody. Security was tight around the Federal Judicial Complex, where the hearing was held, with police and Frontier Corps personnel deployed at the site. Roads in the complex’s surroundings were also blocked.

Monkeypox cases drop 21% globally, reversing month-long increase: WHO

The U.N. health agency reported 5,907 new weekly cases and said two countries, Iran and Indonesia, reported their first monkeypox cases. To date, more than 45,000 cases have been reported in 98 countries since late April.

Japan national police chief resigns over Shinzo Abe assassination

“There were shortcomings in the security plans and the risk assessments on which they were based, and direction from the field commander was insufficient,” head of Japan’s National Police Agency Itaru Nakamura told reporters. “The root of this problem lies in the limitations of the current system, which has been in place for years, in which local police bear sole responsibility for providing security,” he added.

U.S. envoy Rick Duke says Russian invasion of Ukraine speeds shift to clean energy

U. S. Deputy Special Envoy for Climate Rick Duke was speaking at an Australian National University forum after meetings with Australian government officials on bilateral cooperation in transitioning to net-zero greenhouse emissions by 2050. “The European Union has tripled down on its efforts to deploy renewables and heat pumps and to electrify its vehicle fleet and otherwise respond to this crisis,” he added. “That’s going to take time … but the pace is quickening because of the conflict.”

South Korea signs $2.25 billion deal with Russia nuclear company

South Korea has signed a 3 trillion won ($2.25 billion) deal with a Russian state-run nuclear energy company to provide components for Egypt’s first nuclear power plant. South Korea’s government said that the contract between the state-run Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power and ASE requires the South Koreans to provide turbine-related equipment and construction work for the plant that is being built in Dabaa, about 130 kilometers (80 miles) northwest of Cairo on the Mediterranean coast. ASE is a subsidiary of Rosatom, a state-owned Russian nuclear conglomerate.

Adani stake in NDTV | Company says SEBI order restrained Prannoy, Radhika Roy from accessing the securities market

In a statement to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), NDTV has said that a SEBI order dated November 27, 2020, had restrained its founder-promoters Dr. Prannoy Roy and Radhika Roy from accessing the securities market, and further prohibited buying, selling, or otherwise dealing in securities, directly or indirectly, or being associated with the securities market in any manner whatsoever; for a period of 2 years, which expires on November 26, 2022.

BWF World Championships: Prannoy beats Lakshya to enter quarterfinals

It was a gruelling one hour and 15 minute battle between Lakshya and Prannoy who eventually eked out a 17-21, 21-16, 21-17 over his teammate. It was the fourth meeting of the year for the two Indians after Prannoy’s win, their head-to-head record standing at 2-2. Prannoy will now face China’s Zhao Jun Peng in the quarterfinals.

GK News in detail for MBA/BBA/CLAT .