U.S. will issue record number of visas this year, says Eric Garcetti
The United States will issue a record number of visas in 2023, said U.S. Ambassador Eric Garcetti in New Delhi on August 22. Speaking at an event organised by “Indiaspora”, an organisation that works for the advancement of India-U.S. relations, Mr. Garcetti recollected his interaction with President Joe Biden and said the latter described India as “the most important country in the world”.
Causing floods is a terrorist offence in proposed law to replace Indian Penal Code
The proposed Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Bill (BNS) says that causing “floods” is a terrorist offence. The Bill that seeks to replace the British-era Indian Penal Code defines terrorism as a separate offence for the first time as part of a general law. The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, of 1967 is a special law focused on terrorist activities.
Chandrayaan-3 lander scheduled for touch down at 6.04 p.m.
If all goes as per plan, Chandrayaan-3’s lander module with the rover in its belly on Wednesday will once again attempt to land on the Moon at 6.04 p.m. The lander is expected to make a safe and soft landing on the Moon and would make India the fourth country to achieve this feat after the U.S., Russia and China.
Inflation pressures may linger, but food prices to cool soon: FinMin
India’s inflation woes are not over yet but food price spikes may be “transitory”, the Finance Ministry said on August 22, attributing the latest spike in headline inflation to global uncertainties triggered by the termination of the Black Sea Grain Initiative that has upset wheat and edible oil supplies, as well as disruptions in domestic farm output.
Piyush Goyal cautions protesting onion farmers against ‘political opponents’
Even as onion farmers stopped trading at the Agricultural Produce Market Committee’s (APMC) Nashik market, the Centre said it is in touch with the Maharashtra Government to diffuse the protests that emerged soon after the announcement to impose 40% duty on onion exports.
Congress will conduct caste census in Madhya Pradesh after winning Assembly polls: Kharge
The Congress will conduct a caste census in Madhya Pradesh for better planning of resource allocation for the backward classes after it comes to power in the State, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said on Tuesday. The State is scheduled to hold Assembly election later this year.
Chess World Cup: Praggnanandhaa plays out 35-move draw with Carlsen in Game 1
In keeping with the rising expectations of the chess world, a confident R. Praggnanandhaa matched favourite Magnus Carlsen for a comfortable 35-move draw in their first-round clash in the final of the FIDE World Cup in Baku on Tuesday.
Cauvery dispute: Supreme Court Bench to hear Tamil Nadu’s plea on August 25
A three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court headed by Justice B.R. Gavai will on August 25 hear Tamil Nadu’s plea for the release of its allotment of Cauvery River water for the month of August. The other judges on the Bench are Justices P.S. Narasimha and P.K. Mishra.
CBI arrests Canadian resident of Indian origin in espionage case
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a Canadian resident of Indian origin in connection with an espionage case. A freelance journalist, Vivek Raghuvanshi, and a former Navy Commander, Ashish Pathak, were arrested in the case in May.
Farmers detained in Haryana, Punjab ahead of protest for flood relief
Police personnel were deployed in large numbers on the inter-State boundaries of Punjab, Haryana, and in the Union Territory of Chandigarh, in the wake of a demonstration call given by various farmer outfits from six flood-ravaged States, seeking immediate compensation.
Fukushima nuclear plant will start releasing treated radioactive water to sea as early as August 24
The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant will start releasing treated and diluted radioactive wastewater into the Pacific Ocean as early as August 24 — a controversial step that the government says is essential for the decades of work needed to clean up the facility that had reactor meltdowns 12 years ago.
GDP growth to be higher than RBI’s estimate of 8% for June quarter, say Economists
The country’s real GDP growth in the first quarter will be better than the Reserve Bank’s estimate of 8%, economists said on August 22.
The National Conference (NC) on August 22 received a major relief from the Supreme Court which refused to stay the Jammu and Kashmir High Court orders on allotment of the party symbol, plough, for the coming Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council-Kargil elections.
Handouts keep electorate in a state of ‘political intoxication’: Vice President Dhankar
Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar said on Tuesday that government freebies had left people in a state of political intoxication and the matter required serious deliberation.
