Latest news today (August 29): Presenting FE’s Breaking News today. We will keep you updated on all major news, views and much more throughout the day.

Court upholds order for FIR against Sambit Patra

A sesions court here has dismissed the revision petition filed by BJP leader Sambit Patra assailing a magisterial court’s order of November 2021 directing the Delhi Police to register an FIR against him for allegedly posting a doctored video of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal supporting the now-scrapped farm laws.

Bangladesh did not make request for BRICS membership: PM Sheikh Hasina

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said that Dhaka had not made any request for membership of BRICS right now, reports said. Sheikh Hasina said, “We didn’t go to tell anyone to make us a member (of BRICS) right now,” reports said. She made the remarks while addressing a press conference at her official residence Ganabhaban on her recent visit to South Africa and her participation in the 15th BRICS Summit.

G20 Summit: Delhi Police’s dog squad conducts drills for detection of dummy explosives

As Delhi gears up to host the G20 Summit next month, the Dog Squad of Delhi Police has conducted security drills to detect dummy explosives planted in luggage and vehicles. The police dog squad, with their handlers, performed drills on dummy explosives.

UP slap row: Muslims’ platform calls for speedy trial, exemplary punishment for teacher

Indian Muslims for Secular Democracy (IMSD) has condemned the Uttar Pradesh school incident in which a teacher ordered her students to slap a Muslim classmate, and demanded a speedy trial as well as exemplary punishment to the teacher. Actors Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi and lyricist Javed Akhtar were among the signatories to a statement issued by the IMSD which describes itself as a secular democratic platform of Muslims in India.

Delhi government issues notice ahead of G20 Summit

Office of Labour Commissioner, Delhi government issues notice that all shops, commercial and business establishments in New Delhi district from Sept 8th to 10th to remain closed and grant paid holiday to employees or workers, in view of G20 summit.

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Office of Labour Commissioner, Delhi government issues notice that all shops, commercial and business establishments in New Delhi district from Sept 8th to 10th to remain closed and grant paid holiday to employees or workers, in view of G20 summit. pic.twitter.com/kOqSJiwOCA

— ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2023

Fear that Godhra-like incident may take place ahead of 2024 polls: Sanjay Raut

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has claimed there was apprehension that a Godhra train fire-like incident could take place at the time of the Ram temple inauguration ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Manjinder Singh Sirsa appointed as BJP national secretary

Bharatiya Janata Party has appointed Manjinder Singh Sirsa as the National secretary of the party. “Jagat Prakash Nadda, National President of Bharatiya Janata Party has appointed Manjinder Singh Sirsa as the National Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party,” an official notification issued by the BJP read. Former Shiromani Akali Dal leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa joined BJP in December 2021.

Insulting woman, being rude to her wouldn’t amount to outraging modesty: HC

Insulting a woman or being rude to her and not behaving in a chivalrous manner will not amount to outraging the modesty of a woman, the Delhi High Court has held while setting aside an order putting a man on trial for calling a woman ‘gandi aurat’. The high court also said gender-specific laws are not meant to be “anti-opposite gender” but to serve the purpose of addressing unique issues faced by a particular gender.

Sebi looking to ease fundraising for not-for-profit organisations on social stock exchanges

Taking a step to ease the fundraising by not-for-profit organisations, capital markets regulator Sebi has proposed flexibility in the regulatory framework for social stock exchanges. Under the proposal, the regulator has suggested reducing the threshold of the minimum issue size as well as application size for not-for-profit organisations (NPOs).

IndiGo reports two engine shutdown incidents mid-air, both aircraft land safely

In the second such instance in a time difference of a few hours, an IndiGo flight from Kolkata to Bengaluru on Tuesday reported a mid-air glitch after one of its engines shut down but landed safely. The first engine glitch incident happened on an Indigo Madurai-Mumbai flight earlier in the day. Engine 2 Stall occurred and Engine2 oil chip detected warning came. Engine2 was shut down as per the checklist and the aircraft landed safely.

Gujarat govt announces 27 per cent reservation for OBCs in local self-governing bodies

The BJP government in Gujarat has announced a 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in local bodies like panchayats, municipalities and civic corporations on the basis of a commission’s report, paving the way for polls in these self-governing institutes.

Pak court grants pre-arrest bail to Bushra Bibi till Sep 12 in graft cases

A Pakistani court has granted pre-arrest bail to Bushra Bibi, wife of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, till September 12 in multiple graft cases, it emerged on Tuesday. Bushra Bibi, 49, appeared before the accountability court in Islamabad along with her lawyers Latif Khosa and Intizar Hussain Panjutha. The court approved her bail plea against a surety bond of Rs 500,000, the Express Tribune newspaper reported.

3 going for relative’s cremation killed as car falls into gorge in HP’s Sirmaur Nahan

Three people of a family who were on their way to attend a relative’s cremation were killed after their car rolled down a gorge in Himachal Pradesh’s Sirmaur district on Tuesday, reports said. While Naria Ram (55), Manisha Devi (28) and Durma Devi (52) died on the spot, the other passengers, Santosh Kumar (32) and Bimla Devi (52) were injured in the accident. The family members were on their way to Rohnat in Sirmaur to attend a relative’s cremation when the accident occurred near Jarwa-Juneli village in Shalai area.

Evidence of Congress involvement in Nuh violence, says Haryana minister Anil Vij

Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij has said that an initial investigation has pointed to the role of the opposition party Congress in the clashes in Nuh and its adjoining areas. Addressing a press conference here, Vij said that so far 510 people have been arrested and 130-140 FIRs registered in the case. He also alleged that there is evidence against Congress MLA Mamman Khan which suggests he visited the areas where violence took place.

Making absurd claims does not make others’ territory yours: Jaishankar on China

Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar on Tuesday slammed China over the Aksai Chin map row. Jaishankar in an interview with NDTV said that it was China’s ‘old habit.’ He also said that making absurd claims does not make others’ territory yours. China recently introduced what it called ‘standard maps’, in which the Aksai Chin territory was marked as that belonging to Beijing. The new Chinese map also include Arunachal Pradesh.

Modi Cabinet approves LPG subsidy

Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Tuesday confirmed that the Modi Cabinet has confirmed the LPG subsidy under Ujjwala Scheme. According to the decision taken by the Cabinet, the beneficiaries registered with the Ujjwala Scheme will get an additional subsidy of Rs 200 for each LPG cylinder. This is the second time this year that the Modi government has announced subsidy under the Ujjwala Scheme. In March earlier this year, the Cabinet had announced that the beneficiaries will get Rs 200 in their accounts for the LPG cylinders. With the Tuesday announcement, the amount will now go up to Rs 400 for each beneficiary.

Colombia to protest against 50% increase in gasoline prices

Due to the increase in fuel price in South America, thousands of protesters on cars and motorbikes came on streets to demonstrate the anger. The protestors are against the ruling government of President Gustavo Petro.

SC to Centre – Make stand clear on roadmap to restore statehood of J&K

The petition of abrogation of Article 370 which gives special position to Jammu & Kashmir is being discussed with the Five-judge Constitution bench of Supreme Court. According to ANI, the Central government informs the Supreme Court that the decision to make Jammu and Kashmir a Union Territory was not permanent. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta says J&K would again be made a State when things will get normal. (READ MORE)

Defence Minister Rajnath thanks Kenya for support

In the bilateral meeting between India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Cabinet Secretary for Kenya Ministry of Defence, Aden Bare Duale, Rajnath expressed gratitude and said, “Our collaborations in trade, economy, education, health and people-to-people contacts have grown from strength to strength. I am happy to note that both our countries worked closely in the UN Security Council in 2021-22 as non-permanent members. We thank Kenya for their support to the Indian candidature for their 2028-29 term also.”

Nitin Gadkari unveils world’s first ‘Electrified Flex Fuel Vehicle’

Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways, on Tuesday unveiled what’s termed as world’s first ‘Electrified Flex Fuel Vehicle’. This BS 6 Stage II prototype has been developed by Toyota Kirloskar Motor.

No Adani-Hindenburg hearing today

The Supreme Court is unlikely to hear the critical Adani-Hindenburg case today. Earlier reports had said that the apex court was scheduled to hear the case as per the previous order.

Sweden’s economy shrinks in Q2, but less than feared

The Swedish economy shrank in the second quarter, primarily due to slower exports and decreased trade inventories, though the contraction was smaller than expected, data from the Statistics Office showed on Tuesday. Gross domestic product (GDP) was down 0.8% from the previous three months, against a flash estimate from last month for a 1.5% fall and a mean estimate in a Reuters poll of analysts for a 1.3% drop. Year-on-year, GDP was down 1.0%, the Statistics Office said in a statement. Its preliminary reading had been for a 2.4% drop. (Reuters)

Typhoon Saola to bring heavy rain and strong winds to southern Taiwan on its way to China’s coast

Taiwan’s weather authorities warned residents of heavy rain and strong winds starting Wednesday as Typhoon Saola skirts by the island’s southern coast on its way to China’s southern coast. The typhoon is moving northwest with sustained winds of 162 kph (101 mph) and gusts of up to 198 kph (123 mph), according to Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau. The typhoon’s eye won’t hit Taiwan’s mainland, but is expected to graze the island’s southern cities with its outer bands. (AP)

China releases new edition of ‘standard map’ showing its territorial claims

China on Monday officially released the 2023 edition of its “standard map” incorporating the disputed areas including its claims over Arunachal Pradesh, Aksai Chin region, Taiwan and the disputed South China Sea. India has repeatedly said that the state of Arunachal Pradesh has “always been” and will “always be” an integral part of the country. “The 2023 edition of China’s standard map was officially released on Monday and launched on the website of the standard map service hosted by the Ministry of Natural Resources,” state-run Global Times said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. “This map is compiled based on the drawing method of the national boundaries of China and various countries in the world,” the post said. (PTI)

‘Electrified Flex Fuel Vehicle’ to be unveiled today

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari will unveil world’s first ‘Electrified Flex Fuel Vehicle’. The prototype, which has been developed by Toyota Kirloskar, is a BS 6 Stage II vehicle. The launch is scheduled at 12 noon.

FirstCry founder being probed for alleged $50 million tax evasion: Report

India’s tax department is probing an alleged tax evasion by founder of three Indian unicorns — FirstCry.com, Globalbees Brands Ltd. and Xpressbees — , according to people familiar with the matter. The department, which India’s Ministry of Finance runs, has sent notices to founder Supam Maheshwari asking why he didn’t pay more than $50 million in taxes on equity transactions conducted in privately-held FirstCry, the people said, asking not to be named as the information is not public. (Bloomberg)

Toyota’s auto plants in Japan have been shut down

All 28 vehicle assembly lines at Toyota’s 14 auto plants in Japan shut down Tuesday over a problem in its computer system that deals with incoming auto parts. The automaker doesn’t believe the problem was caused by a cyberattack but the cause is still under investigation, said spokeswoman Sawako Takeda. It’s unclear when the lines will be back up. (AP)

South Korea increases Ukraine aid to $394 mln for 2024

South Korea unveiled on Tuesday financial aid of 520 billion won ($394 million) for Ukraine next year, an eightfold increase from this year. The aid package includes 130 billion won for reconstruction, 260 billion in humanitarian aid and another 130 billion won through international organisations, according to South Korea’s 2024 budget. In July, President Yoon Suk Yeol announced his country would provide a “large scale of military supplies” this year without giving more details. On Tuesday, Yoon also announced an increase in South Korea’s Official Development Assistance for strategic areas, including the Asia-Pacific region and Africa, from 1.4 trillion won to 2 trillion won. (REUTERS)

Maharashtra tops in attracting FDI in 1st quarter of current FY: Fadnavis

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis claimed that Maharashtra has secured highest Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the first quarter of fiscal year worth Rs 36,634 crore in comparison to the aggravated amount of Delhi, Karnataka and Telangana.

Florida governor declares widespread state of emergency

Florida residents loaded up on sandbags and evacuated from homes in low-lying areas along the Gulf Coast as Tropical Storm Idalia intensified Monday and forecasters predicted it would hit in days as a major hurricane with potentially life-threatening storm surges.“You should be wrapping up your preparation for #TropicalStormIdalia tonight and Tuesday morning at the latest,” the National Weather Service in Tampa Bay said Monday on X. (AP)

Rahul Gandhi to visit Europe in September

As per some sources Congress leader Rahul Gandhi may visit Europe in the first week of September and meet European Commission lawmakers in Belgium besides addressing students at a university in Paris. It will be a 5-day-tour in Europe while India will be holding the G20 summit in New Delhi.

BJP launches nationwide ‘Voter Awareness Campaign’, aims to maximise votes in 2024

A campaign launched by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on August 25 to maximize the number of voters in the country by going door-to-door to create awareness amongst the youth. This is to be done to get a better turnout in Lok Sabha 2024 election and called ‘Voter Chetana Maha Abhiyaan.’

Gold worth Rs 2.06 crore seized from Delhi airport

The Air Customs arrested 3 Kuwait nationals under Customs Act, 1962, in Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi with silver coated gold jewellery weighing 4001 grams valued at 2.06 crore.

Mexican govt sends 1,200 more troops after weekend of violence

A series of violence over the weekend in Mexico city, the government of Mexico sent 1,200 more troops to the cartel-dominated western state of Michoacan. According to reports by the Defense Department statement, the troops were deployed in order to prevent cartels from blocking any more roads. The violence in Mexico city set three convenience stores and five trucks and cars under fire.

Earthquake of magnitude 4.3 strikes Andaman Sea

The National Center for Seismology (NCS) recorded an earthquake of magnitude 4.3 on the Ritcher scale that hit the Andaman sea early morning at 3:50 am. “Earthquake of Magnitude:4.3, Occurred on 29-08-2023, 03:50:10 IST, Lat: 11.46 & Long: 93.34, Depth: 10 Km ,Location: Andaman Sea,” the NCS posted on X.