Chennai, Aug 14 (IANS) In a late-night operation, police detained hundreds of Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) conservancy workers who had been staging a sit-in protest for 13 days, demanding the withdrawal of privatisation plans in two city zones. Around 400 police personnel were deployed at about 11.30 p.m. on Wednesday to clear the demonstration site outside the Ripon Buildings. Nearly 600 protesters, including sanitation workers, advocates, and members of Communist parties, were removed fro…

New Delhi, Aug 14 (IANS) The Supreme Court will on Thursday take up a set of applications seeking the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir within a fixed timeframe. According to the causelist published on the apex court’s website, a Bench comprising Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran will hear the matter on Thursday, a day ahead of Independence Day.Last week, CJI Gavai agreed to retain the petitions on the hearing board after they were mentioned by senior ad…

Shimla, Aug 14 (IANS) Braving darkness, fast currents and unstable terrain, the Indian Army on Thursday said its swift response averted a potential tragedy when a sudden flash flood struck Hojis Lungpa Nala in Himachal Pradesh’s mountainous Kinnaur district. The incident happened at around 7 p.m. on Wednesday. Triggered by a cloudburst in the higher reaches of the Rishi Dogri Valley, the deluge engulfed the bridge across the Sutlej River and injured one individual.The site was an active road c…

Karachi, Aug 14 (IANS) Three people, including a senior citizen and an eight-year-old girl, lost their lives during Independence Day celebrations in Pakistan’s Karachi due to “reckless” aerial firing, while more than 60 others sustained gunshot injuries, according to local media reports.The incidents occurred in different parts of the city. In Azizabad Block-8, an eight-year-old girl was struck by a stray bullet and died before she could be taken to the hospital, reports Dunya News.In Korangi, a…

Cairo, Aug 14 (IANS) Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty has held separate phone calls with his Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said.Egypt is stepping up efforts to revive cooperation between Iran and the IAEA and restart negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear program, the ministry said on Wednesday.In his talks with Araghchi, Abdelatty emphasised the importance of adhering to diplomatic chann…

Mumbai, Aug 14 (IANS) Bollywood actor Shilpa Shetty Kundra, her businessman husband Raj Kundra, and an unidentified individual have been booked by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) for allegedly defrauding a Mumbai-based businessman of Rs 60.4 crore in a loan-cum-investment deal linked to their now-defunct company, Best Deal TV Pvt Ltd, police said on Thursday.According to Mumbai Police, businessman Deepak Kothari has accused the couple of jointly cheating him of more than Rs 60 crore.He alleged …

New Delhi, Aug 14 (IANS) A three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court will on Thursday hear the suo motu case titled ‘In Re: City hounded by strays, kids pay price,’ amid an ongoing debate over the relocation of stray dogs in Delhi-NCR.Animal activists, celebrities, and some political figures have voiced their objections to the order, highlighting that Delhi and other NCR cities like Noida and Gurugram lack the necessary infrastructure for carrying out the mass relocation within such a limited time….

United Nations, Aug 14 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to participate in the high-level United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session and address it on September 26, according to the preliminary programme. This will be a milestone meeting for the UN, which turns 80 this year and the General Assembly’s theme is “Better Together: 80 Years and More for Peace, Development and Human Rights”.A high-level meeting will be held on September 22 to commemorate the 80th anniversary.The nex…

New Delhi, Aug 14 (IANS) President Droupadi Murmu will address the nation on Thursday evening, marking the eve of the 79th Independence Day. The address is scheduled to be broadcast at 7 p.m. across the entire national network of Akashvani and telecast on all Doordarshan channels — first in Hindi, followed by the English version.Doordarshan’s regional channels will then air regional language broadcasts, while Akashvani will carry the regional versions at 9.30 p.m. on its respective networks, …

Kolkata, Aug 13 (IANS) I-League side Shillong Lajong FC will kick off the knockout quarterfinals stage of the 134th Durand Cup football tournament with a clash against Indian Navy FT at the Jawahar Lal Nehru (JLN) Stadium in Shillong on Saturday (August 16).As per the draw unveiled by the Durand Cup Organising Committee (DCOC), the eagerly awaited quarterfinal fixtures of the 134th Durand Cup will be played across four cities on August 16 and 17.A few hours after Shillong Lajong battle it out wi…