Bhopal, Aug 9 (IANS) Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Saturday countered the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) reference to a 2018 petition filed by the state Congress unit, saying it is misleading to cite the case in response to Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s recent allegations of fake voters. Kamal Nath’s media advisor and former journalist, Piyush Babele, said the Supreme Court had dismissed the MP Congress’s petition on…

New Delhi, Aug 9 (IANS) Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday said that the state government will provide six months’ ration to families affected by the recent disaster and extend financial aid for damaged houses. Speaking about the ongoing Dharali rescue operation, the Chief Minister said the top priority was to move people to safety.“Despite adverse weather conditions, more than 1,000 people have been rescued so far, including local residents and pilgrims from across t…

Mackay (Australia), Aug 9 (IANS) Australia ‘A’ pacer Kim Garth hailed her side’s batting intent shown from Alyssa Healy and others after their commanding 114-run win over India ‘A’ in the second T20 at the Great Barrier Reef Arena on Saturday.The thumping victory also meant Australia ‘A’ sealed the T20 series victory. Alyssa hit a blistering 44-ball 70, laced with 12 boundaries, to set up Australia A’s total of 187/4, while Tahlia Wilson (43), Anika Learoyd (35), and Courtney Web…

Mumbai, Aug 9 (IANS) Director-producer Om Raut, whose production ‘Inspector Zende’ is set to release on OTT next month, has spoken about his knack for showcasing historical characters from Maharashtra, and how he mounts them for the national or international audience. The director-producer spoke with IANS recently at his office in Mumbai, and shared that his aim is to tell grassroot stories.He told IANS, “I want to tell the grassroot stories. I want to tell the stories that are rooted deep…

Mumbai, Aug 9 (IANS) Actor Naveen Kasturia, who is receiving a lot of positive response to his work in the recently released OTT series ‘Salakaar’, has revealed that he was asked to change his walk and gait by the director of the series, Faruk Kabir. In the series, Naveen essays the role of an Indian spy, who is based out in Pakistan, tailing the escalation of the atomic bomb development.The actor recently spoke with IANS during the promotions of the series, and said, “The things which I d…

Mumbai, Aug 9 (IANS) ICICI Bank on Saturday raised the minimum average balance (MAB) requirement for its savings accounts, with significant hikes for new and urban customers in metro cities.Customers of metro and urban branches must maintain a minimum average balance of Rs 50,000 under the new structure — up from the earlier limit of Rs 10,000. The change applies only to the new customers who have been acquired since August 1, 2025.Semi-urban customers are required to maintain Rs 25,000, while …

New Delhi, Aug 9 (IANS) Muhammad Yunus, the caretaker of the interim government in Bangladesh, has assured that an election in his country would be held next year. With plenty of uncertainty over the Awami League on whether it could contest or not, it is the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which is the frontrunner.The BNP wanted an election before December 2025, but the interim government has said that it would require time until next April, as there are some reforms to be implemented. Howev…

Dhaka, Aug 9 (IANS) A B M Abdus Sattar, Private Secretary to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Khaleda Zia, has accused several interim government advisors of engaging in rampant corruption, alleging that no key appointments or transfers in the country take place without their involvement. Sattar made the allegations during a seminar titled ‘Expectations of the July Mass Uprising and Public Administration of the Future’ organised by the Bangladesh Administrative Service Associat…

Washington, Aug 9 (IANS) India’s rejection of economic coercion by the US through the imposition of a 50 per cent tariff on key Indian exports sends a strong message to other developing countries facing the challenges of globalisation and weaponisation of trade, a report cited on Saturday.The firm stance taken by India underscores its commitment to economic sovereignty, at the cost of short-term gains.”The way India has adopted a protectionist approach is more than economic prudence — it is a …

Moscow, Aug 9 (IANS) US President Donald Trump’s imposition of tariffs on India is both “unfair and unworkable”, especially when Europe remains the world’s largest importer of Russian energy in dollars and the biggest contributor to Russian revenues, a report in Britain’s leading newspaper has cited. “It’s not just Trump’s hypocrisy that has the Indians up in arms – it’s the unfairness of being punished for breaking no laws. Russian oil exports are not sanctioned by the EU or the US, but the…