TOP NEWS

India's former envoy to the United Nations Syed Akbaruddin on Friday tweeted his condemnation of US Deputy National Security Adviser Daleep Singh for his remarks on India's trade deals with Russia amid the war against Ukraine. The former envoy spoke to media at length, explaining that the US official's comments were a "display of rather crude public diplomacy of a nature that is not expected from a friendly country like the US".

"The world is not at peace. In fact, it is going to pieces. And in such situations, it is normal for everybody to try and maximise their position. We have military conflicts and hostilities going on in Ukraine but we also have a weaponisation of sorts being launched - something very unprecedented. A G20 country is being sanctioned in an unprecedented manner. Obviously, these have repercussions in an interdependent world. It is not the first time sanctions have been used as a tool. But let me tell you they have no sanctity in international law," Syed Akbaruddin told India Today TV.

The Supreme Court on Friday rejected the Maharashtra government’s request for a court-monitored probe into the corruption case against former home minister Anil Deshmukh, saying that the probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against Deshmukh would continue.

The Maharashtra government had filed a petition seeking the handover of the CBI’s anti-corruption probe against Anil Deshmukh to a court-monitored Special Investigation Team (SIT). In its petition, the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government alleged that the CBI’s investigation could be biased as former Maharashtra police chief Subodh Kumar Jaiswal was now chief of the investigating agency.

Deshmukh, a senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader, is being investigated over allegations of bribe-taking for police transfers and postings when he was the state home minister. He was arrested on November 2.

Amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the US military on Friday has cancelled a test of its Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile in an attempt to abate nuclear tensions with Russia, reported Reuters adding that the nation only aimed to test the missiles.

The US Air Force`s press desk confirmed the cancellation news to Xinhua.

As per the US Air Force that the delay in the tests came only to avoid any sort of misinterpretation or miscommunication with Russia during Moscow`s military operation in Ukraine.

India will be importing 100 tonne of natural uranium and 133 units of fuel assemblies next fiscal, the government said.

Replying to a question in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions and Prime Minister’s Office said 100 tonne of natural uranium in the form of uranium ore concentrate is scheduled to be imported during 2022-23.

He also said 133 numbers of fuel assemblies are scheduled to be imported next fiscal.

Covid-19-related measures in the country will end on Friday two years after the Centre announced the implementation of curbs following the outbreak of the pandemic in view of a continuous drop in cases across India. The home ministry, however, said the wearing of face masks and maintaining social distancing norms will continue.

Mask or No Mask? Know What Changes from Today As Covid-19 Restrictions End in India© Provided by News18 Mask or No Mask? Know What Changes from Today As Covid-19 Restrictions End in India

Several states on Thursday decided to lift all the pandemic-related restrictions, including the mandatory wearing of face masks. Maharashtra, one of the worst-hit states, and West Bengal announced that all Covid-related curbs would be lifted, while Delhi decided to do away with the mandatory wearing of face masks in public places.