Top News Headlines of the hour

Published : Aug 18, 2021, 9:09 AM IST

Updated : Aug 18, 2021, 1:33 PM IST

top news

13:30 August 18

1. SC allows women to take NDA exams, terms women's exclusion as 'gender discrimination'

The Supreme Court on Wednesday passed an interim order to allow women to take the admission exam to National Defence Academy (NDA) scheduled for September 5.

2. #ArrestSwaraBhaskar trends on Twitter after her views on Hindutva and Taliban

Bollywood actor Sawara Bhasker is no novice to backlash on social media. The actor time and again engages in war of words on social media and this time has taken Twitter by storm with her views on Hindutva and Taliban.

3. J&K: Mehbooba Mufti's mother appears before ED in alleged money laundering case

PDP president and former J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti's mother Gulshan Nazir today appeared before the Enforcement Directorate for questioning in an alleged money laundering case.

4. LPG price hiked by Rs 25, check how much you pay for a cylinder

LPG marketing companies have increased the price of domestic LPG cylinder refill by Rs 25. With the latest hike, the price of a non-subsidized 14.2 kg cylinder in Delhi is now Rs 859.50, reported news agency ANI. New rates are effective from August 17.

5. Govt telling SC it can't divulge its info in public confession that spyware was used: Chidambaram

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Wednesday said the solicitor general told the Supreme Court that the government has information which he cannot divulge in public by way of an affidavit is a "confession" that software-spyware was used, and sought to know if it was Pegasus and for what purpose it was used.

11:32 August 18

1. Delhi Court discharges Shashi Tharoor in Sunanda Pushkar death case

Delhi Court has discharged Congress leader Shashi Tharoor in the Sunanda Pushkar death case.

2. 'Success doesn't get to your head and loss doesn't stay in your mind': PM Modi lauds Neeraj Chopra

Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra for his resilience and confidence in the Tokyo Olympics.

3. Dipanjali Chhetri: First trans woman to participate in LIVA Miss Diva 2021

Dipanjali Chhetri from West Bengal has become the first trans woman participant at the LIVA Miss Diva 2021. Her inclusion in the Top 50 of the beauty pageant has opened doors for more women from her community to achieve their dreams.

4. US intel warned of Taliban takeover of Afghanistan

US intelligence agencies had warned of the prospect of a Taliban takeover of Afghanistan and a rapid collapse of the Afghan military, raising questions as to why the Joe Biden administration seemed "ill-prepared to deal with the Taliban's final push into Kabul", according to a leading American daily.

5. Taliban agree to allow civilian 'safe passage': White House

The Taliban have agreed to allow "safe passage" from Afghanistan for civilians struggling to join a US-directed airlift from the capital, President Joe Biden's national security adviser said on Tuesday, although a timetable for completing the evacuation of Americans, Afghan allies and others has yet to be worked out with the country's new rulers.

10:17 August 18

1. Give CBI more autonomy, let it report only to Parliament: Madras HC

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) should be an autonomous body reporting only to Parliament, the Madras High Court said on Tuesday.

2. COVID-19: India records 35,178 fresh cases, 440 deaths

India added 35,178 fresh COVID-19 infections, taking the total tally of cases to 3,22,85,857. The death toll climbed to 4,32,519 with 440 fresh fatalities, according to the data updated at 8 am by the Union Health Ministry.

3. Live-in relationship between man, married woman 'illicit', says Rajasthan HC

The Rajasthan High Court has recently issued an order terming the live-in relationship between a man and a married woman "illicit".

4. On this day in 2008: Kohli made his international debut

Thirteen years ago on this day (August 18), skipper Virat Kohli took his first steps on the international stage as he made his ODI debut for India.

5. Richa Chadha reveals reality of 'imaginary' Bollywood, calls out hypocrite 'press peeps'

Bollywood actor Richa Chadha, known for her bold and outspoken personality, recently penned down the reality of the "imaginary" Bollywood.

09:09 August 18

1. 3 women judges among nine recommended by SC Collegium

The Supreme Court Collegium headed by Chief Justice NV Ramana has recommended the names of three women judges among nine names for elevation to the apex court.

2. Human remains found in wheel well of military plane that departed from Kabul: US Air Force

Human remains were found in a C-17 Globemaster's wheel well that flew from Kabul on Sunday, the US Air Force said, prompting it to launch a probe into the incident.

3. Explainer: What the Taliban takeover means for Afghanistan

The Taliban have seized power in Afghanistan two weeks before the U.S. was set to complete its troop withdrawal after a costly two-decade war. Here’s a look at what happened and what comes next.

4. India to be world's top manufacturing hub in 5 years, says Gadkari

Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said India would transform into an automobile manufacturing hub in the next five years.

5. Tamil Nadu's tainted cops move SC seeking trial outside state

In the continuing twist and turn in the two most sensational cases in Tamil Nadu, the accused, both in the police service, have knocked at the doors of the Supreme Court seeking transfer of the trial outside the state.

08:53 August 18

1. Jaishankar calls on UN chief Guterres; discusses Afghan situation

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday met UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres here and discussed the situation in war-torn Afghanistan.

2. Fresh firing escalates tension again on disputed Assam-Mizoram border

Three weeks after a violent clash between police forces of Assam and Mizoram, an incident of firing on Tuesday escalated tension on the disputed inter-state border again.

3. Death toll from Haiti earthquake rises to 1,941

Haitian officials raised the death toll from a deadly weekend earthquake by more than 500 on Tuesday after Tropical Storm Grace forced a temporary halt to search and rescue efforts, a delay that fed growing anger and frustration among thousands who were left homeless.

4. In fresh violence, governor's carcade attacked in Meghalaya during curfew

After a day of no untoward incidents, fresh violence was reported in Meghalaya state capital Shillong during curfew hours on Tuesday when unidentified miscreants attacked the carcade of Governor Satya Pal Malik with stones on its return from Assam after dropping him at an airport there, a Raj Bhavan official said.

5. Biden has first talk with ally on Taliban's rise

US President Joe Biden has spoken with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson about the situation in Afghanistan, marking his first call with another world leader since the Taliban took control of the country Sunday.