Kannada actor Darshan will be moved to Ballari district jail following reports of VIP treatment at Bengaluru Central Prison where he is held for a murder case. Nine co-accused will be relocated to various other prisons. Officials stress that no privileges will be given to Darshan at the new facility.
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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated that the GST Council plans to address rate rationalisation, with states cautious about revenue concerns. The council aims to keep existing tax slabs intact while reconsidering other rates, starting discussions on Sept 9. States seek to balance revenue needs without excessively burdening the public.
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Prime Minister Modi briefed President Putin on his recent visit to Ukraine, discussing the importance of dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Modi previously received praise from President Biden for his peace-focused visit. Additionally, Modi confirmed his participation in the upcoming BRICS summit in Russia scheduled for October.
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Omar Abdullah, of the National Conference, will contest from Ganderbal in the assembly elections, reversing his decision to abstain. He realized that his abstention was inconsistent with party efforts. These elections, the first since the Article 370 abrogation, feature an NC-Congress alliance aiming to restore J&K’s statehood, fielding candidates for 83 of 90 seats.
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Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman denied Congress’s claims of government U-turns on pension and capital gains indexation. She explained the new pension scheme is different from the previous ones, offering assured benefits. Sitharaman criticized Congress’s efforts in Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh, emphasizing the revised scheme’s advantages for employees and manageable government costs.
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