Here are the top 5 news updates of August 30, 2021:
Today morning, Afghan media reported that five rockets were launched from a car, flying over Kabul towards the airport. A US official told a news wire that their anti-missile defence system had intercepted the rockets. Video and pictures carried by local news outlets showed smoke wafting across the rooftops of Kabul, and what appeared to be a burning car on a street. The White House said President Joe Biden was briefed on the rocket attack. "The President was informed that operations continue uninterrupted at HKIA (Kabul airport), and has reconfirmed his order that commanders redouble their efforts to prioritize doing whatever is necessary to protect our forces on the ground," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement, the report said.
Indian shooter Avani Lekhara created history by winning the gold medal at Asaka Shooting Range in the women's R2 -- 10m Air Rifle standing SH1 event today. The 19-year-old became the first woman from India to win a Paralympics gold medal. Avani finished with a Paralympic Record and in-process equalled the World Record with 249.6 points. China's Cuiping Zhang grabbed silver by scoring 248.9 points while Ukraine's Iryna Shchetnik won bronze. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the shooter. "Phenomenal performance @AvaniLekhara! Congratulations on winning a hard-earned and well-deserved Gold, made possible due to your industrious nature and passion towards shooting. This is truly a special moment for Indian sports. Best wishes for your future endeavours," he tweeted.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) today conducted raids at multiple premises in Maharashtra linked to Shiv Sena MP Bhavana Gawali in connection with an investigation into alleged money laundering, officials said. They said at least seven premises linked to the Lok Sabha member from Yavatmal-Washim are being searched under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED case is understood to be based on a Maharashtra police FIR on an alleged Rs 18 crore fraud and other irregularities. Officials said the searches are being carried out at locations in Washim, Mumbai and some other places.
Police have registered a case against 17 AAP leaders, including Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh, for violating Covid protocols during the party's Tiranga Yatra in Agra. The FIR also mentions 500 unidentified persons who were part of the yatra on Sunday from the GIC ground till the Shaheed Smarak in Sanjay Place, police said. Permission had been granted to organise the Tiranga Yatra while following COVID-19 protocols with a limit of 50 people, they said. But the number of people, who attended the march on Sunday, exceeded the permitted number and COVID-19 protocols were not followed, police said. Ahead of the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) plans to take out Tiranga Yatras in Ayodhya, Lucknow and Noida to mark the 75th year of India's Independence.
Equity benchmark Sensex zoomed 765 points to scale a fresh lifetime high today, driven by gains in index heavyweights Reliance Industries, ICICI Bank and Axis Bank amid a positive trend in global markets. After touching a lifetime high of 56,958.27 during the day, the 30-share index ended 765.04 points or 1.36 per cent higher at 56,889.76. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty surged 225.85 points or 1.35 per cent to its record closing of 16,931.05. It touched an all-time intra-day high of 16,951.50.
