News highlights: Assam Cabinet decides to hand over border violence probe to CBI

On the backdrop of the violent clashes with villagers from Meghalaya, the Assam Cabinet on Wednesday decided to hand over the investigation to CBI, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. (PTI)

. The European Space agency will receive €16.9 billion ($17.56 billion) from its 22 member-nations, ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher told reporters on Thursday.

"Almost €17 billionwill go to the European Space Agency today, and of that €17 billion, France will contribute €3.2 billion," French minister Bruno Le Maire also said.

The European Space Agency had asked its 22 member-nations to come up with €18.5 billion to fund rocket launches, satellites and Europe's participation in planetary research for 2023-25, up from €14.5 billion in the previous period

. The attacker in a shooting rampage that killed six people at a Walmart in the US state of Virginia was a store employee who apparently killed himself afterward, police said Wednesday.

"We believe it was a self-inflicted gunshot wound," Chesapeake police chief Mark Solesky told a news conference. He said the assailant opened fire with a pistol and that the motive was not yet known.

. Russian strikes that hit a two-storey building in Kyiv have left at least three dead and six injured, AFP reported citing city authorities.

Water services have also been suspended in the Ukrainian capital following Russia's strikes.

. Russian strikes hit the Ukraine capital Kyiv Wednesday, officials said, damaging energy infrastructure, the latest in a series of systematic attacks that has caused nationwide blackouts with temperatures dropping.

"The enemy is launching missile strikes on critical infrastructure in Kyiv city. Stay in shelters until the air alert ends," Kyiv city administration said on social media, with mayor Vitali Klitschko saying infrastructure had been hit.

AFP journalists meanwhile reported power cuts in the north and centre of Kyiv.

. An air-raid alert was issued across all Ukraine on Wednesday and officials in at least two regions said local air defences were in operation against Russian missiles.

Interfax-Ukraine news agency also reported explosions in several southern and southeastern regions, citing local channels in the Telegram messaging app.

Russian forces have increasingly targeted Ukrainian critical infrastructure in recent weeks as they faced setbacks on the battlefield following their Feb. 24 invasion.

. "The Assam Police claims it fired in defence; I feel incident should not have happened,"Assan CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Wednesday, commentingon the border violence that killed six.

. Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on Wednesday said she was "disappointed" after the UK Supreme Court blocked her plans to hold a new vote on independence.

"A law that doesn't allow Scotland to choose our own future without (UK parliament) consent exposes as myth any notion of the UK as a voluntary partnership," the Scottish National Party leader tweeted, while stressing she respected the ruling.

. Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has agreed a two-year contract extension that will keep him at the club until 2025, the Premier League champions announced Wednesday.

"I am so pleased to be staying at Manchester City for another two years," said Guardiola in a club statement.

The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager, 51, has won nine major trophies, including four Premier League titles, since taking charge at City in 2016.

. Jailed Delhi minister Satyender Jain on Wednesday moved an application in a Delhi court seeking the court's direction to restrain media from airing or broadcastingany CCTV clips related to him. The court has said that itwill take up the matter tomorrow.

. A shooting at a Walmart in Chesapeake, Virginia late on Tuesday resulted in multiple fatalities, and the shooter is dead, the City of Chesapeake said. "Chesapeake Police confirm an active shooter incident with fatalities at the Walmart on Sam's Circle. The shooter is deceased," the City of Chesapeake tweeted.

. New Zealand opener Martin Guptill has been released from his national contract after being omitted from the squad for the India T20 series, heralding the end of the veteran batsman's international career.

New Zealand's top run-scorer in T20 and third-highest in one day cricket, 36-year-old Guptill has been out of favour with selectors who opted for rising star Finn Allen against India and at the recent World Cup in Australia.

. The Sitapur police have arrested the man, who allegedly strangled his wife and cut her body into pieces before disposing it off in a field with the help of a friend.

Police say that the accused, Pankaj Maurya, 46, has confessed to his crime. The wife's body was found on November 8.

The police have also arrested the friend, who helped the accused.

News highlights: Assam Cabinet decides to hand over border violence probe to CBI

Assam Cabinet decides to hand over border violence probe to CBI

European Space Agency adopts budget of €17 billion

Walmart shooter was an employee, died of 'self-inflicted' gunshot wound

Russian strikes on Kyiv kill at least three, injure six

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