News Highlights: CBI arrests ABG Group's founder Rishi Agarwal in Rs 22k-crore bank fraud case

The men's Ashes five-test series between England and Australia will begin in Edgbaston on June 16 next year, organisers said on Wednesday.

The second test will be held from June 28 at Lord's, followed by the third in Headingley from July 6 and the fourth at Old Trafford from July 19. The series will wrap up at The Oval with the fifth test scheduled for July 27.

Australia thrashed England 4-0 in the last edition of the Ashes - a result which led to the sacking of coach Chris Silverwood and later saw Joe Root step down as captain.

. Bridget Brink, the US ambassador to Ukraine, said on Wednesday that Russia has shown weakness by announcing a mobilisation of its military reserves and setting out referenda in Russia-occupied territories in Ukraine.

"Sham referenda and mobilization are signs of weakness, of Russian failure," Brink said on Twitter.

"The United States will never recognise Russia's claim to purportedly annexed Ukrainian territory." - Reuters.

. President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday ordered Russia's first mobilisation since World War Two and warned that Moscow would defend itself with the might of all its vast arsenal if faced with a nuclear threat from the West.

Here is some reaction: > "Absolutely predictable appeal, which looks more like an attempt to justify their own failure," Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said in a text message to Reuters . "The war is clearly not going according to Russia's scenario and therefore required Putin to make extremely unpopular decisions to mobilise and severely restrict the rights of people."

> "Clearly it's something that we should take very seriously because, you know, we're not in control - I'm not sure he's in control either, really. This is obviously an escalation," British Foreign Office Minister Gillian Keegan told Sky News .

. AAP leader Satyendar Jain has movedthe Supreme Court challenging the Enforcement Directorate's plea to transfer the proceedings in a money laundering case to another court, reports NDTV .

. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday announced a partial mobilisation in Russia as the war in Ukraine reaches nearly seven months.

Putin's address to the nation comes a day after Russian-controlled regions in eastern and southern Ukraine announced plans to hold votes on becoming integral parts of Russia. The Kremlin-backed efforts to swallow up four regions could set the stage for Moscow to escalate the war following Ukrainian successes on the battlefield.

The referendums, which have been expected to take since the first months of the war, will start Friday in the Luhansk, Kherson and partly Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions.

Putin said he has signed a decree on the partial mobilisation, which is due to start on Wednesday.

“We are talking about partial mobilisation, that is, only citizens who are currently in the reserve will be subject to conscription, and above all, those who served in the armed forces have a certain military specialty and relevant experience,” Putin stressed. (AP)

. Celebrated comedian-actor Raju Srivastava died on Wednesday after over 40 days of hospitalisation, said his brother Dipoo Srivastava. He was 58.

Raju Srivastava suffered a heart attack on August 10 while working out at a hotel here. He was rushed to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and underwent angioplasty. Since then, he was on the ventilator and never gained consciousness.

. Active cases 46,216 Daily positivity rate 1.33%

News Highlights: CBI arrests ABG Group's founder Rishi Agarwal in Rs 22k-crore bank fraud case

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CBI arrests ABG Group's founder Rishi Agarwal in Rs 22k-crore bank fraud case

Supreme Court to continue hearing on Hijab matter tomorrow

Suryakumar Yadav climbs to No 3 in ICC T20I batters' ranking

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