LIVE: Assam flood affects over 600,000 people, death toll stands at 66

RBI is engaged with all stakeholders for resolution for Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative Bank," Shaktikanta Das said. Stay tuned with Business Standard for the latest news of today

RBI has taken several measures to protect country's financial system and support the economy in the current crisis, Governor Shaktikanta Das said on Saturday. Addressing the seventh SBI Banking & Economics Conclave, through a video call, he said that the top most priority for RBI is growth and financial stability.
 

"RBI has strengthened its offsite surveillance mechanism to identify emerging risks. RBI is engaged with all stakeholders for resolution for Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative Bank," Das said.

Meanwhile, interim Congress President Sonia Gandhi has called a meeting of Lok Sabha MPs to discuss issues facing the nation today. According to reports, the issues which will be deliberated are mainly the Chinese border transgressions and economic situation arising due to Covid-19.

Stay tuned for the latest news of the day

1:36 AM

Anti-CAA protest: HC seeks explanation from UP govt on Rs 64 lakh recovery citation issued to retired IPS officer

The Allahabad High Court's Lucknow bench has sought an explanation from the Uttar Pradesh government on a recovery citation of Rs 64 lakh issued to retired IPS officer Sarwan Ram Darapuri in connection with an anti-CAA stir here.
 

Darapuri has been accused of instigating violence during the protest, which took place on December 19 last year. He was arrested on December 20, but later granted bail.

12:31 AM

Chelsea beaten at Sheffield United 3-0 in EPL

Chelsea's bid for Champions League qualification hit a bump in losing at Sheffield United 3-0, with striker David McGoldrick ending his 11-month wait for an English Premier League goal by scoring in each half on Saturday.
 

After 1,615 minutes on the field and 42 shots this season, McGoldrick finally found the net by tapping in a finish from close range in the 18th minute at an empty Bramall Lane.

12:29 AM

Trump commutes longtime friend Roger Stone's prison sentence

President Donald Trump has commuted the sentence of his longtime political confidant Roger Stone, intervening in extraordinary fashion in a criminal case that was central to the Russia investigation and that concerned the president's own conduct.
 

The move came Friday, just days before Stone was to begin serving a 40-month prison sentence for lying to Congress, witness tampering and obstructing the House investigation into whether Trump's campaign colluded with Russia to win the 2016 election.

12:06 AM

England ekes out lead of 170 over Windies after 4th day

England eked out a lead of 170 runs heading into the final day of the first test against the West Indies, with all outcomes still possible in the first match since the resumption of international cricket.
 

The West Indies' pace attack took five wickets in the final session of day four to reduce England to 284-8 at stumps at an empty Rose Bowl on Saturday, making the tourists marginal favorites with the pitch slow but yet to misbehave.

12:03 AM

Assam flood: Over 600,000 people affected, 2 more deaths

The flood rampage continued in Assam on Saturday as the deluge spread to 20 districts, affecting over 600,000 people and claiming two more lives, the disaster management authority said.
 

A person died in Kokrajhar district and another in Dhubri district, taking death toll due to the deluge to 66, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority said in a bulletin.

 

11:59 PM

Vikas Dubey's aide who was held in Thane 'not named' in Kanpur ambush case: UP Police

The Kanpur police claimed on Saturday that an associate of slain gangster Vikas Dubey who was arrested in Maharashtra was "neither wanted nor named" in the ambush case in which eight police personnel were killed.
 

Senior Superintendent of Police Dinesh Kumar Prabhu said in a statement that Arvind, alias Guddan Ramvilas Trivedi (46), who was arrested along with his driver Sonu Tiwari by the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of the Maharashtra Police in the morning, were neither wanted nor named in the encounter case.

11:12 PM

India for initial early harvest agreement with UK: Goyal

India is open to negotiate an initial early harvest agreement with the UK, ahead of a full fledged free trade pact between the two countries, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday said.
 

India stands committed for a greater engagement with the UK as huge potential exists between the two countries to expand bilateral trade, he added.
 

Goyal said that India can engage with the UK in sectors like pharma, textiles, leather, industrial machinery, furniture, and toys.

10:59 PM

Jaishankar talks about bipartisan support in US for expanding ties with India

The relationship between India and the US took about six decades to discover itself, but having done so, it is making up for lost time, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday while elaborating on the significance of fast expanding ties between the two leading democracies.
 

In an interactive video session at the India Global Week, he said President Donald Trump and his three predecessors Barack Obama, George W Bush and Bill Clinton were on the same page on the importance of India and the need for strengthening the bilateral relationship.

10:17 PM

G Narendra Kumar appointment as new Delhi CEO 'kept in abeyance'

The Election Commission has "kept in abeyance" the appointment of G Narendra Kumar as the new Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi, purely due to "administrative reasons", according to an official order.
 

On Wednesday, Lt Governor Anil Baijal had appointed him as the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Delhi and also the Principal Secretary (Elections). His name was nominated by the Election Commission of India in June.

10:01 PM

It is a work in progress, EAM Jaishankar on disengagement on Sino-Indian border

As India and China attempt to lower weeks of border tension in eastern Ladakh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday said a disengagement and de-escalation process has been agreed upon between the two countries and it is "very much a work in progress".
 

"What just happened is that we have agreed on the need to disengage because the troops on both sides are deployed very close to each other. So there is a disengagement and de-escalation process which has been agreed upon," he said during an video interactive session at the India Global Week.

9:57 PM

Prove horse-trading charge or quit politics, BJP tells Gehlot

The BJP on Saturday dared Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to prove his allegation of horse-trading levelled against it or quit politics, and claimed he was targeting the opposition party as he was unable the check the infighting in the state Congress.
 

Taking a swipe as the chief minister, Union Jal Shakti minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat alleged that Gehlot had come up a with a "cooked up story" with an intention to defame Congress' state president and deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot for his personal political gains.
 

9:53 PM

BSP MP suggests division of Uttar Pradesh into smaller states

BSP MP Kunwar Danish Ali on Saturday suggested that Uttar Pradesh be divided into smaller states for better governance and overall development of the region.
 

The Mayawati-led BSP government in 2011 had passed a proposal in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly to divide the state into four parts -- Bundelkhand, Purvanchal, Awadh Pradesh and Paschim Pradesh.
 

The proposal was later sent to the then Congress-led UPA government at the Centre.
 

"Proposal for division was passed by Uttar Pradesh Assembly during BSP government under Behn Mayawati ji was sent to government of India. Let BJP governments at centre and Uttar Pradesh takes call on it (sic)," Danish Ali tweeted.

9:49 PM

NIA arrests Swapna, Sandeep Nair, accused in gold smuggling case

Swapna Suresh and Sandeep Nair, key accused in the gold smuggling case, were arrested by the NIA from Bengaluru on Saturday, official sources said here.
 

Swapna is among the four accused booked by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the smuggling of 30 kg of gold through diplomatic baggage which arrived at the Thiruvanathapuram International airport.

9:24 PM

Will do whatever needed to end corruption, crime in UP: Yogi Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said that his government will do whatever is needed to put an end to corruption and crime in the state.

While addressing the audience at a global event on Saturday, Adityanath said, "We will do whatever is needed to end corruption and crime in the state. Our policy is zero tolerance towards crime and corruption."

9:06 PM

Clear signs India on path to getting back in action: Piyush Goyal