Latest News LIVE: Rain lashes Chandigarh, parts of Haryana and Punjab

A crucial meeting of Nepal's ruling communist party to decide the political future of embattled Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli was postponed. Stay tuned with Business Standard for the latest news

At least 43 people died when lightning struck them in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, as monsoon rains spread across India. Mumbai suburbs and neighbouring Thane received more than 100 mm rainfall in 24 hours along with high tide hitting the shores, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

A crucial meeting of Nepal's ruling communist party to decide the political future of embattled Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli was postponed until Monday to allow more time for the top leadership to iron out their differences over his style of functioning and anti-India statements.

Stay tuned for the latest news of the day

12:39 AM

Rajasthan appoints senior IAS officer D B Gupta as adviser to CM

Senior IAS officer D B Gupta, who was removed as the chief secretary on Thursday, was appointed adviser to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday.
 

The appointment order was issued by the Department of Personnel of Rajasthan on Sunday night.
 

Along with this, three more IAS officers have been transferred.

12:35 AM

Israeli military says Gaza militants fired 3 rockets

The Israeli military on Sunday said three rockets were fired toward southern Israel by Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip.

 

The barrage set off air-raid sirens in Israel's south.

 

Israel's Channel 12 TV said two rockets landed in open areas, causing no damage or injuries.

 

The army said it intercepted a third rocket fired later Sunday evening. There was no immediate Israeli reaction, although the military usually responds to rocket fire with airstrikes on militant targets in Gaza.

12:26 AM

South African firms urge President Ramaphosa to lift ban on sale of tobacco products

11:37 PM

Mercedes to recall more than 660,000 vehicles in China for oil leak

Mercedes-Benz will recall more than 660,000 vehicles in China later this year for a possible oil leak. A seal between a high-pressure fuel pump and a low-pressure fuel pipe could weaken over time, allowing oil to leak when the engine starts in cold weather, according to a notice published last week on the website of China's State Administration for Market Regulation. Read on...

10:45 PM

Anti-racism groups in Paris call out coloniser street names

Paris police blocked anti-racism groups from leading a de-colonial tour of Paris on Sunday to call attention to monuments and streets honouring historical figures tied to the slave trade or colonial-era abuses.

 

Instead, the protesters marched around a monument in front of the French capital's Museum of Immigration, waving signs with proposed new street names and symbolically renaming them with each circle.

 

A Paris police official said the organizers failed to declare their march route properly and so were held in place. The city has seen several protests in recent weeks against police brutality, racial injustice or economic injustice, and some have erupted in tensions.

 

Sunday's protest wrapped up peacefully.

10:42 PM

Earthquake of 4.6 magnitude shakes Mizoram

An earthquake of 4.6 magnitude hit Mizoram's Champhai district on Sunday afternoon, the seventh one to jolt the northeastern state in less than three weeks, officials said. Read on...

10:09 PM

PM Modi to unveil Asia's largest solar plant in Madhya Pradesh on July 10: Shivraj Chouhan

9:49 PM

Akash becomes India's 66th chess Grand Master

Tamil Nadu's G Akash became the country's 66th chess Grandmaster while his statemate M Pranesh and Goa's Ameya Audi earned International Master titles.

 

Akash's GM title was confirmed at the second council meet of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) for the year 2020 held recently. Read on...

9:45 PM

Railways in talks with states to bring back Dedicated Freight Corridor workers

The Railways is in talks with state governments to get labourers back at worksites of its largest infrastructure project, the Dedicated Freight Corridor, after its workforce reduced to 15,000 from 40,000 due to the Covid-19 lockdown.

 

The Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation Limited (DFCCIL), the implementing agency of the project, has till now managed to get back 7,000 labourers, taking the number of workers at sites to 22,000 from 15,000.

 

It brought them back by arranging buses and getting bulk bookings on trains.

 

To facilitate their movement, the agency also submitted letters to district administration and arranged for e-passes for contractors.

9:04 PM

Pakistan violated ceasefire in Balakote sector of Poonch district in Jammu and Kashmir today

8:42 PM

RIL planning to increase number of aviation fuel stations by 50%

Billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) plans to increase its network of aviation fuel stations by 50 per cent as it looks to capture greater market share in the business currently controlled by public sector oil retailing firms.

 

In its latest annual report, RIL said the double-digit growth observed over 52 consecutive months might have been stalled due to the Covid-19-19 pandemic, but India continues to be one of the fastest growing aviation markets in the world for the fifth consecutive year.

 

RIL, which operates the world's largest single location oil refining complex, plans to capture this opportunity through increased presence at airports to refuel airplanes. 

Air-passenger traffic in India rose 9 per cent even in February after the Indian carriers recouped to full capacity that was lowered following the closure of a major domestic carrier in the first few months of financial year 2019-20 (April 2019 to March 2020) as well as disruptions at Mumbai airport owing to construction and maintenance, it said. READ MORE...

8:33 PM

Overnight rainfall brings down day temperatures in Rajasthan

Day temperatures in Rajasthan dropped by up to five notches on Sunday following light to moderate overnight rainfall in many parts of the state.

 

Jayal in Nagaur district of the state recorded 83 mm rainfall from Saturday till Sunday morning. Rains lashed Tijara (Alwar), Deogarh, Bhim, Laxmangarh (Alwar) and Sujangarh (Churu) among other places as well. The hottest place in the state was Jaisalmer at 42.2 degree Celsius, according to the Meteorological department here.

 

The department predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places in Ajmer, Bhilwara, Bundi, Tonk, Rajsamand, Chittorgarh, and Nagaur and light to moderate rains in other places.

8:21 PM

Heavy rains lash several parts of Haryana and Punjab, mercury drops

Heavy rains lashed several parts of Haryana and Punjab in the early hours on Sunday, bringing down the mercury by a few notches and providing a much-needed relief to people from the sultry weather, news agency PTI reported.

 

Chandigarh and its adjoining towns of Mohali in Punjab and Panchkula in Haryana also received rains. Karnal, Hisar, Gurgaon, Faridabad, Jind, Kaithal and Ambala were among other places in Haryana to be lashed by rains. There were reports of tree branches falling on roads in the Kaithal-Jind area and disruption in power supply at some places.

 

Amritsar, Ludhiana, Patiala and Rupnagar in Punjab also received showers. Sultry weather conditions had prevailed in Haryana and Punjab and their common capital Chandigarh for the past week. The maximum temperatures dropped by up to three degrees Celsius after rains. Chandigarh recorded a maximum of 34.4 degrees Celsius, one notch below normal.

 

Hisar in Haryana recorded a high of 34.5 degrees Celsius, down four notches against normal, while Karnal registered a high of 32.4. Ambala recorded a maximum of 33.6 degrees Celsius, while Narnaul's maximum settled at 35. Amritsar, Ludhiana and Patiala in Punjab recorded below-normal maximums at 33.5, 33.7 and 33.6 degrees Celsius, respectively. The Meteorological Department here has forecast more rains in the region over the next two days.

7:53 PM

Tariff hike in telecom 'inevitable', two rounds likely in 12-18 months: EY

Tariff hike in the telecom sector is "inevitable" as the current structure does not allow reasonable returns for operators, although a lot would depend on the timing given the "unprecedented" scale of the Covid-19 pandemic and resultant affordability crisis, according to EY.

 

Acknowledging that an immediate tariff increase may not be feasible in the current setting, Prashant Singhal, emerging markets Technology, Media & Entertainment and Telecommunications (TMT) Leader at EY said two rounds of tariff hikes can be expected in the next 12-18 months, including one in the next six months.

 

"Tariff hike is necessary. Telecom as spend for consumers is fairly low, and tariff hikes should likely happen over next 6 months, I am not saying it must, but sooner the better...

 

"One has to keep in mind the economic situation and affordability factor... but over 12-18 months, you have to have two rounds of tariff hikes, including one in the next six months, to ensure sustainability in the market," Singhal told PTI. READ MORE...

7:40 PM

Karnataka govt announces ex-gratia of Rs 500,000 each for the families of landslide victims