LIVE: Bihar flood situation remains grim; over 5.3 million affected

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for 10 districts in Kerala for the next four days. Stay tuned for the latest news of the day

11:38 PM

May East Bengal torch forever illuminate Maidan: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday extended best wishes to the iconic East Bengal football club on completing 100 years.
 

Born out of adversity in 1920, East Bengal grew on to become one of India's most successful clubs while forming an epic rivalry with the 131-year-old Mohun Bagan. The club completed 100 years on Saturday.
 

"Best wishes to generations of footballers, members and of course supporters on the centenary of  @eastbengalfc," the prime minister tweeted.
 

"This is a milestone for Indian sport, and for the football traditions and sports-loving culture of West Bengal, he said. "May the East Bengal Mashal (torch) forever illuminate the Maidan (ground)," he said.
 

11:37 PM

Focus on inflation over growth at next policy review meet: Viral Acharya to RBI

Former RBI Deputy Governor Viral Acharya on Saturday said inflation is higher than expected and the rate-setting panel should "respect" its core mandate of controlling price rise at the next week's policy review meet.
 

The comments come even as there is an increased clamour for further rate cuts to aid the economic recovery, even as headline inflation has breached the 6 per cent level in June, which is beyond the comfort of the RBI, which has been tasked to keep inflation at 4 per cent in medium term with a 2 percentage points leeway on either side.
 

While many analysts are expecting a rate cut of 0.25 per cent to accommodate for growth, some have opined that the price rise situation may result in the RBI going for a pause.

 

11:21 PM

Bhardwaj requests CBFC to find solutions after defence ministry's letter to censor board on Army content

Filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj on Saturday asked the Central Board of Film Certification to discuss possible guidelines with filmmakers after the Defence Ministry took strong objection to the depiction of armed forces personnel in some web shows.
 

The Defence Ministry wrote to CBFC urging that production houses may be advised to obtain a no objection certificate from them before telecasting any film, documentary or web series on Army theme.
 

The Defence Ministry had written to CBFC after it received complaints about the portrayal of Indian Army personnel and the military uniform in an "insulting manner." Bhardwaj tagged CBFC chief Prasoon Joshi and Prakash Javdekar, Minister of Information and Broadcasting and Minister in his tweet, urging them to initiate a dialogue.
 

"Requesting @prasoonjoshi_ , #CBFC, @MIB_India, @PrakashJavdekar to discuss with us filmmakers and find solutions such as Guidelines/SOPs, other than the current requirement of NOC from the @DefenceMinIndia @rajnathsingh."

11:17 PM

Ireland recovers to reach 212-9 against England in 2nd ODI

Ireland overcame another poor start against England to finish on 212-9 at the Rose Bowl in the second one-day international on Saturday.
 

Ireland won the toss and fell to 91-6 at the Rose Bowl before Curtis Campher led the recovery. Campher, in only his second ODI, scored an 87-ball 68 with eight fours before being dismissed by seamer Saqib Mahmood (2-45).
 

Campher shared two key partnerships late in the innings — a seventh-wicket 60-run stand with Simi Singh (25) and 56 runs for the eighth wicket with Andy McBrine (24).
 

Spinner Adil Rashid took 3-34 off 10 overs.
 

Players again took a knee to support Black Lives Matter before the game. The three-match series, which is being played with no fans present, marks the start of the ICC Cricket World Cup Super League.
 

11:16 PM

Foreign threats loom ahead of US presidential election

As the November 3 presidential vote nears, there are fresh signs that the nation's electoral system is again under attack from foreign adversaries.
 

Intelligence officials confirmed in recent days that foreign actors are actively seeking to compromise the private communications of “US political campaigns, candidates and other political targets” while working to compromise the nation's election infrastructure. Foreign entities are also aggressively spreading disinformation intended to sow voter confusion heading into the fall.
 

There is no evidence that America's enemies have yet succeeded in penetrating campaigns or state election systems, but Democrat Joe Biden's presidential campaign confirmed this week that it has faced multiple related threats.
 

11:15 PM

Indian media constantly evolving, best of it is yet to come: Jitendra Singh

Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Saturday said the Indian media is constantly evolving and the best of it is yet to come.
 

Addressing the valedictory session of the two-week long online refresher course on 'Role of Journalism, Media, and Cinema for Nation and Generation Building', Singh underlined the need for media to remain both critical and credible as criticism with credibility is the touchstone. 

Referring to the old dictum of 'Report is sacred, comment is privilege', Singh said the sudden explosion of media scenario, particularly of TV channels in India has somewhat taken a toll on this time-tested principle. 

Indian media is constantly evolving and the best of media is yet to come... It will ultimately reach its optimum level, the Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER).

11:14 PM

TikTok's Chinese owner offers to forego stake to clinch US deal: Report

China's ByteDance has agreed to divest the US operations of TikTok completely in a bid to save a deal with the White House, after President Donald Trump said on Friday he had decided to ban the popular short-video app, two people familiar with the matter said on Saturday.
 

US officials have said TikTok under its Chinese parent poses a national risk because of the personal data it handles.
 

ByteDance's concession will test whether Trump's threat to ban TikTok is a negotiating tactic, or whether he is intent on cracking down on a social media app that has up to 80 million daily active users in the United States.

11:11 PM

Heavy rains expected over central India, western coast on Aug 6: MoES

Heavy rains are expected over the central plains and the western coast on August 6 due to a low-pressure area, Ministry of Earth Sciences Secretary M Rajeevan said on Saturday.
 

Heavy rains are also expected over Mumbai, especially on August 6, he added.
 

Rajeevan said a weather system over the Bay of Bengal will move across central India to Gujarat, which will bring in heavy rains.
 

"Monsoon update as predicted @moesgoi models indicate a weather system over BoB by 4 Aug, a remnant from Pacific. Likely move across Central India to Gujarat. Very Heavy rains expected over central plains & west coast including Mumbai (esp on 6th) Update forecasts with @Indiametdept," he said in a tweet.

10:46 PM

Air Marshal VR Chaudhari AVSM VM assumes command of western air command

Air Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari on Saturday took charge as commander-in-chief of the Indian Air Force's Western Air Command (WAC) which looks after the security of the country's air space in the sensitive Ladakh sector as well as various other parts of north India.
 

He succeeded Air Marshal B Suresh who retired from service.
 

An alumni of the National Defence Academy, Air Marshal Chaudhari was commissioned into the fighter stream of the IAF on December 29, 1982.
 

In a distinguished career spanning nearly 38 years, the officer has flown a wide variety of fighter and trainer aircraft in the inventory of IAF. He has a flying experience of more than 3,800 hours, including operational flying on MiG-21, MiG-23 MF, MiG 29 and Su-30 MKI fighter jets.
 

10:06 PM

Congress leaders condole demise of Amar Singh

Congress president Sonia Gandhi and a host of senior party leaders condoled the demise of Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh on Saturday.
 

Singh, 64, who once wielded immense influence in power circles as a close aide of Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav, died in Singapore where he was undergoing treatment for kidney-related ailments.
 

While Gandhi sent her condolences to Singh's family, her daughter and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra along with other party leaders took to Twitter to express grief.
 

Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel said he was anguished to hear about the passing away of Singh.

10:05 PM

Two more die in Bihar floods, heavy rains affect 190,000 people in UP

The death toll in Bihar floods climbed to 13 on Saturday after two fresh casualties were reported, while floodwaters of the overflowing rivers in Uttar Pradesh affected 331 villages and about 190,000 people following heavy rains.
 

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued yellow alert for 10 districts in Kerala for the next four days, and heavy to very heavy rainfall for Mumbai and some other districts from August 3 to 5.
 

The MeT Department has forecast heavy rainfall for Uttar Pradesh and gave a fresh yellow weather warning for heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh for August 4 and 5.

10:03 PM

Death toll in Punjab hooch tragedy rises to 86

The death toll in the Punjab hooch tragedy rose to 86 with 48 more people reported dead on Saturday after drinking spurious liquor, prompting the state government to suspend seven excise and six police officials.
 

Sixty-three of the deaths were reported from Tarn Taran district, 12 in Amritsar and 11 in Gurdaspur's Batala, officials said.
 

The tragedy has been unfolding since Wednesday evening in the three Punjab districts.
 

Twenty-five people have been arrested so far amid opposition criticism and demands for the resignation of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, who has warned of strict action against anyone found complicit in the case.

10:02 PM

Why shall we ask for CBI inquiry, Bihar police capable of probing Sushant's suicide case: DGP

Amid growing demand for a CBI probe into suicide of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, the Bihar police chief Gupteswar Pandey on Saturday said why would they seek a probe by the central agency when the state police was capable enough to investigate the matter.
 

He, however, said that if father of the deceased, who has lodged a complaint in his son's death, feels dissatisfied with the Bihar police probe he can ask for a CBI probe.

10:01 PM

Mumbai cops capable of handling Sushant probe: Sena minister

Maharashtra minister and Shiv Sena leader Anil Parab on Saturday said Mumbai police was capable of handling the Sushant Singh Rajput death case probe and those with information should share it with investigators instead of making public statements.
 

Rajput, 34, was found hanging at his apartment in Bandra on June 14.
 

"Mumbai police is capable of handling the Sushant case," Parab, also state transport minister, said, adding that those making public statements on the case must be summoned by police for information.
 

Referring to claims that a party was held in Rajput's house, Parab wondered how it could be done amid the lockdown, and said police must probe all those who attended.

10:00 PM

CRPF jawan accused of rape: 2 Chattisgarh camp personnel suspended

Two days after a CRPF jawan was arrested for allegedly raping a tribal woman near his camp in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district, two of his colleagues were placed under suspension on Saturday, an official said.
 

A woman had, on July 29, accused jawan Dulichand, stationed in the CRPF's Dubbatota camp under Dornapal police station limits, of raping her in July 27, after which he was arrested on July 30 and handed over to local police and then suspended.