Latest LIVE: Flood situation worsens in Bihar, slightly better in Assam

Protestors set fire to vehicles and surrounded Congress MLA Akhanda Shrinivasa Murthy 's residence, NDTV reported. Stay tuned for latest news live updates

1:53 AM

China says frozen chicken wings from Brazil tested positive for Covid

Consumers in the Chinese city of Shenzhen have been urged to exercise caution when buying imported frozen food after a surface sample of chicken wings from Brazil tested positive for coronavirus, according to a statement from the local government.

 

The positive sample appears to have been taken from the surface of the meat, while previously reported positive cases from other Chinese cities have been from the surface of packaging on imported frozen seafood.

 

The chicken came from an Aurora Alimentos plant in the southern state of Santa Catarina, according to a registration number given in the statement.

1:50 AM

22% of Nepal workforce lost jobs during pandemic, senior banker says

Nepalese businesses have laid off 22.5 per cent of their workers as measures to contain the novel coronavirus hit tourism and other activities, a senior central bank official said on Thursday, citing a study of the economic impact of the outbreak.

 

The study of nearly 700 enterprises in 52 of the Himalayan national districts, conducted by the central bank in June, showed most jobs lost in hotels and restaurants followed by agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and the wholesale and retail sectors.

 

Nepal imposed a nationwide lockdown in March after reporting two confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus.

 

2:25 AM

Hindustan Aeronautics' light combat chopper cutting its teeth in Ladakh

A day after the Ministry of Defence (MoD) cleared the acquisition of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd’s (HAL’s) HTT-40 basic trainer aircraft, HAL announced that its light combat helicopter (LCH) is also ready for combat deployment.

 

“In light of the prevailing situation on the (Ladakh) border, two HAL-produced LCHs have been deployed for operations at high altitude in the Leh sector,” the company announced on Wednesday.

 

“The Vice Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Harjit Singh Arora, took part in one such operation recently by taking off from a high-altitude location to a forward area for a simulated attack on a high-altitude target. This was followed by a landing at one of the most treacherous helipads in the region,” stated HAL. Read more

12:28 AM

Covid-19 has adversely impacted almost all initiatives which usually contribute to peace building, says India at UN

12:27 AM

Oil spill in Venezuela stains treasured Caribbean beaches

An oil spill in Venezuela has coated a stretch of the crisis-wracked nation's Caribbean coastline, treasured for its white sand beaches, clusters of small islands and wildlife.

 

Fisherman and locals living around Morrocoy National Park began reporting oil washing ashore last week and it has coated roughly 9 miles (15 kilometers) of beaches. The area popular with tourists is located 180 miles (300 kilometers) from the capital of Caracas.

 

Venezuelan authorities acknowledged the spill, saying they're containing and cleaning it up, but so they far haven't said what caused it.

12:26 AM

7 injured in blast in Pakistan's Balochistan

A powerful explosion in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province on Wednesday left at least seven persons injured, the police said.

The blast took place in one of Quetta's commercial areas on Barori road, the latest in a string of attacks in the recent weeks in the troubled province.

Officials said that the injured, including a 15-year old boy, have been rushed to a nearby hospital.

11:49 PM

RBI asks UCBs to implement system-based asset classification

The Reserve Bank has asked urban co-operative banks to implement system-based asset classification.

 

The move is expected to improve the efficiency, transparency and integrity of the current asset classification system in UCBs.

 

Accordingly, system-based asset classification is a better process to reflect a bank's actual financial health in its balance sheet.

 

The RBI on Wednesday said that UCBs having total assets of Rs 2,000 crore or above as on March 31, 2020 shall implement system-based asset classification with effect from June 30, 2021

11:42 PM

Kozhikode plane crash: 89 injured discharged; 22 among 83 in serious condition: Kerala govt

10:53 PM

India and Nepal to hold review mechanism dialogue on 17th August to take stock of the progress of the ongoing projects in Nepal

10:12 PM

Moderate rains likely in Pune till August 17: IMD

Moderate rains are likely in Pune and adjoining areas in the next five to six days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Wednesday.

 

Dr Anupam Kashyapi, head, weather department, IMD Pune, said that along with moderate rainfall till August 17 in Pune and adjoining areas, heavy to very heavy rains are likely in isolated locations in the ghat areas.

10:07 PM

Katra-Delhi Express Road Corridor to be completed by 2023, will reduce travel time to 6.5 hours: Union minister

10:04 PM

Kerala landslide toll reaches 55, flood situation deteriorates in Bihar

The death toll in the landslide in Kerala's Idukki district rose to 55 on Wednesday as three more bodies were retrieved from under the debris while the flood situation worsened in Bihar but improved slightly in Assam.

 

While 16 districts of Uttar Pradesh too are affected by floods, several parts of the country received rains including the national capital which was lashed by heavy showers which ended a prolonged dry spell in the city.

 

Delhi suffered stifling humidity in the afternoon only to be rewarded with a heavy downpour at night which inundated low-lying areas. Dark clouds hovered over the national capital during the day, but rains kept the residents waiting until after 8 pm.

 

Earlier, the India Meteorological Department had forecast moderate to heavy rains in the city on Wednesday and Thursday. The Safdarjung Observatory, which provides representative figures for the city, recorded just 0.2 mm rainfall till 5.30 pm.

9:42 PM

Gem, jewellery exports dip 38 pc in July: GJEPC

The country's gem and jewellery exports contracted by 38.10 per cent in July to $1.35 billion (around Rs 10,185 crore) due to weak global demand on account of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC).

The exports stood at $ 2.2 billion (around Rs 15,112 crore) in July last year.

The labour-intensive sector contributes about 15 per cent of the country's overall exports.

9:37 PM

China, Nepal should support each other's core interests: Chinese official

China and Nepal should firmly support each other's core interests and major concerns, a senior Chinese official said on Wednesday as the two countries held their annual diplomatic consultations.

 

The 13th round of diplomatic consultations between China's Vice Foreign Minister Luo Zhaohui and Nepal's Foreign Secretary Shanker Das Bairagi via video conferencing came amidst Beijing's deepening political and diplomatic influence in the Himalayan nation, including shoring-up support for pro-China Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli in the backdrop of intra-party feud in the ruling communist party.

8:55 PM

Latest News LIVE update: CRPF being dispatched to violence-hit areas of Bengaluru

Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said six companies of the Central Reserve Police Force are being dispatched to the violence-hit areas of Bengaluru.

 

Three companies from Hyderabad and three from Chennai will be deployed in DG Halli and K G Halli police station limits where disturbances occurred Tuesday night, after which three people died in police firing, he said in an interaction with reporters at Udupi before leaving for Bengaluru.

 

He said efforts to vitiate the atmosphere in society through hooliganism which will not be tolerated. Restoration of peace is the priority of the government and strict action will be taken against such elements, he said. Several police personnel were also injured in the clashes. The minister said police had to resort to firing as a last resort.