LIVE: India took various steps to offset Covid impact, FM tells World Bank

The finance ministry on Friday kicked off the exercise to prepare the annual Budget for 2021-22 amid the urgency to push economic growth hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. Stay tuned for LIVE updates:

10:05 PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks to chief ministers of Karnataka, Maharashtra over flood situation, assures them of all possible help from Centre in rescue and relief works.

9:46 PM

Covid-19 has resulted in largest global economic contraction in 80 years, say World Bank and IMF

9:46 PM

Need to take a longer-term perspective on debt sustainability: says World Bank President

There is need to take a longer-term perspective on debt sustainability, World Bank President David Malpass said on Friday as he sought to consider debt stock reduction to address looming debt crisis.

 

I think we need to take a longer-term perspective on debt sustainability, Malpass said in the intervention of Development Committee meeting of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

 

At his request early this year, the G-20 has endorsed a temporary suspension of debt service, which has resulted in 43 of the world's poorest countries benefitting from an estimated $5 billion in debt service suspension from official bilateral creditors.

9:43 PM

Yediyurappa reviews flood situation, says adequate measures taken to protect flood-hit people

9:38 PM

India took host of measures to combat coronavirus impact: FM to World Bank

9:38 PM

Hyderabad rains: NDRF teams still in action in city; State govt steps up relief measures

9:37 PM

Digital media, news aggregators, agencies need to comply with 26 per cent FDI cap: Govt

9:36 PM

No plan to merge Puducherry with neighbouring states: BJP

BJP on Friday said the Centre has no intention to merge Puducherry with neighbouring states or dismantle the separate identity of the Union Territory.

 

Speaking to reporters here, the party's national general secretary C T Ravi said the plan to merge Puducherry with the neighbouring states was a rumour floated by the ruling Congress.

 

Ravi, who was here to address an executive committee of the local unit of the BJP, said there was also no truth in the comments made by the Congress that the office of Raj Nivas wasbeing used as an office of the BJP.

9:33 PM

Odisha's Soyeb Aftab tops NEET exam with perfect score: NTA

9:14 PM

Highest number of NEET qualifying candidates from Tripura, followed by Maharashtra: NTA

9:14 PM

Over 770,000 candidates cleared NEET exam this year: National Testing Agency

9:00 PM

Hong Kong bars Air India, Vistara flights till Oct 30 after passengers test positive for COVID-19

Hong Kong has banned Air India and Vistara flights from October 17 to 30 after a few passengers on their flights tested positive for COVID-19 post arrival, a senior government official said on Friday.

This is the third time that Air India flights from India have been banned by the Hong Kong government for bringing passengers who tested positive for the infection after arrival. Previous bans were during September 20-October 3 and August 18-August 31.

Vistara's flights are being banned for the first time by the Hong Kong government during the coronavirus pandemic.

8:43 PM

30% NEC funds for development of deprived, neglected sections in NE: Jitendra Singh

Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Friday said 30 per cent fund of the North Eastern Council (NEC) for new projects will be dedicated to focus development of deprived areas and neglected sections of the society and emerging sectors.

Singh, the Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is committed for development of the Northeastern region and bring them at par with more developed states of the country.

He said the central government is also working to ensure equitable development of different areas within the Northeastern region as well as different tribes and communities living there.

8:26 PM

US industrial production fell a sharp 0.6% in Sept, weakest since lockdown

US industrial production fell 0.6 per cent in September, the weakest showing since industrial output tumbled in the spring when the economy was slowed by widespread lockdowns resulting from the coronavirus.

The Federal Reserve reported Friday that industrial production suffered its first decline since a 12.7 per cent drop in April during the spring lockdowns.

The key category that reflects manufacturing output fell 0.3%. At the same time, mining output, which includes oil and gas exploration, fell 5.6%. Production at the nation's utilities was up 1.7 per cent.

8:21 PM

Former Manipur DGP appointed spl police observer for MP bypolls

The Election Commission on Friday appointed former IPS officer Mrinal Kanti Das as special police observer for the assembly bypolls in Madhya Pradesh.

Voting on 28 assembly seats in Madhya Pradesh bypolls will take place on November 3 and the results will be declared on November 10.

As special police observer,Das is assigned to observe the conduct of by-elections and poll preparedness, especially with regard to security-related issues, the commission said in a statement.