LIVE: India expects China to 'sincerely work' on disengagement, says MEA

The floodwaters have destroyed crops and fishes from ponds have been swept away in districts of Assam. Stay tuned for the latest news of the day

8:00 PM

India won't accept unilateral attempt by China to change status quo: Govt

India on Thursday forcefully reiterated that it will not accept any unilateral attempts to change the status quo along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, according to an IANS report.

 

In his weekly briefing, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, "India is fully committed to observing and respecting the LAC and that we will not accept any unilateral attempts to change the status quo along the LAC." The statement comes amid speculation that the talks between India and China are running into a stalemate over the LAC issue in Ladakh.

 

Recalling his June 26 statement, Srivastava said, "I had noted that the conduct of Chinese forces this year, including the deployment of a large body of troops and changes in behaviour, accompanied by unjustified and untenable claims, has been in complete disregard of all the mutual agreements."

 

The spokesperson said, "Respecting and strictly abiding by the LAC is the basis of peace and tranquillity in the border areas. Several agreements concluded by India and China since 1993 firmly acknowledge this."

 

The two sides, he said, have agreed during the conversation of the Special Representatives to work towards complete disengagement of the troops along the LAC and de-escalation from India-China border areas for full restoration of peace and tranquillity.

7:52 PM

Climate change impacted world, only greenery is solution to this crisis: Union Home Minister Amit Shah

7:52 PM

PM Modi speaks at foundation stone laying event of Manipur Water Supply Project

7:51 PM

We are leaving no stone unturned to make the Northeast our growth engine: PM Modi

7:49 PM

Maintenance of peace and tranquility along LAC is basis of our bilateral relationship with China: India

India on Thursday asserted that the maintenance of peace and tranquility along the Line of Control(LAC) is the basis of its bilateral relationship with China, and said it expected the Chinese side to be sincere in completing the disengagement of troops in eastern Ladakh.

 

At an online media briefing, MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said another round of diplomatic talks under the framework of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) is expected to be scheduled soon.

 

"The maintenance of peace and tranquility in the border areas is the basis of our bilateral relationship," he said. "Therefore it is our expectation that the Chinese side will sincerely work with us for complete disengagement and de-escalation and full restoration of peace and tranquility in the border areas at the earliest as agreed to by the Special Representatives," Srivastava added.

 

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a nearly two-hour-long telephonic conversation on July 5 to bring down tension between the armies of the two countries in eastern Ladakh.

7:25 PM

Latest News LIVE: Assam CM inspects flood-affected areas, meets residents

7:23 PM

Haryana to enact law to reserve 50% seats for women in Panchayats: Deputy CM

The BJP-JJP government in Haryana will bring in a bill in the next Vidhan Sabha session for reserving 50 percent seats for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions, Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala said on Thursday.

 

Chautala, who is also the minister for Industries, Rural Development and Panchayats, said the state government has been taking adequate steps for ensuring maximum participation of women in PRIs and the society, according to a PTI report.

 

To give 50 percent reservation to women in Panchayats, we will bring in a Bill in the next Vidhan Sabha session, Chautala told a news conference here during which he also dwelt upon various steps of the state government for making Haryana a preferred industrial destination.

 

The JJP leader said a scooty (two-wheeler) will be given to 100 women who have done outstanding work in villages. The beneficiaries will include 30 women sarpanches, 10 Zila Parishad members, 20 Block Samitis' members besides 40 other women associated with PRIs.

7:12 PM

Bihar flood: Darbhanga residents continue to struggle with little help from authorities

The people in the Darbhanga district of Bihar have been hit hard by the floods and the incessant rains in the region. People are struggling to feed their families and cattle, and are forced to live outside on the streets as houses are submerged. Jagdev, a resident of Dilahi village told ANI, "After the floodwater filled in our houses, we do not have a place to sleep."

 

"There is no work due to the current situation and in this regard, the government has not provided any help to us," Jagdev said. Another local, Lal Vachan Yadav said, "Our houses have been submerged in the floodwaters. As a result, we are living on the streets." "Even the local leaders have denied to help us and are said they could only help with the government's support, said Yadav.

 

On being asked about the COVID-19 health norms, Yadav said, "If there are 10 members in a family, they have only given us four masks. It is not possible for us to follow coronavirus-induced health norms." Meanwhile, some are building makeshift boats using tubes and wood to travel in emergency situations.

6:43 PM

Latest News LIVE: Rupee gives up gains to end flat at 74.75 against dollar

The rupee gave up day's gains to settle on a flat note at 74.75 against the US dollar on Thursday amid concerns over growing tensions between the US and China, according to a PTI report.

 

At the interbank forex market, the domestic unit opened on a strong note at 74.65, but erased the gains to finally close at 74.75, unchanged from its previous closing. During the session, the domestic unit witnessed an intra-day high of 74.52 and a low of 74.87 against the US dollar.

 

Forex traders said the uptick in the rupee during the day was supported by weak greenback, foreign fund inflows and positive domestic equities, but rising tensions between the US and China weighed on investor sentiment and restricted the gains.

6:24 PM

UAE authorities extending all necessary cooperation to us in investigation: MEA on Kerala Gold Smuggling Case

6:06 PM

GST, I-T mop up in Q1 very encouraging, indicates economic recovery: Finance Secy

Tax mop up in first quarter of the current fiscal is "very encouraging" and indicates that the economy is recovering sooner than what was anticipated at the time of imposition of lockdown, Finance Secretary Ajay Bhushan Pandey said on Thursday.

 

He said the Revenue Department wants to bring in self-compliance among taxpayers by making available data of all financial transactions via Form 26AS at the time of filing income tax (I-T) return, according to a PTI report. Pandey, who is also the Revenue Secretary, said about 70 per cent of the Rs 91,000 crore Goods and Services Tax (GST) collected in June is on account of transactions in May.

 

"For the month of June, going by the current trends, we have certain trend about how many people have made payment so far, and also the e-way bill...truck movement...all these things are giving encouraging signals that the economy is coming back to the realm sooner than what was being anticipated when the lockdown was started in March," he said while addressing a Ficci event here.

 

6:00 PM

Officials in parliamentary panel blame each other for Delhi's waterlogging crisis

A meeting of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Urban Development was held here on Thursday wherein the case of a person's death at waterlogged Minto Bridge, on July 19, was raised.

 

Three Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) officials present in the meeting said, as per the sources, that the Minto Bridge area falls under the jurisdiction of Delhi Public Works Department (PWD), according to an ANI report.

 

One of the committee members present at the meeting questioned the Delhi government for their preparedness in the three-month lockdown for the waterlogging issue during monsoon. Officials of Union Urban Development Ministry, New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), MCD and Delhi Jal Board were also present at the meeting.

 

5:55 PM

Reliance Industries breaks into top 50 most valued companies globally, ranks 48

Billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries Ltd has broken into the top 50 most valued companies globally after it became the first company with market capitalisation of over Rs 13 trillion, according to a PTI report.

 

The oil-to-telecom conglomerate is ranked 48th in market cap globally, according to stock market data. Globally, Saudi Aramco is the company with the highest market cap of $1.7 trillion, followed by Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Alphabet. Reliance on Thursday closed at Rs 2,060.65 on the BSE, up 2.82 per cent over the previous day's close. This gave the firm a m-cap of over Rs 13 trillion.

 

Together with the firm's partly-paid shares that were issued in the recent rights issue and are traded separately, the company had a combined m-cap of Rs 13.5 trillion or over $181 billion. No Indian company has ever crossed an m-cap of Rs 13 trillion.

5:44 PM

Congress' strength is nation's strength, says Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot

5:32 PM

Latest News LIVE update: Flood waters continue to wreak havoc in Bihar

Flood waters have now started entering new areas in Bihar, triggering fears of more loss of life and property. Almost 6.50 lakh people in 10 districts have been affected by the floods so far, according to an IANS report.

 

Buildings in Gopalganj have all been submerged by the flood waters. The National Disaster Response Force and the State Disaster Response Force are working non-stop to rescue the people. Disaster Management Department Additional Secretary Ramchandra Doo said that the department is on alert in view of the increased water level in various rivers.

 

The rising water level has affected 55 blocks of 282 panchayats in the 10 districts of Sitamarhi, Shivhar, Supaul, Kishanganj, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Gopalganj, West Champaran, Khagaria and East Champaran.

 

About six and a half lakh people have been badly affected by the floods. Doo said that relief camps are being run in Supaul, West Champaran, two each in East Champaran, three in Gopalganj and one in Khagaria. Apart from this, 134 community kitchens are being run in the flood-affected areas.