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2:13 PM

Parts of Delhi receive light rainfall, adds to woes of people battling flood threat

Parts of the national capital received light rainfall on Friday afternoon, adding to the woes of the people as the city grapples with a flood-like situation following the overflowing of the Yamuna river.

 

The rain was recorded in Laxmi Nagar areas and a few areas in east Delhi.

 

Other areas, including Lutyens' Delhi, witnessed a drizzle.

2:11 PM

PM Modi participates in Bastille Day parade in France

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday joined President Emmanuel Macron for the Bastille Day parade as part of French National Day celebrations as the Guest of Honour.

 

Prime Minister Modi is in France for a two-day official visit.

 

The French National Day, or Bastille Day, occupies a special place in the French consciousness as it commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison during the French Revolution in 1789. The Bastille Day parade is the highlight of the celebrations.

 

1:58 PM

BCCI advocates for ICC strategic fund boost, gets 72% increase in revenue share

The Indian Cricket Board has advocated for a substantial allocation of funds from ICC's revenue to the world body's strategic fund for the growth of the sport.

After getting approval of a lion's share of about USD 230 million from the annual revenue from 2024-27, BCCI, in ICC's annual board meeting recently, has advocated the need for an impetus to the strategic fund that will will be utilised for safeguarding Test cricket and also towards growth of the women's game.

The MCC World Cricket Committee believes that a substantial and ring fenced ICC strategic fund can be allocated on a requirement basis to full member and associate nations who, amongst other key initiatives, fully commit to their women's pathway and national team.

1:52 PM

PM Modi attends the Bastille Day parade as the Guest of Honour

1:47 PM

BJP workers scuffle with police in Bengal

BJP workers scuffled with the police in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district during their agitation against alleged electoral malpractices in the recently concluded panchayat elections, an officer said on Friday.

 

Police claimed a few personnel were injured in a scuffle which took place when they attempted to lift a blockade by BJP workers near Akaipur railway station on Thursday.

 

A police vehicle was also damaged in the incident, he said.

1:32 PM

Agri, allied sectors contribution to GDP can further rise on strengthened marketing; FPOs are key: Shah

Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Friday said the contribution of agriculture and allied sectors to the country's GDP can be further enhanced by strengthening marketing, for which Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) are the key.

 

Addressing a conclave here, the minister said agriculture can become a profitable business if modern technology and marketing methods are adopted. Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) can help in this endeavour.

1:18 PM

Active Covid cases in country dip to 1,396

India has logged 52 new coronavirus infections, while the active cases have reduced to 1,396, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday.

 

The death toll stood at 531,914, the data updated at 8 am stated.

 

The Covid case tally has been recorded at 44,994,765 while the national recovery rate stood at 98.81 per cent, according to the health ministry website.

1:17 PM

Yamuna water levels drop marginally, floodwaters reach Supreme Court entrance

After breaching a 45-year record three days ago, water levels in the Yamuna here came down to 208.35 metres at 11 am on Friday even as several key areas in Delhi remained inundated.

 

On Thursday, the water level had started rising after remaining stable for three hours and reached 208.66 metres by 7 pm, three metres above the danger mark of 205.33 metres.

 

12:33 PM

Regulator that led to flooding at ITO to be fixed in next three-four hours: Kejriwal

The Indraprastha water regulator was breached due to strong flow of the Yamuna river and is likely to be repaired in the next three-four hours, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Friday. Water started entering the city after the regulator was breached and many areas around ITO and Rajghat were submerged. 

Delhi LG VK Saxena and Kejriwal inspected the repair work on the breached regulator.

11:42 AM

Threat calls to Gadkari: Police find links between arrested accused Jayesh Pujari, terror convict Afsar Pasha

Police in Maharashtra's Nagpur have found links between Jayesh Pujari, arrested for allegedly making threatening phone calls made to Union minister Nitin Gadkari earlier this year, and Afsar Pasha, who is currently in jail in Karnataka after being convicted in a Bengaluru terror attack case, an official said. Pujari, alias Kantha and Shakir, was earlier lodged in the Belagavi prison along with Pasha, he said.

11:26 AM

ITO, Rajghat areas flooded, Kejriwal directs officials to seek help of Army, NDRF

Floodwaters of the overflowing Yamuna reached the entrance of the Supreme Court in Central Delhi on Friday while the busy ITO intersection and Rajghat were submerged as a regulator of the Delhi Irrigation and Flood Control Department suffered damage, exacerbating the already dire situation. Though the water level of the Yamuna has began to recede, the damage to the regulator near Indraprastha caused flooding in ITO and surrounding areas. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Revenue Minister Atishi directed the chief secretary to seek help from the NDRF and Army to prevent flooding in Delhi due to the damage to the regulator.

11:03 AM

PM conferred with France's highest award 'Grand Cross of Legion of Honour'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become the first Indian premier to have been conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, France's highest civilian and military honour, by French President Emmanuel Macron. Modi received the honour at the Elysee Palace here on Thursday and joined the ranks of other prominent world leaders such as the former president of South Africa Nelson Mandela, King Charles - the then Prince of Wales, former Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, former Secretary General of the United Nations, among others. The prime minister, who is in France for a two-day official visit, was accorded a red-carpet welcome as he arrived here on Thursday. He will join President Macron for the French National Day celebrations on Friday as the Guest of Honour.

 

10:02 AM

Yamuna water flows to ITO, Rajghat as Irrigation Department regulator suffers damage

Even though Yamuna's water level began to recede, areas in ITO and Rajghat were submerged on Friday as a regulator of the Delhi Irrigation and Flood Control Department suffered damage near Indraprastha, exacerbating the already dire situation. The floodwaters even reached the Supreme Court, located in the Tilak Marg area in the central part of the city. Delhi Cabinet Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said the government has directed the chief secretary to take up the matter of the damage to the regulator on priority and resolve the problem.

9:34 AM

Yamuna water level drops slightly, low-lying areas still flooded

The national capital continued to witness a flood-like situation on Friday in several low-lying areas near the Yamuna following heavy rainfall and spate in the river for the past few days. However, according to the Delhi Flood Control Department, the water level of the Yamuna river is decreasing in Delhi as it was recorded at 208.44 meters at the Old Railway Bridge at 7 am today against 208.66 metres at 8 pm last night, which is the highest ever recorded.

9:30 AM

Metro crossing Yamuna with restricted speed due to rising water level: DMRC

Delhi Metro trains are crossing the four Yamuna bridges with a restricted speed of 30 kmph as a precautionary measure due to rising water level of the Yamuna, the DMRC said on Thursday. The swollen river has crossed the danger mark, breaching the all-time record of 1978, flooding low-lying areas near the banks. At 10 am on Thursday, the water level in Yamuna was at 208.53 metres.