LIVE news: Nirav Modi's extradition trial to resume in UK court on Monday

Nirav Modi fighting extradition charges related to the estimated $2-billion PNB fraud and money laundering case. Stay tuned for all LIVE updates on latest news

11:46 PM

Chandrayaan-3 launch may take place in early 2021

11:30 PM

Content from Bollywood, other regional languages in pipeline: Cinepolis MD

Cinepolis, a Mexican multiplex chain, is the only foreign company that ventured into India’s complicated film retail business in 2009. The nearly $2-billion Cinepolis has 6,704 screens across 17 countries. Of these, 390 are in India. These brought in (again an estimated) Rs 1,400 crore in revenue placing the company alongside PVR Cinemas, Inox Leisure and Carnival, India's top multiplex chains. Javier Sotomayor, managing director, Asia and Middle East spoke to Vanita Kohli-Khandekar on how Cinepolis plans to get back on its feet in India. Read more

10:47 PM

Moon may be rusting along poles, suggest images sent by Chandrayaan-1

Images sent by Chandrayaan-1, India's first lunar mission, suggest that the Moon may be rusting along the poles, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said on Sunday.

Chandrayaan-1 was launched in 2008.
 

“ ISRO's maiden mission to the Moon has sent images which show that the Moon may be rusting along the poles.
 

“The sign of this finding is that even though the surface of the Moon is known to have iron-rich rocks, it is not known for the presence of water and oxygen, which are the two elements needed to interact with iron to create rust,” said Singh, who is the Minister of State for the Department of Space.   

Scientists at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) say that this could be because the Earth's atmosphere is lending a helping hand which, in other words, means that the Earth's atmosphere could be protecting the Moon as well, the statement said. 

“The Chandrayaan-1 Moon data indicates that the Moon's poles are home to water, this is what the scientists are trying to decipher,” the statement added.

10:45 PM

International flight ops from Kushinagar airport in next 2 months: Yogi

International flight operations from the Kushinagar airport will commence in the next months, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said Sunday, according to a state government statement.
 

The Union Cabinet had on June 24 approved the Kushinagar airport's status as an international facility, stating it will offer improved connectivity to the important Buddhist pilgrimage site.
 

Adityanath Sunday met Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri at Kushinagar and discussed the progress in the project. “Within the next two months, International flights will commence operations from this airport,” Yogi was quoted as saying in the government statement.
 

Once this airport begins operating international flights, it will become fourth international facility in the state. At present, two international airports -- Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport at Lucknow and Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport at Varanasi -- are operational in the state, the UP government said.
 

An international airport is under construction at Gautam Buddh Nagar.

10:45 PM

485 candidates appear for NDA, Naval exams in Kashmir

As many as 485 candidates from different parts of the Kashmir Valley appeared in NDA and Naval examinations held here on Sunday amid the Covid-19 pandemic, an official spokesman said.
 

He said the examination was conducted by the UPSC and held at Amar Singh College and SP Higher Secondary School examination centres in Srinagar.
 

Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Shahid Iqbal Choudhary visited both the centres to take stock of the arrangements made for the candidates, the spokesman said.

The examination was conducted in compliance with all UPSC guidelines and with strict adherence to Covid-19 protocol, he said.
 

The administration under the supervision of Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Pandurang K Pole had made fool-proof arrangements for the smooth and fair conduct of the examination, the spokesman said.
 

The arrangements included seating facility at good distance, fumigation and sanitisation of examination centres, deployment of magistrates at both the centres, security and other related arrangements, the spokesman said.
 

9:27 PM

AP CM gives nod to hike taxes levied by Transport dept

In dire need of funds for his numerous freebie schemes, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has given his nod for enhancement of various taxes by the Transport Department that could net an additional sum of Rs 400 crore to the exchequer per annum.
 

Consequently, life tax on two-wheelers and four- wheelers will go up by one to three per cent.
 

Besides, the Transport Department proposed a hike in quarterly tax on goods carriages in varied percentages and also the Green Tax on aged vehicles, highly-placed official sources revealed.
 

Transport Minister Perni Venkataramaiah (Nani) reportedly opposed the proposed hike in taxes, saying it would have a negative impact but the Chief Minister was determined on raising resources for his freebie schemes, the sources added.
 

The last hike in transport taxes was enforced exactly a decade ago when the state was united.
 

The relevant file has now been sent to the Finance Department and formal orders enforcing the tax hike will be issued next week, the sources said.
 

The Transport Department earned a revenue of Rs 3,181.78 crore in financial year 2019-20 as against the target of Rs 4,000 crore.
 

In 2018-19, it netted Rs 3,224.98 crore against a target of Rs 3,687.50 crore.
 

"We could not really achieve the targets in the last two years, basically due to drop in sale of cars in particular but it has been worse so far this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. The hike this year may only make good some of the loss though it may not exactly fetch additional revenue," a top official of the Transport Department said.
 

8:52 PM

Opposition parties planning a joint offensive against Centre in Parliament

Opposition parties are planning a joint offensive against the government to corner it in Parliament on issues of national security like the border situation with China, handling of the COVID pandemic, economy and GST compensation to states, sources said, according to a PTI report. Leaders of various opposition parties are expected to meet later this week to formulate a joint floor strategy in both the houses of Parliament, they said.

 

The Monsoon session of Parliament will commence on September 14 amid COVID-induced changes in its proceedings. Congress President Sonia Gandhi has convened a meeting of the party's strategy group on September 8, news agency PTI reported.

Opposition leaders are keen that various like-minded parties should work closely with each other to take on the government in Parliament. This was expressed by Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee, Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray and JMM's Hemant Soren at a recent meeting of non-NDA chief ministers with Congress president Sonia Gandhi on JEE/NEET and GST issues.

 

8:40 PM

Imran Khan announces Rs 1.1 trn package to address infra issues in Karachi

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has unveiled a financial package worth Rs1.1 trillion to address the chronic municipal and infrastructure issues of Karachi, the country's financial hub, after record-breaking monsoon rains caused widespread devastation in the city and left at least 60 people dead.

 

The rainfall spell which started in July and continued into August totally exposed the poor civic infrastructure including the drainage system of the city, prompting the federal government to take notice of the protests and complaints of the Karachites.

 

Khan, who visited Karachi on Saturday, unveiled the financial package at a joint press conference with the Sindh province Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and Governor, Imran Ismail.

8:34 PM

Covid-19 LIVE: 1,316 more test coronavirus positive in Jammu and Kashmir

8:26 PM

Avoid unnecessary travel and talk less: DMRC suggests to public amid Covid-19 pandemic

As the Delhi Metro gears up to resume its services after 169 days of suspension due to COVID-19, it warned Delhiites against expecting a pre-lockdown travel experience, urging people to avoid unnecessary travel and to talk less while travelling "to prevent the possibility of short-range aerosol transmission".

 

"Though the DMRC is making all efforts to provide passengers with a continuous and seamless travel experience, with the carrying capacity of a train being reduced to around 20%, it will be a challenge to regulate passengers who may head to a station with the expectations of a pre-lockdown travel experience. The public is advised to avoid unnecessary travel and to 'talk less' during travel in the Metro to prevent the possibility of short-range aerosol transmission," a statement from the DMRC said.

 

The highly anticipated reopening will take place in a staggered manner from Monday, beginning with the Yellow Line (Samaypur Badli to HUDA City Centre) with all safety measures (including social distancing, wearing of face mask and hand sanitisation) in place. Other lines will be opened over the next five days.

8:18 PM

Latest News LIVE update: Rain lashes parts of Delhi

8:08 PM

Banks may restructure loans worth more than Rs 10 trn to 5-6 key sectors

Banks may restructure loans of more than Rs 10 trillion largely attributed to 5-6 critical sectors, including aviation, commercial real estate and hospitality, that have been severely hit by the Covid-19 outbreak, according to bankers. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman last week asked banks and NBFCs to roll out one-time loan restructuring scheme for Covid-19 related stress by September 15. According to a top official of a public sector bank, it is win-win for both lenders and borrowers.

 

Explaining the rationale, the banker said, corporateswill try to save their business from turning non-performing asset (NPA) and buy crucial time for getting cash flow back for servicing the debt.

 

Secondly, banks have to make only 10 per cent provision against restructured account as compared to 15 per cent if the same account turns into NPA, the official said, adding that the lure of 5 per cent conservation of capital will also push banks for recast. READ MORE...

7:58 PM

Madhya Pradesh farmers to get Rs 4,688 crore under PM Crop Insurance Scheme

Madhya Pradesh Agriculture Minister Kamal Patel on Sunday said 20 lakh farmers from the state will get Rs 4,688 crore under Prime Minister Crop Insurance Scheme on September 16. Talking to reporters, Patel said the amount will be transferred into farmers' accounts by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan "with a single click".

 

Patel claimed the previous Congress government in the state had not given crop insurance due for 2019 to beneficiary farmers and norm changes made at the time ensured that farmers are getting Rs 1,560 crore less by way of crop insurance.

 

He said the date for enrollment under Prime Minister Crop Insurance Scheme in flood affected districts has been increased to September 7, and banks functioned on Sundays to facilitate enrollment. He said 13,000 people were evacuated during the recent floods in the state and there was no casualty reported.

7:48 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: 9,319 new Covid-19 cases and 95 deaths in Karnataka in the last 24 hours

7:42 PM

SBI plans VRS scheme covering 30,000 staff as it seeks to optimise costs

In a bid to optimise its costs, the State Bank of India (SBI) has planned a voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) under which about 30,190 employees are eligible.

 

The total employee strength of country's largest lender stood at 249,000 at the end of March 2020 as compared to 257,000 a year ago. According to sources, a draft scheme for VRS has been prepared and board approval is awaited. The proposed scheme -- 'Second Innings Tap VRS-2020' -- is aimed at optimising human resources and costs of the bank.

 

Besides, the draft scheme, seen by PTI, said it will provide an option and a respectable exit route to employees who have reached a level of saturation in their career, may not be at the peak of their performance, have some personal issue or want to pursue their professional or personal life outside the bank. READ MORE...

7:27 PM

HDFC clears Rs 47,000 cr loans to 200,000 home buyers under subsidy scheme

Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC), the country’s largest mortgage company, has approved loans worth Rs 47,000 crore to 200,000 home buyers under Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS).

 

The subsidy amounting to over Rs 4,700 crore has been passed on to these home buyers. These homebuyers belong to the Economically Weaker Section (EWS), Low Income Group (LIG) and Middle Income Groups (MIG), HDFC said in a statement. The Corporation has partnered with the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs and the National Housing Bank to work towards the goal of ‘Affordable Housing for All’.

Renu Sud Karnad, Managing Director, HDFC said due to the Covid-19 crisis, a number of sectors including the real estate sector have been affected. The demand for housing will pick up gradually as the Economy emerges out of this difficult period and confidence in the economy is restored. READ MORE...

7:18 PM

Air tickets booked during Mar 3-May 23 to be fully refunded: DGCA to SC

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Sunday informed the Supreme Court that all air tickets booked by passengers on domestic and international flights during the period from March 3 to May 23 would be 'fully refunded'.

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The DGCA reportedly told the country's apex court that a non-refund of tickets booked during the lockdown by the air carriers would be a violation of the Civil Aviation Requirements and provisions of the Aircraft Rules of 1937.

7:05 PM

DPIIT starts exercise for states/UTs ease of doing business ranking for next year

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has started the exercise for the ranking of states and UnionTerritories in terms of ease of doing business for the next year, a top government official said. DPIIT Secretary Guruprasad Mohapatra said that the ease of doing business ranking of states and UTs for next year would be released by March 2021.

 

"We have started the exercise already. We have communicated the Business Reform Action Plan (BRAP) for next year with the states/UTs, which they have to implement," he told PTI.

 

Last year, the department had identified 181 reform points and for 2021, it has shared 301 such points with the states and UTs. The ranking is based on the implementation of BRAP and feedback received. It started in 2015. The action plan cover12 business regulatory areas suchas access to information, single window system, labour, and environment.

6:54 PM

PNB fraud: Nirav Modi's extradition trial to resume in UK court on Monday

Fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi, who has been lodged at a prison in London since his arrest in March last year, is set to appear via videolink for the second leg of his extradition trial at a UK court on Monday.

 

The 49-year-old jeweller is fighting extradition charges related to the estimated USD 2-billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud and money laundering case brought by the Indian government, being represented at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London by the UK's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

 

In line with the coronavirus lockdown restrictions, District Judge Samuel Goozee has directed Modi's appearance from a room in Wandsworth Prison in south-west London with social distancing norms in place for the part-remote setting for the five-day hearing scheduled to conclude on Friday. READ MORE...

 

6:37 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: 10,794 new Covid-19 cases in Andhra Pradesh in a day

6:22 PM

Govt expands support to artisans for boosting agarbatti production

The government has expanded the support to artisans involved in agarbatti making as part of a programme aimed at making India self-reliant in the production incensed sticks, an official release said on Sunday.

 

The MSME Ministry had recently approved the 'Khadi Agarbatti Aatmanirbhar Mission' towards creating employment for the unemployed and migrant workers in different parts of the country, handholding artisans and supporting the local agarbatti industry, news agency PTI reported.

 

"Further to its launching the support programme on July 30, 2020, the Ministry has looked at all aspects of the industry, beyond just supply of machines for making agarbatti. This includes ensuring supply of inputs and raw materials, the demand for which has increased hugely in last one year," an official statement said.

6:15 PM

Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot visits Rajiv Chowk station ahead of resumption of metro services

6:03 PM

Indian Coast Guard launched operation towards fire fighting and pollution response operation

5:51 PM

Delhi Metro resumption: CISF outlines airport-like 'touch-free' security check for commuters

The CISF has planned an airport-like "contact-free" security check for the Delhi Metro and will deploy modified hand-held and doorframe metal detectors for scanning passengers, who will be required to put metallic objects such as belts and pens in their bags.

 

The security drill changes have been outlined in the CISF's 'business continuity plan' for the Delhi Metro which resumes its services from Monday in a "staggered" manner.

 

Before Covid-19 struck, CISF personnel, who guard the metro network, spread over 230 stations, used to scan passengers from proximity and even touch them during security checks. The passengers were also allowed to keep their wallets and belts on the body.

 

5:40 PM

24 IPL matches will be held in Dubai, 20 in Abu Dhabi and 12 in Sharjah: BCCI

5:40 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: Jharkhand reports 1,774 new Covid-19 cases; tally nears 50,000-mark

5:31 PM

Nirav Modi extradition trial to resume in UK court on Sept 7

Fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi, who has been lodged at a prison in London since his arrest in March last year, is set to appear via videolink for the second leg of his extradition trial at a UK court on Monday, according to a PTI report.

 

The 49-year-old jeweller is fighting extradition charges related to the estimated USD 2-billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud and money laundering case brought by the Indian government, being represented at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London by the UK's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

 

In line with the coronavirus lockdown restrictions, District Judge Samuel Goozee has directed Modi's appearance from a room in Wandsworth Prison in south-west London with social distancing norms in place for the part-remote setting for the five-day hearing scheduled to conclude on Friday.

5:22 PM

IPL 2020: BCCI releases new schedule; check match timings, venues

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has released the new schedule for 13th edition of Indian Premier League on Sunday after over 4-month break due to coronavirus hiatus. The tournament will be played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the matches will be played in Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi.

 

IPL 2020 will begin September 19 Sheikh Zayed stadium in Abu Dhabi. In the IPL 2020 opener defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) will clash with arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings (CSK). The live telecast of of IPL 2020 opener will begin from 7:30 pm IST (30 minutes before previous seasons).

 

The IPL 2020 final will be played on 10th November 2020. The 53-day tournament will witness 10-afternoon matches starting at 3:30 PM IST while the evening matches will start at 7:30 PM IST.

5:15 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: Highest single-day spike of 6,777 Covid-19 cases in UP

5:08 PM

BPCL privatisation: Govt rules on worker protection, asset stripping later

The government will provide guidance on employee protection, asset stripping and business continuity in Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) to potential acquirers of the company only at a later stage of bidding, according to privatisation rules issued by the disinvestment department. The government is selling its entire 52.98 per cent stake in India's second-largest fuel retailer and third-biggest oil refiner.

 

Preliminary expressions of interest or EoIs are due on September 30, which will be followed by qualified bidders being asked to submit financial or price bids.

 

The Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM), erstwhile known as Department of Disinvestment, has issued clarifications on queries raised by potential bidders for the government stake in BPCL. READ MORE...