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4:49 PM

Amit Shah will plant 4 crore saplings at CRPF Group Centre in Greater Noida

3:18 PM

Bittu Bajrangi has been sent to 14-day judicial custody

2:59 PM

President Murmu launches advanced stealth frigate INS Vindhyagiri in Kolkata

President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday launched 'Vindhyagiri', an advanced stealth frigate, at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd's (GRSE) facility on the banks of Hooghly river here.

 

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee were also present on the occasion.

 

This is the sixth of seven ships built under 'Project 17 Alpha' for the Navy.

 

The first five ships of the project were launched between 2019 and 2022.

2:49 PM

US 10-year yield at highest since October, drags on shares

The U.S. 10-year treasury yield on Thursday reached its highest in 10 months, underpinned by fears that U.S. interest rates might stay higher for longer, contributing, along with China's economic woes, to world stocks languishing at five-week lows.

 

Benchmark 10-year yields reached 4.312% on Thursday, testing October's 4.338% a break past which would be its highest in 16 years.

 

"The reason behind the rise is the strong data the U.S. domestic demand. The minutes (from the Fed's July meeting, released Wednesday), feel really dated, they are talking about a gradual slowdown in the U.S. economy, but when you look at the data we are not even in a slowdown," said Samy Chaar, chief economist at Lombard Odier.

2:40 PM

India August retail inflation expected below 7%: Economist at Motilal Oswal

India's annual retail inflation in August is expected to fall below 7 per cent after unexpectedly rising to a 15-month-high of 7.44 per cent in July, an economist at Motilal Oswal said on Thursday.

 

Retail inflation rose as of last count as prices of vegetables and cereals skyrocketed, beating all market expectations and putting pressure on the government to bring down prices.

2:24 PM

Heavy rain in Germany causes flooding and leads to flight cancellations in Frankfurt

Heavy rain in parts of Germany caused flooding and led to dozens of flight cancellations at Frankfurt Airport, the country's busiest and a major European hub, authorities said Thursday.

The airport said large quantities of water accumulated on the tarmac Wednesday evening and ground handling was suspended for more than two hours, German news agency dpa reported.

2:11 PM

Airtel Payments Bank revenue grows 41% to Rs 400 crore

Airtel Payments Bank on Thursday said its revenue witnessed a year-on-year growth of 41 per cent to Rs 400 crore in the first quarter ended June 30, 2023.

The unlisted entity of Bharti Group said that its profit grew by 143 per cent on a year-on-year basis without disclosing the actual number

1:52 PM

Police, Naxalites exchange fire on Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border; explosives, Maoist literature recovered

In a joint operation, the police in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra and neighbouring Chhattisgarh recovered explosives, Maoist literature and other material following an exchange of fire with Naxalites along the border of both states, an official said on Thursday.

The incident occurred on Wednesday, Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police Nilotpal said.

1:37 PM

Vikram Lander successfully separates from Chandrayaan-3, Isro informs

Chandrayaan 3 Mission | LM is successfully separated from the Propulsion Module (PM). LM is set to descend to a slightly lower orbit upon a deboosting planned for tomorrow around 1600 hours IST: ISRO

 

1:24 PM

Hawaii governor vows to block land grabs as fire-ravaged Maui rebuilds

Hawaii Gov. Josh Green vowed to keep the land in local people's hands" after a deadly wildfire that incinerated a historic Maui community, as the island's schools began reopening and traffic resumed on a major road.

Green said at a Wednesday news conference that he had instructed the state attorney general to work toward a moratorium on land transactions in Lahaina, which he acknowledged will come with legal challenges.

1:01 PM

GSTN seeks firm to prepare roadmap for transitioning IT systems to GST 2.0

With Infosys' contract for providing technology support for Goods and Services Tax (GST) ending in September 2024, GST Network (GSTN) has started scouting for a consultancy firm to prepare the bid document for selection of a new service provider and a roadmap for transitioning the system capacity to the next level -- GST 2.0.

The consultancy firm would have to ensure a competitive bidding process and a seamless transition of the IT service backbone of GSTN to another technology company, who would be providing the software and hardware required in GST systems for the next seven years beginning October 1, 2024.

12:42 PM

Skoda Auto exports from Chakan plant in Pune cross 600,000 units mark

Skoda Auto Volkswagen India Pvt Ltd (SAVWIPL) on Thursday said export of its cars produced at the company's Chakan facility in Pune has crossed 600,000 units mark.

SAVWIPL is the Indian subsidiary of German automotive manufacturing giant Volkswagen Group.

12:26 PM

Xi calls for patience as Communist Party tries to reverse economic slump

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has called for patience in a speech released as the ruling Communist Party tries to reverse a deepening economic slump and said Western countries are increasingly in trouble because of their materialism and spiritual poverty.

Xi's speech was published by Qiushi, the party's top theoretical journal, hours after data Tuesday showed consumer and factory activity weakened further in July despite official promises to support struggling entrepreneurs. The government skipped giving an update on a politically sensitive spike in unemployment among young people.

12:13 PM

China's government tries to defuse economic fears after real estate developer's debt struggle

China's government is trying to reassure jittery homebuyers after a major real estate developer missed a payment on its multibillion-dollar debt, reviving fears about the industry's shaky finances and their impact on the struggling Chinese economy.

There is no indication Country Garden's problems might spread beyond China, which seals off its financial system from global capital flows, economists say. But they highlight the industry's struggle under pressure from the ruling Communist Party to reduce soaring debt that is seen as an economic threat. That has bankrupted hundreds of small developers and depressed China's economic growth.

11:57 AM

13 bodies recovered, NDRF rescue operations enter 4th day in Shimla

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) on Thursday said a total of 13 bodies, among 21 people who went missing after a massive landslide struck the Summer Hill area of Shimla earlier this week, have been recovered.

Speaking to ANI, NDRF Inspector Naseef Khan said, "The rescue and search operation has been underway for 4 days. The Army, SDRF and the police are engaged in the ongoing rescue operations here. Of the 21 people missing, 13 bodies have been recovered so far."

11:53 AM

China assures Sri Lanka of its help in addressing debt challenges before IMF's first review

Sri Lanka's largest bilateral creditor, China, has assured the island nation its help in effectively addressing the debt challenges as it has to finalise the external and domestic debt restructuring of a whopping USD 41 billion by September before the IMF's first review.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is set to conduct its first review of the USD 2.9 billion bailout granted to Sri Lanka in March this year from September 11-19.

11:22 AM

Misuse of Election Commission and all Central agencies is happening: Raut

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday made a serious allegation against the BJP-led central government and alleged that "Misuse of the Election Commission and all Central agencies is happening."

He stated that Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Chief Sharad Pawar has claimed that Enforcement Directorate (ED ) decided who joins which party and it also decides who becomes a minister.

11:09 AM

Neo-liberal policies cause for crisis in agriculture sector, says Kerala CM

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday said the agriculture sector and the farming community are going through tough times and blamed the neo-liberal policies being implemented in the country for the crisis.

Despite all the difficulties, the LDF government in the state is adopting diverse measures to strengthen the agriculture sector, he said.

10:52 AM

Arms, ammunition recovered in Manipur as situation continues to remain tense

Eight firearms and 112 rounds of ammunition were recovered from different districts of violence-hit Manipur during search operations by security forces, police said.

Besides, the forces also seized six explosives, they said.

10:35 AM

Maharashtra: Man who stabbed girl to death also booked for suicide attempt

A 20-year-old man who fatally stabbed a girl in Maharashtra's Thane district on Wednesday has also been booked for attempting to take his own life, the police said on Thursday.

Accused Aditya Kamble repeatedly stabbed the 12-year-old girl in the presence of her mother for rejecting his proposal for a romantic relationship, at Teesgaon locality in Kalyan, said the police.

10:32 AM

Rupee rises 9 paise to 82.99 against US dollar, recovers from all-time lows

The rupee recovered from its all-time low levels and appreciated by 9 paise to 82.99 against the US dollar in early trade on Thursday as crude oil price retracted from its elevated levels.

However, a muted trend in domestic equities and strength of the American currency in the overseas market dented investor sentiments, forex traders said.

10:13 AM

Subsidence, landslides hit Jakhan village near Dehradun, rescue op underway

As many as 15 houses collapsed and seven cowsheds were completely destroyed in subsidence and landslides at Jakhan village, part of Madrasu gram panchayat on Langha Road, 50 km from Dehradun on Wednesday, an offical statement informed.

After receiving word of these incidents, senior officials of the administration and police, including the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), reached the spot and shifted all the affected people to a nearby government school at Pachta village.

9:55 AM

Sharad Pawar's rally in Beed: NCP chief sets sights on 2024 LS election

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar will hold a rally in Parli, Beed Maharashtra today. This rally comes even as the NCP and the Congress are engaged in a war of words after a former Congress CM claimed that Ajit Pawar had offered his uncle a position in the Union Cabinet in exchange for his support.
 

On Wednesday Pawar sought to dispel those allegations saying" Whatever I have said until now, do you think that has been in praise of Narendra Modi? What can I say about any leader who makes unfounded remarks".

9:47 AM

Joe Biden, First Lady to visit wildfire-hit Hawaii to review recovery work

US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will be travelling to Hawaii on August 21 to meet the survivors and review the recovery work after massive wildfires have claimed over 100 lives.

"The President and First Lady will travel to Maui on Monday, August 21 to meet with first responders, survivors, as well as federal, state, and local officials, in the wake of deadly wildfires on the island," the White House said in a statement.

9:46 AM

Over 50 chopper sorties in last 48 hrs, rescued over 780 in HP: IAF

Choppers belonging to the Western Air Command carried out over 50 sorties over the last 48 hours, rescuing over 780 citizens in the flood-affected areas of Kangra district in Himachal Pradesh, Indian Air Force officials informed on Wednesday.

 

Speaking on the ongoing relief and rescue operations in Fatehpur sub-division of Kangra district, Deputy Commissioner, Kangra, Nipun Jindal, told ANI, "A total of 800 trapped civilians were rescued on August 15. Further rescue operations are underway with the help of NDRF, the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force. All necessary arrangements have been made for those rescued so far. Relief camps have also been set up for them."

 

9:45 AM

LS Speaker nominates Rahul to Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence

Days after reinstating as the Member of Parliament, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was nominated to the parliamentary standing committee on defence.

Before being disqualified in March, Gandhi was a member of the parliamentary panel on defence.