News highlights: BMC asks citizens to avoid coastal, low-lying areas

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Mumbai: Commuters make way through a waterlogged road amid rainfall, in Mumbai, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. (Photo: PTI)

Mumbaikars woke up to a Monday morning drenched in rain, as water-logging in low-lying areas across the city and suburbs slowed traffic during the office rush hour.

Following heavy overnight and morning showers, water accumulated on tracks at Kurla station on the Central Railway line and Bandra station on the Western Railway route, causing local train delays, officials said.

The intense downpour, which started around midnight accompanied by lightning and thunder, persisted into the morning, flooding low-lying areas such as King's Circle and others, according to civic authorities.

Potholes filled with water further deteriorated road traffic conditions.

Between 8:30 am Sunday and 5:30 am Monday, Colaba recorded the highest rainfall at 88.2 mm, followed by Bandra at 82 mm and Byculla at 73 mm, per the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Nepal's interim government, led by Prime Minister Sushila Karki, is scheduled to expand on Monday with the appointment of at least three new ministers.

An official stated, "Kulman Ghising, former MD of the Nepal Electricity Authority, will head the Ministry of Energy, Urban Development and Physical Infrastructure. Om Prakash Aryal will lead the Ministry of Law and Home Affairs, while Rameshwor Khanal will assume charge of the Ministry of Finance."

Officials from the Prime Minister's Office said Karki finalised the names following multiple rounds of internal consultation. Ghising previously served as Executive Director of the Nepal Electricity Authority, Aryal was Legal Advisor to Kathmandu Metropolitan City, and Khanal is a former finance secretary.

11:27 PM

Rahul Gandhi visits flood-affected areas in Punjab, seeks relief for affected people

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday visited flood-hit areas of Punjab and called on both the state and central governments to ensure timely relief for the affected people.

5:15 PM

Unemployment rate dips for 2nd month to 5.1% in Aug: Govt survey

The unemployment rate for persons aged 15 years and above declined for the second month in a row in August, to 5.1 per cent, according to an a government survey.

4:50 PM

BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi slams Oppn on Waqf issue

BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Monday slammed the Opposition for criticising the amendments to the Waqf Act and said those involved in communal attack on a constitutional reform are neither well-wishers of the country nor any religion. The former minority affairs minister's remarks came after the Supreme Court put on hold several key provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, including the clause that only those practising Islam for the last five years can dedicate a property as waqf, but refused to stay the entire law.

4:40 PM

Regulations should foster innovations for common good, not wipe them out: Sitharaman

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday emphasised the need for regulations that foster technology innovations for the common good, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI) but not stifle them. The government is determined to not only adopt AI technologies but also ensure their responsible application across various sectors, she said while releasing the report 'AI for Viksit Bharat: The Opportunity for Accelerated Economic Growth'.

4:18 PM

US chief negotiator coming to India to resume trade deal talks: Report

India-US trade deal discussions are back on track, with American chief negotiator Brendan Lynch set to arrive in India on Monday night, September 15, according to news agency ANI.

4:02 PM

All efforts on to divert water from rivers under IWT to meet shortages in India: Jal Shakti minister

Jal Shakti Minister CR Paatil on Monday said the government is making all efforts to divert water from the rivers under the now-suspended Indus Water Treaty to meet shortages in Indian states. He added that the matter has international implications and therefore he would not speak at length, but assured that "the decision taken by PM Narendra Modi is being implemented with the involvement of the Home Ministry and the Ministry of External Affairs. This will bring a major advantage to the country".

3:53 PM

70 evacuated from Pune village after heavy downpour

Nearly 70 people were evacuated from a village in Pune district, Maharashtra, after midnight on Monday, as heavy rainfall flooded several areas, officials said. There were no casualties reported, the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) fire brigade officials confirmed.

2:33 PM

Kerala Assembly pays tributes to VS Achuthanandan, other former legislators

The Kerala Assembly paid rich tributes to former Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan, former speaker P P Thankachan, and Peerumedu MLA Vazhoor Soman, who died recently, as the 14th session of the 15th Legislative Assembly convened on Monday. Speaker A N Shamseer, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan and various party leaders recalled the contributions of the departed leaders.

2:00 PM

Rain lashes Jharkhand, heavy rain alert issued for 16 districts

Rain lashed parts of Jharkhand on Monday morning amid an alert of heavy rainfall for 16 districts till 8.30 am on Tuesday, an IMD official said. The IMD issued a yellow alert for East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum, Simdega, Seraikela-Kharswan, Deoghar, Dumka, Giridih, Godda, Jamtara, Pakur, Sahibganj, Ranchi, Bokaro, Dhanbad, Khunti and Ramgarh districts.

12:35 PM

Boy injured in landmine blast in J-K's Anantnag district dies

The teenage boy who was injured in a landmine blast in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir a day earlier has succumbed to injuries at a hospital here, officials said here on Monday. Shahid Yousuf (17) died at the Army's 92 Base Hospital. The boy was injured when a landmine, planted for the security of the ammunition depot at Khundru, went off on Sunday.

12:18 PM

Delhi Police lodges case of culpable homicide in accident that killed finance ministry official

Police have registered a case of culpable homicide after a senior finance ministry official died when his motorcycle was hit by a luxury sports utility vehicle near the Delhi Cantonment metro station a day earlier, an official said on Monday. Deputy Secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs, Navjot Singh (52), a resident of Hari Nagar, was killed in the accident on Sunday afternoon, while his wife sustained serious injuries.

10:54 AM

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to visit flood-hit areas in Punjab

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will visit the flood-affected areas of Punjab on Monday and interact with those hit by the natural calamity in Amritsar and Gurdaspur districts. Gandhi landed at the Sri Guru Ramdas Jee International Airport in Amritsar where he was received by Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa and Amritsar MP Gurjit Singh Aujla.

10:52 AM

I-T dept clarifies last date of ITR filing Sep 15 amid social media buzz on deadline extension

The Income Tax Department has clarified that the deadline for ITR filing for Assessment Year 2025-26 is September 15 and there is no further extension as circulated on social media. In a late night post on X on September 14, the department termed "fake" a statement in circulation on social media stating that the due date of filing ITRs has been further extended to September 30, 2025. Asking taxpayers to only rely on official updates on @IncomeTaxIndia, it said "The due date for filing ITRs remains 15.09.2025".

9:29 AM

Monorail train stops on tracks in Mumbai due to technical issue; 17 passengers rescued

A monorail train came to an abrupt halt on tracks due to a "technical fault" in Mumbai on Monday morning, following which 17 passengers onboard were rescued, officials said.The incident took place between the Antop Hill Bus Depot and GTBN monorail station in Wadala, they said.

First Published: Sep 15 2025 | 9:30 AM IST