New Delhi, July 4 (PTI): No passenger flights will operate to Kolkata from Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Pune, Nagpur and Ahmedabad between July 6 and July 19, the Kolkata airport said on Saturday as novel coronavirus cases continue to rise in the country.        India resumed domestic passenger flights from May 25, after a gap of two months due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown. Scheduled international passenger flights are still suspended in India.  &n

Srinagar, July 4 (IANS): One terrorist was killed in an ongoing encounter at South Kashmir's Kulgam district on Saturday.   "One terrorist has been killed, operations are going on," Inspector General Kashmir Vijay Kumar told IANS.   The encounter started after security forces got an input about the presence of terrorists in Arrah area of Kulgam.   As the security forces cordoned off the area and zeroed in on the spot where the terrorists w

Kanpur, July 4 (IANS): A day after eight police personnel were shot dead by history-sheeter Vikas Dubey and his gang in Bikru village under Chaubeypur police circle in Kanpur, authorities on Saturday reached the village along with a team and started to demolish the well-fortified house of the gangster.   It was learnt that police had got Vikas Dubey's father and his family along with servants to vacate the premises and cordoned off an area of 50 metre around the house be

New Delhi, July 4 (IANS): President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday urged people to follow discipline and maintain physical distance to protect themselves from the COVID-19 pandemic.   He said this on the occasion of Asaadh Poornima while inaugurating the Dharma Chakra Day from the Rashtrapati Bhavan.   "We are in the midst of a virulent pandemic that has overwhelmed the entire humanity. Perhaps no part of the world remains untouched by this calamity that adverse

New Delhi, July 4 (IANS) India on Saturday recorded the highest single-day spike of 22,771 cases, pushing the total tally to 6,48,315, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said. The country recorded a spike of 20,903 cases yesterday.   The death count rose to 18,655, with 442 people succumbing to the deadly virus in 24 hours. A total of 3,94,226 people have recovered and been discharged from hospitals. The recovery rate is 60.73 per cent among the COVID-19 patients.

New Delhi, July 4 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of Asaadh Poornima and the inauguration of the Dharma Chakra Day, on Saturday, said India wants to focus on connectivity to Buddhist sites to improve tourism.   The Prime Minister's remark came at a time when the country is passing through its worst economic phase and needs improvement in all sectors including tourism to attract revenue.   "We want to focus on connectivity to Buddhist s

New Delhi, July 3 (PTI) The HRD Ministry on Friday postponed medical and engineering entrance exams NEET and JEE to September in view of the spike in COVID-19 cases.   "Keeping in mind the safety of students and to ensure quality education we have decided to postpone JEE and NEET examinations. JEE-Main examination will be held between September 1-6, while JEE-advanced exam will be held on September 27. NEET examination will be held on September 13," said Union HRD

New Delhi, July 3 (PTI): In a strong support to India over its border standoff with China in eastern Ladakh, Japan on Friday said it opposed "any unilateral" attempts to change the status quo in the region.        After a meeting with foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, Japanese ambassador Satoshi Suzuki said Japan hoped for peaceful resolution of the row through dialogues.      "Had a good talk with FS Shringla. Appre

New Delhi, July 3 (IANS) The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued a circular on Friday extending the suspension on scheduled commercial international flight operations to and from India till July 31.   The development comes exactly a week after the suspension on oversees air services was extended till July 15.   The regulator said the validity of the earlier circular has been extended till 11.59 p.m. IST of July 31.   "However, inter

New Delhi, July 3 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a visit to Ladakh on Friday issued a clear warning to China without naming it, saying that the "age of expansionism is over."   Addressing the armed forces, he said, "The age of expansionism is over, this is the age of development. History has been witness that expansionist forces have either lost or were forced to retreat."   This assertion by Modi in the Ladakh region is extremely signi

Kolkata, July 3 (IANS) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from West Bengal, Locket Chatterjee, tested positive for Covid-19 on Friday.   The BJP Lok Sabha member from Hooghly tweeted about her health condition on Friday afternoon, saying: "I have tested positive for Covid-19 this morning; having mild fever and was in self-isolation for the past one week."   The actress-turned-politician also said that she will further update about her health condition. &quo

New Delhi, July 3 (IANS): The Delhi Police's Crime Branch has seized 500 kg of contraband cannabis, valued at more than Rs 5 crore in the international market, brought here in a truck, police said on Thursday.   According to police, the cannabis was smuggled in a specially-made cavity in a truck from Andhra Pradesh's Rajahmundry to Delhi and UP. Truck driver Gulfam, a resident of Baghpat in UP, was arrested and interrogated.   During interrogation, he t

New Delhi, July 3 (IANS) Amid ongoing tension at borders with China in Eastern Ladakh, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a visit to Leh and forward locations on Friday morning to review the ground security situation, barely 18 days after a violent stand-off.   Sources said that Modi reached Ladakh early morning and briefied by the Army, Air Force and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police at one of the forward locations in Nimu. Located at 11,000 feet above sea level, Nimu is

New Delhi, July 3 (PTI): India's COVID-19 cases soared by over 20,000 in a day for the first time taking the country's total tally to 6,25,544 on Friday, while the death toll climbed to 18,213 with 379 new fatalities, according to the Union health ministry data.   The country recorded 20,903 coronavirus infections in the last 24 hours till Friday 8 am.   The number of recoveries stands at 3,79,891 while one patient has migrated. There are 2,27,439 active c

New Delhi, July 3 (PTI): At least eight Uttar Pradesh police personnel, including a deputy superintendent of police, were killed in an encounter with criminals in Kanpur, officials said on Friday.   The encounter took place when the police team was approaching to arrest Vikas Dubey, a history sheeter facing 60 criminal cases, in Dikru village under Chaubeypur police station on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday, police said.   As the police team was abou

New Delhi, July 3 (PTI): Days after India banned 59 Chinese apps for engaging in activities "prejudicial" to the sovereignty and integrity of the country, Beijing on Thursday issued a predictable reaction, describing New Delhi's actions as "discriminatory" while calling for the reversal of the ban.   India on Monday banned 59 apps with Chinese links, including the hugely popular TikTok and UC Browser, for engaging in "activities which are prejudi

New Delhi, July 2 (ANI): "Tiger abhi zinda hai," said BJP leader Jyotiraditya Scindia on Thursday as he launched an attack on Congress leaders Digvijaya Singh and Kamal Nath and accused them of going back on promises to people of Madhya Pradesh.   Scindia made the remarks on a day the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government in the state was expanded with the induction of 28 ministers.   "I don't need any certificate from Kamal Nath nor Digvijaya Singh.

New Delhi, July 2 (IANS) After Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra got an eviction notice from the government, the Congress said that the threat perception of the Gandhi family has not changed. They are still Z plus protectees and only the protection agency has been changed from the SPG to another agency, the party said.   Priyanka Gandhi was allotted government accommodation at 35, Lodhi Estate, a type 6B house.   "This is a trick to manipulate

Patna, July 2 (IANS) In Bihar, more people were killed by lightning strikes in a week than due to coronavirus. On Thursday, 26 more people died in fresh lightning strikes across the state.   An official of the Disaster Management Department said, according to information received from the districts, 26 people died due to lightning strikes on Thursday in the state - six in Patna, four in East Champaran, seven in Samastipur, three in Katihar, two each in Shivhar and Madhepura

Shimla, July 2 (IANS) A day after five Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) jawans tested Covid-19 positive in Himachal Pradesh, 23 new patients belonging to the paramilitary force and with travel history to Srinagar were reported on Thursday.   Seventeen jawans belonging to 43rd ITBP Battalion, who were stationed at a camp in Jangi of the Kinnaur district, tested positive. Their samples had been collected on June 30, officials said.   Six ITBP jawans, stationed in a