Brazil has recorded more than 100,000 deaths linked to Covid-19, the world's second-highest figure, as the outbreak in the country shows no sign of easing.

The virus killed 50,000 people in three months, but that number doubled in just 50 days. There have been more than three million confirmed cases so far.

The pandemic is yet to peak but shops and restaurants have already reopened.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has downplayed the impact of the virus and opposed measures that could hit the economy.

The far-right leader, who caught the disease himself and recovered, fought restrictions imposed by state governors to curb Covid-19, and has frequently joined crowds of supporters, at times without a face mask.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the government has a moral duty to ensure children return to school next month.

  

Most pupils have been out of the classroom since the UK went into lockdown in March, though some primary-age children have returned.

Writing in the Mail on Sunday newspaper, Johnson said: "Keeping our schools closed a moment longer than absolutely necessary is socially intolerable, economically unsustainable and morally indefensible." 

Britain's official death toll from the coronavirus is more than 46,500, the highest in Europe.

Scientists say the UK may have reached the limit of how much it can relax lockdown restrictions without causing a new surge in coronavirus infections. They say some things may have to close -- even the country's beloved pubs -- so that schools can reopen fully.

Most UK schools start the new term in early September, but those in Scotland begin to reopen this week.

As many as 743 staff of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams including including some priests of the Lord Venkateswara shrine at Tirumala have tested positive for COVID-19 and three have succumbed to the virus since June 11, a top TTD official said on Sunday.

Of the 743 infected, three employees succumbed to the dreaded contagion and about 402 personnel have recovered so far from infection while 338 people were undergoing treatment at different COVID care facilities, TTD Executive Officer Anil Kumar Singhal told reporters here.

The famous Lord Venkateswara temple in nearby Tirumala governed by the TTD had re-opened on June 11 for public after being close for two and a half months owing to the coronavirus-induced lockdown, he said.

President Ram Nath Kovind honoured 202 freedom fighters across the country on Sunday on the occasion of the 78th anniversary of Quit India Day, a statement issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan said.

  

Every year, the president hosts an "At Home" reception at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on the anniversary of the Quit India Movement to honour freedom fighters, the statement said.

This year, the "At Home" reception could not be organised in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, it added.

"Therefore, state/UT governments have been requested to honour and felicitate freedom fighters with a shawl and angavastram by District Magistrate/Additional District Magistrate/Sub Divisional Magistrate at their homes on behalf of the President," the statement said.

The Rashtrapati Bhavan has provided the "angavastram" and shawls to the states and Union territories through their resident commissioners, it said.

The Quit India Movement was launched by Mahatma Gandhi on August 8, 1942, demanding an end to the British rule in India.

The United States has just passed a grim milestone, with Johns Hopkins University data showing the country has recorded more than five million cases of Covid-19. 

More than 162,000 people have died.

The US has more cases than any other country in the world, by a huge margin. 

The second highest number of cases is in Brazil, which has 2.96 million cases so far, followed by India and Russia.

New Zealand marked 100 days without a domestic transmission of the coronavirus on Sunday, but warned against complacency as countries like Vietnam and Australia which once had the virus under control now battle a resurgence in infections.

New Zealands successful fight against COVID-19 has made the Pacific island nation of 5 million one of the safest places in the world right now.

New Zealanders have returned to normal life, but authorities are concerned that people were now refusing testing, not using the government contact tracing apps, and even ignoring basic hygiene rules.

Achieving 100 days without community transmission is a significant milestone, however, as we all know, we cant afford to be complacent, Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said.

We have seen overseas how quickly the virus can re-emerge and spread in places where it was previously under control, and we need to be prepared to quickly stamp out any future cases in New Zealand, he said.

New Zealand has 23 active cases in managed isolation facilities, and 1,219 COVID-19 cases in all so far.

Vietnam, which went for three months without detecting any domestic transmission, is now racing to control a new outbreak in Danang.

Neighbouring Australias second-biggest city, Melbourne, has gone into a six week lockdown due to a surge in cases. The second wave of cases in Melbourne has been largely a result of lapses in quarantining.

For countries like Australia and New Zealand the source of such outbreaks is likely to be from managed isolation and quarantine facilities because of the large numbers of people held there and the multiple shifts of staff involved in looking after them, said Michael Baker, Professor of Public Health at the University of Otago.

There have been cases of returning New Zealanders sneaking out of quarantine, and other security slip ups.

New Zealand last week ramped up testing at quarantine facilities and clinics, and started work on technology to track people using Bluetooth technology.

Ardern kicked off her re-election campaign on Saturday calling it a Covid election.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed anguish at the death of patients in a fire incident at a COVID facility in Andhra Pradesh's Vijaywada on Sunday as the Prime Minister's Office announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the kin of those killed.

Modi said he discussed the prevailing situation in the city with Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and assured all possible help.

Ten COVID-19 patients were killed in the incident at a hotel converted into a treatment facility at Vijayawada.

"Anguished by the fire at a Covid centre in Vijayawada. My thoughts are with those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured recover as soon as possible," the prime minister tweeted.

"Discussed the prevailing situation with AP CM @ysjagan Ji and assured all possible support," he said.

The PMO later tweeted that an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund would be given to the next of kin of those killed in the incident.

The injured will be given a financal assistance of Rs 50,000, it said.

Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu tested positive for Covid-19 on Sunday, barely a week after Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa tested positive for the viral infection last Sunday.

Taking to Twitter, Sriramulu said that he was tested after he went down with flu-like symptoms. He added that he was hospitalised because he had been visiting the states 30 districts amid the spike in coronavirus cases in the state.

From the time of coronas appearance, I have had the opportunity to visit the 30 districts and work in harmony with the governments desire to treat people well. It is in this backdrop that I am going to be hospitalised and treated, he said in Kannada in a series of tweets.

All those who have been in contact with me recently have been requested to take precautionary measures, he added.

To reassure the people of Karnataka, the health minister said, under the leadership of the chief ministers, all the departments of the state government, including the health department, have been working hard against the Covid-19 pandemic.

Karnataka on Saturday reported the highest single-day spike of over 7,000 cases and 93 deaths, taking the total number of infections to 1,72,102 and the toll past the 3,000 mark, a health department statement said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will present a new outline for a self-reliant India in his address to the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on August 15, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Sunday.

 

The defence minister said various departments and ministries of the government are working seriously to implement Modi's initiative for a self-reliant India and that it is an attempt to give a fresh dimension to Mahatma Gandhi's push for 'Swadeshi'.

Singh was speaking at an online event organised to pay tributes to revolutionary freedom fighter Udham Singh.

Talking about the 'Atmanirbhar' initiative, the defence minister said that the coronavirus pandemic has shown that a country may not be able to effectively protect its sovereignty if it is not self-reliant.

"Our government will not allow any harm to India's self respect and sovereignty at any cost," he said.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi will present before the nation a new outline for a self-reliant India in his address from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the Independence Day," Singh said.

Referring to the defence ministry's decision to ban import of 101 military weapons and platforms, Singh said major and tough decisions are being taken to promote self-reliance in defence production.

He said big weapons systems will now be produced in India and the country will look for their export to make it a hub for defence manufacturing.

In a major push to promote the domestic defence industry, Singh on Sunday morning announced restrictions on import of 101 weapons and military platforms including light combat helicopters, transport aircraft, conventional submarines and cruise missiles by 2024. 

he 740-tonne ammonium nitrate stored near Chennai is being moved to the premises of a Hyderabad-based buyer, with the process of splitting it into 10 container sets and making arrangements for road transport already underway, said sources aware of plans for the explosive stash after it came to be viewed with extreme caution following the Beirut blast last week.

The customs department has identified a buyer who is taking possession of the chemical. Arrangements have been made with the help of highway authorities and pollution control board officials to ensure that the transport takes place seamlessly. According to a Customs document, only 697 tonnes of the Ammonium Nitrate was put on auction by the department, leading to questions over the remaining of the 740-tonne consignment.

Petroleum, Explosives, Safety Organisation (PESO) officials are currently inspecting the site in North Chennai. The officials want to ensure all safety checks are done before the consignment is moved to the neighbouring state.

An import consignment of the Karur-based Amman Chemicals was seized at the Chennai Port after its application for a key licence was rejected. It was seized in November 2015 and the company was later engaged in a legal battle to continue its business.

A panel consisting of environmental engineers and senior police officers visited the Container Freight Station operated by company Sattva in Tiruvottiyur after the Beirut blast. The multi-disciplinary panel tasked with inspecting the consignment off Chennai had recommended that the Customs Department clear the stock from the warehouse, read an August 6 report by the panel.

The devastation at a port in Beirut in Lebanon due to inadequately secured ammonium nitrate has set off alarm bells in Chennai. After news emerged that the port at North Chennai too has stores of nearly 740 tons of the same highly inflammable chemical, pressure is building on the Tamil Nadu government to act soon.

A case was registered against  Madhya Pradesh Congress working president and MLA Jitu Patwari for allegedly posting a doctored image of Prime Minister

Narendra Modi which the ruling BJP claimed hurt the dignity of the PM as well as religious sentiments of Hindus.

In the image uploaded by Patwari, the PM is seen wearing a mask and holding a bowl during the Ram Temple bhoomi

pujan ceremony in Ayodhya on August 5.

Accompanying the image was a tweet in Hindi which said, "The country's economy, business and income, declining

economic status of farmers, jobs and unemployment, decline of economy, labourers and their struggle. These are not subjects

of television debate. Because, (we) will walk with the bowl."

Chhatripura police station in charge Pawan Singhal said Patwari was booked under sections 188 (disobedience to

order duly promulgated by public servant) and 464 (making false electronic record) of IPC on the complaint of city BJP

president Gaurav Randive.

Singhal said, at first glance, it seems the image uploaded on Patwari's Twitter handle was a "tampered" one,

adding that section 188 of IPC was invoked as the district administration had already banned provocative social media

posts.

Indore Lok Sabha MP Shankar Lalwani and local leaders expressed displeasure on Patwari's tweet and gave a memorandum

and complaint to Deputy Inspector General of Police Harinarayanachari Mishra.

They said Patwari had "not only hurt the dignity of the Prime Minister, but also religious sentiments of Hindus".

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today said the Covid-19 situation in Delhi is under control and the recovery rate is improving. 

Speaking at the inauguration of a hospital in Ambedkar Nagar, he said in case the situation takes a turn for the worse, the government is fully prepared to deal with it. 

"The hospital was conceived in 2013. It is a 600-bed hospital. We are inaugurating the first 200 beds which will be used for the treatment of COVID-19 patients," Kejriwal said at the launch event. 

On the COVID-19 situation in Delhi, the chief minister said, "The situation is under control, all parameters good, recovery rate is improving, positivity ratio reducing and deaths have reduced." "I hope these 200 beds remain unoccupied... we never get to a situation where we have to use these beds. But even if the situation becomes bad again, we are fully prepared to deal with it," he added.

Delhi recorded 1,300 fresh cases take the tally to 1,45,427 while the death toll mounted to 4,111.

Captain Sathe was flying the AirIndiaExpress flight which crash-landed at Kozhikode airport on August 7. 

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader Kanimozhi said on Sunday said she was asked if she was an Indian by a CISF officer at the airport. Kanimozhi said she was asked this on being conveyed that she does not know Hindi.

The interaction took place when the DMK leader had aksed the CISF officer to communicate with her either in Tamil or in English and the officer, in response, asked her if she was an Indian.

Taking to Twitter, Kanimozhi also asked: "From when did being an Indian is equal to speaking in Hindi".

She tweeted, "Today at the airport a CISF officer asked me if I am an Indian when I asked her to speak to me in Tamil or English as I did not know Hindi. I would like to know from when being Indian is equal to knowing Hindi.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, India on Sunday handed over 10 ventilators worth Rs 28 million to Nepal.

"India hands over ten ventilators worth Rs 28 million to Nepal. It was handed over to Chief of the Army Staff General Purna Chandra Thapa by Indian Ambassador to Nepal Vinay Mohan Kwatra in a ceremony at Grand Hall, Army Headquarters on Sunday," said Indian Embassy in Nepal. 

According to a statement issued by the embassy, "These ventilators are designed for a broad range of applications to include advanced invasive or non-invasive respiratory support. They can be used in support of secondary care in hospitals with ICU, tertiary multispecialty hospitals and dedicated ICUs. Further, due to their compact nature, they are portable and handy in the transportation of patients requiring intensive care."

Nepal has recorded a total of 22,592 positive cases of coronavirus and 73 people have succumbed to the disease so far, according to Johns Hopkins University dashboard.

Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, who on Saturday was admitted to Mumbai's Lilavati hospital after complaining of breathlessness, is doing completely fine and is showing no other symptoms, hospital authorities said.

As per the doctor's statement, his health condition is stable and is maintaining normal oxygen saturation. 

However, the actor will be kept under observation for a day. 

The 61-year-old actor has now been shifted from ICU to the normal ward and is expected to be discharged from the hospital in a day or two.

On August 8, Dutt, soon after getting admitted to the Mumbai hospital, issued a statement on Twitter assuring his legion of followers that he is "doing well" and his reports for COVID-19 were negative. 

The Enforcement Directorate questioned Showik Chakraborty, brother of actor Rhea Chakraborty, for about 18 hours in connection with a money laundering case linked to the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, officials said on Sunday.

  

Showik left the central investigative agency's office in south Mumbai's Ballard Estate area around 6:30 am after an overnight questioning session that began around noon on Saturday.

Officials said Showik's statement was recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and he was asked about his personal businesses, income, investments and financial dealings with his sister and Rajput.

He was grilled by the agency for a few hours on August 7 as well. On the same day, his sister and prime accused in the case Rhea, 28, was questioned by the agency for the first time for about eight hours.

Rhea and her father Indrajit Chakraborty have been summoned to appear before the agency again on Monday.

On Friday, the ED had questioned Indrajit, Rhea's chartered accountant Ritesh Shah and business manager Shruti Modi, who also worked for Rajput.

The agency is understood to have questioned Rhea, who stated in her petition to the court that she was in a live-in relationship with Rajput, about her friendship with the late actor, business dealings and the developments that took place over the last few years between them.

The ED's line of questioning, officials said, is revolving around Rhea's income, investments, business and professional deals, and links.

Ahead of the Rajasthan Assembly session, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday appealed to all MLAs to listen to the voice of people to save democracy and stand with the truth in the interest of people of the state.

 

The assembly session in the state, which has been witnessing politicial turmoil after the rebellion by Sachin Pilot and legislators loyal to him, will start on August 14. Gehlot is likely to seek a trust vote during the session

In a letter to all MLAs, Gehlot sought their cooperation in fulfilling the promises of development and prosperity of the state.

"It is my appeal that you should listen to the voice of people in order to avoid wrong tradition, to maintain people's trust in us and to save democracy," Gehlot said in the letter.

Pilot was sacked as deputy chief minister and the president of the state unit of the Congress after he and some MLAs loyal to him rebelled against Gehlot. Many believe that Gehlot still has an edge in the numbers game and is confident of a majority.

"You may be a legislator from any political party, you should ensure and take a decision after understanding voter's feeling that how a people's elected government continues to work strongly for state's welfare,", he said, emphasising that efforts to destabilise government are not succesful.

The chief minister expressed faith that legislators will act in the larger interest of people of the state and will cooperate in fulfilling the promises of development and prosperity.

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut has slammed the Centre for handing over the Sushant Singh Rajput death case to Central Bureau of Investigation. He said that the decision has been taken for political gains and as part of pressure tactics.

Terming it as a conspiracy against Maharashtra, the resident editor of party mouthpiece Saamana said that Bharatiya Janata Party has politicised the case by linking a state minister with it.

Raut, in his weekly column Rokhthok, has said that the decision of handing over the investigation is an attack on the states autonomy. He has also pointed at the misuse of the central agencies like CBI and said that the Centres intervention in the case is an insult to Mumbai Police. He said that though the CBI is a central agency, it has been proved time and again that it is not independent and impartial. Many state governments have banned the CBI. People in West Bengal took to streets against the agency when it tried to intervene in the Saradha Chit Fund case, the Shiv Sena leader stated.

Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah were of the same opinion about the CBI when they were active in Gujarat politics. They had opposed the transfer of Godhra riots and the subsequent killings (in Gujarat in 2002). What is wrong if the same feelings are expressed after the transfer of the Sushant Singh death case to the central agency, he questioned.

Raut also accused the BJP of defaming the state government under Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray with the help of a section of media. One channel has been using derogatory and threatening language for chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. This has anguished many including Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar. Expressing his discontent over the disrespect to Thackeray who holds constitutional post, Pawar asked me what action the government has taken. The section of media has support from the Opposition party, which wants to destabilise the government, he said.

UP Assembly Speaker Hriday Narayan Dikshit on Sunday said a three-day session of the state legislative assembly will begin on August 20, with MLAs being seated leaving a seat between them vacant and occupying the visitors' gallery to maintain social distancing amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

As per norms, the House must be convened once in six months.

A few days ago at an all-party meeting, the speaker had sought the support of all political parties to ensure compliance of COVID-19 protocol during the upcoming session.

"We have to ensure that during the session, scheduled to be held soon because of Constitutional obligations, COVID-19 protocol was strictly followed," he had said.

Elaborating about the seating plan of the assembly, Dikshit on Sunday said the members will be seated leaving a seat between them vacant.

Some of them will be seated in the lobby and the visitors' gallery, he said.

"The MLAs will be thermally scanned before they enter the House. I am sure that members will come here wearing a mask. If they do not come wearing a mask, we will give them one," he said.

Dikshit said the air conditioner of the legislature building will work as per the standards set by the central government.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said the COVID-19 situation in Delhi is under control and the recovery rate is improving.

  

Speaking at the inauguration of a hospital in Ambedkar Nagar, he said in case the situation takes a turn for the worse, the government is fully prepared to deal with it.

"The hospital was conceived in 2013. It is a 600-bed hospital. We are inaugurating the first 200 beds which will be used for the treatment of COVID-19 patients," Kejriwal said at the launch event.

On the COVID-19 situation in Delhi, the chief minister said, "The situation is under control, all parameters good, recovery rate is improving, positivity ratio reducing and deaths have reduced."

"I hope these 200 beds remain unoccupied... we never get to a situation where we have to use these beds. But even if the situation becomes bad again, we are fully prepared to deal with it," he added.

Kejriwal said the inauguration of the hospital is a step towards strengthening the health infrastructure in the city.

"We have gradually increased the number of COVID-19 beds," he said.

On July 25, Kejriwal had inaugurated a 450-bed hospital in Burari. The hospital will eventually have a total of 700 beds.

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday hit out at Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, saying the "import embargo" on defence equipment announced by him was "high sounding jargon" as their only importer was the defence ministry.

  

The defence minister promised a "bang" on a Sunday morning and ended with a "whimper", Chidambaram said in a series of tweets.

"The only importer of defence equipment is the Defence Ministry. Any import embargo is really an embargo on oneself," the former home minister said.

What the defence minister said in his "historic Sunday announcement" deserved only an office order from the minister to his secretaries, Chidambaram said.

"Import embargo is high sounding jargon. What it means is we will try to make the same equipment (that we import today) in 2 to 4 years and stop imports thereafter!" he said.

In a major reform initiative to boost the domestic defence industry, the defence minister announced restrictions on import of 101 weapons and military platforms including artillery guns, assault rifles and transport aircraft.

"The ministry of defence is now ready for a big push to #AtmanirbharBharat initiative," Singh said on Twitter while making the announcement.

He said the ministry has prepared a list of 101 items for which the embargo on imports is planned to be progressively implemented between 2020 and 2024. 

The death toll in the massive  landslide that destroyed a row of 20 houses of tea estate workers in the high range Idukki district of Kerala rose to 28

on Sunday with two more bodies being retrieved from the debris.

"Three days after the settlements were swept away by devastating landslides at Pettimudi near Rajamala, authorities have now decided to take help of sniffer dogs to trace the persons buried under the debris," officials said.

According to the government, 78 people were staying at the spot where the tragedy occurred.

While 12 were rescued, 28 bodies were found.

BJP MP Manoj Tiwari said that Home Minister Amit Shah has tested negative for Covid-19.

On August 2, Union Home Minister Amit Shah tested positive for COVID-19 coronavirus infection and has been admitted to a hospital.

55-year-old Shah had taken to social media to report his infection. "I have tested positive but my health is fine," he said, adding that he has been hospitalised on the advice of doctors. The Union Home Minister also appealed to those who came into close contact with him in the last few days to get themselves tested for COVID-19.

The number of those killed in the fire at a hotel being used as a COVID-19 facility in Vijayawada rose to 10 on Sunday, said Vikrant Patil, Deputy Commissioner of Police.

Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh government announced Rs 50 lakh ex-gratia each to the families of those who lost their lives in the incident. According to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister's Office, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy also ordered an in-depth probe into the accident and directed authorities to take steps to ensure better medical services to the victims of the accident.

"The hotel was taken on lease and run by Ramesh Hospitals, a private hospital where COVID-19 patients were being treated. 40 patients and 10 medical staff were at the hotel at the time of the incident. Officials were directed to launch immediate rescue measures," said Mekathoti Sucharitha, Andhra Pradesh Home Minister.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condoled the loss of the lives in the fire mishap and spoke to Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy over the phone and enquired about the accident.

The mishap took place in hotel Swarna Palace which was taken on lease and run by a private hospital for COVID patients.

The black box of Air India Express flight that crash-landed at Kozhikode Airport on Friday evening was brought to Delhi on Sunday.

The black box has been kept at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation lab for examination. 

At least 18 people, including two pilots, have lost their lives in the incident. 

However, the four-cabin crew members were safe, said the Air India Express in a statement.

The Air India Express flight carrying 190 passengers including 10 infants skidded while landing at Karipur airport in Kozhikode on Friday late evening.

Sri Lanka's former president Mahinda Rajapaka was sworn in on Sunday as the country's new prime minister at a historic Buddhist temple, days after his party won a landslide victory in the general election.

 

The 74-year-old Sri Lanka People's Party leader was administered the oath of office for the ninth Parliament by his younger brother and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the sacred Rajamaha Viharaya in Kelaniya, a north Colombo suburb.

Mahinda Rajapaksa completed 50 years of parliamentary politics in July this year. 

He was elected as a Member of Parliament at the young age of 24 in 1970. 

He has since been elected President twice and has been appointed Prime Minister thrice.   

The SLPP, led by Mahinda Rajapaksa, registered a landslide victory in the August 5 general election, securing two-thirds majority in Parliament needed to amend the Constitution to further consolidate the powerful Rajapaksa family's grip on power.

Mahinda Rajapaksa polled over 500,000 individual preference votes -- the highest ever recorded by a candidate in the history of elections.

The SLPP won in 145 constituencies, bagging a total of 150 seats with its allies, a two-thirds majority in the 225-member Parliament. 

The cabinet ministers, state and deputy ministers are expected to be sworn-in on Monday.

The Rajapaksa family -- including SLPP founder and its National Organiser 69-year-old Basil Rajapaksa, who is the younger brother of Gotabaya Rajapaksa, 71, and Mahinda Rajapaksa -- has dominated Sri Lankan politics for two decades. 

Mahinda Rajapaksa previously served as the president for nearly a decade from 2005 to 2015.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had won the November presidential election on the SLPP ticket.

In the parliamentary election, he was seeking 150 seats mandatory to execute constitutional changes, including to repeal the 19th Amendment to the Constitution which had curbed the presidential powers while strengthening the role of Parliament.

Activists, already alarmed by the diminishing space for dissent and criticism in the island nation, fear such a move could lead to authoritarianism.

The biggest casualty from the election outcome was the United National Party of former prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe which managed to win only one seat. The country's grand old party failed to win a single seat from any of the 22 districts.

UNP leader and four-time prime minister Wikremesinghe was unseated for the first time since he entered Parliament in 1977. -- PTI

The south west monsoon is expected  to become active again over Mumbai and other parts of coastal Maharashtra from Monday after moderate rainfall in the city and neighbouring areas in the last two days, the India

Meteorological Department has said.

Mumbai received a record rainfall on Wednesday and in the last two days, the city and suburbs received 20 mm to 45 mm downpour, an IMD official said on Sunday.

"The south west monsoon is likely to become active again from August 10-11 over coastal Maharashtra, including Mumbai, and it may continue for a week," the official said. -- PTI

"The list of 101 embargoed items comprises of not just simple parts but also some high tech weapon systems like artillery guns, assault rifles, corvettes, sonar systems, transport aircraft, LCHs, radars & many other items to fulfil needs of our Defence Services," Rajnath said.

India on Sunday reported a record single-day spike of 64,399 COVID-19 cases, pushing country's tally  to 21,53,010, according to the Union health ministry data.

The death-toll climbed to 43,379 with 861 people succumbing to the infection in 24 hours, the data showed.

At the same time, the number of patients who recuperated from the disease surged to 14,80,885.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed anguish at the death of patients in a fire incident at a COVID facility in Andhra Pradesh's Vijaywada on Sunday.

 

He said he discussed the incident with state chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and assured all possible help.

Seven COVID-19 patients were killed in the incident at a hotel converted into a treatment facility at Vijayawada.

"Anguished by the fire at a Covid centre in Vijayawada. My thoughts are with those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured recover as soon as possible," the prime minister tweeted.   

 "Discussed the prevailing situation with AP CM @ysjagan Ji and assured all possible support," he said.  

Two people were arrested for allegedly assaulting a 52-year-old auto-rickshaw driver after he refused to chant ''Modi zindabad'' and ''Jai Shri Ram'' in Rajasthan's Sikar, police said on Saturday.

   

Gaffar Ahmed Kacchawa complained to police that the accused stole his wristwatch and money; broke his teeth and left him with a swollen eye and injuries on face after he refused to do so.  

 

According to the FIR, around 4 am on Friday, Gaffar was returning after dropping passengers at a nearby village when the two men in a car stopped him and asked for tobacco.  

 

However, they declined to take the tobacco he offered and allegedly asked him to chant "Modi zindabad" and "Jai Shri Ram", police said.  

 

On his refusal, they thrashed him with a stick.

 

"We arrested two people on Friday after the complaint was lodged. Preliminary investigation suggests that the accused misbehaved and thrashed the victim under the influence of alcohol," said Pushpendra Singh, SHO of the Sikar Sadar police station.

 

The accused were identified as Shambhu Dayal Jat (35) and Rajendra Jat (30). -- PTI 

Actor Sanjay Dutt, who has been admitted to a hospital in Mumbai after he complained of breathlessness, on Saturday said that he is currently under "medical observation".

 

The 61-year-old star said at the Lilavati Hospital, he was tested for COVID-19 that turned out to be negative. 

He also assured his fans that he is "doing well".

"Just wanted to assure everyone that I'm doing well. I'm currently under medical observation and the COVID-19 report is negative as well," Sanjay said in a brief statement posted on Twitter and Instagram.

"With the help and care of the excellent doctors, nurses and staff at Lilavati hospital, I should be home in a day or two. Thank you for your well wishes and blessings. Please stay safe, everyone," he added.

His sister, Congress leader Priya Dutt said the actor was taken to the hospital in the evening for a "regular check-up".

"He was admitted to Lilavati Hospital around 4.30-5 pm for a regular check-up as he was feeling a little breathless. They did a COVID-19 test and the result was negative," she told  PTI. 

Priya added that the actor might get discharged on Monday.

"We have kept him in the hospital so that he gets all of his tests done. He has gone for a full check-up. I think he will come home on Monday," she said. 

Sanjay is the eldest child of late actors Sunil Dutt and Nargis. 

He has two sisters -- Priya Dutt and Namrata Dutt. 

He is married to Manyata Dutt with whom he has two children, a son and a daughter. 

He also has a daughter, Trishala Dutt, from his first marriage to Richa Sharma. 

Sharma died of brain tumour in 1996.

On the work front, Sanjay is currently awaiting the release of Sadak 2 and Ajay Devgn-starrer Bhuj: The Pride of India, which will premiere on Disney+Hotstar.

He will also feature in the second instalment of KGF and alongside Ranbir Kapoor in Shamshera. 

The Pakistan army shelled mortars at forward areas along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Sunday morning, prompting retaliation by Indian Army, a defence spokesperson said.

   

The shelling in Mankote sector was going on when last reports were received, but there was no report of any casualty, the spokesperson said.

 

"At about 6.45 am, Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and shelling mortars along LoC in Mankote sector. Indian army retaliates befittingly," the official added. -- PTI

Opposing a Central Bureau of Investigation probe in the Sushant Singh Rajput death case, the Mumbai police told the Supreme Court on Saturday that it was carrying out an impartial investigation in the matter and alleged that that the registration of an FIR by Bihar Police was "politically motivated" and violated the principle of federalism.

 

In an affidavit filed before the top court in response to a petition by Rhea Chakraborty seeking transfer of an FIR, lodged against her by the Bihar police on a complaint by Rajput's father, to Mumbai, the Mumbai police said the CBI should have waited for the apex court decision in the matter before registering the case.

 

Rajput's father Krishna Kishore Singh, who has accused Chakraborty and her family of abetting the actor's suicide, too filed a reply affidavit before the apex court in which he defended the Bihar Police action and accused the Mumbai police of negligence.

 

He contended that Chakraborty's plea was infructuous as the CBI had taken over the case.

 The 34-year-old Bollywood actor was found hanging from the ceiling of his apartment in suburban Bandra in Mumbai on June 14.

 

The affidavit filed by police inspector posted at Bandra Ppolice station said that the Bihar Police did not have the jurisdiction to investigate the FIR or examine witnesses and said the question of cooperation by the Mumbai Police into the simultaneous inquiry by the Bihar Police did not arise.

 

It alleged that that the registration of FIR in Patna by the Bihar Police was "politically motivated and violated the principles of federalism enshrined in the Constitution".

 

The Mumbai police said that the Bihar police could only have registered a 'Zero FIR (crime not falling in its jurisdiction) and sent it to Mumbai and did not have the legal authority to transfer it to the CBI.

 

"Pending the present proceedings the CBI ought not have gone ahead and registered the case with it as also constituted a team for conducting the investigation therein.

 

"It ought to have awaited the final decision of the present proceedings at the hands of the Supreme Court," the Mumbai police said.

 

It said that the "indecent haste with which the CBI has proceeded in this regard speaks for itself, regarding the bonafides of all involved in this exercise."

 

"Neither the judicial jurisdiction lay in the state of Bihar nor the investigative jurisdiction lay with the Bihar Police, in so far as the unfortunate death in issue is concerned.... Neither any cause nor any consequence, relating to the said unfortunate death, as spelt out by law, has even remotely occurred in the state of Bihar, much less at the place where the said FIR is registered," it said.

 

The police also denied that quarantining of IPS officer Vinay Tiwary was aimed at obstructing the investigation by the Bihar Police.

 

"The protocols for passengers arriving at Mumbai airport issued by the Government of Maharashtra require that domestic passengers who arrive at Mumbai airport, are required to undergo 14 days home quarantine, the only exception being that domestic passengers who intend to exit Mumbai within seven days of arrival, provided they are able to produce confirmed ticket for onward/return journey," it said.

 

The police said that an investigation by two different state police into the same incident, which has occurred within one state, will lead to a chaotic situation as the investigation of one state police may interfere with the investigation of another state police. -- PTI