Kozhikode plane crash: Air India Express employees pay tribute to fallen co-pilot Akhilesh Kumar

Air India Express crash: Investigators find black box data

Friday’s flight was chartered by the Indian government to repatriate workers stranded by the pandemic for months.

More than a dozen killed in 'devastating' India plane crash

Officials say 18 people killed and many injured after Air India Express flight skids off runway in city of Kozhikode.

Watch: Indian Armed Forces give musical band performance at Red Fort

As part of the ongoing celebration of the 74th Independence Day, the Indian Armed Forces give a musical band performance at Red Fort in Delhi.

'Imagine if Covid struck before 2014': PM Modi inaugurates Swachhata museum

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Rashtriya Swachhata Kendra in Delhi on Saturday. He said that like the Quit India Movement, which was launched under the leadership of MK Gandhi on August 8, 1942, the Swachhata Kendra's inauguration symbolises the ongoing cleanliness drive, or 'Filth, Quit India' movement. Referring to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Prime Minister said that many habits of hygiene propagated under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan were helping the country in its fight against the Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus. The PM also took a dig at the Opposition, asking his audience to imagine what the situation would've been if Covid-19 had struck before 2014, when open defecation was prevalent. India has reported over 20 lakh Covid cases so far, making it the third worst-hit country in the world. However, with over 42,500 deaths so far, India has among the lowest Covid mortality rates, coupled with a high recovery rate. Watch the full video for more.

AAP hands over cheque of Rs 10 lakh to sexual assault victim's family

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi met family member of 12-year-old sexual assault victim at Delhi's AIIMS on August 08. Speaking on this she said that mishap cannot be rectified but compensation of 10 lakh has been given by the Delhi Government. "Whatever happened with the girl child cannot be rectified, but she can be helped so that she doesn't face trouble during treatment. Therefore, the compensation of 10 lakh has been given by the Delhi government. We hope that she get well soon," said Atishi on minor facing brutal sexual assault in Delhi's Paschim Vihar.

Kerala landslide: Death toll mounts to 26, 39 missing, informs NDRF DG

The death toll climbed to 26 in massive landslide that occurred in Kerala's Idukki district, informed National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Directorate General, SN Pradhan. "With 9 more bodies recovered from the mound of debris and slush on Saturday (August 08), the casualties in the landslide at a tea estate near Rajamala in Idukki district in Kerala went up to 26 even as rescue personnel, braving inclement weather, continued their search for 39 missing people," SN Pradhan to ANI. The search and rescue operation still is underway.

Idukki landslide: 3 more bodies recovered from spot, death toll rises to 21

Three more bodies were recovered from Rajamala in the Idukki district landslide incident in Kerala on August 08, while the death toll surged to 21. A search operation is underway for the missing people in the landslide. On Friday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had announced ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakhs to kin of the deceased. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed his condolences over deaths due to landslide in Idukki and announced ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakhs each from Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the kin of deceased. Heavy rains in several parts of Kerala have triggered floods and landslides which have wreaked havoc in the region over the past few days. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued red and orange alert for heavy rainfall for various districts in Kerala.

Watch: Rain fury wreaks havoc in Kerala; landslides kill over 10 in Idukki

Heavy rainfall has caused havoc in Kerala once again with landslides being reported from several parts of the state. 5 people have reportedly been killed due to a landslide in Idukki. NDRF has been deployed in the area by the Kerala government. Police, fire and other rescue officials have also been asked to join the rescue operation in the area. Many houses have also been destroyed  by landslides in the area. The Chief Minister's office has reportedly also sought the help of the Indian Air Force to provide helicopter services to help in rescue operations. Roads in most of the low lying areas are completely submerged in water. Visuals of A temple in Kochi inundated have also been doing the rounds. The India Meteorological Department had issued a red alert for Idukki, Wayanad and Kozhikode districts. Rescue and relief operations are underway in all the affected regions and around 2000 people have been shifted to relief camps. Extensive damages have been reported from Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasargod districts following heavy rain and strong winds. Watch the full video for all the details.

Flood-like situation continues in Kerala due to heavy downpour

Flood-like situation continues in Kerala's Wayanad district due to continuous rainfall since last three days. Heavy rains lead to waterlogging in Panamaram Village of Wayanad district. On the other side, a Shiva Temple was submerged in water due to heavy rainfall in Kerala's Kochi. The temple was submerged as the water level increased in Periyar River following incessant rainfall.

Watch: Heavy rains lash parts of Kerala, IMD issues yellow alert

Heavy rains lashed several parts of Kerala on Wednesday. Rains were accompanied by strong winds. Heavy showers have inundated low lying areas. IMD has issued orange alert for six districts namely Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Ernakulam, Kottayam, Idukki. It has been raining heavily since Tuesday night. Several areas in Kochi city, including the busy Jos junction, MG road, Panampilly nagar are waterlogged. Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus terminus in the city is inundated. Water has also entered many homes in west Kochi. Fishermen have been advised not to put out to sea. With wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph likely to prevail along and off Kerala coast, fishermen have been advised not to put out to sea.Kerala had been devastated by the worst floods in the last 100 years during August 2018 that claimed over 400 lives and razed several houses, while last year the state's northern parts were flooded again in August as heavy rains and widespread landslides had wreaked havoc, claiming over 120 lives. A large number of people including women and children had lost lives at Kavalappara in Malappuram and Puthumala in Wayanad alone when the massive landslides rocked the places.

Delhi Police crime branch arrests two dreaded criminals

A team of Delhi Police Crime Branch arrested two dreaded criminals. Secret information was received at Interstate cell of crime branch that two criminals and associates of Sunil Rathi involved in a murder case registered at PS Bhudhana, Muzaffar Nagar, UP would be coming near Loni Gole Chakkar to meet someone. Accordingly, a team was constituted under the supervision of senior officers of the crime branch. The team reached the place of the information and laid a trap. The team swung into action and overpowered the two persons namely Anubhav Nandu and Anshul Bhura. During sustained interrogation, both the accused confessed their involvement in the above-mentioned murder case. Further interrogation is in progress to verify the involvement of the accused.

Jal Shakti Ministry joins hand with Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to clean Ganga

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports will increase participation in the initiatives of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG). Jal Shakti minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Kiren Rijiju interacted with representatives of different districts of the Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) through video conferencing in a meeting organized in the main office of the Namami Gange project on Friday. Shekhawat wants to engage in continuous dialogue with the people working on the ground to ascertain ground realities, whereas Rijiju committed to partnering with his 75 lakh youth volunteers in working towards making all the major rivers of the country clean. After the Covid-19 Pandemic subsides, the Ministers of the two central Ministries will visit the areas adjoining the banks of the river Ganga from Uttarakhand to West Bengal to get information about cleanliness programs directly. Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, Director General of National Mission for Clean Ganga informed that 20 thousand Ganga Doots' are active at the grassroots level for cleaning the Ganga, who have been given all necessary training. Public participation in NMCG's pollution abatement and rejuvenation efforts has gained momentum in 2336 villages in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal.

Jagadguru Paramhans Acharya challenges Shankaracharya Swaroopanand for 'Shastrartha' over 'muhurat' of Ram Temple bhoomi poojan

Jagadguru Paramhans Acharya Maharaj of Ayodhya on July 24 reacted on the statement of Dwarka Sharada Peeth Pramukh Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand in which he raised questions over 'muhurat' for Ram Mandir bhoomi poojan. He slammed Swaroopanand by terming him 'sycophant' of Congress party. Paramhans said that if Swaroopanand wanted, the dispute of Ayodhya, Mathura and Kashi would have ended during Congress's regime. "If he says that the 'muhurat' is not 'shubh' then I challenge him for the debate, and if he fear of coming in Ayodhya then I will go to Kashi." Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand recently said that 'muhurat' for Ram Temple Bhoomi Poojan is not auspicious.

COVID: Mathura's famous 'Guru Purnima' fair called off

For the first time in years, Mathura's famous Guru Purnima Fair has been cancelled due to COVID crisis. Temples in Mathura wore a deserted look. All shrines across country were shut to control the pace of coronavirus spread. Thousands of devotees, from all parts of country used to attend 'Mudia Mela'.