Indian Sub-continent

NEW DELHI, Aug 29 (NNN-PTI) – The Indian states of Bihar and Assam are currently reeling under floods, which have affected population and damaged crops, officials said yesterday.

In the eastern state of Bihar, floods hit the state’s 15 districts, including the capital city, Patna.

“Over 30 lakh (three million) people, inhabiting 2,104 villages spread over 15 districts, are reeling under the impact of flood,” an official at Bihar disaster management department, said.

Several rivers are flowing above the danger mark and are rising, the official added.

Aug 28 (Reuters) - The Taliban said on Saturday they were preparing a new cabinet as the U.S. evacuation nears its end and they expected that sharp currency falls and economic turmoil following their takeover of Kabul two weeks ago would subside.

Zabihullah Mujahid, the movement's main spokesman, made the comments to Reuters as the U.S. military winds down its mission to evacuate U.S. citizens and vulnerable Afghans and withdraw troops from Kabul airport ahead of the Aug. 31 deadline set by President Joe Biden.

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — A Taliban fighter shot dead an Afghan folk singer in a restive mountain province under unclear circumstances, his family said Sunday. The killing reignited concerns among activists that the insurgents would return to their oppressive rule in the country after their military blitz toppled the government.

New Delhi, Aug 27 (PTI) The Supreme Court Friday asked markets regulator Sebi not to take any coercive steps against NDTV promoters Prannoy Roy and Radhika Roy till it hears their pleas on September 3 against the penalty proceedings related to alleged violation of securities norms by concealing information from shareholders on certain loan agreements.

A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana was requested by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) that the hearing on the pleas of the NDTV promoters be adjourned till next Friday.

Kanpur: The Police have busted a larger human-trafficking nexus spread across several countries.

It was targeting women aged between 24 and 50 years on the pretext of getting them employed as domestic help for a decent salary in the Gulf countries such as Oman, Qatar, Kuwait or Saudi Arabia, officials said.

The victims are not only from Uttar Pradesh but also other states like Punjab, Goa, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka respectively.

New Delhi, Aug 28 (PTI) Flights between India and Bangladesh under the bilateral air bubble arrangement will resume from September 3, according to the civil aviation ministry.

With scheduled international passenger flights to and from India remaining suspended since March last year, India has entered into air bubble arrangements with various countries, including Bangladesh, for operating flights.

Lucknow Aug 28 (PTI) A fresh FIR was lodged on Saturday against former IPS officer Amitabh Thakur, arrested on charges of abetting suicide of a rape victim and her associate, and his wife for obstructing government work, police said.

The FIR was registered against Thakur and his social activist wife Nutan Thakur at the Gomti Nagar Police Station, they said.

Aizawl, Aug 29 (PTI) At least 880 more people, including 166 children, tested positive for COVID-19 in Mizoram in the last 24 hours, pushing the tally to 57,522, a health department official said on Sunday.

The death toll rose to 212 as three fresh fatalities due to the infection were reported during the period, he said.

At least 166 children, six health professionals and a Border Security Force jawan were among the new patients, the official said.

New Delhi, Aug 29 (PTI) In a bid to enhance accessibility to passengers belonging to the transgender community, the DMRC has allowed them access to separate toilet facilities at its metro stations, which were hitherto meant only for persons with disability, officials said on Sunday.

Besides, any transgender who wishes to use gender-based toilet as per self-identified gender can also continue to do so, they say.

At present, Delhi Metro has 347 such separate toilets across its stations, a senior official said.

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Taliban forces sealed off Kabul’s airport Saturday to most Afghans hoping for evacuation, as the U.S. and its allies were ending a chaotic airlift that will end their troops’ two decades in Afghanistan.

Western leaders acknowledged their withdrawal would mean leaving behind some of their citizens and many locals who helped them over the years, and they vowed to try to continue working with the Taliban to allow local allies to leave after President Joe Biden’s Tuesday’s deadline to withdraw from the country.