KHATIMA NEWS
India
A low-pressure area has formed over the northwest Bay of Bengal, prompting heavy and very heavy rainfall alerts across Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar and other states. The weather update also includes thunderstorm and lightning warnings for parts of northern, central, eastern and northeastern India through 29 August.
India
The weather department has issued rain and thunderstorm warnings for 23 August across Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and several other parts of India. Strong winds may reach 50 to 60 kilometres per hour in some areas, while separate forecasts mention speeds of up to 70 kilometres per hour. Mountain districts also face rain-related travel difficulties.
India
Boarding passes will no longer be stamped during immigration clearance at Indian airports from 1 September. International travellers will be able to use either an electronic boarding pass displayed on a smartphone or a printed boarding pass under the change attributed to the Bureau of Immigration.
India
Delhi has recorded 1777 H1N1 cases this year, prompting a review meeting involving Union Health Minister JP Nadda and Delhi government officials. Dr Randeep Guleria said antigenic drift may help the virus evade existing immunity, while monsoon conditions are supporting its spread. Most patients recover at home or in general wards, but vulnerable groups face greater risk.
India
India’s Gaganyaan programme, approved in January 2019, is designed to send three Indian astronauts into an orbit about 400 kilometres above Earth, keep them there for three days and return them safely. The mission is described as the country’s first human spaceflight programme.
India
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met founders and representatives of Indian space startups, who outlined plans spanning rockets, satellite engines, orbital servicing, space-based pharmaceuticals and ground stations. The discussion also focused on policy stability, investor confidence, global competition and efforts to make advanced space technology useful to ordinary people.
India
Commercial passenger vehicles operating through services such as Ola, Uber, RedBus and InDrive must now be registered on the transport department’s portal, according to a Dainik Jagran post. The reported rules allow registration of vehicles up to 12 years old and refer to panic buttons, vehicle-location systems and women passengers.
India
Electric vehicles are being highlighted for potentially lower operating and maintenance costs, home-charging convenience, quieter driving and a growing public charging network. The benefits are especially relevant to regular commuters and people travelling in cities, while suitable use conditions may also help reduce local air pollution and carbon dioxide emissions.
India
India’s beauty industry is attracting global investment as incomes rise, online shopping expands and younger consumers spend more on skincare and personal care. Gen Z accounts for a substantial share of beauty customers, while demand is spreading beyond major cities and is expected to reshape the market through 2030.
India
Sugar prices in India have climbed sharply as stocks remain limited, demand rises ahead of the festival season and part of the crop is diverted for ethanol. The government says domestic supplies are adequate, while industry representatives point to lower production, earlier stock levels and panic buying as factors behind the increase.
India
Rabindranath Tagore advised that the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram could serve as a national song without offending any community. His view became part of the Congress Working Committee’s 1937 decision to limit public singing to those stanzas, a position now central to a renewed political dispute.
India
Relations between Iran and the UAE have come under strain after the UAE accused Iran of launching two ballistic missiles towards its maritime vessels and announced a halt to trade and financial transactions. The move highlights Dubai’s longstanding role as a commercial route for Iran amid sanctions and international isolation.
