Listen to the latest news from India by Aastha in English for local, national, international, business, and entertainment stories that matter.

Podcasts are updated once a day.

Host: Aastha

Lead producer: Vishwapriya

Executive Producer: Khushboo Shah

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Transcript:

National News:

1. Intense rainfall will continue in over 22 states and Union Territories till October 21, India Meteorological Department said in a statement on Sunday. 

2. The body of Army personnel Captain Jayant Joshi was found at the Ranjit Sagar dam reservoir near Pathankot on Sunday, more than two months after the helicopter he was flying crashed at the site.

3. Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait Sunday said that the lynching of a man at the Singhu border was a “religious matter”, and has no connection with the ongoing farmers’ protest.

4. The WHO technical advisory group will meet on October 26th, to consider “Emergency Use Listing” for Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin.

5. Several people have been injured and displaced while 23 have died as heavy rains pounded south and central Kerala causing flash floods and landslides in many parts of the state. Fourteen deaths were reported in Kottayam’s Koottickal and eight deaths were reported in Idukki. PM Narendra Modi has been speaking with Kerala CM Pinairayi Vijayan, and Home Minister Amit Shah said that the center is continuously monitoring the flood situation in the state.

6. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Sunday said 'Rail Roko' protests will be held across the country today - on October 18 - to demand the dismissal and arrest Union minister Ajay Mishra in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri incident.

 

International News:

1. India is likely to host a national security advisor-level meeting on Afghanistan in New Delhi next month, which will be the first-of-its-kind dialogue to be hosted by New Delhi, ANI reported. Pakistan and China are likely to be invited to take part in the meeting, apart from Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

2. A mass funeral ceremony has been held for the victims killed in Friday’s suicide bomb attack on a Shia mosque in Afghanistan’s southern city of Kandahar. Government officials say 47 people died in the attack but a community elder Haji Farhad said the death toll is 63

3. The Grand Mosque in the Muslim holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia operated at full capacity Sunday, with worshippers praying shoulder-to-shoulder for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began.

4. After one of the world’s most successful responses to the covid-19 pandemic, New Zealand geared up for a “Super Saturday,” a single day vaccination effort to break the country’s record for the maximum doses in 24 hours- previously 93,000.

5. Melbourne, which has spent more time under COVID-19 lockdowns than any other city in the world, is set to lift its lockdown restrictions, officials said on Sunday. By Friday, when some curbs will be lifted, the Australian city of 5 million people will have been under six lockdowns for nearly nine months, since March 2020

6. A Hindu temple has been vandalised in Bangladesh in a fresh case of communal unrest amidst days of violence unleashed by unidentified bigots who attacked the minority community’s places of worship during the Durga Puja celebrations, prompting a minority group to announce a countrywide hunger strike, media reports said on Sunday.

 

Regional News:

1. Mumbai did not record any Covid deaths in 24 hours on Sunday, for the first time since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic last year.

2.As Delhi's air quality plunged into the ''very poor'' category on Sunday morning, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that increase in pollution was due to stubble burning in neighbouring states

3. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will be the face of the Congress’ election campaign in Uttar Pradesh, party’s newly-appointed campaign committee chief P L Punia said on Sunday

4. Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday hinted at reducing cess and sales tax on petrol and diesel in the state to ease the fuel prices, which have touched an all-time high all over the country

5. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday laid the foundation stone of a 1,430-bed government hospital in Shalimar Bagh, and said the facility will be ready in next six months.

6. A day after visiting the memorial of late party chief J Jayalalithaa, expelled AIADMK leader VK Sasikala  on Sunday visited the MGR Memorial in Chennai, hoisted the party flag and unveiled a plaque identifying herself as the General Secretary of the party.

 

Business News: 

1. Indian taxpayers will no longer have to pay ₹20 crore per day to keep the loss-making Air India flying. As on August 31, Air India had a total debt of ₹61,562 crore. About 75% of this debt will be transferred to a special purpose vehicle AIAHL before handing it over to the Tata Group.

2. Sri Lanka seeks USD 500 million loan from India to pay for its crude oil purchases amid a severe foreign exchange crisis.The energy secretaries of both India and Lanka are expected to sign an agreement for the loan soon

3. Bank of India has slashed interest rates on home loans and car loans ahead of the festive season. The state-run bank cut home loan interest rates by 35 basis points and vehicle loan interest rates by 50 basis points.

4. Eight of the top-10 most valued companies together added Rs 1,52,355.03 crore in market valuation last week, with HDFC Bank and State Bank of India emerging as the biggest gainers.

5. The Income Tax department’s recent raids on digital marketing and campaign management firms in several states, including Karnataka, has unearthed unaccounted investments worth Rs 7 crore and bogus expenses of around Rs 70 crore. IT department sources further said these firms were also working for the Congress to build a political campaign on digital platforms.

 

Sports News: 

1.Ludhiana-born Jatinder Singh scored an unbeaten 73 as Oman beat Papua New Guinea (PNG) by 10 wickets in the opening Group B first round match of the T20 World Cup on Sunday.

2. Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan set a new T20I record while bowling for his side in their T20 World Cup opener against Scotland in Al Amerat on Sunday. He surpassed Lasinth Malinga's record of 107 wickets to become the highest-wicket taker in T20 internationals.

3. Former India batsman Suresh Raina has pleaded the Team India players, competing in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2021, to win the prestigious trophy for outgoing Twenty20 skipper Virat Kohli.

4. Former India captain MS Dhoni has joined Team India as the Mentor, ahead of the T20 World Cup. India is all set to play vs. Pakistan at 7:30 pm on the 24th October in Dubai.

5. Newcastle United's Premier League game against Tottenham Hotspur at St James' Park on Sunday was halted due to a medical emergency in the stadium, forcing both sets of players to leave the pitch before half-time.

 

Entertainment News:

1. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) has announced the 2022 edition of Golden Globe Awards. In a statement, posted on its website, the HFPA said the 79th ceremony of Golden Globes is scheduled to take place on January 9

2. Katrina Kaif and Vicky Kaushal have been rumoured to be dating for a while now. But during Udham Singh film promotions, Vicky Kaushal shut down rumours of roka with Katrina Kaif and ‘Will get engaged soon enough, when the time is right’

3. Netflix estimates that its latest megahit, “Squid Game,” will create almost $900 million in value for the company, according to figures seen by Bloomberg

4. Actor Kunal Kemmu has announced his latest film, Kanjoos Makkichoos on Instagram. The film also stars Shweta Tripathi of Masaan, Mirzapur and Mehndi Circus fame

5. Actor Kriti Sanon has wrapped up her shooting schedule for the Om Raut directorial Adipurush. The film stars Kriti as Janaki while Prabhas plays Lord Ram.

Fin.