Breaking news: United States expects to admit over 50,000 evacuated Afghans

News agency Reuters reported on Friday that the Taliban have taken full control of Afghanistan, including the Panjshir valley. "By the grace of Allah Almighty, we are in control of the entire Afghanistan. The troublemakers have defeated and Panjshir is now under our command," a Taliban commander told Reuters.  Read more

The Union govt on Friday submitted to the Kerala high court that the duration of 84 days between the first and second days of Serum Institute’s vaccine ‘Covishield’ is providing the best protection against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). Read more

Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya will visit Rome from September 4 to September 7, the his office said on Friday, adding he will attend the G20 health ministers' meeting. 

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday set up a committee headed by former Union minister Veerappa Moily to look into the issue of caste census, after many parties have demanded a caste-based census and sub-categorisation of castes in the country, though the Centre has remained non-committal on the sensitive issue. Read more

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday ruled out the possibility of a complete lockdown in state by saying it will a huge crisis for the economy and livelihoods. 

Karnataka's caseload of Covid-19 climbed to 2,953,064 on Friday after 1,220 cases were reported in the last 24 hours. Nineteen more patients died and 1,175 recovered from the viral disease, taking the cumulative count of deaths and recoveries to 37,380 and 2,897,254 respectively. 

The Afghan resistance forces in Panjshir denied the Taliban’s claim of capturing the Shutul district in the province, as fighting continued between the two for a fourth consecutive day. Read more

The Chhattisgarh health secretary Alok Shukla, on Friday, ordered an inquiry into a mass sterilisation camp that took place on August 26 in Surguja district. The state health department reportedly carried out tubectomy surgeries on 101 women, in eight hours, at the camp. Read more

Amid the worsening coronavirus disease (Covid-19) situation in Kerala, the state government on Friday issued an order stating that strict action will be taken against people who are found violating quarantine norms. 

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar on Friday urged people to follow all Coronavirus-related protocols and said they should not put the government in a position where everything will have to close if the third wave of the pandemic hits Maharashtra. Read more

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that his government is is not interested in the disintegration of Afghanistan as there will be "no one to talk to". Putin added that apart from the Taliban, there are many other radical forces present in the war-ravaged country. 

Josep Borrell, the foreign policy chief of the European Union (EU), said on Friday that the EU will establish a joint presence in Afghanistan's capital Kabul if security allows. 

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Friday targeted the Uttar Pradesh government over deaths linked to the suspected viral fever and dengue in the state. Read more

The Supreme Court on Friday put an interim stay on Kerala government's decision to hold exams for Class 11 physically from Septermber 6, amid the rising cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). The apex court said that the situation in Kerala is alarming because of the surge in infections and children of tender age cannot be exposed to risk as nearly 35,000 cases are being reported on a daily basis. 

Jammu and Kashmir's director-general of police (DGP) Dilbag Singh on Friday said that police will restore internet services in the valley soon, adding situation is absolutely under control. Internet shutdown and other restrictions were imposed in J-K after the death of former Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani on September 1.

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has given approval to Biological E for two clinical trials of its Covid-19 vaccine candidate Corbevax, the ministry of science and technology announced Friday

Russia will not restrict other countries using the Northern Sea Route across its northern flank, President Vladimir Putin said on Friday at an economic forum.

A couple and their daughter were on Friday killed after their car hit a divider and overturned on the Lucknow-Agra Expressway in Nasirpur area, police said.

In Indian history and civilization, the word “Sangam” has a special meaning.

It means confluence, or coming together of rivers, peoples or ideas.

In my view, Vladivostok is truly a sangam of Eurasia and the Pacific: PM Modi.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday it was "completely unacceptable" that England footballers were racially abused by Hungary fans during a World Cup qualifier in Budapest.

Afghan domestic flights to resume Friday, says Ariana Afghan Airlines, reports AFP.

Bollywood singer and actor 'Yo Yo Honey Singh (Hirdesh Singh) physically appeared before Delhi's Tis Hazari court today, in connection with domestic violence case.

Odisha's Covid-19 caseload on Friday surged to 10,10,072 as 849 more people including 120 children tested positive for the infection while seven fresh fatalities pushed the coronavirus death toll to 8,035, a health department official said.

China administered about 8.2 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines on Sept. 2, bringing the total number of doses administered to 2.085 billion, data from the National Health Commission showed on Friday.

Australian shares rose on Friday, as Prime Minister Scott Morrison flagged a quicker reopening after a vaccine swap deal with Britain, with heavyweight miners tracking higher iron ore prices contributing to most of the gains.