743 new cases take Mumbai's total to 1,37,091; death count at 7,439

Follow news updates here:

File Photo (ANI)

Sonia Gandhi will continue as the interim president of Congress until a fresh All India Congress Committee (AICC) election is held and a new party chief gets selected, sources said on Monday (August 24).

In other news, India has rejected China's proposal that if the Indian Army steps back from the Finger 4 area of ​​Pangong lake, then China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) too will step back the same distance. 

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veteran leader and former finance minister of India Arun Jaitley's first death anniversary today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah paid tribute to the leader.

Meanwhile, coronavirus cases in India surge to 31,06,349 including 23,38,036 cured/discharged/migrated cases and 57,542 deaths as per the Union Ministry of Health. 61,408 new COVID-19 cases, 57,468 recoveries and 836 deaths in the last 24 hour.

Thanks for staying with Zee News.

24 August 2020

22:05 IST

Karnataka government on Monday revised the protocols for interstate travellers and issued a circular saying that no quarantine period, no hand stamping, no registration and medical check-up at the state borders is required. This is a first since the COVID-19 induced lockdowns were implemented in March.

21:02 IST

Mumbai: A five-storey building collapsed in Mahad city in the Raigad district of Maharashtra on Monday (August 24). According to reports, the incident took place on Monday evening and close to 50 people are feared to be trapped inside the structure.

5-storey building collapses in Maharashtra's Raigad, over 50 people feared trapped; NDRF team rushed to spot https://t.co/c3KNOCbizp

— Zee News English (@ZeeNewsEnglish) August 24, 2020

21:02 IST

Amid reports of a division over leadership within Congress and senior leader Ghulam Nabi Azad offering to resign from all party posts, AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi gave a nudge to Azad and other Muslim leaders of the grand-old party asking 'how long will they continue to be slaves under Congress leadership.'  

Owaisi added that Azad had accused him of the same and termed it 'poetic justice'. 

20:32 IST

Mumbai: 743 new cases and 20 deaths were reported today. The total number of positive cases jumps to 1,37,091, of which, 18,263 are still active, while 7,439 have succumbed to the virus.

743 new #COVID19 cases, 1,025 recoveries & 20 deaths reported in Mumbai today. The total number of positive cases increases to 1,37,091 in Mumbai, including 18,263 active cases, 1,11,084 recovered cases & 7,439 deaths: Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/wkTmpB84pC

— ANI (@ANI) August 24, 2020

19:38 IST

Ministry of Railways has invited Request for Qualification (RFQ) for the redevelopment of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (Mumbai) Railway Station on PPP mode.

Applicants fulfilling the eligibility criteria shall be shortlisted for participating in a further stage. The entire bidding procedure is a two-stage bidding process consisting of RFQ and Request for Proposal (RFP), according to an official statement. (Read more)

19:37 IST

A Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) delegation met Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday (August 24, 2020) to apprise him about 108 systems and subsystems which have been identified for designing and development by the Indian Industry only. 

This initiative will pave the way for Indian Defence industry to develop many technologies towards building an AtmaNirbhar Bharat.

Raksha Mantri has extended his good wishes to Team DRDO in their future endeavours.

— रक्षा मंत्री कार्यालय/ RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) August 24, 2020

19:35 IST

Sonia Gandhi will continue as the interim president of Congress until a fresh All India Congress Committee (AICC) election is held and a new party chief gets selected, sources said on Monday (August 24).

Congress leader PL Punia told ANI that the next meeting would be called soon, probably within six months to elect a new president. He added that party members expressed faith in Sonia as well as Rahul Gandhi and urged her to continue leading the party, which she agreed with.

19:34 IST

Centre constitutes National Council to monitor, evaluate impact of policies designed for transgender persons.

19:33 IST

Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar tests positive for COVID-19.

I was tested for Novel Corona Virus today. My test report has returned positive.

I appeal to all colleagues and associates who came in my contact over the last week to get themselves tested. I request my close contacts to move into strict quarantine immediately.

— Manohar Lal (@mlkhattar) August 24, 2020

17:59 IST

Bihar: 1,227 new COVID19 cases take the state's active patients to 24,318.

Bihar reports 1,227 new #COVID19 cases, taking the state's active patients to 24,318. pic.twitter.com/k65mafha8B

— ANI (@ANI) August 24, 2020

17:52 IST

Train travel from big railway stations is likely to become expensive as passengers will have to pay on the lines of airports. The national transporter will soon collect railway tickets as well as user development fee (UDF) at major railway stations, according to sources. (Read more)

17:50 IST

With the increase in coronavirus cases, India might surpass Brazil, the second worst-hit nation, within a month.

As the number of tests increases in India, the number of COVID-19 cases has also risen as on an average, 57,000 cases are being reported daily in India. 

17:50 IST

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday (August 24) directed the state officials to take precautionary measures regarding flooding due to heavy rains in Howrah, Hooghly and South 24 Parganas, asking them that "Howrah needs a proper planning before heavy rains start over the next few days." 

16:43 IST

Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Monday asserted that 1000 centres will be set up in 700 districts of the country for holding the Common Eligibility Test (CET) under the National Recruitment Agency (NRA).

Speaking exclusively to Zee News, the Union Minister said, "A centre will be made in every district. There are 700 districts in India, so there will be 1,000 centres. Women will be relaxed because many families avoided sending girls to far-flung areas."

16:43 IST

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways on Monday (August 24, 2020) decided to extend the validity of Fitness, Permits, Licenses, Registration or other documents under Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989 till December 31, 2020, in view of the prevailing COVID-19 situation

15:37 IST

India in the last 24 hours witnessed 57,469 coronavirus recoveries, that took the total number of recoveries across the country to more than 23 lakh, as per the Union Health Ministry's health bulletin released on Monday (August 24, 2020)

15:34 IST

Kapil Sibbal: Was informed by Rahul Gandhi personally that he never said what was attributed to him. I, therefore, withdraw my tweet.

Was informed by Rahul Gandhi personally that he never said what was attributed to him .

I therefore withdraw my tweet .

— Kapil Sibal (@KapilSibal) August 24, 2020

13:34 IST

When Scindia ji raised his voice, he was accused of colluding with BJP. Now when leaders like Gulam Nabi Azad & Kapil Sibal are demanding full-time party chief, they're also being accused of colluding with BJP. No one can save such a party: Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan

13:07 IST

CWC meeting: Kapil Sibal hits out at Rahul Gandhi's 'collusion with BJP' remark; Ghulam Nabi Azad offers to resign. (Read here)

13:03 IST

Ghulam Nabi Azad, during CWC, says he will resign if Rahul Gandhi's "collusion with BJP" remark can be proven: Sources (ANI input)

12:42 IST

Rahul Gandhi says "we are colluding with BJP"...Last 30 years have never made a statement in favour of BJP on any issue. Yet "we are colluding with the BJP": Congress leader Kapil Sibal

Rahul Gandhi says “ we are colluding with BJP “

Succeeded in Rajasthan High Court defending the Congress Party

Defending party in Manipur to bring down BJP Govt.

Last 30 years have never made a statement in favour of BJP on any issue

Yet “ we are colluding with the BJP “!

— Kapil Sibal (@KapilSibal) August 24, 2020

12:34 IST

CWC meeting: Rahul Gandhi, says the letter (to Sonia Gandhi about party leadership) was written at a time when Congress government in Rajasthan was facing a crisis, the right place to discuss what was written in the letter was CWC meeting and not the media: Sources

12:27 IST

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel demanded Rahul Gandhi to take over as Congress President: Sources

12:26 IST

Manmohan Singh and AK Antony said that Sonia Gandhi should continue till a new party president is elected: Sources (ANI input)

11:59 IST

Sonia Gandhi says she has given a note (a reply to the letter written by some senior Congress leaders to her over party leadership) to KC Venugopal, and he will read it out. Rahul Gandhi pointed at the timing of the letter by party colleagues and criticised it: Sources

11:57 IST

Sonia Gandhi asks CWC members "to begin deliberations towards the process of transition to relieve her from the duty of party president."

Sonia Gandhi asks CWC members "to begin deliberations towards the process of transition to relieve her from the duty of party president": Sources https://t.co/Xb3AEpmDTy

— ANI (@ANI) August 24, 2020

11:23 IST

Crucial Congress working committee meeting starts to discuss leadership issue.

09:48 IST

At least two people died after being hit by shooting stones on Rishikesh-Badrinath Highway near Kaudiyala in Pauri Garhwal district, Uttarakhand at 5:20 am today. One more person is feared trapped under the boulders. State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) is at the spot: SDRF

At least two people died after being hit by shooting stones on Rishikesh-Badrinath Highway near Kaudiyala in Pauri Garhwal district, Uttarakhand at 5:20 am today. One more person is feared trapped under the boulders. State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) is at the spot: SDRF pic.twitter.com/oKbH7cP08H

— ANI (@ANI) August 24, 2020

09:13 IST

COVID-19 data India: Coronavirus cases in India rise to 31,06,349 including 23,38,036 cured/discharged/migrated cases and 57,542 deaths as per the Union Ministry of Health. 61,408 new COVID-19 cases, 57,468 recoveries and 836 deaths in the last 24 hours. 

09:06 IST

Light rain/drizzle would occur over isolated places of South-Delhi, Dadri and Kosali during the next two hours: IMD

09:04 IST

Light rain or drizzle would occur over and adjoining areas of Palwal, Ballabhgarh, Farukhnagar, Kosli & isolated places of entire Delhi during the next two hours: India Meteorological Department

24.08.2020: 0820 IST: Light rain/ drizzle would occur over and adjoining areas of Palwal, Ballabhgarh, Farukhnagar, Kosli & isolated places of Entire Delhi during next two hours.

— India Met. Dept. (@Indiametdept) August 24, 2020