A look at the headlines right now:

  1. Heavy rain continues to lash Kerala, metro services suspended in Kochi: At least 8 people died in the state on Thursday, taking the toll to 73.
  2. Rupee hits a new all-time low of 70.32 against the US dollar: The domestic indices also opened lower after data showed that India’s trade deficit had widened to a five-year high in July.
  3. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s condition critical, he is on life support, says AIIMS: Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the All India Institute of Medical Sciences on Wednesday evening to enquire about the veteran leader’s health.
  4. At least 11 die following an increase in water levels at Sultan Garh waterfall in Madhya Pradesh: Eight people were rescued till night, Shivpuri Collector Shilpa Gupta said.
  5. Odisha announces its own health insurance plan, expected to benefit 70 lakh families: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched the scheme on Wednesday during his Independence Day speech.
  6. US President Donald Trump revokes security access of former CIA Director John Brennan: The former intelligence official, a vocal critic of the president, said Trump was trying to ‘suppress freedom of speech’.
  7. Former India cricket captain Ajit Wadekar dies at 77: Wadekar, born on April 1, 1941, played 37 Test matches for India, scoring 2113 runs at an average of 31.07.
  8. After Mughalsarai railway station, Uttar Pradesh proposes to rename three airports: The state wants to rename Bareilly airport after Nath Nagri, Kanpur’s after freedom fighter Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi and Agra airport after Deen Dayal Upadhyay.
  9. At least 48 killed and 67 injured after suicide bombing in Afghanistan: The explosion in the Mawoud Academy in Dasht-e-Barchi took place at about 4.10 pm local time while students were in class.
  10. ‘Criticising a system is easy, transforming it is not,’ says Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra: He made the remark while speaking about the judiciary during his Independence Day address at the Supreme Court.