News Highlights: RBI postpones MPC meet by a day to February 8

Jordi Alba scored an extraordinary volley and Dani Alves was sent off as Barcelona delivered a major boost to their hopes of finishing in La Liga's top four on Sunday by winning a six-goal thriller against Atletico Madrid.

A rampant Barca scored four goals in 40 minutes at Camp Nou before surviving a late fightback from Atletico after Luis Suarez headed in against his former club and Alves saw red with 20 minutes left.

. Just two days into the Beijing Olympics, event organisers are facing a litany of complaints from athletes and countries on multiple fronts, The Guardian reported.

The Swedes have suggested that the conditions in the mountains are perilously cold. A Polish skater says she was living in fear in a Beijing isolation ward and has "cried until I have no more tears". The Finns have claimed an ice hockey player is being kept in Covid quarantine for no reason. And the Germans? They are frustrated that there is no hot food at downhill skiing, the report said.

Athletes were always going to face difficulties in Beijing, given they are in a "closed loop" system that forbids them from leaving the village except to train, compete or go home. However, a growing number are now expressing frustration and anguish with other aspects of their Winter Olympic experience, The Guardian reported.

. All-rounder Washington Sundar said he was focusing on bowling to his strengths in a 'heartening' return to Indian colours. Sunday's match against the West Indies at the Narendra Modi Stadium was just Sundar's second appearance in the format after his debut against Sri Lanka at Mohali in 2017.

. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday said a probe has been started in connection with a case pertaining to irregularities in the procurement of materials and appointments in the All India Institute of Mecial Sciences (AIIMS), Rishikesh during the tenure of its former director Ravi Kant.

The materials' procurement and appointments made by the former director Ravi Kant, are being probed.

AIIMS PRO Harish Thapliyal confirmed that the CBI had started probing the case of irregularities in procurement and recruitment made by the former director.

. Andhra Pradesh government employee unions on Sunday withdrew their strike call after “satisfactory” talks with the Jaganmohan Reddy administration.

. A 35-year-old suspected drug peddler allegedly hanged himself inside a lockup at a police station in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, triggering protests by his relatives and demands for a judicial probe into the incident, officials said.

Sunil Verma, a resident of Tapyal village, was arrested along with 11.47 grams of heroin during vehicle checking in Hiranagar area on Thursday and was being questioned at the local police station, the officials said.

. kraine's presidency on Sunday insisted the chance of resolving soaring tensions with Russia through diplomacy remained greater than that of an attack, as the US warned Moscow was stepping up preparations for an invasion.

"An honest assessment of the situation suggests that the chance of finding a diplomatic solution for de-escalation is still substantially higher than the threat of further escalation," said presidency advisor Mykhailo Podolyak in a statement.

Podolyak said that Russia had been conducting large-scale troop rotations, manoeuvres and weapon deployments on a regular basis "to ensure constant massive psychological pressure" since massing forces at Ukraine's border last spring.

. Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) working president KTRama Rao on Sunday dubbed Prime Minister Narendra Modi as an icon of partiality.

The TRS leader took to Twitter to launch a fresh attack on Modi, a day after the latter's visit to Hyderabad.

"Icon of partiality unveiled Statue of Equality and irony just died a billion deaths," wrote KTR, as the TRS leader is popularly known.

This came a day after the Prime Minister unveiled the statue of equality during his visit to Hyderabad.

. Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Sunday termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi a "torchbearer of peace" and said his commitment to inclusive empowerment is the "effective mantra" to make India "Vishwa guru" (world leader).

. Asserting that the issuance of sovereign green bonds is part of the government's overall borrowing programme, Economic Affairs Secretary Ajay Seth has said these rupee-denominated papers will have long tenure to suit the requirement of green infrastructure projects.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her Budget Speech announced that the government proposes to issue sovereign green bonds to mobilise resources for green infrastructure.

"The proceeds will be deployed in public sector projects which help in reducing the carbon intensity of the economy," she said in the Budget 2022-23.

. Former Australia men's head coach Justin Langer apologised for being "too intense" in his resignation letter to Cricket Australia. In the e-mail, as reported by The Australian newspaper, Langer also said that he was proud of what he had achieved as Australia coach, but if senior players, some support staff and the board did not support him, he felt it was necessary to walk away from the job.

After days of suspense, Langer resigned as the head coach of Australia men's team after declining a short-term six-month extension in the contract offered to him on Friday.

On Saturday, Langer flew to his hometown Perth where he will be in quarantine for 14 days before re-uniting with his family.

. Sri Lankan Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris is slated embark on a three-day visit to India on Sunday during which he will meet External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, a bilateral meeting between Peiris and Jaishankar will take place at the Hyderabad House here on Monday evening.

Earlier in the day, the Sri Lankan Minister will meet Shringla at the ITC Maurya, a Ministry spokeperson said

There have been regular Foreign Ministerial exchanges between the two neighbouring nations.

Jaishankar visited Sri Lanka on November 19, 2019 during which he met President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who had taken office just a day earlier, then Leader of Opposition Mahinda Rajapaksa and former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

. The UN's humanitarian coordinator for war-torn Yemen said he held constructive talks with government officials and Huthi rebels over dealing with the threat posed by a rusting oil tanker abandoned offshore.

Experts warn of the risk of a major environmental disaster posed by the 45-year-old FSO Safer, which lacks both power and a functioning fire fighting system while volatile gases are thought to be building up inside.

. India Under-19 cricket team captain Yash Dhull was on Sunday named skipper of ICC's Most Valuable Team of the Tournament after his side defeated England in the final to clinch the U-19 ICC Cricket World Cup here on Saturday.

India defeated the Young Lions by four wickets at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium to lift the Cup for the fifth time in 22 years.

Besides Dhull, two more Indians -- all-rounder Raj Bawa and spinner Vicky Ostwal -- figure in the 12-strong team. Overall, eight nations are represented in the line-up. The line-up has a pace battery that includes Josh Boyden of England, Awais Ali of Pakistan and Ripon Mondol of Bangladesh.

England all-rounder Tom Prest and Sri Lanka's Dunith Wellalage are the spin options in the 12 alongside India's Ostwal. South Africa's Dewald Brevis was announced as the 'Player of the Tournament' for his record-breaking run haul.

. Iran's top security official said Sunday that Washington and Tehran had so far failed to produce "balance" in their commitments during the Vienna talks aimed at restoring the nuclear deal.

"Despite limited progress in the #ViennaTalks, we are still far from achieving the necessary balance in the commitments of the parties," Supreme National Security Council secretary Ali Shamkhani said in a Twitter post.

"Political decisions in #Washington are requirements for balance of commitments to reach a good agreement."

Iran is engaged in negotiations with Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia directly and with the United States indirectly to revive the 2015 deal formally called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

. The Parliamentary Committee on Public Undertaking has asked the government to change the code 'GAY' for the 'Gaya International Airport.

In its action taken report tabled in Parliament on Friday, the panel mentioned the issue and asked the government to make all efforts to take up the matter with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and concerned organisations as this issue pertains to inappropriate code naming of an airport of a holy city of India.

The Committee also said that the use of 'GAY' code for Gaya airport is inappropriate for the holy city, therefore the government should try to replace this code with an appropriate one and also suggested an alternative code such as 'YAG'. ( IANS )

.A firefighter uses a hose as a bushfire continues to burn in Hester, Western Australia, Australia. (Reuters Photo). Schools up to class 8th to re-open with 50% capacity and all schools for classes 9 and above, colleges and coaching institutes to open with 100% capacity. Cinema halls, clubs, gyms, stadiums, swimming pools, restaurants to operate at 50% capacity: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar

. Israel said on Sunday that it could halt Israeli airlines' flights to Dubai in the next few days due to a dispute over security arrangements, but is looking at rerouting them to Abu Dhabi instead.

An Israeli official said current security arrangements for three Israeli airlines that fly into Dubai International Airport - El Al, Israir and Arkia - were due to expire on Tuesday, leaving negotiators 48 hours to find a solution. ( Reuters )

. Track this blog for updates

. Singing legend Lata Mangeshkar passed away on Sunday, February 6, leaving behind a long legacy tunes and melodies that will resound in the ears of Indians for decades to come.

. India on Sunday recorded 1,07,474 fresh coronavirus cases, registering a decline against 1,27,952 new infections a day before.

The total tally of cases is now 4,21,88,138, while the number of active cases declined further to 12,25,011, according to Union health ministry data.

. "Singer Lata Mangeshkar continues to be in ICU & is under my supervision: Dr Pratit Samdani, who is treating her at Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital

For the last 29 days, singer Lata Mangeshkar has been admitted to Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai

(ANI)

.Charanjit Singh Channi is likely to be declared the Congress chief ministerial face for the Assembly polls. But his rival Navjot Sidhu may make life difficult for the party if he loses out

News Highlights: RBI postpones MPC meet by a day to February 8

Barca go fourth after winning six-goal thriller against Atletico

Athletes expressing frustration and anguish with Beijing Olympics

No cultural activity at Indian Pavilion in Dubai Expo, UAE mourns Lata's passing away

I was just bowling to my strengths, says Washington Sundar

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