NEWS

Manipur Cabinet has decided to enact a new law declaring all bandhs and blockades as illegal. 
It also decided to fix responsibility against sponsors and organisers of the bandhs and blockades for creating public inconvenience and damaging public properties. 
The state cabinet also considered depriving those from government jobs and schemes indulging in bandhs and blockades and initiating criminal proceedings against them. 
In other decisions, the Cabinet gave its nod to establish the Manipur Sports Development Authority and decided to conduct the Panchayat elections this year.

Cyclone Mora carrying the most severe danger warning signal number 10 hit Bangladesh coast at Kutubdia on Cox's Bazar coast early this morning. 
Heavy rainfall has been reported in Cox's Bazar, Patuakhali, Bagerhat and nearby areas. Hundreds of homes and trees have been reported damaged in St. Martin's Island off Cox's Bazar coast. 
Low-lying areas in Cox's Bazar have been flooded with 4-5 feet waves higher than normal. A 5-6 feet storm surge is expected to inundate low lying areas including Chittagong, Cox's Bazar, Bhola, Jalakhati, Barisal and Noakhali. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel are attending the 4th Indo-German consultations and addressing the business leaders at the summit at Berlin. The two leaders will also hold ministerial level talks on various sectors at the consultations. 
The consultations will be followed by a joint declaration. The Indian Prime Minister will also call on the President Frank Walter Steinmeier at Castle Believue before leaving for Madrid. 

Monsoon has hit the coast of Kerala two days ahead of the schedule. The southwest winds which bring the country the much-sought after monsoon rains along with relief to heavily agri-dependent economy, have kept an early date (two days ahead of schedule). The Indian Meteorological Department had already predicted early monsoon. 
The arrival of monsoon marks the onset of a season of rainfall awaited, by the farmers in particular and the nation in general, to irrigate the fields and grow the produce on which the country feeds.