Air India on Wednesday announced that it will shut down its five offices across Europe due to zero flight operations amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The airline will shut its offices in Vienna (Austria), Milan (Italy), Madrid (Spain), Copenhagen (Denmark) and Stockholm (Sweden).

In view of the COVID-19 situation, Air India has decided to close down these stations and would immediately initiate action for the closure in consultation with local lawyers and advise the timelines, by which the station will be closed, an Air India spokesperson said.

Former President Pranab Mukherjee`s health condition has improved and he is haemodynamically stable now, his son Abhijit Mukherjee said on Wednesday.

With All Your Prayers, My Father is haemodynamically stable now. I request everyone to continue with your prayers & good wishes for his speedy recovery. Thank You for your good wishes, Mukherjee said.

Russia will start the production of its COVID-19 vaccine within two weeks, the country's health minister Mikhail Murashko said.

First of all, the production facilities in Russia will be oriented towards the domestic market, to meet the need of our citizens, Murashko said during a news conference on Wednesday, Xinhua news agency reported.

Bengaluru Commissioner of Police Kamal Pant on Wednesday said that Section 144 imposed in areas under DJ Halli and KG Halli police station limits has been extended till 6 AM on August 15.

For the uninitiated, Section 144 disallows gathering of four or more people at a place.

Shares of InterGlobe Aviation -- the parent firm of India's largest airline by market share IndiGo -- soared 8 per cent to Rs 1,015 on the BSE on Wednesday amid reports that the airline is in talks with with two lessors to sell and lease back 12 of its ATR 72-600 aircraft and their engines.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is in close contact with Russia regarding a possible pre-qualification of the world's first COVID-19 vaccine, a WHO spokesman said.

We are in close contact with the Russian health authorities and discussions are underway regarding a possible pre-qualification of the vaccine by WHO, WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic said at a virtual press briefing on Tuesday, Xinhua news agency reported.

Gold prices plunged Rs 577 to Rs 53,951 per 10 gram on Wednesday while silver prices also dived over Rs 1,100 from Rs 72,354 to trade at Rs 71,211 per kg, according to Indian Bullion and Jewellers Association.

Gold jewellery prices vary across India, the second-largest consumer of the metal, due to excise duty, state taxes, and making charges.

An Indian Army jawan was martyred during an encounter between terrorists and security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on Tuesday (August 12), while an unidentified terrorist was also killed in the encounter. Sources said that the injured Army jawan was shifted to Army hospital in Srinagar for treatment, following which he succumbed to his death.

The Chinar Corps of the Indian Army confirmed that one AK-47 along with grenades, pouches, and other warlike stores, has been recovered from the terrorists' stash. A search operation is currently underway.

With nearly 61,000 new cases reported in the last 24 hours, India's COVID-19 count on Wednesday crossed the 23.29 lakh-mark, while the death toll has crossed the 46,000-mark as well.

At 9:30 AM on this day, the COVID-19 tally in the country has reached 23,29,639 cases, which include 6,43,948 active cases; 16,39,600 cured, discharged, or migrated patients, and 46,091 deaths.

Former President Pranab Mukherjee is in critical condition and continues to remain critical on ventilatory support post-surgery for a brain clot, the Army's Research and Referral (R&R) Hospital said on Tuesday.

He underwent emergency life-saving surgery for a brain clot on Monday.

The former President, 84, was admitted to the military hospital on Monday afternoon and was tested COVID-19 positive.

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