The government is likely to extend the deadline for bidding for the privatisation of Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) for the third time in a row, from the current date of July 31.

According to sources, the extension of the timelines for expression of interest (EoI) may well be until international airline services are back in place, as a lot of prospective bidders have expressed concerns regarding the current situation.

India has yet again witnessed its highest single-day spike of COVID-19 cases with 45,720 cases reported in the last 24 hours, according to data from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

With these fresh cases, India's coronavirus cases tally has gone up to 12,38,635, out of which there are 4,26,167 active cases and 7,82,607 patients have been cured/discharged/migrated.

BJP Vice-President Baijayant Jay Panda on Wednesday claimed that he has come across threads on social media which revealed 'personal and business links' of some Bollywood personalities with 'Pakistanis and NRIs' having a track record of encouraging violence in Jammu and Kashmir. He urged 'patriotic Bollywoodies' to renounce such celebrities.

The BJP leader, however, desisted from naming any Bollywood celebrity in his tweet.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation Stone for Manipur Water Supply Project on Thursday through video conferencing. The Governor, Chief Minister of Manipur and his cabinet colleagues, MPs and MLAs are expected to join the program from Imphal.

The Central Government initiated the Jal Jeevan Mission to provide safe and adequate quantity drinking water to every rural household of the country by 2024 with the motto Har Ghar Jal.

To help Assam in tackling the flood situation, the central government will release Rs 346 crores, in the first phase, under the Flood Management Program (FMP) scheme.

It will also hold talks with Bhutan to solve the recurring flood problem in the lower parts of the state.

While the world continues to be troubled by COVID-19, South Korean epidemiologists have found that people were more likely to contract the new coronavirus from members of their own households than from contacts outside the home.

A study published in the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on July 16 looked in detail at 5,706 'index patients' who had tested positive for the coronavirus and more than 59,000 people who came into contact with them.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of Ram Temple on August 5, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirtha Kshetra Trust said on Wednesday.

Swami Govind Dev Giri, the treasurer of the trust, said that social distancing norms will be ensured at the programme, with not more than 200 people attending the ceremony.

Amid rising coronavirus cases in Madhya Pradesh, particularly in Bhopal, the state government on Wednesday announced a 10-day complete lockdown in the capital to check the spread of COVID-19 infection.

The lockdown will come into effect at 8 pm on July 24.

Gold prices on Wednesday jumped to record high of Rs 49,440 from Rs 49,343 per 10 gram while prices of silver also rallied from Rs 54,500 to close at Rs 54,850 per kg, according to India Bullion and Jewellers Association.

Rising number of Covid-19 cases pushed up prices of gold and silver to all-time high, as investors look for safe-haven assets.

The government on Tuesday said it has extended connectivity norms for work from home for IT and BPO companies till December 31.

The time period for work from home was expiring on July 31.

DoT has further extended the relaxations in the terms and conditions for other service providers up to 31st December 2020 to facilitate work from home in view of the ongoing concern due to Covid-19, the Department of Telecommunications said in a late night tweet.

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