Russia-Ukraine war live news: Russian drone attack targets Odesa region

• Ukraine says Russia carried out a drone attack on the Odesa region, targeting a Danube River port infrastructure and injuring at least two people.
• Traffic on the main bridge linking the Russian mainland with the Russia-annexed Crimea resumed after being temporarily suspended early in the day.
• Ukrainian President Zelenskyy says two more ships passed through a “temporary” Black Sea corridor established after Russia withdrew from a UN-backed grain export deal.

Live Updates

Ukraine expects boom in drone production

Ukraine intends to increase drone production as early as this autumn, the Ukrainian defence minister was quoted as saying, as the country conducts more frequent drone attacks on Russian territory.

“I think this autumn there will be a boom in the production of various Ukrainian drones: flying, floating, crawling, etc., and this will continue to grow in volume,” Oleksii Reznikov told the state-run Ukrinform news agency.

He said one reason for the growth of production was that authorities had reduced various regulations and laws.

“So we rewrote regulations… and simplified the processes. And I believe that we also succeeded in that and gave us the opportunity for such a booster. Especially for drone manufacturers who started production from garages.”

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Zelenskyy, Macron discuss ‘functioning of grain corridor’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he discussed with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron the “functioning” of a sea corridor set up by Kyiv for safe navigation of ships after Moscow exited a landmark grain deal.

“We also discussed ways to ensure the functioning of the grain corridor and enhance the security of the Odesa region,” Zelenskyy said on social media after a phone call with Macron.

Ukraine this week said four more ships had gone through its temporary maritime corridor in the Black Sea, which it had set up last month to ensure safe navigation.

Zelenskyy also thanked Macron for France’s “crucial military aid” to Kyiv and said the pair “discussed the next packages.”

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How is the Russia-Ukraine war affecting the environment?

Ukraine is home to some of the most biodiverse and unique ecosystems on the planet, and its rich fertile plains provide food to the world.

More than a year after Russia’s invasion and occupation of parts of Ukraine, many of those ecosystems have been fragmented and reduced to ash, with vast tracts of forests destroyed, agricultural lands and soil contaminated, and rivers degraded.

In the Black Sea, dolphins are washing up by the hundreds, harbingers of an impending environmental crisis brought about by war.

Al Jazeera’s People and Power follows Ukrainian prosecutors and forensic investigators tasked by the government with building an environmental war crimes case against Russia as the ICC comes under increasing pressure to prosecute such alleged crimes.

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Nobel Foundation reverses invitations to Russia, Iran after backlash

The Nobel Foundation says it has reversed its invitations for representatives of Russia, Belarus and Iran to attend this year’s Nobel Prize awards ceremony in Stockholm after the decision announced on Friday “provoked strong reactions”.

Several Swedish lawmakers said they will boycott this year’s event after the private foundation that administers the prestigious awards changed its position from a year earlier and invited representatives of the three countries to attend.

“The decision by the Nobel Foundation to invite all ambassadors to the Nobel Prize award ceremony, in accordance with previous practice, has provoked strong reactions,” the foundation said in a press release.

“The basis for the decision is that we believe that it is important and right to reach out as widely as possible with the values and messages that the Nobel Prize stands for. ”

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Participation of Russian athletes at Asian Games ‘not feasible’

Russian and Belarusian athletes will not compete at the Asian Games in China starting on September 23 after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) concluded that the plan was “not feasible”.

“The concept of the participation of athletes with Russian and Belarusian passports at the Asian Games 2023 was explored as discussed at the Olympic Summit in December 2022, but was not feasible due to technical reasons,” the insidethegames news portal quoted the IOC as saying.

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Gazprom to ship 41.5mcm of gas to Europe via Ukraine

Russia’s Gazprom says it will ship 41.5 million cubic metres of gas to Europe via Ukraine, a volume in line with recent days.

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Ukrainian tycoon taken into custody

A Ukrainian court has placed billionaire businessman Ihor Kolomoisky under arrest for two months over fraud and money laundering charges as part of the war-torn country’s crackdown on corruption.

The court gave Kolomoisky the option of posting bail of more than 509 million hryvnyas (about $13m).

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Mohun Bagan beat East Bengal 1-0 in final to win Durand Cup football tournament title for first time after 23 years (PTI)

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Sanatana Dharma remark Live Updates: Union Minister GK Reddy condemns Udhayanidhi Stalin’s statement

On Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin’s ‘Sanatana Dharma should be eradicated’ remark, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy says, “…Sanatan Dharma does not belong to a party, region or religion, it is India’s Dharma. It is followed & believed by people of different religions…DMK minister has insulted Sanatan Dharma…It is wrong to insult it as it belongs to everyone…I condemn the statements given by Congress leaders and DMK leaders. Such statements should not be passed…”

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One Nation, One Election Live Updates: It will benefit the whole country in the future, says Union minister Pashupati Paras

“The prime minister has taken a good decision and I believe that it will benefit the whole country in the future,” says Union minister Pashupati Parason ‘one nation, one election’.

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India News LIVE Updates: CPI MP Binoy Viswam writes to President Droupadi Murmu regarding Special Session of the Parliament

In his letter, he urged the President to intervene to preserve the Parliamentary system and said “It’s evident that the system of checks and balances envisaged in our Constitution is under a major threat.”

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G20 Summit LIVE Updates: Delhi LG Vinai Kumar Saxena takes stock of preparations and cleanliness

Ahead of the upcoming G20 summit, Delhi LG Vinai Kumar Saxena takes stock of preparations and cleanliness.

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SEPTEMBER 03, 2023 / 05:17 PM IST

Monsoon Live Updates: Himachal tourism sector suffers Rs 2,000 crore loss in July-August due to heavy rains

The tourism sector in Himachal Pradesh suffered losses of about Rs 2,000 crore in July and August, owing to which hoteliers in the state have started offering attractive packages to get back on track.

The tourism industry in the hill state, which was in the revival process after COVID-19, received another blow as the monsoon wreaked havoc, leading to low tourist footfall.

This sector, which contributes over Rs 14,000 crore annually to Himachal Pradesh’s GDP, lost around Rs 2,000 crore during July and August as heavy rains damaged road infrastructure — the lifeline of the hill state — and also cast a shadow on the already restricted air and rail connectivity, officials of the tourism department said.

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BSF & DRI in a joint operation seized a total of 106 gold biscuits weighing 14.296 kg worth Rs 8.50 crore from a house in village Vijaypur and arrested 2 smugglers: BSF

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Sanatan Row Live Updates: Congress party still in alliance with DMK…is a test for Rahul Gandhi, says Biswa

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “I have the statement of that politician & the same statement was also issued by one of the MPs of Congress P Chidambaram, I have seen more or less a similar kind of statement from Congress President Kharge. I do not want to condemn that minister from Tamil Nadu because he has exposed himself. But the question is will the Congress party still be in alliance with DMK…This is a test for Rahul Gandhi. He has to make a decision about whether he respects Sanatan Dharma or not…If he does not snap ties with DMK people will confirm that they are anti-Hindu…”

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Congress MP Rahul Gandhi leaves from Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence as the meeting concludes

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CPI MP Binoy Viswam writes to Murmu regarding the Special Session of the Parliament

CPI MP Binoy Viswam has written a letter to President Droupadi Murmu regarding the Special Session of the Parliament. In his letter, he urged the President to intervene to preserve the Parliamentary system and said “It’s evident that the system of checks and balances envisaged in our Constitution is under a major threat.” PM Modi has called for the session and is likely to speak on India-China border issues, according to Sanjay Raut.

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Ahead of the upcoming G20 summit, Delhi LG Vinai Kumar Saxena takes stock of preparations and cleanliness

Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Shivling row said that fountains installed on the way to Delhi airport ahead of the G20 summit are art pieces made by an artisan from Rajasthan and “not Shivling” and he has no objection if someone sees ‘Shivling’ in it. He said there should be no controversy concerning the fountains amid complaints by Aam Aadmi Party.

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JP Nadda Sanatan Row Live Updates: Amit Shah’s 20 years report card will highlight MP’s progress, Nadda

BJP National President JP Nadda says, “Union HM Amit Shah recently proposed the report card. With that report card, we will show the people of MP how the state was 20 years ago and how it is today…”

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Kharge calls party meeting to discuss organisational issues and current political situation

A meeting is underway at Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence to discuss the organisational issues and Current Political Situation. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and General Secretary KC Venugopal present at the meeting

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Tata Steel in advanced talks to secure funds for UK plant: PTI reports