Daily Bulletin: IMD predicts heavy rains in north India, Bengal; Rupee worst-performing currency in Asia; Serena Williams in US open; day's top stories

Pressure mounts on Gujarat government as Hardik’s fast enters 11th day: Support poured in for Patidar leader Hardik Patel who is on an indefinite fast seeking reservation for his community and a farm loan waiver entered the 11th day on Tuesday. Leaders including, Congress’ national spokesperson Shaktisinh Gohil, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav has appealed to the 25-year-old Patidar leader to end his fast. Meanwhile, the BJP government in Gujarat is yet to intervene in the matter. Hardik had on Monday released his will pledging and said that he won’t allow doctors to conduct his medical check-up “until the police stop harassing people visiting his residence”. Sola civil hospital has deployed a fully-equipped ambulance–‘ICU on Wheels’–at the venue of the fast, the hospital said in a statement. [caption id=“attachment_5105461” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Getty images[/caption] FIR lodged against student for shouting ‘down with fascist govt’ at BJP leader: Sofia Lois, a student from the University of Montreal, Canada, who was travelling in the same flight with BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan raised anti-BJP slogan in the flight, The News Minute reported. Following this, Soundararajan was seen losing her cool at the Thoothukudi airport and she later lodged the complaint with the police. An FIR has been registered against the student on Soundararajan’s complaint. Meanwhile, Lois’ father has filed a counter-FIR against the BJP cadre and alleged that they were behaving in a vulgar manner with the student. Over 1,400 lives lost due to rains, floods so far this monsoon: Over 1,400 people, including 488 in Kerala, have lost their lives due to rains, floods and landslides in 10 states so far in the monsoon season.  According to the ministry’s National Emergency Response Centre (NERC), 488 people have died in Kerala and 54.11 lakh in 14 districts have been severely hit by rains and floods, the worst in a century.  As many as 254 people have died in Uttar Pradesh, 210 in West Bengal, 170 in Karnataka, 139 in Maharashtra, 52 in Gujarat, 50 in Assam, 37 in Uttarakhand, 29 in Odisha and 11 in Nagaland. Forty-three people have been missing — 15 in Kerala, 14 in Uttar Pradesh, five in West Bengal, six in Uttarakhand and three in Karnataka, while 386 have been injured in rain-related incidents in the 10 states. Meanwhile, the Indian Meteorological Department has predicted heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places over northwest Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, East Rajasthan and east Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal   Pradesh,  and Gangetic West Bengal. Rupee free fall continues: The rupee on Monday crashed to yet another historic low of 71.21, losing 21 paise at the close against the US dollar as nagging concerns over rising crude oil prices and trade war tensions continued to hurt Forex market sentiment. The rupee’s previous record low was 71, marked on 31 August. The rupee has fallen around 11 percent in 2018 making it the worst-performing currency in Asia. US Open quarterfinals begin from Tuesday In Men’s singles: Defending champion Rafael Nadal will face 24-year old Dominic Thiem, one of only three men to defeat him in 2018, while USA’s John Isner will take on Juan Martin del Potro in the final eight. Isner is the only American man left as he attempts to become the first home winner since Andy Roddick in 2003. In Women’s singles: Six-time champion Serena Williams booked a quarter-final date with eighth seed Karolina Pliskova. Defending champion Sloane Stephens sets quarter-final rematch against Anastasija Sevastova Deepika Padukone in next xXx film, confirms director Deepika Padukone, who made her Hollywood foray with the Vin Diesel-starrer xXx: Return of Xander Cage, will return to the franchise for its fourth instalment, according to its director DJ Caruso. Caruso, on Twitter, welcomed Chinese singer-actor Roy Wang to the “xXx” family on Monday. A social media user then asked: “What about Deepika Padukone. Will she be part of the film?” — “Yes,” replied Caruso, confirming that the actress will be back in the action-packed franchise.