News brief: Big stories of the day

Karnataka crisis: Congress to challenge KG Bopaiah's appointment as pro-tem Speaker in Supreme Court

Congress to challenge the appointment of KG Bopaiah as pro-tem Speaker in the Supreme Court on Friday. According to television reports, Congress is moving Supreme Court to challenge the Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala's decision to appoint KG Bopiah as pro-tem speaker ahead of the floor test on Saturday 4 pm. 

Pakistan summons Indian High Commissioner over 'unprovoked ceasefire violations' along LoC

As PM Modi prepares to visit J&K on Saturday, Pakistan today summoned Indian High Commissioner over "unprovoked ceasefire violations" allegedly carried out by Indian forces along the Line of Control(LoC).

Supreme Court allows Karti Chidambaram to travel abroad

The Supreme Court on Friday allowed Karti Chidambaram, son of senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, to travel to offshore locations in United Kingdom, Germany and Spain with certain conditions, including that he would not open or close a bank account abroad.

China denies offering $200 billion package to slash US trade gap

China denied on Friday that it had offered a package to slash the US trade deficit by up to $200 billion, hours after it dropped an anti-dumping probe into US sorghum imports in a conciliatory gesture as top negotiators meet in Washington.

Congo faces 'very high' risk from Ebola outbreak: WHO

Democratic Republic of Congo faces a "very high" public health risk from Ebola because the disease has been confirmed in a patient in a big city, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday, raising its assessment from "high" previously.