Police stations in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi to be sanitized in a phased manner

Apr 12: The board and management of troubled NMC Healthcare should be held accountable for the financial irregularities, said Abdulaziz Al Ghurair, chairman of the UAE Banks Federation.

"Banks have dealt with the exposure professionally and they lent to a company which was listed on FTSE-100 index with world-class regulator and the world's largest audit firm doing their audit. Even if they present their balance sheet today, people will still lend to them. This is a world-class fraud and the management and board members should be held accountable. We should have a different track to handle this company. It is not a normal track that we can go," Al Ghurair said during a virtual press conference on Sunday.

It is estimated that the more than 80 local, regional and international banks have exposure to healthcare firm. The UAE bourses had asked all the listed companies in the UAE to announce their exposure. The UAE banks last week announced nearly Dh10 billion exposure to NMC Healthcare, which is owned by the billionaire BR Shetty.

Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank has the highest exposure to NMC at Dh3 billion. Dubai Islamic Bank and its subsidiary Noor Bank announced Dh2 billion exposure while Emirates NBD and its Shariah-compliant unit Emirates Islamic Bank revealed Dh747.34 million exposure. Ajman Bank has Dh151.8 million while Al Salam Bank pegged its exposure at Dh161.5 million. All these lenders revealed their exposure for the first time on Sunday.

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank said it had extended Dh1.07 billion in financing to NMC Healthcare, and an additional Dh113.67 million exposure to Islamic bonds issued by NMC.National Bank of Fujairah pegged its exposure to NMC at Dh289.1 million, while Sharjah-based United Arab Bank said its exposure was Dh135.3 million.

NMC recently revised its debt position to $6.6 billion, well above earlier estimates.

London's High Court last week placed hospital operator NMC Health into administration, on the application of Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank.

"I know leading bank in UAE have already legal guardian of the company so now management cannot hide anything. The new team will manage and discover what happened," said Al Ghurair.

Mangaluru, Jul 11: A youth was run over by a lorry after a speeding car knocked his two-wheeler down on Netravati Bridge near Thokkottu on the outskirts of the city today.

The deceased has been identified as Ubaid (28), a resident of Bandikotya in Ullal. According to sources, he was recently engaged and was supposed to get married on July 23.

Shakir, who was with Ubaid on the two-wheeler suffered serious injuries. He was shifted to a private hospital for treatment. 

The car hit the two-wheeler when the two were heading back to Ullal from Mangaluru. 

The impact of the collision was such that Ubaid was thrown on to the road. Within a second a speeding lorry crushed him to death on the spot. 

The car driver sped away after the mishap instead of stopping to help the accident victims. However, local residents chased the car and waylaid it near Thokkotty flyover. 

The car was reportedly driven by Krishna, who works at Someshwar municipality office. He had reportedly purchased the car just two days ago. Police have taken him into custody along with another person who was also on board the car.

Traffic south police have registered a hit-and-run case and investigations are on.

Bengaluru, May 19: Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has begun booking of tickets from May 18. Ticket counters have been opened after implementation of new guidelines for the fourth phase of COVID-19 nationwide lockdown.

People seeking to travel can book the tickets through KSRTC booking counters, authorised franchises booking counters and online, mobile booking, according to a release.

The advanced booking has started for Bengaluru-Shivamogga, Bengaluru-Mysuru, Bengaluru-Mangaluru routes, among others.

Bookings can be made upto 30 days in advance, as per the release.

Amid COVID-19, Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation has restricted the operation services of the bus between 7 AM to 7 PM, said the release.

Passengers are permitted to travel with social distancing measures while the transport corporation will follow the standard operating procedure issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The MHA had issued updated guidelines after the implementation of the fourth phase of nationwide lockdown on May 17th.