The monsoon this year has witnessed several short and intense spells of rainfall in many states because of climate variability, Senior Scientist in India Meteorological Department or IMD, Dr. Naresh Kumar told NDTV on Monday.

Manipur’s former chief minister N Biren Singh, in his first public reaction to a report by a Delhi-based non-profit on the ethnic violence in the northeast state bordering Myanmar, alleged the report “serves only to deepen divides”.

With neither of the two candidates for the vice presidential election withdrawing their nomination, the stage is set for a direct contest between ruling NDA nominee C P Radhakrishnan and joint opposition candidate B Sudershan Reddy on September 9.