LIVE: Soldier killed in firing by Pak troops along LoC in J&K's Rajouri

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10:23 PM

Theatres to open from January 5 in Kerala: CM Vijayan

As a New Year gift to the people of the state, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has announced the opening of movie theatres in the state from January 5. Theatres will be allowed to function with only half of their strengths and tickets for only half of the strength will be sold. Chief minister also said that stringent action will be taken against Cinema theatres if they violate Covid protocol.

The Chief minister also said that the government will constitute a new authority to prevent corruption and people will be able to register their complaints regarding corruption in a software. He also said that the details of those who provide information will not be publicized and people will be free to provide information against corruption. He said that the authority if necessary will convey the details provided to the vigilance department. This will commence from January 26 of this month. He also announced the government sanction to conduct art and culture programmes, both indoor and outdoor programmes during religious festivals.

Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that aged people will be provided with government services without having to go to the offices. He said that volunteers will be deployed for the service of old people. Pinarayi Vijayan also said that 1000 scholarships of 1 lakh rupees each will be provided to students who have performed exceedingly well in academics in degree classes and the annual income of their families are below 2.5 lakh rupees.

9:43 PM

ED attaches Rs 72-cr assets of man whose wife transferred funds to Sanjay Raut's spouse

The ED on Friday said it has attached assets worth Rs 72 crore of a Maharashtra-based man whose wife's alleged transaction with Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut's spouse is under its scanner in the over Rs 4,300 crore PMC Bank money laundering case. The central probe agency alleged that the man, Pravin Raut, had "siphoned off" Rs 95 crore worth of funds from the scam-hit bank in the garb of loan, out of which he paid Rs 1.6 crore to his wife, Madhuri Raut, who subsequently transferred Rs 55 lakh in two tranches to Varsha Raut, wife of Sanjay Raut, as an "interest-free loan."

The ED recently summoned Varsha Raut for questioning with regard to this transaction and a few other deals leading to a political blame game between Maharashtra and the Centre with various constituents of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) led state government alleging that the Centre was using federal probe agencies to harass them. Varsha Raut skipped the agency's notice thrice and is now expected to join probe before the ED in Mumbai on January 5.

Sanjay Raut, while holding a press conference in Mumbai early this week, had denied any wrongdoing on the part of his wife and said they were in correspondence with the ED in connection with the case for about one-and-a-half months.

8:50 PM

CBI books Shakti Bhog Foods in alleged Rs 3,269-crore bank fraud case

The CBI has booked Delhi-based Shakti Bhog Foods Limited for an alleged fraud of Rs 3,269 crore on a consortium of 10 banks led by the State Bank of India (SBI), officials said on Friday. On a complaint from the SBI, the agency has booked the managing director of the company, Kewal Krishan Kumar, and other directors Siddhrath Kumar and Sunanda Kumar, they added.

 

According to the SBI complaint, the directors allegedly falsified accounts and forged documents to siphon off public funds.

 

The 24-year-old company, which is into manufacturing and selling wheat, flour, rice, biscuits, cookies etc., had grown organically as it ventured into food-related diversification over a decade with a turnover growth of Rs 1,411 crore in 2008 to Rs 6,000 crore in 2014, the bank said. READ ON...

 

8:42 PM

LIVE: Soldier killed in firing by Pak troops along LoC in J&K's Rajouri

An army man was killed as Pakistani troops opened fire and shelled forward posts along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district on Friday. Firing and mortar shelling from across the LoC was reported in the Nowshera sector of the district around 3:30 pm and at 5:30 pm. Indian troops are retaliating to the unprovoked ceasefire violations by Pakistan, the officials said.

 

"At about 1530 hours today, the Pakistan army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and intense shelling with mortars along the LoC in the Nowshera sector in district Rajouri," a defence spokesman said.

 

Indian army retaliates befittingly. Pakistan again shelled the Nowshera sector at 5:30 pm. Naib Subedar Ravinder was critically injured in the 5:30 pm incident and he later succumbed.

8:20 PM

India may impose anti-subsidy duty on imports of Butadiene Rubber from Korea

India may impose anti-subsidy duty on imports of a particular kind of rubber from South Korea as the commerce ministry has recommended for the same after concluding an investigation, PTI reported. The commerce ministry's investigation arm Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) has conducted the probe to see whether the subsidy programmes of South Korea for exports of "Styrene Butadiene Rubber" to India is impacting the domestic industry.

 

The DGTR concluded that the product has been exported to India from Korea is subsidised and due to this, the domestic industry has suffered material injury.

 

"The authority is of the view that imposition of duty is required to offset subsidization and injury. Therefore, authority considers it necessary and recommends imposition of anti-subsidy duty on imports," DGTR has said in a notification.

8:14 PM

India-UK flights to resume from January 8: Union Civil Aviation Minister

8:01 PM

Cold wave to abate north India, temperatures to rise by 3-5 Deg C from Jan 3: IMD

North India, which has been reeling under a severe cold wave, is likely to get some relief from January 3 as temperatures are expected to rise by three to five degrees Celsius, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Friday.

 

A Western Disturbance as a cyclonic circulation lies over Afghanistan and its neighbourhood at the middle and upper tropospheric levels. It is likely to move slightly eastwards to central Pakistan and its neighbourhood during the next 48 hours and remain practically stationary there during the subsequent three to four days. There is also an induced cyclonic circulation over southwest Rajasthan.

 

"Under the influence of these systems light/moderate fairly widespread rainfall/snowfall over the western Himalayan region is likely during January 4-6. With its peak intensity on January 4 and 5, there is a possibility of heavy rain/snow over Jammu and Kashmir. Hailstorm at isolated places is also likely over western Himalayan Region during this time," the IMD said.

7:41 PM

Pakistan army shells forward posts along LoC in Nowshera sector of Jammu and Kashmir

7:27 PM

PM Modi will lay foundation stone of permanent campus of IIM Sambalpur on Saturday

6:53 PM

GST collections touch record high of over Rs 1.15 trillion in Dec 2020: Finance Ministry

GST collections surged to an all-time high of over Rs 1.15 trillion in December as economic activities picked up after lifting of stringent lockdown restrictions.Mop-up from the Goods and Services Tax (GST), which is levied when a consumable item is sold or a service such as travel booking rendered, in December was 12 per cent higher than such receipts in the same month of 2019.

 

At Rs 1,15,174 crore, the collections were 10 per cent more than the mop-up in the previous month -- the biggest growth in monthly revenues in the last 21 months.

 

In a statement, the finance ministry said the December collections were the highest ever since the implementation of the nationwide tax in July 2017. The previous best was in April 2019 when Rs 113,866 crore was collected.

6:14 PM

Delhi's air quality remains in 'severe' category

The air quality (AQI) in Delhi remained in the 'severe' category on Friday morning according to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR). The New Year morning has been wrapped with dense fog with the minimum temperature recorded at 1.1 degrees Celsius at the Safdarjung observatory in the national capital. As per SAFAR, the level of PM10 particles observed in the morning was 440.

 

Cold wave conditions continue to persist in Delhi with dense fog reducing the visibility in most parts of the national capital in the New Year morning.

 

India Meteorological Department (IMD) in its daily bulletin issued on December 31 at 9.00 pm, said that cold wave to severe cold wave conditions are likely to persist in isolated places over Delhi during next 2 days. IMD also said that dense to very dense fog is very likely in some pockets of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, and Delhi during the next 2 days.

5:37 PM

Cinema halls and theatres in Odisha allowed to operate from today

5:00 PM

Govt approves Indian Navy proposal to buy shipborne drones

After leasing two predator drones from the US, the Indian Navy is now going to urgently acquire 10 shipborne drones for enhancing its surveillance capabilities in the Indian Ocean Region, for which it has received the government approval recently.

 

"A proposal moved in fast track mode by the Indian Navy before the Defence Ministry, under which it will buy 10 Naval Shipborne Unmanned Aerial Systems for around Rs 1,300 crores has been cleared by the government," government sources told ANI.

 

The Navy will acquire these drones through an open bid under the Buy Global category and then soon deploy them on its large size warships for surveillance and reconnaissance activities.

 

As per the plans of the Navy, the drones would be deployed on big size warships of the force and would help them in the detection of activities of the Chinese as well as other adversaries in and around Indian territorial waters, they said.

 

4:20 PM

India set to begin its two-year tenure as non-permanent member of UNSC

India, which has been at the forefront of the years-long efforts to reform the UN Security Council, will begin its two-year tenure as a non-permanent member of the powerful organ of the world body on Friday. The country will sit in the 15-nation United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the 2021-22 term as a non-permanent member - the eighth time that the country has had a seat on the powerful horseshoe table.

 

On Friday, India, Norway, Kenya, Ireland and Mexico will join non-permanent members Estonia, Niger, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Tunisia and Vietnam and the five permanent members China, France, Russia, UK and the US. India will be UNSC President in August 2021 and will preside over the council again for a month in 2022.

 

The presidency of the council is held by each of the members in turn for one month, following the English alphabetical order of the Member States' names.

 

"As the largest democracywe will be promoting very fundamental values like democracy, human rights and development," India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti told PTI.

3:57 PM

Rupee settles 4 paise lower at 73.11 (provisional) against US dollar

3:37 PM

PM Narendra Modi lays foundation stone of Light House Projects

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday laid the foundation stone of Light House Projects under the Global Housing Technology Challenge-India (GHTC-India) at six sites across six states, a programme that seeks to build over 1,000 houses each in these cities in 12 months. Speaking at the event organised virtually, Modi said housing for the poor and the middle class has been a priority for his government.

 

He said various measures taken by his government in the last six years has restored the confidence of the common man that he can own a house.

 

Earlier, he said, people's dream of having a house of their own was shaken as despite spending money they would often not get the promised home in time and were not sure of legal support, if needed. High interest rate was also a dampener, he added. Construction sector acts as a force multiplier for the economy, he noted and added that his government has taken a number of steps to boost the real estate sector and will continue to do so.

3:00 PM

School reopens for classes 10th and 12th today in Bengaluru

2:35 PM

NYSE to delist three Chinese telcos to comply with US executive order

Amid growing concerns of security, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) said on Friday that it will delist three Chinese companies to comply with a US executive order that imposed restrictions on companies that were identified as affiliated with the Chinese military, reported South China Morning Post (SCMP).

 

The three companies -- China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom Hong Kong -- will be delisted between January 7 and January 11 and proceedings to delist them have started, according to a statement by the NYSE.

 

These companies having separate listings in Hong Kong generate all the revenue for China without any meaningful presence in the US. Thus using the US soil to generate investments in China - an abusive business practice. These companies are involved in civilian and military production with money from US investors.

2:24 PM

Exit gates of Khan Market, Supreme Court, Central Secretariat and Mandi House closed: DMRC

2:17 PM

GST collections touch record high of over Rs 1.15 trillion in Dec 2020: Finance Ministry

1:57 PM

Global challenge of Covid-19 has given scope to innovate: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday laid the foundation stone of the Light House Projects (LHP) under the Global Housing Technology Challenge (GHTC-India) and said the worldwide challenge of Covid-19 has given the scope to innovate and incubate with new technology.

 

The six LHP has been conceptualised by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. The project aims to identify and mainstream several innovative technologies from across the world which are sustainable and disaster-resilient.

 

Speaking on the occasion, Modi said: "This global challenge of Covid-19 has given us the scope to innovate and incubate with new technology. From today, work is starting on six Light House Projects at different locations. These projects will be completed by modern technology and innovative processes."

1:30 PM

Maruti Suzuki December sales up 20 pc to 1.6 lakh units

Maruti Suzuki, the country's largest passenger car manufacturer, posted total sales of 1.6 lakh units in December, marking a growth of over 20 per cent from 1.33 lakh units in the same month of last year. At the same time, export sales rose by more than 31 per cent to 9,938 units from 7,561 units in December 2019, it said on Friday. On the other hand, domestic sales moved up 17.8 per cent to 1.46 lakh units from 1.24 lakh units. The compact-segment (WagonR, Swift, Celerio, Ignis, Baleno, Dzire, Tour S) witnessed nearly 18 per cent jump in domestic sales at 77,741 units from 65,673 units in the same period.

1:18 PM

Partnership between Centre-States 'has strengthened cooperative federalism': PM

The Light House Projects (LHPs), being set up in six states across the country, gives a new direction to housing projects in the country and has strengthened cooperative federalism, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday. "Today, the country is getting new technology for the construction of houses for the poor and the middle class. I believe that these six projects will be like a pillar of light just like the name 'Light House' suggests. This will take housing construction to a whole new direction," Prime Minister Modi said at the launch of Light House Projects across six states. "States from all four directions of the country took part in this, strengthening the feeling of cooperative federalism," PM Modi added.

 

1:11 PM

2021 will be year of growth, vows Pak PM

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday said the new year will be a year of economic growth for the country. He said that the country was already moving in the right direction with essential industries increasing output. Speaking at an event in Islamabad, the Prime Minister said the construction industry was already on its way up, which he said was evident from rising cement sales in the country, the Dawn reported. "When cement sales are increasing it is a clear sign that construction activity is on the rise," he said.

1:07 PM

One year to creation of CDS

1:01 PM

OMCs hold petrol, diesel prices for 25th consecutive day

Petrol and diesel remained unchanged on Friday across the four metropolitan cities. Retail fuel prices were unchanged for the 25th consecutive day after they were last revised on December 7. In the national capital, petrol price was at Rs 83.71 per litre. In Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata, the fuel was sold for Rs 90.34, Rs 86.51 and Rs 85.19 per litre, respectively.

 

12:55 PM

Drass freezes at -26.8, Gulmarg at -9 degree C

Extreme cold wave conditions continue in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh on Friday as the minimum temperatures plunged well below the freezing point everywhere in Kashmir and Ladakh. "We are expecting light to moderate snowfall between January 4 and 5. Till that time the present cold wave is likely to continue unabated," an official of the MeT department said. The ongoing 40-day long period of harsh winter cold known locally as the 'Chillai Kalan' will end on January 31. Srinagar had minus 6.4, Pahalgam minus 7.8 and Gulmarg minus 9 as the minimum temperatures of the day.

 

12:42 PM

Tendulkar says shouldn't take mother nature for granted

Former Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar on Friday extended New Year wishes to fans and penned down the invaluable lesson he learned from 2020.

The gloomy 2020 had brought the world to a standstill with sporting events getting postponed or cancelled due to the coronavirus before the England-West Indies series marked the resumption of international cricket. The 'Little Master' said we must be consciously grateful for things and should not take mother nature for granted. The legend hoped for a "safer and happier" 2021 and also pointed out that we must value relationships and to keep in touch with our loved ones.

 As we start afresh, hoping for a safer and happier 2021, let's carry forward invaluable lessons from last year: to be consciously grateful for things and not take mother nature for granted. To value relationships and to keep in touch with our loved ones," Tendulkar tweeted.

 

12:39 PM

Tendulkar says shouldn't take mother nature for granted

Former Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar on Friday extended New Year wishes to fans and penned down the invaluable lesson he learned from 2020.

The gloomy 2020 had brought the world to a standstill with sporting events getting postponed or cancelled due to the coronavirus before the England-West Indies series marked the resumption of international cricket. The 'Little Master' said we must be consciously grateful for things and should not take mother nature for granted. The legend hoped for a "safer and happier" 2021 and also pointed out that we must value relationships and to keep in touch with our loved ones.

 As we start afresh, hoping for a safer and happier 2021, let's carry forward invaluable lessons from last year: to be consciously grateful for things and not take mother nature for granted. To value relationships and to keep in touch with our loved ones," Tendulkar tweeted.

 

12:31 PM

Program underway to promote research and startups in modern housing: PM

Affordable Sustainable Housing Accelerators -India (ASHA-India) program is being run in the country to promote research and startups in modern housing technology: PM Narendra Modi at the launch of Light House Projects across six statesAffordable Sustainable Housing Accelerators -India (ASHA-India) program is being run in the country to promote research and startups in modern housing technology: PM Narendra Modi at the launch of Light House Projects across six states.