Live: RIL's Q4 consolidated PAT rises 22.5% YoY to Rs 16,203 crore

Live: Reliance Industries on Friday reported its Q4 results.

6:15 PM

Tata Power net profit rises over 31 pc to Rs 632 cr in Q4

Tata Power has reported an over 31 per cent rise in its consolidated net profit to Rs 632.37 crore in the March 2022 quarter, mainly on the back of higher revenues.

Its consolidated net profit was Rs 481.21 crore in the year-ago quarter, according to a statement.

5:36 PM

Reliance Jio Q4: Company's net profit rises 15.4% QoQ to Rs 4,173 cr

Reliance Jio Infocomm, an unit of Reliance Industries, on Friday reported a 15.4 percent quarter-on-quarter increase in net profit at Rs 4,173 crore for the quarter ended March. The company's revenues for the quarter grew 8 percent sequentially to Rs 20,901 crore.

 

4:39 PM

L&T Infotech, Mindtree to merge ops to form $3.5 bn IT firm

IT services company L&T Infotech (LTI) said on Friday it would merge its operations with Mindtree Ltd, forming a large-scale player to take on bigger competitors in the country's booming IT industry. "The proposed integration will see L&T Infotech and Mindtree join strengths to create an efficient and scaled-up IT services provider exceeding $3.5 billion," L&T Infotech said in a statement. More here

4:30 PM

Indian stocks register worst week since Nov

Indian shares closed over 1% lower on Friday and registered their worst week since November, as investors fretted that fast-paced interest rate hikes to fight surging inflation would slow global economic growth.

3:40 PM

Punjab police filed case against Bagga in April

Punjab police in April booked Bagga on the charges of making provocative statements, promoting enmity and criminal intimidation. The case was registered on a complaint of AAP leader Sunny Ahluwalia, a resident of Mohali, PTI reported.

3:38 PM

Punjab police didn't inform us about Bagga's arrest: Delhi Police

The Punjab Police says it arrested Bagga in connection with a case registered against him in Mohali last month. Bagga's father complained that some people came to the house around 8 am and took away his son, PTI reported. The Punjab police team did not inform the local police in Delhi before arresting Bagga, a Delhi Police official said.

2:53 PM

Amnesty International: Russia must face war crimes justice

Amnesty International says it has documented extensive war crimes by Russian forces in communities around the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, including arbitrary executions, bombardments of residences and torture, AP reported

 

The pattern of crimes committed by Russian forces that we have documented includes both unlawful attacks and willful killings of civilians, Agnes Callamard, Amnesty International's Secretary General, said in a statement on Friday. It is vital that all those responsible, including up the chain of command, are brought to justice.

 

The organization said it collected evidence and testimony in eight cities near Kyiv, including Bucha. After Russian forces retreated from Bucha in April, corpses were found lying on streets, many with their hands bound behind their backs, and in mass graves. Kyiv regional governor Oleksandr Pavlyuk said that at least 1,235 civilian bodies have been found in the region.

2:48 PM

Kerala govt approves medico-legal protocol for arrested and remanded prisoners

The Kerala government on Friday gave the nod for the medico-legal protocol regarding the procedures to be followed in conducting medical examinations of arrested persons and remanded prisoners, PTI reported.

 

A cabinet meeting accorded sanction for the protocol with amendments suggested by the Law Department, an official statement said.

 

A decision was taken to set up special courts in Thiruvananthapuram and Thrissur by creating 12 posts each for hearing cases registered under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, it said.

2:33 PM

Assam BJP, coalition partners meet on future govt schemes

Ministers and legislators of the BJP-led ruling coalition in Assam have closeted in a brainstorming session at Kaziranga on Friday on the developmental programmes to be undertaken by the state government, which will be completing its first year next week, PTI reported.

 

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the BJP's North East general secretary (Organisation) Ajay Jamwal and chiefs of the saffron party's allies - Atul Bora of Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Pramod Boro of United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) - and others are attending the meeting.

2:18 PM

No Covid death in Delhi has gone uncounted, says Health minister Jain

No Covid death in the national capital has gone uncounted, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said on Friday, a day after the World Health Organisation estimated that there were 4.7 million (47 lakh) deaths from the virus in India, PTI reported.

 

Covid death data given by the national capital to the Centre is completely authentic and correct, Jain, who is here to attend a Swasthya Chintan Shivir organised by the Union Health Ministry, said.

 

"I cannot comment on the data for the entire country or other states but no Covid death in the national capital has gone uncounted," Jain said.

2:10 PM

India now working for bigger purpose of global welfare: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that today everyone feels that India is now moving beyond 'probability and potential' and performing a bigger purpose to ensure global welfare, IANS reported.

 

Modi was virtually addressing the inaugural session of Jain International Trade Organisation's 'JITO Connect 2022'.

 

The Prime Minister noted the spirit of 'Sabka Prayas' in the theme of the programme, and said today the world is considering India's development resolutions as a means of achieving its goals. "Be it global peace, global prosperity, the solutions related to the global challenges or strengthening of the global supply chain, the world is looking towards India with great confidence. I have just returned after informing many European countries about India's resolution for the 'Amrit kaal'," he said.

1:50 PM

India expects to seal FTA with European Union by next year : Goyal

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday said India will be able to conclude a free trade agreement (FTA) with the European Union by next year, PTI reported.

 

Speaking at an event organised by the IMC Chamber of Commerce, Goyal said the country has already sealed pacts with the UAE and Australia, and is in negotiations with other countries or blocs including the EU, UK, Canada and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

 

By next year, we would be able to conclude an FTA with the EU, Goyal said, adding that a delegation from Italy including its foreign minister is in New Delhi now with which he will be having deliberations.

1:23 PM

Constitute Covid commission, pay Rs 4 lakh compensation: Cong on WHO report

After the WHO released its report on the Covid deaths, the Congress on Friday demanded the constitution of a Covid commission and a compensation of Rs 4 lakh each to the families who lost their members in the pandemic, IANS reported.

 

Addressing a press conference, Congress spokesperson Gaurav Vallabh said, "Heeding to our demand for the last two years, the government must immediately form a Covid commission with members from all parties to analyze the deaths that happened due to unavailability of Oxygen, broken supply chain in case of vaccines and medicines and plan for better management during such pandemics and pay Rs 4 lakhs to the families of the people who have died due to Covid. If it can't provide the medical care and facilities, this is the least the Modi government can do to pay respects."

1:08 PM

BJP's Tajinder Bagga arrested for communal inflammatory statements, says Punjab Police

Punjab Police on Friday arrested Bharatiya Janata Party leader Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga from his residence in the national capital over charges of communal inflammatory statements, promoting religious enmity, and criminal intimidation, ANI reported.

 

The Punjab police said that they had sent Bagga five notices to join the investigation but he "deliberately" chose not to do so.

 

"Today morning following due process of law, Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga was arrested from his home in Janakpuri, New Delhi. He is being brought here (Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, Punjab) and will be produced in court," Punjab Police said.

1:07 PM

India's total fertility rate declines from 2.2 to 2.0: National Family Health Survey

12:48 PM

Sri Lanka lost around 1 million taxpayers since 2019 tax cuts, says finance minister Sabry

Sri Lanka lost around 1 million taxpayers in the last two years after the Gotabaya Rajapaksa regime announced sweeping tax cuts in 2019 in its bid to spur growth, Finance Minister Ali Sabry has revealed, as the island nation faced an unprecedented economic crisis, PTI reported.

 

These tax cuts were introduced in November 2019 in keeping with President Rajapaksa's election pledges.

12:34 PM

SC collegium recommends names of CJ of Gauhati HC, Guj HC judge for elevation

The Supreme Court collegium headed by CJI N V Ramana has recommended to the Centre the names of Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and Gujarat High Court Judge Justice Jamshed B Pardiwala for elevation as judges in the top court, an official statement said on Friday, PTI reported.

 

The recommendations, if accepted by the Centre, would ensure that the apex court would regain its full strength of 34 judges and Justice Pardiwala would go on to become the CJI for over two years.

 

The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended elevation of the following Chief Justice/Judge of the High Courts, as Judges in the Supreme Court: 1. Mr. Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia, Chief Justice, Gauhati High Court, (Parent High Court; Uttarakhand); and 2. Mr. Justice J B Pardiwala, Judge, Gujarat High Court, said the collegium's resolution posted on the apex court website.

12:18 PM

Rajasthan to see more power cuts as electricity demand soars

In view of the high electricity demand than the availability, the Rajasthan government has decided to go in for more power cuts, days after providing a breather by reducing the scheduled daily outage, PTI reported.

 

The state government had reduced the scheduled power cut timing from May 1 but has again decided to cut power across the state as per the schedule announced on April 28.

 

Essential services will be exempt from power cuts, an official statement said.

11:51 AM

Asian Games 2022 postponed: Report

11:34 AM

PM Modi speaks on ‘vocal for local’ mantra

11:31 AM

India's top health experts question WHO report on excess Covid deaths, term it untenable

Questioning the modelling methodology used by WHO to estimate 4.7 million deaths in India due to Covid or its impact, top health experts have expressed disappointment over the global health body's "one-size-fits-all" approach to arrive at the figure, PTI reported.

 

ICMR Director General Balram Bhargava, NITI Aayog Member (Health) V K Paul, AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria and NTAGI's COVID-19 Working Group Chairman Dr N K Arora on Thursday rejected the WHO report as "untenable and unfortunate".

 

In its report released on Thursday, WHO estimated that nearly 15 million people were killed either by the coronavirus or by its impact on the overwhelmed health systems in the past two years, more than double the official death toll of six million.

11:05 AM

Self-reliant India is our path as well as our resolve: PM Modi

10:58 AM

Every Indian should be proud of the world’s optimism and trust for India: PM Modi

10:57 AM

SpaceX brings 4 astronauts home with midnight splashdown

SpaceX brought four astronauts home with a midnight splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico on Friday, capping the busiest month yet for Elon Musk's taxi service, AP reported.

 

The three U.S. astronauts and one German in the capsule were bobbing off the Florida coast, near Tampa, less than 24 hours after leaving the International Space Station. NASA expected to have them back in Houston later in the morning.

 

NASA's Raja Chari, Tom Marshburn and Kayla Barron, and the European Space Agency's Matthias Maurer, embraced the seven astronauts remaining at the station, before parting ways.

 

10:22 AM

Pakistan rejects Jammu & Kashmir Delimitation Commission report

Pakistan's Foriegn Ministry has summoned India's Charge d'Affaires here and handed a demarche conveying Islamabad's categorical rejection of the Delimitation Commission report, PTI reported.

 

The Delimitation Commission has been tasked by the Indian government to redraw the boundaries of assembly and parliamentary constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir.

 

The three-member panel, headed by Justice (retd) Ranjana Desai, on Thursday signed the final order on redrawing the assembly constituencies of the Union Territory.

10:07 AM

Thane district reports 23 new Covid-19 cases

With the addition of 23 coronavirus positive cases, the infection count in Thane district of Maharashtra mounted to 7,09,132, an official said on Friday, according to PTI.

 

These cases were reported on Thursday.

 

As the virus did not claim anybody's life during the day, the death toll in the district remained unchanged at 11,893, he said, adding that the COVID-19 mortality rate is 1.67 per cent.

10:02 AM

Rahul Gandhi attacks Centre over WHO Covid death toll

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday attacked the government over a WHO report which claimed that there were 4.7 million Covid deaths in India, saying "science does not lie, Prime Minister Narendra Modi does", PTI reported.

 

Gandhi also demanded that the government should support the families that have lost loved ones by giving them the mandated Rs four lakh compensation.

The WHO on Thursday stated that 14.9 million people were killed either by COVID-19 directly or due to the pandemic's impact on health systems and society.

 

According to the report, there were 4.7 million Covid deaths in India, which is 10 times the official figures and almost a third of Covid deaths globally.

9:46 AM

ED raids locations in Jharkhand MGNREGA fraud case

The ED on Thursday conducted raids at multiple premises, including that of Jharkhand mining secretary, in connection with a money laundering case linked to alleged embezzlement of Rs 18 crore MGNREGA funds in Khunti district of the state, officials said, according to PTI.

 

The searches are being carried out under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) at 18 premises in Jharkhand, Bihar and West Bengal.

 

They said the premises of IAS officer and Jharkhand mining secretary Pooja Singhal are also being covered as part of the action.

9:38 AM

West Bengal govt asks private schools to stop offline classes amid harsh summer

The West Bengal government has asked all private schools in the state to stop offline classes from May 7 and switch over to the online mode due to the extreme summer conditions, a school education department official said on Friday, PTI reported.

 

Principal Secretary to the school education department, Manish Jain asked the private schools to hold online classes if they do not wish to advance the vacation time from May 2 as stipulated in a department notice in April.

 

"The private schools should not conduct in-person classes in school buildings now in the interest of students as they are falling sick in the extreme heat conditions. Also they should not take any unilateral decision against the statement of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on this issue," the official quoted Jain as saying at a meeting with private about 30 schools' authorities here.

9:26 AM

Don't patronize us: India's envoy to UN tells Dutch Ambassador

India's Permanent Representative to the UN, T.S. Tirumurti engaged in a Twitter spat with the Dutch Ambassador to the UK and Northern Ireland, Karel van Oosterom over New Delhi's abstention from voting at the General Assembly against Russia's war in Ukraine, IANS reported.

 

In a tweet late Thursday, Oosterom said: "You should not have abstained in the GA. Respect the UN Charter."

 

To this, Tirumurti replied: "Kindly don't patronize us Ambassador. We know what to do."