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11:23 PM

Russian opposition figure Kara-Murza has disappeared from prison, colleagues say

Supporters of prominent Russian opposition figure Vladimir Kara-Murza Jr., who is serving a 25-year sentence for treason, said Monday that he has disappeared from the Siberian prison where he was behind bars.

 

Kara-Murza, 42, was held in a prison in the Omsk region, but a letter sent to him by activist and journalist Alexander Podrabinek was returned with the notation that Kara-Murza was no longer there, Podrabinek said on Facebook.

 

A lawyer for Kara-Murza, Vadim Prokhorov, said another lawyer who tried to visit him on Monday was told that he wasn't in the prison, according to the Telegram news channel Agentstvo.

11:20 PM

Indian airports create opportunities for artists to showcase their talent in art: Scindia

As Indian airports are getting a touch of modern architecture, simultaneously they are giving opportunities to budding artists to showcase their talent by portraying Indian art, said Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia while sharing a video clip over 'X' on Monday.

 

"In our airports now across the country, we are trying to give it a modern bent of architecture. For example, our airport in Ayodhya has been built in the form of the Ram Mandir. Inside the airport, Lord Ram's path and his journey have been exhibited across multiple art forms... Similarly in Tiruchirappalli, the Ranganatha Swamy Temple has been depicted there. This gives a platform to budding artists to be able to showcase their talent," Scindia says in the video clip.

 

Earlier Scindia has informed that the under-construction new terminal of Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Airport will be ready by January 31 or the first week of February.

10:31 PM

Dozens are presumed dead after an overloaded boat capsizes on Lake Kivu in Congo

The majority of the 50 passengers aboard a wooden boat that capsized on a lake in eastern Congo are presumed to be dead, a local official said.

 

The boat crossing Lake Kivu was also carrying 20 bags of cement and likely sank Sunday due to being overloaded, said Mustafa Mamboleo, an official with South Kivu province.

 

Mamboleo said 10 people survived and three bodies had been found, and the search continued for about 37 people.

 

Deadly boating accidents occur frequently in Congo, where crews often overload small wooden vessels. Earlier in January, 22 people died on Lake Ma-Ndombe. Last April, six were killed and 64 went missing on Lake Kivu.

 

Maritime regulations often are not adhered to, Daniel Lwaboshi, director of Congo's Public Riverways Authority, said Monday on state television, adding that another primary driver of such accidents is overloading.

10:30 PM

Adityanath inspects arrangements for devotees at Ayodhya's Ram temple

In his sixth visit to Ayodhya this month, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday took stock of arrangements for devotees at the new Ram temple.
 

The temple has been witnessing a huge rush since the consecration ceremony of the new idol of Ram Lalla on January 22.
 

Adityanath took information about the arrangements from officials of the temple trust -- Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra -- and also conducted an inspection, according to an official statement.

This is the sixth visit of the chief minister to the city this month, it said.

10:27 PM

Promoters of Tips Industries sells 5 pc stake for Rs 247 crore

Promoters of Tips Industries, including Ramesh Taurani and Kumar Taurani, on Monday divested a 5 per cent stake in the company for Rs 247 crore through open market transactions.

 

Along with the Taurani brothers, their wives -- Renu Kumar Taurani and Varsha Ramesh Taurani -- were also the promoters of Tips Industries.

 

According to the bulk deal data available with the BSE, Kumar Sadhuram Taurani, Ramesh Sadhuram Taurani, Renu Kumar Taurani, and Varsha Ramesh Taurani offloaded a total of 65 lakh shares, amounting to a 5.06 per cent stake in Tips Industries.

 

The shares were disposed of in the price range of Rs 380-380.26 apiece, taking the combined transaction value to about Rs 247 crore.

10:26 PM

Rising sea levels may lead to more methane emitted from wetlands: Research

Global warming is causing sea levels to rise, which is altering ecosystems. Scientists assumed that the tidal wetlands present in estuaries could create less methane, a strong greenhouse gas because the increased influx of seawater renders these habitats less hospitable to methane-producing microorganisms.

 

However, research from biologists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and UC Berkeley indicates that these assumptions aren't always true. After examining the microbial, chemical, and geological features of 11 wetland zones, the team found that a wetland region exposed to a slight amount of seawater was emitting surprisingly high levels of methane - far more than any of the freshwater sites.

 

Their results, now published in mSystems, indicate that the factors governing how much greenhouse gas is stored or emitted in natural landscapes are more complex and difficult to predict than we thought.

10:25 PM

Tata Power proposes tariff revisions in Mumbai with sharpest jump for lower end consumers

Discom Tata Power on Monday proposed a "rationalization" of tariffs, which could see a sharp rise in power rates especially for lower end consumers.

 

The utility published an advertisement in newspapers, wherein it proposed to increase the rate per unit to Rs 7.37 per unit from the present Rs 3.74 paid by subscribers consuming up to 100 units per month, while the same for those for between 101-300 units is proposed to be increased to Rs 9.31 per unit from the present Rs 5.89.

 

When asked about the virtual doubling of charges for those consuming up to 100 units per month, a Tata Power official explained that the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission had stayed an earlier tariff structure in July and reverted to an older stricture first introduced in 2020.

10:22 PM

Ravindra Waikar leaves from ED office in Mumbai after around 8 hours of questioning

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ravindra Waikar leaves from the ED office in Mumbai after around 8 hours of questioning in connection with Jogeshwari land scam case

He says, "...We have submitted the bank documents and other details. If complaints are made in this manner and permission is revoked after granting it, it is absolutely wrong...".

10:08 PM

ED team camps at J'khand CM Soren's Delhi house, BJP claims he is 'absconding'

An Enforcement Directorate team on Monday visited the Delhi residence of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren to question him in connection with a money laundering investigation in an alleged land fraud case and camped there for over 12 hours.

 

Official sources claimed Soren was "missing" and could not be contacted by the federal agency but a family member alleged that a "false" narrative was being set to "delegitimise" the JMM leader's position.

 

The member, who did not wish to be identified, claimed there were repeated communications to ED and compliance to the summons including willingness to record his statement on January 31, 2024 at 1 pm at his Ranchi residence.

 

Soren had left Ranchi for Delhi on January 27, with his party saying on Monday that he had gone for personal work and will be back.

 

But the Jharkhand unit of the BJP claimed that the chief minister has been absconding for the last 18 hours, fearing action of the ED, and urged Governor C P Radhakrishnan to take cognisance of the matter as the "credibility and reputation of Jharkhand are at stake".

10:06 PM

Noida Airport's first phase development to cost Rs 10,056 crore; over 70 pc already spent

The first phase of development of the upcoming international airport in Noida will cost Rs 10,056 crore and so far, around Rs 7,100 crore has already been spent on it, officials said.

 

S P Goyal, Additional Chief Secretary to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, on Monday reviewed the progress of the international airport in Jewar and directed officials concerned to ensure completion of work by September this year.

 

The first phase of the airport, being developed in 1,300 hectares, is scheduled to open for flight operations by September.

 

Goyal held a review meeting with officials of developer Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL), a fully-owned subsidiary of Zurich International Airport AG, the concessionaire for the greenfield airport.

9:55 PM

Telangana CM directs officials to take steps to create 'digital health profile' for citizens

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has directed officials to initiate measures for the creation of a 'digital health profile' for citizens in the state.
 

Chief Minister Reddy, after a meeting with Health Minister C Damodar Rajanarasimha and officials, proposed the establishment of a 'digital health profile' linked to a unique number to facilitate emergency treatment, an official release said.

9:52 PM

Foreign Secretary Kwatra meets new Bhutanese Prime Minister; discusses ways to boost bilateral ties

Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra on Monday called on Bhutan's new Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and discussed areas of mutual interest and multifaceted cooperation to further boost India's relations with the Himalayan nation.
 

Kwatra arrived earlier here on a three-day trip, in the first high-level visit from India after the formation of a new government under People's Democratic Party (PDP) leader Tobgay.

9:44 PM

Bar associations cannot bargain for demands like trade unions, says Allahabad HC

Allahabad High Court has observed that courts are not industrial establishments and bar associations cannot bargain for their demands like trade unions, as it expressed serious concern over the ongoing strike at the Tehsil Bar Association, Rasra, in Uttar Pradesh's Ballia district.

 

The court also directed the Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh to bring on record guidelines framed by it, if any, on observance of condolences and other instances under which lawyers abstain from work and whether any action has been taken by it in the particular case or not.

9:42 PM

Alcoholic beverages to cost more in TN from Feb 1

The state-run liquor monolith Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) on Monday announced an increase in the price of all varieties of liquor, ranging from Rs 10 to Rs 80, with effect from February 1.

 

While a 650 ml bottle of beer will cost Rs 10 more, 180 ml (known popularly as quarter) of 'ordinary' and 'medium' range of brandy, whiskey and rum will be dearer by Rs 10 and consumers have to shell out Rs 20 more for the 'premium' range, an official release said.

 

As per the revised schedule, alcoholic drinks, sold in higher quantities will accordingly cost more.

9:29 PM

NTPC net profit rises 7.3% in Q3 FY24, revenue decreases 4%

NTPC Ltd.'s consolidated profit rose 7.3 per cent in the third quarter of fiscal 2024 on the back of net movement in regulatory deferral account balances, beating analysts' estimates. The state-run power producer's profit increased to Rs 5,208.9 crore in comparison with Rs 4,854.4 crore in the year-ago period, according to an exchange filing on Monday. Analysts polled by Bloomberg had estimated it at Rs 4,866.4 crore. Margin declined to 26.5 per cent, as compared with 32.4 per cent on the back of a drop in revenue and higher fuel costs. Revenue down 4 per cent at Rs 42,820.4 crore vs Rs 44,601.8 crore. Ebitda declined 21.5 per cent to Rs 11,362.1 crore vs Rs 14,477.6 crore.

 

9:13 PM

Lalu Yadav leaves probe agency office in Patna after 10 hours of questioning in land-for-jobs case

Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Yadav has left the Enforcement Directorate agency office in Patna after he was questioned for nearly ten hours in the land-for-jobs case.

9:09 PM

First phase of Cong yatra in West Bengal ends, exposes fissures in opposition bloc INDIA

The first phase of the Rahul Gandhi-led 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' in West Bengal concluded on Monday as it crossed into Bihar from Islampur, with plans to resume its journey in the state on January 31.

 

The Congress yatra has exposed internal rifts within opposition bloc INDIA in West Bengal, with the TMC, which has opted to contest the Lok Sabha elections independently, abstaining and the Left extending support.

 

The yatra after a night halt in Siliguri travelled to Chopra in Uttar Dinajpur before moving to Islampur and finally entering Bihar.

 

Party supporters and enthusiasts were seen greeting the Congress leader who was in a vehicle with a tight security cordon around the convoy.

 

The yatra, which commenced in Manipur on January 14, entered West Bengal from Assam on Thursday morning, with a brief hiatus as Gandhi returned to New Delhi.

9:09 PM

New Gandhi statue unveiled outside NYC temple after vandalism in 2022

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York State Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar unveiled a new statue of Mahatma Gandhi outside a temple in Queens here, replacing a previous sculpture that was vandalised twice more than a year ago.

 

Last year, the statue of Gandhi that stood in South Richmond Hill was destroyed. But our solidarity and spirit to rebuild was not. Today, we stood with the community to say in one voice: Hate has no place in our city, Adams said in a post on X.

 

We embody the values of justice for which Gandhi gave his life, he said after the new statue outside the Shri Tulsi Mandir in South Richmond Hill was unveiled last week.

 

Rajkumar, Adams, and community leaders unveiled the brand new Mahatma statue, which replaced the one that was "infamously destroyed in a hate crime in August 2022, Rajkumar's office said.

 

The unveiling of the new statue sends the message that love will always triumph over hate, her office added.

9:06 PM

Will meet Chhagan Bhujbal over his concerns on OBC quota: Fadnavis

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said he would allay the concerns of his cabinet colleague Chhagan Bhujbal over the OBC quota issue in view of the draft notification on the issuance of Kunbi caste certificates to eligible Marathas.

 

Without specifically mentioning the notification, Fadnavis said the government would make amendments if necessary.

 

His comments came against the backdrop of the draft notification issued by the government accepting the demands of Maratha quota leader Manoj Jarange regarding the issuance of Kunbi caste (OBC) certificates to the "sage soyre" (blood relatives) of Marathas.

 

He also said the government's decision (on Kunbi certificate notification) is not a blanket one.

9:06 PM

King Charles III has been discharged from a London hospital after a prostate procedure

King Charles III on Monday was discharged from a private London clinic after undergoing a corrective procedure for an enlarged prostate.

 

The 75-year-old monarch was admitted to the London Clinic, where the Princess of Wales, his daughter-in-law, also recently had abdominal surgery.

 

Charles, who ascended the throne 16 months ago, was diagnosed with the benign condition on Jan. 17 after he experienced undisclosed symptoms. He canceled engagements and was urged to rest before the procedure, which had concluded by Friday afternoon.

 

The king decided to announce the surgery in advance in an effort to encourage other men to have their prostates checked in line with public health advice.

9:05 PM

Nearly 18 crore domestic tourists visited Rajasthan in 2023: Govt

Nearly 18 crore domestic and about 17 lakh foreign tourists visited Rajasthan last year, the state assembly was informed on Monday.

 

According to a government reply in the Rajasthan Assembly, about 32.44 crore domestic tourists and over 22.20 lakh foreign tourists came to the state from January 2020 to December 2023 to visit its heritage sites.

 

In the year 2023, more than 17.90 crore domestic tourists and about 16.99 lakh foreign tourists visited Rajasthan, the government said in its reply to a question raised by BJP MLA Kalicharan Saraf.

 

A total of 1,51,17,239 domestic tourists and 4,46,467 foreign tourists visited Rajasthan in 2020, 2,19,88,734 domestic and 34,806 foreign tourists in 2021 and 10,83,28,156 domestic and 39,684 foreign tourists visited in 2022, the government said.

 

Notably, the Covid pandemic had affected the tourism industry during the period from 2020 to 2022.

 

MLA Saraf had asked for year-wise details of domestic and foreign tourist visits made in the state from January 2020 to December 2023.

9:05 PM

Prince Harry's lawyers seek $2.5 million in fees after win in British tabloid phone hacking case

A lawyer for Prince Harry asked a judge Monday to order the publisher of the Daily Mirror tabloid to pay nearly 2 million pounds ($2.5 million) for a portion of the legal fees spent to prove that Mirror Group Newspapers invaded his privacy by hacking his phone and using unlawful means to dig up scoops on him.

 

The Duke of Sussex was awarded 140,000 pounds ($178,000) in damages last month after the judge found that phone hacking was widespread and habitual at Mirror newspapers and executives at the papers covered it up.

 

The award was only a fraction of the sum he sought, but represented a major victory in his legal crusade against the British media. It is only one of several cases he has pending against tabloid publishers as he bucked his family's longstanding aversion to litigation and in June became the first senior member of the royal family to testify in court in over a century.

9:05 PM

In Brazil, a son of Bolsonaro is targeted by investigation over alleged political spying

Brazil's federal police on Monday searched the homes and office of Carlos Bolsonaro, a son of former President Jair Bolsonaro and a Rio de Janeiro city councilman, an officer with knowledge of the operation told The Associated Press.

 

The officer spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not allowed to comment publicly about the case.

 

Police said in a statement that they conducted nine searches Monday as part of a broader investigation into the nation's intelligence agency and alleged spying on political opponents during Bolsonaro's term, which ended in Dec. 2022.

 

Carlos Bolsonaro's lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the AP. Bolsonaro has not commented publicly on the search.

9:04 PM

Mulling new law to curb corruption: Himachal CM Sukhu

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday said his government was mulling a law to curb corruption and bring transparency to the system.

 

Sukhu chaired meetings with MLAs during the day regarding their priority for development-related schemes for the state's 2024-25 budget.

 

In the first session, he held talks with legislators from Una, Hamirpur and Sirmaur districts. During the second session in which he met with MLAs from Solan, Chamba, Bilaspur and Lahaul-Spiti districts, Sukhu said, "We are committed to provide transparent and accountable governance, and completely axe corruption."

 

9:02 PM

IP University to start online admissions for all programmes from Feb 1

The IP University will start the online admission process for all programmes from February 1 to March 31, an official release on Monday said.

 

The university released three separate admission brochures for the UG, PG and Ph.D programmes for the upcoming academic session 2024-25.

 

The online application portal for the old programmes of the university will open from February 1 while for new programmes it will be initiated from February 7," Vice-Chancellor Mahesh Verma told the media.

 

He added that the university has set up a Centre for Distance and Online Learning to widen the ambit of learning.

 

The university has this year also opened doors to the international students for Ph. D admissions, Verma said.

8:51 PM

PM to meet global oil & gas companies' CEOs next week

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will next week meet chief executives of top Indian and foreign oil and gas companies, where topics like energy supplies amid geopolitical conflicts and attracting investments are likely to be discussed.

 

Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said the meeting will happen on the sidelines of the second edition of India Energy Week being held in Goa from February 6 to 9.

 

Prime Minister had in recent years used annual jamboori of oil and gas sector -- previously as CERA India Week and now India Energy Week -- to meet chief executives of major oil and gas companies with a view to understanding the emerging energy scenario as well as to drum up investments in the energy sector of the country.

7:33 PM

Asean delegation to visit India on 17 Feb for FTA review

India and Asean member countries are set to revisit their free trade agreement (FTA). A delegation from Southeast Asia, comprising about 50 members, including high-ranking officials, will arrive in New Delhi for a three-day discussion starting 17 February, according to two people aware of the matter. -

The review will focus on the Asean Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA), which has been in place for over a decade, and will likely include more goods and services under non-tariff barriers, said one of the persons cited above. 

"There is also a need to modernise the ATIGA, which has been signed over a decade ago," the person said, requesting anonymity.

Officials from India and Asean have established a quarterly negotiation schedule, aiming to conclude the review by 2025. A key aspect of this review will be updating the Rules of Origin (ROO), to enhance the efficiency of the agreement, the person added.

7:29 PM

PNB board approves fund raising of Rs 7,500 crore via share sale in FY'25

State-owned Punjab National Bank (PNB) on Monday said the board of the bank has given green signal for raising Rs 7,500 crore through Qualified Institutions Placement (QIP)/Follow-on Public Offer (FPO) during 2024-25.

 

The decision in this respect was taken in a meeting held on January 29.

 

The board gave nod for raising of equity capital for an amount aggregating up to Rs 7,500 crore in one or more tranches during FY2024-25 through Qualified Institutions Placement (QIP)/Follow-on Public Offer (FPO) or any other permitted mode or a combination, PNB said in a regulatory filing.

 

The fund raising should be done in such a manner that the shareholding of the Government of India does not fall below 52 per cent, it added.

7:29 PM

Trump cannot 'bully' his way through nomination, says rival Nikki Haley

Donald Trump cannot "bully" his way through nomination, Indian-American presidential aspirant Nikki Haley has said after her party said that it's time for Republicans to unite around the former US president and frontrunner in the race for the White House in 2024.

 

Haley is the only remaining Republican after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Indian-origin entrepreneur turned politician Vivek Ramaswamy withdrew from the 2024 presidential race earlier this month with both endorsing Trump.

 

After the New Hampshire primary, where she came in second to Trump, there has been increasing pressure on the 52-year-old politician to withdraw from the race in favour of her former boss. Trump, 77, has also called on her to withdraw from the race.

6:53 PM

ITC Q3 results: Net profit rises 13% to Rs 5,572 crore; interim dividend announced

ITC Ltd reported standalone net profit at Rs 5,572 crore for the December quarter of FY24, registering a growth of 13 percent from Rs 4,927 crore in the same quarter of the previous financial year. The results beat Street estimates.

 

Total revenue from operations of the company fell marginally on year-on-year basis at Rs 17,651.85 crore, the company said in a regulatory filing on January 29.

 

The cigarettes-to-hotel conglomerate also announced an interim dividend of Rs 6.25 per share for the financial year 2023-2024. The board fixed the record date for the same on February 8.