Highlights: PM to launch BJP's campaign for LS from MP's Jhabua on Feb 11

News updates: From CM Champai Soren's floor test in Jharkhand assembly to Iran leveraging UK bank account to covertly move money, catch all the latest updates from around the world here

10:53 PM

Avalanche hits J-K's Gulmarg; trapped skiers rescued

An avalanche hit the skiing slopes of Gulmarg resort in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district on Monday, trapping two skiers under the debris, officials said here.

 

The avalanche struck late afternoon when a group of skiers were coming down the slope, they said.

 

Two local skiers were caught under the debris of the avalanche but were rescued in time by fellow skiers and ski patrol personnel, they added.

 

On Sunday, authorities had issued avalanche warnings for hilly and mountainous areas of Kashmir, urging the residents to avoid unnecessary movement for the next 24 hours.

10:13 PM

'India won't aid Canada probe on Sikh separatist's killing till evidence shared'

India's High Commissioner to Canada has stated that India will withhold information from Canadian investigators regarding the murder of a Sikh separatist leader until Canada shares evidence, as reported in an interview with the Globe & Mail newspaper on Monday. "We need relevant and specific evidence for us to help the Canadian authorities,” High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma told the Globe & Mail a week ago. “Unless we see something relevant and specific, it would be extremely difficult for us to do anything to help the Canadian authorities.”

10:12 PM

US-India FTA

On Foreign Trade Agreements between US and India, US Secretary of State for Energy Resources Geoffrey R. Pyatt said, "Nobody today characterises their trade relationship as flat as a 'chapati'. It has become big and puffed up like a big 'puri'... I think we are not currently involved in any kind of a Free Trade Agreement negotiation with India, but we have ongoing and important negotiations about how to facilitate a further deepening of our trade relationship."

9:08 PM

Paytm denies reports on violation of foreign exchange rules

One97 Communications Ltd (OCL), the parent company of fintech major Paytm, denied reports about investigation or violation of foreign exchange rules by the company or its associate Paytm Payments Bank Limited. 

 

“One97 Communications Ltd (OCL) denies reports of investigation or violation of Foreign Exchange rules by the company or its associate Paytm Payments Bank Limited. To address recent misinformation, factual inaccuracies, and speculation, One97 Communications Limited (OCL / Paytm / company) would like to set out the company’s position and directly address rumours in the recent misleading media reports about the company,” it said in an exchange filing. 

 

On Monday, media reports quoting sources claimed that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was investigating if platforms run by OCL were involved in violations of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).

 

8:58 PM

PM to launch BJP's campaign for LS polls from MP's Jhabua on Feb 11

PM Modi will launch BJP's campaign for upcoming Lok Sabha elections from tribal-dominated Jhabua in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday by addressing a rally.

"After the consecration of Lord Ram Lalla's idol in Ayodhya, the prime minister is coming to Jhabua district to kickstart the party's campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls and address a rally," MP BJP unit president Vishnu Dutt Sharma said.

8:22 PM

Free bus travel for transgender in Delhi

8:16 PM

States/UTs get power to ban SIMI under UAPA

MHA delegates powers to state/UT governments to designate the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) as an ‘unlawful association’ under UAPA.

The Centre recently renewed the ban on SIMI as an ‘unlawful association’ under UAPA for five more years.

8:16 PM

MEA’s 4th Disarmament & International Security Affairs

MEA Jaishankar engaged with the 4th Disarmament & International Security Affairs Fellows from various parts of the world. “Spoke on contemporary geopolitics, opportunities & challenges of new age technologies, and the economics and politics of globalisation. Also addressed democratisation of technology, transparency and security of data flows, digital public infrastructure and regional security issues,” MEA said on X.

7:22 PM

Find sources to augment drinking water supply in industrial areas, Minister tells officials

Karnataka's Minister for Large and Medium Industries M B Patil held a meeting on Monday with officials of various departments to find effective solutions to mitigate the shortage of drinking water supply in various industrial areas of the state.

 

Rural Development Minister Priyank Kharge and officials of Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board and Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board and Rural Water Supply Department participated in the meeting convened at Khanija Bhawan.

 

Patil noted that the industrial areas of Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Chikkaballapura, Tumakuru and Kolar districts are facing severe drinking water shortage. Further, the Dharwad industrial area requires 45 MLD of drinking water every day, he said, which can be supplied from the Hidkal reservoir.

7:22 PM

Amidst diplomatic row, China displaces India as largest tourism market for Maldives

Amidst a diplomatic row between the Maldives and India, Chinese tourists have overtaken Indian holidaymakers visiting the archipelago nation, according to official figures released here on Monday.

 

According to official statistics from the Maldivian Ministry of Tourism, as of February 4, China, with 23,972 tourists occupied the number one slot (11.2 per cent market share in 2024); it was on the number three spot in 2023.

 

India, which was on the number 1 slot in 2023, has slipped down to 5th position as of Sunday with 16,536 tourists (7.7 per cent market share in 2024) coming to this island nation.

 

The development could be a fallout of a full-blown backlash directed at the Maldives following the derogatory remarks against India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media by three Maldivian ministers after Modi posted photos and video on X of his visit to the pristine Lakshadweep Islands on India's west coast earlier in January.

7:19 PM

Uttarakhand Assembly session on UCC begins

A session of the Uttarakhand Assembly convened especially to bring a legislation on the Uniform Civil Code began here on Monday.

 

Before the start of the session, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) will be "for the good of all sections" and there is no need to worry as he urged members of other parties to debate the bill in the House in a positive manner.

 

It will help realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Sab ka Saath, Sab ka Vikas, Sab ka Prayas, Sab ka Vishwas' and 'Ek Bharat, Sreshtha Bharat', he told reporters.

 

"Not only Uttarakhand but the entire country was waiting for the UCC. The wait is coming to an end on Tuesday when it will be tabled in the state assembly. The whole country will be watching how the bill is brought in the House here and passed," Dhami said.

 

The UCC will be presented in the House on Tuesday, followed by a debate on it.

6:55 PM

Adani Total Gas and INOXCVA collaborate

Adani Total Gas and INOXCVA have forged a strategic partnership aimed at bolstering the liquefied natural gas (LNG) ecosystem in India.

6:17 PM

Gujarat Assembly passes resolution hailing PM for Ram temple event; Cong, AAP support it

A resolution lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the successful consecration ceremony at the new Ram temple in Ayodhya was unanimously adopted by the Assembly in the BJP-ruled Gujarat here on Monday during the ongoing budget session.

 

It thanked Modi for carrying out a "historic cultural duty that will be remembered for millennia".

 

The resolution, moved by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, was passed unanimously as besides the BJP MLAs, members of the opposition Congress as well as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) extended their support to it.

 

Extending his party's support, senior Congress MLA Arjun Modhwadia reminded the House it was then-PM Rajiv Gandhi who allowed foundation stone laying ceremony at the site, where the temple has come up in Ayodhya, way back in 1989.

6:11 PM

Delhi schools to resume normal timings from February 6

Schools in Delhi have been directed to resume normal timings from Tuesday following an improvement in the national capital's weather conditions, according to an official order.

 

Delhi schools were commencing classes from 9 am due to cold weather conditions, following a circular from the Delhi government's Directorate of Education (DoE) last month.

 

The DoE had also directed the schools not to hold classes beyond 5 pm.

 

In an order issued on Monday, the DoE said, "In view of the improved weather conditions in Delhi, all government, government-aided and recognised private schools of Delhi shall resume their full normal timings with effect from Tuesday."

5:32 PM

Delhi jal board money laundering case

Rouse Avenue court in Delhi extends the ED custody for DJB's retired chief engineer Jagdish Arora and contractor Anil Agarwal for a further five days. They have been arrested in a money laundering case related to the supply of Electromagnetic flow metres to Delhi Jal Board. They were produced after the expiry of five days of custody.

5:20 PM

Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis meets EAM Dr S Jaishankar in Delhi

On the meeting, EAM says, "Discussed further strengthening of our bilateral ties after celebrations of the 75th year of the India-Switzerland friendship treaty last year. Exchanged perspectives on regional and international issues, including the conflict in Ukraine."

4:58 PM

Delhi HC refuses to quash summons against Kejriwal in defamation case

The Delhi High Court on Monday upheld summons issued to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as an accused in a criminal defamation case for retweeting an allegedly defamatory video circulated by YouTuber Dhruv Rathee in May 2018.

 

Retweeting a social media post carrying defamatory content will amount to defamation under Section 499 of the IPC, Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma said while refusing to quash the trial court's 2019 order summoning Kejriwal.

 

The court also said that some sense of responsibility must be attached while retweeting content on social media about which a person does not have knowledge.

 

The AAP leader had challenged two orders of the trial court on the refusal to quash the summons. The high court had earlier stayed trial court proceedings in the case.

4:05 PM

If INDIA bloc comes to power, it will remove 50% on reservation: Rahul Gandhi

If INDIA bloc comes to power, it will remove 50 per cent cap on reservation, ensure Dalits, tribals, OBCs get their rights: Rahul Gandhi.

4:04 PM

BJP wanted to topple our govt in Jharkhand because it cannot accept a tribal chief minister: Rahul Gandhi

BJP wanted to topple our govt in Jharkhand because it cannot accept a tribal chief minister, says Rahul Gandhi at Ranchi rally. He further said that PM Modi used to say he is OBC, but when we demanded caste census and rights to OBCs, he started saying there are no castes.

3:49 PM

Delhi BJP VP offered crores of rupees to our elected MLA Dinesh Mohaniya: AAP's Saurabh Bharadwaj

On Crime Branch's notice to AAP leaders over a complaint filed by BJP, Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj says, "In 2014, Delhi BJP vice president offered crores of rupees to our elected MLA Dinesh Mohaniya. We recorded the sting video and gave it to the media. It was said that police are investigating the matter... It's been 10 years. Did the Crime Branch serve notice to anyone in the BJP?... We'll give new evidence but we want to know what happened to the earlier one?..."

3:04 PM

Imran Khan accorded 'high-profile' status, to perform prison labour: Report

Pakistan's former PM Imran Khan and ex-foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi despite being high-profile prisoners will have to perform prison labour inside the compound, PTI has reported.

 

2:53 PM

I-T Dept issues final notice to Shree Cement over Rs 4,000 cr tax liability

The Income Tax (I-T) Department has issued a final notice to Shree Cement post-completion of the probe for tax liability of Rs 4,000 crore, according to a report pubished in CNBC-TV18.

 

2:46 PM

Cong govt's protest in Delhi against 'njustice', not BJP: CM Siddaramaiah

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said the protest by the Congress government in New Delhi on February seven is against the 'injustice' by the Union government in tax devolution and grants-in-aid to the State, and not against BJP.

 

2:40 PM

Kerala annual budget: Liquor, court fee pricier; investments in tourism

To expand its revenue to undertake developmental work, Kerala government has increased the liquor prices and judicial court fees.

2:13 PM

Jharkhand CM Champai Soren wins floor test with 47 MLAs supporting his govt

What started as a political storm in Jharkhand appears to be stabilising as Jharkhand's newly sworn-in CM Champai Soren won the floor test with the support of 47 MLAs. The trust vote saw 29 MLAs in Opposition.

2:04 PM

India registers 122 new Covid-19 cases, active caseload reaches 1,522

India saw a single-day rise of 122 cases of Covid-19 infection, while the number of active cases of the infection was recorded at 1,522, the health ministry said.

 

1:35 PM

No one can trust what Arvind Kejriwal says: BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala

On AAP's allegation regarding poaching of its leader by BJP, Shehzad Poonawala says that 'He (Delhi CM Kejriwal) is the worst person in history to apologise and take a U-turn from his words. AAP people have been continuously making baseless allegations since 2013.' Poonawala furhter stated that 'No one can trust what Arvind Kejriwal says'.

12:58 PM

If corruption charges proved against me, I will quit politics: Former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren

Former Jharkhand CM and JMM leader Hemant Soren was speaking in the Jharkhand assembly where he said, "Today I have been arrested on charges of 8.5 acre land scam. If they have the courage, then show the documents of the land registered in my name. If it is proved, I will quit politics..."

12:55 PM

TRSL Q3 result: PAT rises 91.3% to Rs 75 cr, revenue reaches Rs 954 cr

Net revenues during the third quarter increased to Rs 954.68 crore from Rs 766.4 crore in the year-ago period.

 

12:31 PM

Nation is watching the injustice being done to Hemant Soren: J'khand CM Champai Soren

Jharkhand CM Champai Soren says, "Today the whole country is seeing how injustice is being done to Hemant Soren. If you go to any village, you will find Hemant Soren's schemes in every house..."