Highlights of the day: Manipur govt extends internet ban till March 2

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9:26 PM

Manipur govt extends internet ban till March 2

The Manipur government has extended internet suspension including mobile data services in Churachandpur district for another five days till March 2.

 

Manipur Home Department Joint Secretary Mayengbam Veto Singh in an order said that the state government, after reviewing the prevailing law and order situation in Churachandpur district, decided to continue suspension of internet service, mobile data services and internet/data services through VPN in the whole revenue jurisdiction of Churachandpur district, decided to continue suspension of internet service, mobile data services and internet/data services through VPN in the whole revenue jurisdiction of Churachandpur district.

9:26 PM

PM Modi says he reviewed projects worth Rs 17 lakh crore in 10 years

Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized that India's achievements are no longer a surprise to the world; it has become the new normal. Speaking at a global summit by TV9 News Network, he highlighted the growing trust in India, calling it the country's biggest recognition.

8:48 PM

Grant permanent commission to women in Indian Coast Guard: SC to Centre

Declaring that women cannot be left out, the Supreme Court on Monday told the Centre to ensure that women are granted permanent commission in the Indian Coast Guard and said the court will do it if the government doesn't. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said this while taking note of submissions by Attorney General R Venkataramani that there were some functional and operational difficulties in granting permanent commissions to Short Service Commission Officers (SSCOs).

8:48 PM

Namibian experts to visit MP for cheetah habitat

Namibian and African experts will soon visit MP's Gandhi Sagar and Nauradehi sanctuaries for cheetah habitation: Bhupender Yadav

8:48 PM

Trump appeals $454 mn fraud judgment

Donald Trump appeals $454 million civil fraud judgment, pushing legal fight into thick of the presidential campaign, reports AP

8:27 PM

Vijay Shekhar Sharma steps down as chairman of Paytm Payments Bank; bank reconstitutes board

Vijay Shekhar Sharma has quit as chairman of Paytm Payments Bank, PTI reported. The bank has reconstituted the board, revealed in a regulatory filing.  

7:54 PM

Grant permanent commission to women in Indian Coast Guard: SC to Centre

Declaring that women cannot be left out, the Supreme Court on Monday told the Centre to ensure that women are granted permanent commission in the Indian Coast Guard and said the court will do it if the government doesn't. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said this while taking note of submissions by Attorney General R Venkataramani that there were some functional and operational difficulties in granting permanent commissions to Short Service Commission Officers (SSCOs).

7:53 PM

Air India plans direct flights to Seattle, Los Angeles, Dallas

Air India plans to start more ultra long haul flights, mainly to the US cities, as it expands the aircraft fleet with more A350s and B777s, according to sources. The Tata Group-owned airline, which is also in the process of consolidating its operations, including by the proposed merger of Vistara, is looking to launch direct flights from Indian cities to Seattle, Los Angeles and Dallas.

7:53 PM

Bank of Israel keeps rates steady at 4.5%

The Bank of Israel kept interest rates steady on Monday after cutting by a quarter-point in January, taking a cautious approach even as the economy weakens as a result of Israel's war against Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Analysts polled by Reuters were split ahead of the decision, with seven expecting no move and seven projecting another 25 basis point reduction.

The central bank kept it benchmark rate at 4.5%.

Prior to January's cut, it had raised rates 10 straight times in an aggressive tightening cycle from a all-time low of 0.1% in April 2022, before pausing last July.

Israel's inflation rate eased to 2.6% in January, within the annual target range of 1%-3%.

The economy contracted by an annual 19.4% in the fourth quarter, reflecting the toll of the country's war with Hamas, to end 2023 with growth of 2%.

7:44 PM

Chinese Visa 'scam': Delhi court reserves order on Karti Chidambaram's ED charge sheet

A Delhi court reserved its order on whether to take cognisance of a charge sheet filed by the ED against Congress MP Karti Chidambaram and others and summon them in a money laundering case linked to the alleged Chinese visa scam. The judge posted the matter for March 16 after hearing the arguments by the counsel appearing for the Enforcement Directorate.

7:44 PM

US airman dies after setting himself on fire outside Israeli embassy, reports say

A US military service member, who had self-immolated outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington as a protest against the war in Gaza, has reportedly died.

7:44 PM

Paytm likely to partner with four banks

Paytm is likely to partner with Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, State Bank of India and YES Bank for processing transactions via the popular unified payments interface (UPI), two sources aware of the development said. The central bank has asked Paytm Payments Bank, the banking unit of Paytm to wind down its business by March 15, leading to disruption for the popular payment app.

5:00 PM

Either you give permanent commission to women in Coast Guard or the court will: SC to central govt

The top court on Monday said that women cannot be left out when it comes to the issue of granting permanent commission to Coast Guard officers, adding, "if you do not do it, we will do it".  The plea has been filed by a woman officer of the Coast Guard. The Supreme Court has set March 1 as the date for the next hearing.

 

4:53 PM

News update: 'Delhi model' showing direction to entire country, says CM Kejriwal in Delhi Assembly

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today said the Delhi governance model is showing direction to the entire nation in terms of education, health and electricity. The chief minister was underscoring the achievements of his government in Delhi in the three sectors during an address in the Assembly.

4:50 PM

Andhra Pradesh releases water from Kuppam Branch Canal Kuppam

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy today released water from Kuppam branch canal to meet the irrigation and drinking water needs of Kuppam and Palamneuru constituencies. The canal has been constructed at a cost of Rs 560 crore under the second phase of Anantha Venkat Reddy - Handri Neeva Sujala Sravanthi (AVR - HNSS) project. It is expected to provide irrigation water to 6,300 acres of ayacut through 110 minor irrigation tanks in Kuppam constituency and drinking water to  people in Kuppam and Palamaneru constituencies.

 

4:49 PM

Haryana INLD chief murder case: We don't trust govt, CBI should investigate, says Abhay Singh Chautala

"This entire matter should be investigated by the CBI under the monitoring by a sitting judge. We fully trust our Police. But we don't trust the Government. So, we had demanded a CBI investigation. An Adjournment Motion was given in the Assembly today, regarding the same. This was discussed in the Assembly. The Members questioned the Government about the law & order in the state...I spoke with the SP just now, and he told me that two people have been arrested & all the other people against whom the FIR has been registered will be arrested at the earliest. I still say that this murder has been orchestrated. This is a political murder," says INLD Secretary General Abhay Singh Chautala.  

4:23 PM

Ghazal maestro Pankaj Udhas passes away at 73

Popular Ghazal singer Pankaj Udhas has passed away at 73 after a prolonged illness on February 26, his family confirmed.

3:48 PM

Two hundred sixty stranded passengers airlifted in ‘Kargil courier' between J&K and Ladakh

The Indian Air Force (IAF) airlifted 260 stranded passengers between the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh today, an official said.

With this, a total of 1,551 passengers have been airlifted so far since the launch of the service on January 22 following closure of the Srinagar-Leh national highway due heavy snowfall, the official said. The AN-32 aircraft is also known as Kargil courier.

3:39 PM

News update: One dead, one injured injured in blast at Manipur University campus

A blast occurred at the Dhanamanjuri University complex in Imphal on February 24. One person was killed and another was injured. At approximately 9:30 pm, an explosion shook the vicinity of the All Manipur Students Union (AMSU) office within the Dhanamanjuri University complex in Imphal. One of the victims, 24-year-old Oinam Kenegy, was killed as a result of inujries, while the other, Salam Michael (24), is currently undergoing treatment.

3:18 PM

BrahMos will be our primary weapon now: Navy Chief after Rs 19,000 cr deal cleared by Center

Indian Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar stated that the Brahmos supersonic cruise missile will become the Indian Navy's primary surface-to-surface missile, replacing older systems acquired from other countries. He mentioned in an interview with ANI that Brahmos has evolved in range, capabilities, and lethality, and will now serve as the mainstay weapon for the navy. The Indian Navy has the expertise to swiftly install BrahMos missiles, which will also likely become the primary air-to-surface weapon for the Air Force.

2:27 PM

Homes of local TMC leaders ransacked in Sandeshkhali

A group of local ransacked properties of local TMC leaders, accused of tormenting villagers in the region, cops said on Monday.

The locals attacked a few houses in Bermajur area of Sandeshkhali, venting their fury against local TMC panchayat leader Shankar Sardar. Shankar, an accused of land grabbing, was not at home but his family members were beaten up by the villagers, he said.

2:13 PM

PM Modi unveils rail projects worth Rs 41,000 crore

Prime Minister Narendra Modi  underscored the changes initiated by the BJP government at the Centre in the railways, including the launch of Vande Bharat trains, an emphasis on cleanliness and electrification of tracks, as he unveiled rail projects worth Rs 41,000 crore

2:09 PM

People have seen new India being built in last 10 years: PM Modi

As he launched more than 2,000 rail infrastructure projects worth about Rs 41,000 crore, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday that India now dreams big and works day and night to fulfil its dreams. PM Modi said in his video address that the third term of his government will begin from June, but the scale and speech with which it has been working have surprised people.

2:03 PM

INLD Haryana chief news update: Ex-lawmaker among 12 booked in Nafe Singh Rathee murder case

A former Haryana MLA and 11 other people were booked in Indian National Lok Dal's state unit president Nafe Singh Rathee's murder case in Bahadurgarh near Delhi. Rathee and party worker Jai Kishan were sprayed with bullet by criminals on Sunday. 

Cops named former MLA Naresh Kaushik, Karambir Rathee, Ramesh Rathee, Satish Rathee, Gaurav Rathee, Rahul and Kamal. The FIR also mentions five unnamed people in the FIR.

1:43 PM

Congress, AIUDF walkout from Assam Assembly to protest Cabinet move to repeal Muslim marriages act

The Opposition Congress and All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) walked out from the Assam Assembly today, protesting the decision by the state Cabinet to repeal the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935.

 

Speaker Biswajit Daimary rejected the adjournment motion moved by the AIUDF to discuss the cabinet decision.

1:17 PM

Maratha quota agitation: Internet services suspended in 3 districts of Maharashtra

In view of the Maratha quota agitation, Internet services were suspended on Monday in Maharashtra's Jalna, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Beed districts to maintain law and order, officials said today. Borders of these districts have also been sealed as a precautionary measure, they said.

1:04 PM

No order stopping cops from arresting Trinamool Congress' Sheikh Shahjahan, says Calcutta HC

The Calcutta High Court said on Monday that there is no order stopping West Bengal police from arresting Trinamool Congress' Sheikh Shahjahan - the main accused in sexual assault and land grab allegations in Sandeshkhali. 

 

This comes TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee claimed on Sunday night that the W Bengal government is unable to arrest Shahjahan as the court had "tied the hands the police".

12:57 PM

Manipur update: Manipur govt extends internet suspension in Churachandpur district for another 5 days

In "view of the prevailing law and order situation" in the district, the Manipur government has extended internet suspension including mobile data services in Churachandpur district for another five days till March 2. Mobile service providers were also asked to ensure compliance of the order.

12:53 PM

Maharashtra Assembly Budget session: Maha govt tables supplementary demands of Rs 8,609 cr on Day 1

12:31 PM

Agnipath scheme gross injustice to country's youth:Congress chief Kharge to President

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge todaywrote to President Droupadi Murmu calling attention to the "gross injustice" done to the country's youths seeking regular employment in the armed forces due to the Agnipath schem.  Kharge urged her to ensure justice for them.