News Highlights: India has agreed to cut tariffs way down, says Donald Trump

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11:22 PM

Budget session of Telangana Assembly to begin on Mar 12

The Budget session of the Telangana Legislative Assembly will begin on March 12. Governor Jishnu Dev Varma has summoned the Assembly to convene at 11 am on March 12, an official release said on Friday. The state government is expected to pass a bill increasing reservations for backward classes to 42 per cent during the session.

10:45 PM

India has agreed to cut tariffs way down, says Donald Trump

Indian govt has agreed to cut tariffs way down, said US President Donald Trump.

10:33 PM

US dollar falters after data shows slowing labor market

The US dollar dropped to multi-month lows against the euro and yen on Friday after data showed the labor market in the world's largest economy slowed last month, creating fewer jobs than expected. The report suggested that the Federal Reserve remained on track to cut interest rates multiple times this year. US rate futures on Friday priced in 78 basis points (bps) of easing this year following the nonfarm payrolls report, or about three rate cuts of 25 bps each, according to LSEG calculations. The first rate reduction is likely to resume in June.

9:50 PM

Govt allows exports of broken rice

Govt allows broken rice exports 

9:44 PM

US reciprocal tariffs will impose one rate per country, says White House adviser

President Donald Trump's reciprocal tariffs planned for April 2 will impose one rate for each country that will reflect tariffs and non-tariff measures imposed on the U.S., White House trade adviser Peter Navarro told CNBC in an interview on Friday. "The concept here is one number-one number that reflects, in the aggregate, the unfairness embedded in the higher tariffs and non-tariff barriers that countries impose on us," Navarro said, adding that tariff actions will be at the industry level as well as country-specific investigations.

8:33 PM

Odisha tax dept imposes Rs 3.06 crore demand, Rs 31 lakh penalty on CEAT

CEAT says Odisha tax department issues order with Rs 3.06 crore demand, Rs 31 lakh penalty.

8:22 PM

Considering large scale banking sanctions on Russia, says Trump after Moscow ramps up attack

''I am considering large scale banking sanctions on Russia,'' said Donald Trump after Moscow ramps up attack.

7:42 PM

Cong leaders to meet on Monday to chalk out strategy for Parl's Budget session

Senior Congress leaders will meet here on Monday evening to plan the party's strategy during the second part of the Budget session of Parliament. The Congress's parliamentary strategy group will meet on Monday evening to evolve the party's strategy in cornering the government on key issues, sources said.

 

7:36 PM

India's high tariffs call for rethinking of ties: US commerce secy

India's high tariffs require a rethinking of its "special relationship" with the United States and should be brought down, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told India Today television on Friday. The United States is interested in a large and broad-based trade deal with India, Lutnick added.

7:19 PM

Telangana CM calls for all-party meet, accuses BJP of 'revenge politics' through delimitation

The BJP is pursuing "revenge politics" against the southern states through the proposed delimitation exercise, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy alleged on Friday and urged the Centre to convene an all-party meeting to discuss the issue. Speaking at the India Today Conclave in the national capital, Reddy claimed that the BJP wanted to reduce south India's parliamentary representation through the delimitation of parliamentary seats, which would adjust constituencies based on population.

7:11 PM

Defence Ministry seals $248 mn deal for procurement of engines for T-72 tanks

The defence ministry on Friday said it has inked a USD 248 million deal with Russia's Rosoboronexport for the procurement of engines for T-72 tanks. The deal also includes the transfer of technology from the Russian defence major to the state-run Armoured Vehicles Nigam Ltd (heavy vehicle factory) based at Avadi in Chennai.

7:03 PM

Vodafone Idea gets tax order for penalty of Rs 10.79 cr

Vodafone Idea got tax order for penalty of Rs 10.79 crore.

5:55 PM

Donald Trump says he sent letter to Iranian leader to negotiate deal

US President Donald Trump said he wants to negotiate a nuclear weapons program deal with Iran and sent a letter to Iran on Thursday saying he hoped they would negotiate. Trump made the comments in an interview with Fox Business Network broadcast Friday.

5:27 PM

IAF fighter jet crashes in Haryana's Panchkula district, pilot ejects safely, say police

IAF fighter jet crashes in Haryana's Panchkula district, pilot ejects safely, said police.

5:24 PM

Delhi High Court upholds interim award of Rs 115 cr to BHEL

Delhi High Court upheld interim award of Rs 115 crore to BHEL, said Bharat Heavy Electricals

5:11 PM

Forex reserves fall by $1.781 bn to $638.698 bn, says RBI

India's forex reserves dropped by $1.781 billion to $638.698 billion in the week ended February 28, says RBI.

5:02 PM

CM Siddaramaiah announces several welfare schemes for minorities

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday announced various welfare schemes for minorities in his budget for the fiscal year 2025-26, including Rs 50,000 to support simple marriages and Rs 1,000 crore under the Chief Minister's Minority Colony Development Programme. The BJP criticised these measures calling them appeasement.

4:58 PM

J&K Budget unveils series of welfare and development initiatives for 2025-26

Jammu and Kashmir's first budget in seven years, presented on Friday by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah with an outlay of Rs 1.12 trillion, unveiled a series of welfare and development initiatives for the Union Territory during financial year 2025-26, reflecting "people's aspirations". The budget emphasises inclusive growth, fiscal prudence, and strategic investments in key sectors, including infrastructure, agriculture, industry, healthcare, education, digital governance, and tourism.

4:56 PM

India, US in process of advancing discussions on multi-sector BTA: MEA

India and US are in process of advancing discussions on a multi-sector bilateral trade agreement, said MEA.

4:42 PM

SC agrees to hear CBI plea against bail to ex-DHFL promoter Dheeraj Wadhawan

The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear the CBI's plea challenging the Delhi High Court's order of bail to former DHFL promoter Dheeraj Wadhawan in the multi-crore bank loan scam case. A bench of Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar issued notice to Wadhawan and sought his response on the plea. The high court on September 9, 2024 granted him bail on medical grounds saying Wadhawan fell within the parameters of a "sick person". During the arguments in the apex court, additional solicitor general S V Raju, representing the CBI, argued Wadhawan was a man with "money bags" and spent most of the time out in hospital.

4:39 PM

Assam Opposition demands special package for 'chars' to address development gaps

Opposition parties of Assam on Friday demanded a special package for ‘chars' (riverine vegetative islands), maintaining that residents of these areas lack adequate education, healthcare and other basic facilities. The government, however, claimed that "development and welfare of char areas are being pursued through various schemes and there was no need for a special package." Congress MLA Abdul Batin Khandakar had moved the resolution in the Assembly urging the government to grant special package to mitigate the development disparity of the char areas.

4:26 PM

Centre to open 25,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendra across country to provide quality generic medicines: PM Modi

PM Modi reiterates his call of reducing consumption of cooking oil by 10 per cent to tackle obesity.

4:23 PM

Nagaland all-party delegation to meet Shah over Free Movement Regime with Myanmar

The Nagaland Assembly on Friday decided that an all-party delegation would meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah to apprise him about the "resentment of the Naga people" against the Centre's decision to scrap the Free Movement Regime (FMR) with neighbouring Myanmar.The central government in January last year announced that the FMR, which allows people residing close to the India-Myanmar border to venture 16 kilometres into each other's territory without visa, would end soon.

4:16 PM

Odisha govt forms professors'' panel to ensure academic environment at KIIT varsity: Minister

Days after the death of a Nepalese student on the KIIT University campus, the Odisha government has set up a professors' committee to safeguard the interest of students and ensure proper academic environment at the private institute, a minister said in the assembly on Friday. Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj said the government also summoned six more officials of the private institute to record their statements on the death of the undergraduate woman and the subsequent attack on Nepalese students of the institute.

4:10 PM

Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu is our pride and legacy, says PM Modi

Union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu has emerged as an education hub, says PM Modi.

3:37 PM

2 dead, 186 missing after 4 migrant boats capsize off Yemen, Djibouti

The United Nations migration agency says four migrant boats have capsized in waters off Yemen and Djibouti, leaving two people dead and 186 missing. Two of the boats capsized off Yemen on Thursday, said Tamim Eleian, a spokesperson for the International Organisation for Migration. Two crewmembers were rescued, but 181 migrants and five Yemeni crewmembers remain missing.

3:19 PM

11 Naxalites with bounty of Rs 40 lakh surrender in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur

Eleven Naxalites, including seven women, carrying a collective cash reward of Rs 40 lakh on their heads surrendered in Narayanpur district of Chhattisgarh on Friday, a police official said. The cadres turned themselves in before senior police, Border Security Force (BSF) and Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITMP) officials here, Narayanpur Senior Superintendent of Police Prabhat Kumar said.

3:16 PM

SC grants interim bail to MLA Abbas Ansari in a case under UP's gangster law

The top court has asked MLA Abbas Ansari not to leave his official residence in Lucknow and seek prior court nod before visiting Mau constituency.

 

2:43 PM

Cong protests outside SSP office in Uttarakhand's Rudrapur against party leader's 'harassment'

Congress workers led by Leader of Opposition in Uttarakhand Assembly Yashpal Arya have caused a ruckus outside the office of the senior superintendent of police to protest the alleged harassment of party leader Sarwar Khan by the force. Sarwar Khan was recently taken to the Kiccha police station for interrogation following a complaint from a man that the Congress leader had attacked him during the recently held cooperative elections.

2:32 PM

J-K chief minister presents Rs 1.12 trillion budget

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday presented a zero-deficit budget in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, announcing an outlay of Rs 1.12 trillion for 2025-2026 and emphasising multi-sector welfare and development of the Union Territory. Abdullah, who also holds the finance portfolio in the National Conference-led government, presented his maiden budget in the legislative Assembly.