News update: Sitharaman to table Economic Survey in Parliament on Friday

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8:25 PM

"This was preventable", says US Trasportation Secretary after a plane-helicopter crash

7:47 PM

Sitharaman to table Economic Survey in Parliament on Friday

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will table Economic Survey 2024-25 on Friday, providing an official assessment of the performance of the economy in the ongoing financial year, and list out the challenges being faced by the nation. The Economic Survey, tabled in Parliament ahead of the Union Budget, also provides the roadmap for reforms and growth. The document is prepared by a team led by Chief Economic Adviser V Anantha Nageswaran. The survey outlines the developments in the economy and various sectors, in addition to providing an outlook for the next financial year. The document is expected to provide an assessment of the key developments like slowing growth, declining value of the rupee against the US dollar, and subdued consumption demand. Often surveys come up with new and out-of-the-box ideas to meet challenges relating to poverty alleviation, climate change, education, infrastructure development, and financial sector.

6:11 PM

American Airlines Plane Crash Live: More than 30 bodies recovered from Potomac River, say media reports

4:50 PM

GP Singh takes charge as CRPF DG

IPS officer Gyanendra Pratap Singh Thursday took charge as the director general (DG) of the CRPF. The 1991 batch Assam-Meghalaya cadre officer was till recently serving as the Assam DGP. The new DG took charge at the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) headquarters at CGO complex on Lodhi Road.

4:49 PM

BJP defeats AAP in Chandigarh mayor poll; Cong gets senior deputy mayor, deputy mayor posts

The BJP on Thursday won the post of mayor while AAP-backed Congress candidates registered victory in the poll for the senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor posts in the high-stakes Chandigarh mayoral elections that took place here.

4:20 PM

Hindu Mahasabha celebrates Gandhi's assassination, honours Godse

The Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha on Thursday honoured Nathuram Godse, the man who killed Mahatma Gandhi on this day in 1948. Godse, allegedly linked with the Hindu Mahasabha, had shot Gandhi dead at a prayer meeting at Birla House in Delhi. He was hanged in an Ambala jail in 1949. Hindu Mahasabha members gathered at the 'Amar Martyr Nathuram Godse Nana Apte Dham,' a location tied to the right wing outfit, where they hailed Godse for the assassination.

4:17 PM

Fire breaks out in tent at Maha Kumbh, no casualties reported

Although the fire tenders faced difficulty in reaching the tents as there were no access roads, they were able to put out the fire in time and no casualties or injuries have been reported, an official said.

4:10 PM

BJP said those facing graft charges will be jailed, but they were inducted in cabinet: Raj Thackeray

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Thursday attacked the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, stating the party once said the leaders involved in a multi-crore scam would be put behind bars, but they were instead inducted into the state cabinet. Thackeray also expressed doubt over the outcome of the last year's Maharashtra assembly elections, and asked how Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) won 42 seats just months after it bagged only one seat in the Lok Sabha polls.

4:01 PM

Hearing in Rahul Gandhi defamation case deferred to Feb 11

Proceedings in a defamation case involving Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, scheduled to take place Thursday, were deferred after the Congress leader's lawyer fell sick. Special Judge Shubham Verma scheduled the next hearing for February 11. "The delay came after Rahul Gandhi's lawyer, Kashi Prasad Shukla, submitted a medical certificate stating that he was unwell and unable to attend the court proceedings. In response, Judge Verma set the new date for the hearing," Santosh Kumar Pandey, the advocate of Vijay Mishra, who has filed the case against Gandhi, said.

3:58 PM

BJP seeking to control Parliament Standing Committees: Congress

The Congress on Thursday alleged that the BJP was seeking to control the Parliament's standing committees by having 26 of its MPs as members of two panels contrary to the 'One MP, One Standing Committee' rule traditionally followed. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said since the establishment of the Standing Committees in the mid-1990s, Parliament has followed a 'One MP, One Standing Committee' rule. "Now there are 26 BJP MPs who are members of 2 Standing Committees. This shows how the Duo are seeking to control the Standing Committees," Ramesh said in a post on X.

 

3:31 PM

Madras HC orders appearance of State Home Secretary

The Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu Home Secretary to appear before it on January 31 over the "illegal practice" of police not registering FIR and filing final reports within the stipulated time. Justice P Velmurugan gave the directive on Wednesday while passing interim orders recently on a petition filed by P Sundar, which sought a direction to the Virugambakkam police to file a final report in a case registered in the year 2015.

3:09 PM

5.6 magnitude earthquake shakes buildings in Taiwan

A magnitude 5.6 earthquake shook buildings in Taiwan on Thursday morning, as a series of temblors hit the island, causing little damage but possibly portending more seismic activity in the near future. The biggest of the quakes hit at 10:11 am in Chiayi county's Dapu township at a depth of 10 kilometers, according to the Central Weather Agency and the US Geological Survey. 

2:52 PM

IUML leader's remarks on gender equality his personal view: UDF Malappuram

Congress-led UDF on Thursday said that the remarks on gender equality made by Indian Union Muslim League's (IUML) state general secretary PMA Salam were his personal views and the opposition does not agree with the same. Salam on Wednesday said, "Can we say man and woman are equal in all respects? Has the world accepted it? Saying they are equal is like closing your eyes to make it dark." 

2:01 PM

News update: Slab collapses at under-construction JK Cement factory in Panna district

1:50 PM

I will not let people of Delhi drink poisonous water till I am alive, says Kejriwal

CEC has made 'mess' of poll panel, says Arvind Kejriwal. The AAP chief has hit out at the EC over the language of its notice to him on his 'mixing poison' in Yamuna remark.

1:43 PM

INDIA bloc to raise all issues together in session: Pramod Tiwari

The opposition INDIA Bloc will raise all issues together in the Budget session of Parliament, Congress leader Pramod Tiwari said on Thursday. Emerging from the all-party meeting convened by the government ahead of the session, Tiwari also slammed the alleged "politicisation of Kumbh", saying VIP movements during Maha Kumbh were creating difficulties for the common man.

1:34 PM

BJP using fake car, number plate to frame AAP, alleges Sanjay Singh

BJP using fake car, number plate to frame AAP, alleges Sanjay Singh AAP leader Sanjay Singh said, "The BJP planted a car with a fake number plate in Delhi, loaded with AAP campaign material, cash, and liquor, and parked it outside Punjab Bhawan. The driver was absent, and the police unlocked the car quickly. Punjab Police has traced the car, its number plate, and the owner. This is an attempt to defame an Army officer and a state government through cheap politics."

1:17 PM

Vigilance raids underway on properties of Odisha govt official in disproportionate assets case

Sleuths of the Odisha vigilance department on Thursday conducted raids on the properties of a government official at various locations for allegedly possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. Search is underway at seven places, including Bhubaneswar, Balasore, Jajpur and Bonai, officials said.

 

12:43 PM

Over 7,000 student exchange visitors from India overstayed in US in 2023

Over 7,000 student and exchange visitors from India overstayed in the US in 2023, an expert told US lawmakers and suggested several reforms in the country's immigration policies, including those related to H-1B visas. As many as 32 countries have student/exchange visitor overstay rates of higher than 20 per cent, Jessica M Vaughan from the Center for Immigration Studies told the US House Committee on the Judiciary during a hearing on “Restoring Immigration Enforcement in America.” The F and M visa categories have the highest overstay rates of any of the broad categories of temporary admission.

12:19 PM

Authority upholds I-T attachment order in benami case against late Mukhtar Ansari

The Adjudicating Authority for the anti-benami law has confirmed a property attachment order issued by the Income-Tax Department as part of its probe against late Uttar Pradesh gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari. The 3,234 sq feet measuring asset is worth Rs 1.05 crore and is located in the Dalibagh area of Lucknow. It was provisionally attached by the Lucknow Benami Prohibition Unit (BPU) of the tax department in December, 2023 under the provisions of the Prohibition of Benami Properties Transaction (PBPT) Act.

11:54 AM

News update: Report of joint committee on Waqf (Amendment) Bill submitted to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla

11:37 AM

‘Promoting disharmony’: EC replies to Kejriwal response over ‘mixing poison’

The Election Commission has asked Arvind Kejriwal to explain why action should not be taken for his allegation of river poisoning which can promote disharmony between various groups.

11:08 AM

President Droupadi Murmu pays homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat

10:46 AM

60 bureaucrats, 10 police officers transferred in Manipur

The Manipur government has transferred 60 bureaucrats and 10 police officers with immediate effect, an official notification said. Director General of State Academy of Training, Paulunthang Vaiphei, has been given the charge of Additional Chief Secretary, while Anurag Bajpai, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests will be the Additional Chief Secretary (Textiles, Commerce and Industries).

10:26 AM

News update: Trump says he's been briefed on 'terrible accident' at DC's Reagan National Airport

10:21 AM

News update: Black Hawk that collided with passenger plane was on training flight at time of crash, says CNN

9:55 AM

60 passengers, 4 crew members were aboard passenger jet that collided with helicopter

The Washington Post said multiple bodies had been pulled from the water. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas said on social media that "we know there are fatalities," though he did not say how many.

9:47 AM

Search operation underway in Jammu-Kashmir's Doda

Security forces on Thursday launched a cordon and search operation following information about suspected movement of terrorists in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir, police officials said. The search operation was jointly launched by police and CRPF in Dorhu, Basti and adjoining forest area in Bhaderwah at 8:30 am.

9:39 AM

There are fatalities from Washington plane crash: US Senator Cruz

US Senator Ted Cruz said there were fatalities after a PSA Airlines regional jet collided midair with a helicopter while on approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. In a statement on X, Cruz said: " While we don't know yet know how many on board were lost, we know there are fatalities."

9:31 AM

Washington Ronald Reagan Airport halts take-offs, landings after incident

Washington Ronald Reagan Airport has suspended all aircraft take-offs and landings in response to an incident at the airfield, the airport operator said in a post on X. Emergency teams are responding to a small aircraft that is in the Potomac River in the vicinity of the airport.