How does one determine the finances of a country where the growth rate is slowing, banks are sceptical to lend and tightening fiscal space leaves little scope for adventurism? That is the impossible conundrum facing Nirmala Sitharaman, Indias first woman Finance Minister in the Modi governments new Cabinet. It will be interesting to note how she addresses these pertinent issues facing the Indian economy when she rises up in Parliament on July 5 to deliver her Budget address.


The budget and beyond (Column: Active Voice)


IANS Automatic

Concerned about the water crisis in rural areas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has written a personal letter to 'Gram Pradhans'(village chiefs) requesting them to conserve rainwater during the forthcoming monsoon.


PM writes personal letter to village pradhans on saving rainwater


U.S. President Donald Trump spoke over phone with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Iran and bilateral trade.


Trump thanks Abe for efforts to ease US-Iran tensions


A week after IANS reported how internet telephony was helping gangsters make a killing from NCR jails, authorities in Tihar jail conducted a surprise check and found two high-end Android mobile phones hidden beneath the bedsheet of former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala who is lodged there, an officer said on Friday.


Android phones found in Chautala's Tihar jail cell


Striking junior doctors on Friday rejected a proposal from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for talks at the state secretariat Nabanna, and stuck to their stand that she would have to come down to the NRS Medical College and Hospital to listen to their grievances and apologise for having cast aspersions on them.


Mamata's invitation for talks declined by striking doctors


Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday reviewed the progress of research and development activities in defence technologies at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) headquarters here.


Rajnath reviews progress in critical defence technologies


Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that the world economy was transforming fast and growth of a big economy like India and its technological progress was a big factor for stability and hope in the world.


India's growth a big factor for stability, hope in world: Modi


Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Friday that Beijing was for the improvement in ties between New Delhi and Islamabad but at the same time pushed for the expansion of the controversial China-Pakistan Economic Corridor(CPEC), a multi-billion dollar connectivity project that has caused tensions among the three Asian nations.


Xi says China wants Indo-Pak ties to improve


Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed the concerned officials to establish contact with the district-level education officers in order to ensure qualitative improvement in educational standards in the state.


Yogi underlines qualitative improvement in education


Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Friday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and discussed various issues of his state with them.


Assam CM discusses state's issues with Shah, Rajnath


The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has finalised the much-anticipated Personal Data Protection Bill, Union IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said on Friday. The next required step is a Cabinet approval before the Bill goes to the Parliament.


Data Protection Bill finalised: IT Minister Prasad


Amid country-wide protests by doctors in solidarity with the striking doctors of West Bengal, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Friday urged the government to pass a law that makes any attack on doctors a non-bailable offence.


Attack on doctors should be non-bailable: Harsh Vardhan


Amid dwindling hopes of Jet Airways' revival, Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Friday exuded confidence that a solution would be found for the defunct carrier.


Aviation Minister offers hope as Jet Airways sinks deep


Expressing solidarity with the protesting doctors of West Bengal, a number of film personalities, singers, painters, civil right activists and common people on Friday participated in a 2-kilometre march here alongside medicos of various hospitals.


Celebrities join docs in Kolkata rally demanding dialogue


Doctors, including kin of top Trinamool Congress leaders, held protests across the country on Friday in solidarity with their agitating colleagues in West Bengal even as Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and relatives of patients urged both sides to end the impasse which has crippled the state's healthcare system.


Doctors across India protest Bengal assault, patients seek solution (Roundup)


UN Envoy to the Middle East Nicolai Mladinov met Islamic Hamas movement's leaders in Gaza on Friday to help defuse growing tension with Israel, the media reported.


UN envoy meets Hamas leaders in Gaza


Doctors in the government-run and private hospitals in Telugu states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh Friday staged protests to express their solidarity with the protesting doctors in Kolkata.


Doctors in Andhra, Telangana stage protests


Amidst the protests, demands, ultimatums and apologies, a three-month-old child with spinal cord problem and other patients coming from various districts of West Bengal faced the brunt of the state-run hospitals doctors' strike as the stalemate entered its fourth day on Friday.


Bengal patients face the brunt of doctors' protests


Turkey will retaliate if the US imposes sanctions over its purchase of the S-400 air defence systems from Russia, the country's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Friday.


Turkey to retaliate if US imposes sanctions over S-400 deal


The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has dismissed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jaya Pradas petition seeking the disqualification of Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Mohd Azam Khan.


Jaya Prada's petition against Azan Khan dismissed


Pakistan's anti-graft watchdog on Friday arrested former President Asif Ali Zardari's sister and Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader Faryal Talpur in a case related to money laundering through fake bank accounts.

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