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5:40 PM

Repo rate cut will stimulate economic activity, says Hindustan Power's chairman Puri

Ratul Puri, chairman of Hindustan Power on Friday said that the RBI's decision to cut the repo rate after 5 years is a significant move that will stimulate economic activity by making borrowing more affordable. He further aid that at a time when global economic conditions remain uncertain, this monetary policy action reinforces stability and accelerates GDP growth.

5:22 PM

Forex reserves rise $1.05 bn to $630.607 bn for week ended January 31, says RBI

India's forex reserves have risen $1.05 billion to $630.607 billion for the week ended January 31, said RBI.

5:02 PM

India exploring domestic coal blending in imported coal-based power plants, says official

India's coal ministry is in talks with the power ministry to see if technical changes can be made in imported coal power plants in the country so that they can use domestic coal, a senior official said on Friday.

4:40 PM

PhonePe exits account aggregation business

Country's largest fintech firm PhonePe on Friday said it has exited from account aggregation business as it could not add enough partners to provide services as per its expectation.

4:21 PM

Delhi Assembly polls: Three-tier security, no cellphones inside counting centres on Saturday

A three-tier security arrangement, including two companies of paramilitary forces and Delhi Police personnel, has been made for the 19 counting centres on the day of vote counting for Delhi Assembly elections on Saturday, officials said.

4:15 PM

India's exports may touch record $800 billion this year, says Piyush Goyal

India's exports are growing significantly and would achieve a record USD 800 billion in 2024-25 fiscal year, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Friday. "Exports have been growing and have risen significantly in the last four years. This year also, there will be growth. We will end the year with over USD 800 billion exports for the very first time in India's history," Goyal said during Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha.

3:57 PM

BJP leader Chaupal dies after prolonged illness, PM Modi expresses grief

BJP leader and VHP functionary Kameshwar Chaupal, who laid the first brick for the Ayodhya Ram temple's construction during a 1989 ceremony, has died after prolonged illness. He breathed his last at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi, according to information provided by the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra's media centre. Expressing deep sorrow at Chaupal's passing, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described him as an "abiding devotee of Lord Ram".

3:43 PM

Indian Consulate in Seattle ‘forced to deal with law & order situation'

The Indian Consulate at Seattle said it was “forced to deal with a law and order situation” arising out of an unauthorised entry of certain individuals into its premises after office hours on Thursday. One of the individuals that the consulate referred to is Kshama Sawant, whose bio on X mentions that she has been a Seattle City Council Member from 2014 to 2023.

3:27 PM

Bangladesh asks India to stop Hasina from making 'false statements'

Bangladesh has asked India to stop ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from making "false and fabricated" comments while she is in the country, its foreign ministry said. Hasina had fled to India in August following violent protests that killed more than 1,000 people.

2:56 PM

2,450 child care homes in country, 199 cater to children with special needs: Govt

There are 2,450 child care institutions (CCIs) across the country and 199 of them cater to children with special needs, Minister of State for Women and Child Development (WCD) Savitri Thakur said. In a written response to a question in the Lok Sabha, she said 12 states and union territories have no such institutions for children with special needs.

 

2:48 PM

Locals in panic after leopards spotted in villages of Himachal's Hamirpur

The suspected presence of leopards in some villages of Himachal Pradesh's Hamirpur district has sparked panic among locals. On Friday, a full-grown leopard allegedly took away a goat from a courtyard of a house in the district's Bhareri area. The goat was in the courtyard when the leopard allegedly attacked the animal.

2:45 PM

Malaysia-bound flight makes unscheduled landing due to 'medical emergency'

A Kuala Lumpur-bound international flight made an unscheduled landing here due to a "medical emergency", official sources at the airport here said. A passenger complained of uneasiness when the flight from Muscat (Oman) was flying over the airspace here and the pilots immediately contacted the city airport for a landing. The flight landed at around 2 pm and a medical team quickly responded to the call.

2:27 PM

Cattle smuggling case: ED attaches TMC leader's bank funds worth nearly Rs 26 cr

The Enforcement Directorate said that it has attached bank deposits worth about Rs 26 crore of TMC leader Anubrata Mondal as part of an ongoing money laundering investigation into an alleged cross-border cattle smuggling racket in West Bengal. Mondal was arrested by the federal agency in November 2022 and was granted bail in the case by the Supreme Court in September last year.

2:19 PM

Delhi Police bust digital arrest syndicate, 5 held

Delhi Police have busted a "Digital Arrest" scam, arresting five Indian operatives working for a Chinese company operating from Jhansi. The accused impersonated law enforcement officers, threatening victims with arrest unless they transferred large sums of money, according to the police statement. The arrests were made after an 81-year-old retired Army personnel, Gopal, complained with the Delhi Police.

1:44 PM

Noida Police suspect student mischief behind bomb threats in Delhi-NCR schools

A new bomb threat sent to schools in Delhi and NCR has prompted an investigation, with Noida Police suspecting student mischief, particularly since exams are underway. Deputy Commissioner of Police Ram Badan Singh stated that the latest threat differs from previous ones, written in a South Indian language, and nothing suspicious was found after a thorough check. The threat emails were sent to St Stephen's College, a constituent of the Delhi University, Ahlcon International School in Mayur Vihar, and the Shiv Nadar School in Noida.