LIVE: FM Sitharaman tells students to focus on new areas opened up by govt

Param Bir Singh claims Anil Deshmukh asked Sachin Waze to extort Rs 100 cr a month. Stay tuned for Latest LIVE news

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said the opening up of areas that were till now completely reserved for the government offers immediate possibility for university graduates to become entrepreneurs, according to PTI.

Former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh writes to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and accuses state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh of asking Sachin Waze to extort 100 cr per month. Deshmukh has denied the allegations in a tweet.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Saturday slammed the ruling BJP in Assam for allegedly attacking the culture, language, history, heritage and bonds of brotherhood in Assam and assured to protect the indigenous ethos if his party is voted to power in the state, according to PTI.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Saturday reaffirmed the political commitment of the government to end Tuberculosis and said that they have accorded high priority to eradicating the disease in the country by 2025, according to ANI.

Stay tuned for the latest news of the day.

8:53 PM

HP Assembly passes Bill giving honorarium to people jailed during National Emergency

The Himachal Pradesh Assembly on Saturday passed a Bill giving honorarium to people from the state who were imprisoned for social or political reasons during the National Emergency imposed in 1975, according to PTI.

Eighty-one beneficiaries, called Loktantra Prahris, have so far been identified and they will be given Rs 8,000 in case of imprisonment up to 15 days. Those who spent over 15 days will be given Rs 12,000, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said introducing the Himachal Pradesh Loktantra Prahri Samman Bill, 2021.

8:37 PM

Ashoka University row: Students announce two-day class boycott in protest

Students of Ashoka University have announced a two-day boycott of classes from Monday in protest against some recent developments at the institution, including the resignations of faculty members Pratap Bhanu Mehta and Arvind Subramanian, according to PTI.

The Ashoka University Student Government, a student body, also said on Saturday it will be organising a separate movement demanding the resignation of the Vice-Chancellor.

 

7:00 PM

Former Mumbai police commissioner Parambir Singh writes to Mumbai CM Thackeray

6:14 PM

GoAir launches night flight services from Srinagar to Delhi

Budget carrier GoAirhas become the first airline in the country to operate night services from Srinagar with the launch of a daily flight to Delhi on Friday, the airline said, according to PTI.

 

Going forward, GoAir will operate a scheduled flight from Srinagar that will depart at 8:30 pm every day, a release said on Saturday.

5:40 PM

Modi-Mamata clash over 'tolabaji', PM says CM's 'bhaipo' only single window in industry scarce Bengal

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday alleged TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee presided over an administration full of "tolabaj" and corrupt people, provoking an angry riposte from the Bengal leader who branded the BJP the "biggest extortionist" in the world, according to PTI.

5:22 PM

Elevating US-India defence partnership a priority of Biden administration: Austin

4:53 PM

Strong quake shakes Japan; no immediate reports of damage

A strong earthquake struck Saturday off northern Japan, shaking buildings even in Tokyo and triggering a tsunami advisory for a part of the northern coast. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries, according to AP.

The US Geological Survey put the strength at magnitude 7.0 and depth at 54 kilometres (33.5 miles). The shaking started just before 6:10 pm.

The quake was centered off the coast of Miyagi prefecture, in the country's rugged northeast, which was heavily damaged during the huge earthquake and tsunami of 2011.

4:23 PM

Himachal Pradesh: An avalanche hit Khangsar village in Gondhala valley of Lahaul-Spiti district

4:22 PM

Academicians write open letter to Ashoka University over Pratap Bhanu Mehta's resignation

Over 150 academicians from prestigious universities across the globe like Harvard, Yale, Columbia, London School of Economics and MIT, have written an open letter to trustees of Ashoka University, expressing distress over political commentator Pratap Bhanu Mehta's resignation from the varsity under "political pressure", according to PTI.

3:44 PM

West Bengal Polls: Congress Election Committee meet today to finalise candidates

Congress Election Committee (CEC) will hold a meeting on Saturday to finalise candidates for the fifth to eighth phase of West Bengal elections, according to ANI.

 

The meeting will be chaired by the party Interim President Sonia Gandhi.

 

The Congress has already decided to give tickets to sitting MLAs, Congress Party is fighting Assembly Polls on 92 seats in alliance with the Left parties.

3:21 PM

Education ministry mulling increasing number of international students coming to India for higher studies

The Ministry of Education is deliberating on measures to increase the number of international students coming to India for higher studies, officials said on Saturday, according to PTI.

In a review meeting of the ministry's Study in India Programme with partner institutions Friday, Higher Education Secretary Amit Khare said the criteria for this programme will soon be revised so that more institutions that have the necessary infrastructure and academic quality can join.

2:54 PM

Looking forward to make India-US relations one of defining partnerships of 21st century: Rajnath

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday reaffirmed India's commitment to the expansion of the "robust" defence partnership with the United States, adding he looks forward to making the India-US partnership one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century, according to ANI.

2:31 PM

Will promote health, education and tourism for PM Modi's dream project: Uttarakhand CM

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat has said that he would promote health, education and tourism in the state to fulfil Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Uttarakhand dream project, according to ANI.

 

Speaking to reporters during his first visit to the national capital after becoming Uttarakhand CM, Rawat on Friday said, "For Prime Minister's Uttarakhand dream project, I will promote health, education and tourism so that more people from all over the world can come there."

2:16 PM

Assam polls: BJP avoid CAA talks, says focus only on identity and development of state

 Avoiding question on BJP's commitment to the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act in Assam, state Cabinet Minister and BJP's key strategist for the northeast Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said the party will be fighting the elections on state's "identity and development", according to ANI.

 

"You can ask people of Assam, the election is on identity and development," said Sarma.

 

1:09 PM

PM Modi has destroyed India's economy: Mamata Banerjee

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has destroyed the economy of this country - from note bandi to bank bandi. They will soon say to sell Haldia port: West Bengal CM & TMC leader Mamata Banerjee in Haldia