LIVE: Terrorists attack Karachi police chief's office, TTP responsible

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10:50 PM

Condemn the terrorist attack on Karachi police: Pak Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari

8:46 PM

We will surely go to the Supreme Court against this EC order: Uddhav Thackeray

8:26 PM

Eknath Shinde updates his display picture on Twitter & puts up Shiv Sena's 'bow and arrow' symbol as picture

7:17 PM

The order is what we had suspected: Uddhav Thackeray faction spox, Anand Dubey

7:11 PM

'Shiv Sena' party name, 'Bow and Arrow' symbol to be retained by Eknath Shinde faction: ECI

5:08 PM

12 cheetahs arriving from South Africa have begun their journey to India

5:04 PM

IPL 2023 Schedule: Gujarat Titans to face Chennai Super Kings in season opener on March 31

Gujarat Titans will take on Chennai Super Kings in the opening match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 on March 31. The second day of the competition will see Punjab Kings facing Kolkata Knight Riders while Lucknow Super Giants will face off against Delhi Capitals. On April 2, there will be a double-header as Rajasthan Royals will take on Sunrisers Hyderabad while Royal Challengers Bangalore will face Mumbai Indians in a high-profile clash. The Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans won the IPL title in 2022 after defeating Rajasthan Royals in the final. In 2023, there will be 12 venues where the IPL matches will be played as apart from the ten home venues, games will also be held in Dharamsala and Guwahati.

5:03 PM

MGNREGA demand-driven scheme, fund allocation in Budget not low: Sitharaman

4:46 PM

Supreme court on Delhi Mayor polls

SC has directed a notice for convening first MCD meeting for elections to be issued within 24 hours.

 

4:30 PM

NDRF's 47 rescuers with dog squad return from 10-day ops in earthquake-hit Turkey; 54 members on way

2:55 PM

Adani-Hindenburg row: Why is PM Modi 'afraid' of ordering JPC probe, asks Congress

Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Adani-Hindenburg row, the Congress on Friday asked why he is afraid of ordering a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the fraud allegations against the Adani Group and who he is trying to save.

 

Small investors lost Rs 10.5 lakh crore due to the Adani Group and government regulators like the Securities and Exchange Board of India and the Reserve Bank of India are "silent", Congress national spokesperson Gourav Vallabh said at a press conference here.

2:41 PM

Docs in MP call off indefinite strike within hours, govt to set up panel

Hours after they launched a state-wide indefinite strike on Friday, government doctors in Madhya Pradesh called off their stir following an assurance from state Medical Education Minister Vishwas Sarang that a high-powered committee would look into their demands, including those related to promotions.

 

The government doctors began the strike in the morning hours, but it was withdrawn by around noon.

2:29 PM

Home Minister Amit Shah to visit Maharashtra for two days, to pay tribute to B R Ambedkar

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be in Maharashtra over the weekend for a two-day visit during which will pay tribute to B R Ambedkar in Nagpur, interact with children of soldiers martyred in Jammu and Kashmir and address a rally in Kolhapur, officials said.

 

On the first day of his tour beginning Saturday, Shah will pay tribute to Ambedkar at Deeksha Bhoomi, where Ambedkar embraced Buddhism with his followers, and lay a wreath at the memorial of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's founding 'sarsanghachalak' Keshav Baliram Hedgewar at Reshim Bagh in Nagpur.

2:07 PM

Why was no central team sent to UP to probe death of mother-daughter during eviction drive: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday sought to know why a central team was not sent to probe the death of a mother-daughter duo in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh during an eviction drive.

 

The duo died allegedly due to self-immolation during an anti-encroachment drive in Kanpur's Dehat district on February 13.

2:02 PM

North Korea threatens unprecedented response to South Korea-US drill

North Korea threatened Friday to take unprecedently strong action against its rivals, soon after South Korea announced a series of planned military drills with the United States to hone their joint response to the North's increasing nuclear threats.

 

North Korea has halted weapons testing activities since its short-range missile firing on Jan. 1, though it launched more than 70 missiles in 2022 - a record number for a single year. Friday's warning suggests the North's testing could resume soon over its rivals' military training, which it views as an invasion rehearsal

1:43 PM

Samsung announces global availability of Galaxy S23 smartphones

Samsung Electronics on Friday announced the global availability of its industry-leading Galaxy S23 Series smartphones following impressive pre-order results.

 

The Galaxy S23 Ultra, Galaxy S23+, and Galaxy S23 will be widely available through carriers and retailers and on Samsung's official website in four nature-inspired matte hues -- Phantom Black, Cream, Green, and Lavender.

1:24 PM

Nitish criticises IT surveys on BBC premises, rejection of demand for probe into Adani Group

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday said the Income Tax department's surveys on BBC premises in Delhi and Mumbai were a "clear cut" indication of the Narendra Modi government's intolerance of criticism.

 

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function here, the JD(U) leader also criticised the brusque manner in which the demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into allegations against the Adani Group has been rejected by the Centre, pointing out that this was unlike the Vajpayee era when voice of the Opposition was given a patient hearing.

1:14 PM

WhatsApp working to bring communities to its Business app

Meta-owned messaging platform WhatsApp is reportedly working to bring communities to its WhatsApp Business application on Android.

 

The platform is not likely to remove the business tab which was introduced last year, reports WABetaInfo. Instead, it might add a new entry point for the new feature right within the application menu.

1:09 PM

Tripura records nearly 88% voter turnout in Feb 16 assembly polls

Nearly 88 per cent of voting was recorded in the one-day Tripura assembly elections, which were largely peaceful, a senior EC official said on Friday.

 

The elections to the 60-member assembly were held across the northeastern state on Thursday.

1:02 PM

BJP lashes out at investor George Soros, says he is 'targeting' Indian democratic system

The BJP on Friday launched a frontal attack on billionaire investor George Soros, accusing him of not only targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi but also the Indian democratic system.

 

This war is being mounted against India and what stands between the war and India's interests is Modi, BJP leader and Union minister Smriti Irani told reporters.

12:58 PM

Issue of alleged non-functional statutory panels in J&K under consideration: Centre to SC

The Centre on Friday told the Supreme Court that the issue of allegedly non-functional statutory panels in Jammu and Kashmir, including the human rights commission, is under consideration and sought three weeks to apprise it of developments.

 

A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala took note of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta's submissions that the issue raised in the PIL is being considered at an appropriate level.

12:44 PM

Congress lashes out at govt, saying it is 'harming' MSME sector

The Congress on Friday accused the Modi government of benefitting its crony capitalist friends and harming the medium and small businesses which provide employment opportunities to 12 crore people.

 

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge termed it as "Cease of doing small business under Modi Government".

 

12:12 PM

Our govt with BJP formed legally, says Maha CM Shinde; Raut asserts Thackeray faction is 'real' Sena

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who heads a faction of the Shiv Sena, on Friday said his party believes in judiciary and expects that the Supreme Court will give its verdict in the case related to the June 2022 Maharashtra political crisis based on merit.

11:43 AM

Karnataka budget: CM Bommai announces farmer-friendly schemes by raising loan term limits, agri subsidies

Seeking to woo farmers in an election year, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday announced an increase in the limit of interest-free short-term loan given to farmers from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh from the coming financial year.

 

This would ensure availability of hassle-free and need-based loan facility for making necessary preparation for farm-related activities, Bommai, who also holds the finance portfolio, said presenting the 2023-34 budget in the state Legislative Assembly.

11:37 AM

Taiwan reports Chinese balloon found on northern island

Taiwan's Defence Ministry says a Chinese weather balloon landed on one of its outlying islands, amid U.S. accusations that such craft have been dispatched worldwide to spy on Washington and its allies.

 

The ministry's statement on Thursday said the balloon carried equipment registered to a state-owned electronics company in the northern city of Taiyuan.

11:30 AM

Lingayat community objects to comments on Cong MLA by K'taka Speaker, seeks resignation

The comments made by Legislative Assembly Speaker Vishveshwara Hegde Kageri on Congress Working President, MLA Eshwar Khandre have stirred a controversy with the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community entering the scene and condemning them.

 

Akhila Bharatha Veerashaiva Lingayat Mahasabha in its statement on Friday said, "It is unfortunate that being a Speaker of the House, Kageri had behaved like a spokesperson of a party in the House. The Mahasabha demands immediate resignation from the Speaker Kageri for his remarks which do not suit the dignity of his position."

11:26 AM

Madhya Pradesh govt hospital doctors go on indefinite strike; services disrupted

Medical services across all state government-run hospitals and healthcare centres were disrupted as doctors went on an indefinite strike on Friday,

 

The protest began at Bhopal's Gandhi Medical college, and was joined by over 10,000 doctors across Madhya Pradesh.

11:24 AM

After Prez, now PM becomes target of derogatory comments from controversial Bengal minster

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has now become the target of derogatory comments from controversial West Bengal minister of state for correctional services Akhil Giri, who had already been in the centre of polemics earlier for his insulting comments concerning the looks of President Droupadi Murmu.

 

A video of his comments made at a public rally at Ramnagar in East Midnapore district in West Bengal on Thursday evening went viral where Giri was heard making a slating comment that the "Prime Minister has been attacked and crushed by a cow".

11:23 AM

Truck carrying LPG cylinders rams into another in Ajmer, four dead

An LPG-laden truck collided with another one carrying marble in Rajasthan's Ajmer district, leaving four people dead and another injured, police said on Friday.

 

The accident occurred on national highway-8 near Rani Bagh resort on Thursday night, leading to a huge traffic jam on the highway, they said.

11:13 AM

Pakistan denies supplying ammunition to Ukraine in its war with Russia

The Pakistan Foreign Office has questioned the accuracy of reports claiming that the country was providing ammunition to Ukraine in its war with Russia, the media reported.

 

"The reporting about supply of defence items by Pakistan to Ukraine is not accurate," Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said at the weekly media briefing.