Highlights of the day: Sharad Pawar's party allotted new election symbol

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Sharad Pawar's party allotted new election symbol by Election Commission.

Byju Raveendran, other board members will not attend EGM, it’s procedurally invalid, in contravention of AoA, SHA, Cos Act, says Byju's Spokesperson.

India is on track to become $10 trillion economy in coming years and is set to grab third-largest slot soon, said WEF President Borge Brende today.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been summoned for the seventh time by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the Delhi excise policy case. ANI citing sources said that Kejriwal has been asked to appear before the probe agency on February 26th. 

PM Modi will participate in the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad today. 

Following landslides at over a dozen places in Ramban district on Wednesday, the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway remains blocked , officials said. An official added the road clearance operations have also been hampered by the third straight day of rain."The Jammu-Srinagar National highway (NH-44) is blocked due to landslides/mudslides/shooting stones (from hillocks) at Dalwas, Peerha, near Peerha Tunnel, Mehad-Cafeteria, Jaiswal bridge, Trishul Morh, Seri, T2, Monkey Morh, Mom Passi, Gangroo, Hingni Marog, Kishtwari Pather, Shalghari Rampari, Tabela and Chamalwas," a traffic department spokesperson said. The traffic on the 270-km highway was suspended on Monday and Tuesday too around 9:30 am following landslides triggered by heavy rains in Dalwas, Mehad-Cafeteria, Chamalwas, Shalgadi and Gangroo.

The impasse over seat-sharing in Uttar Pradesh for the 2024 General Elections was broken after the Congress and the Samajwadi Party  announced a seat-sharing agreement on Wednesday. Calling it a harmonious alliance, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav congratulated the leaders of both parties. In Lucknow, leaders of the two parties announced that the Samajwadi Party will contest elections on 63 seats and Congress on 17 seats in Uttar Pradesh.

Singer Sona Mohapatra today criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his recent remarks targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai over the consecration ceremony at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya last month. Mohapatra defended Aishwarya Rai against what she perceived as sexist comments in a series of tweets. At a recent event in UP's Prayagraj, Gandhi slammed the BJP over the 'Pran pratishtha' event held at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya stating that that the OBCs and Dalits were conspicuously absent from the ceremony which was attended by billionaires and  celebrities.

11:01 PM

Sharad Pawar's party allotted new election symbol by Election Commission

9:32 PM

Byju Raveendran, other board members will not attend EGM

Byju Raveendran, other board members will not attend EGM, it’s procedurally invalid, in contravention of AoA, SHA, Cos Act, says BYJU's Spokesperson.

9:08 PM

Fresh protests erupt in Sandeshkhali; police pledge action; NCST records complaints

Amidst renewed protests in Sandeshkhali on Thursday, where locals set fire to property belonging to TMC leaders accused of tormenting villagers, West Bengal Police chief Rajeev Kumar pledged action against the perpetrators, while a visiting NCST team compiled complaints of forced land seizures and torture from the region.

 

Earlier in the day, upon their arrival in the restive Sandeshkhali area, the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) team led by acting vice-chairperson Ananta Nayak engaged with locals and documented over 23 complaints of forced land grabbing and torture.

 

Nayak affirmed that these grievances would be included in their report to the President.

 

Meanwhile, West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar, who was permitted by police to visit the troubled area for the first time, staged a brief sit-in outside Sandeshkhali police station.

 

His demand for the arrest of fugitive TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh led to his forcible removal by law enforcement officers from the unrest zone via a boat.

8:44 PM

Rahul meets Kharge in Delhi

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi meets with party president Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence, in Delhi.

8:44 PM

Senior Shiv Sena leader Manohar Joshi admitted to Hinduja Hospital

Former Maharashtra Chief Minister and senior Shiv Sena leader Manohar Joshi has been admitted to Hinduja Hospital after his health deteriorated. He is under doctor's supervision: Hinduja Hospital

8:44 PM

Manipur High Court revokes inclusion order for Meitei community in ST List

4:52 PM

News update: Govt allows traders to export 54,760 tonnes of onion to Bangladesh, Mauritius, Bahrain, Bhutan

Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh on Thursday announced that the government will allow traders to export 54,760 tonnes of onion to Bangladesh, Mauritius, Bahrain, Bhutan.

4:46 PM

Vodafone Idea board to consider fundraising proposals

Vodafone Idea is considering raising funds through routes including a rights issue or a further public offer of shares, the company said on Thursday.

4:39 PM

Fake SIM racket busted in Uttarakhand's Dehradun

Uttarakhand Police busted a fake SIM card scam and arrested the kingpin of the racket from Delhi, officials said today. Three thousand fake SIM cards were recovered from Mudassir Mirza, resident of Turkman Gate in Delhi's Chandni Mahal, Senior Superintendent of Police STF (Cybercrime) Ayush Aggarwal said.

4:36 PM

Credit card interest rate margins cost consumers extra $25 bln: US consumer watchdog

 

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said  today that credit card annual percentage rate (APR) margin cost was at an all-time high, about $25 billion more each year.

4:31 PM

We remain committed to Vodafone Idea: Kumar Mangalam Birla

"We remain committed to VI. As far as pricing is concerned, it is going to be economical and consumer-friendly," says Kumar Mangalam Birla, chairman of the Aditya Birla Group.

 

4:28 PM

Protests not welcome, will focus on increasing communication channels with students: SAU president

South Asian University President K K Aggarwal has stated that no protests are welcome in the varsity and any concern of the students can be resolved through dialogues. Aggarwal was responding to a question whether the varsity will consider withdrawing its earlier issued directive which barred students from taking part in protests and declare that they are not suffering from any "psychiatric or psychological disorder" at the time of admissions.

 

4:20 PM

News update: Vodafone Idea mulling raising funds on February 27

4:18 PM

Uber signs MoU with govt-backed ONDC to expand mobility offerings

Ridesharing platform Uber today signed an Memorandum of Understanding with Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) to explore an integration with the network to expand the range of mobility offerings on the Uber app.

4:07 PM

News update: Union minister Anurag Thakur launches 4 online portals

Anurag Thakur launched four online portals on Thursday - Press Sewa Portal, Central Bureau of Communication Portal and Website, NaViGate Bharat Portal, National Register for LCOs. "Today, India is viewed as an attractive destination for an investment with global companies eager to establish their businesses here. PM Modi's emphasis on transformative governance and economic reforms have greatly improved the ease of doing business in India," the minister said.