LIVE: India took various steps to offset Covid impact, FM tells World Bank

The finance ministry on Friday kicked off the exercise to prepare the annual Budget for 2021-22 amid the urgency to push economic growth hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. Stay tuned for LIVE updates:

12:34 PM

Delhi Government exempts electric vehicles from registration fee

Electric vehicles were also exempted from road tax on October 11

12:31 PM

Why are the admission cut-offs so high in Delhi, questions chief minister Arvind Kejriwal

Why are the admission cut-offs so high in Delhi? It is so because there is a huge lack of colleges & universities in Delhi, while the number of students is increasing. We need many more colleges & universities here: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

12:16 PM

Tamil Nadu weather update: Heavy rain is likely to occur at isolated places over Salem, Tiruvannamalai, Dharmapuri and Tirupattur districts

Heavy rain is likely to occur at isolated places over Salem, Tiruvannamalai, Dharmapuri and Tirupattur districts of Tamil Nadu tomorrow: India Meteorological Department

12:05 PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi releases commemorative coin of Rs 75 denomination to mark 75th anniversary of UN body FAO

12:04 PM

Bihar election 2020: PM Modi to address 12 rallies starting October 23 in Bihar

11:56 AM

Aamir Khan, Renuka Shahane and others pay tributes to India's first Oscar winner Bhanu Athaiya

Several Bollywood personalities, including actors Aamir Khan, Renuka Shahane and Simi Garewal, have mourned the passing away ofOscar-winning costume designer Bhanu Athaiya.

 

Athaiya, 91, died at her home after prolonged illness on Thursday. She won an Oscar for her work in the Richard Attenborough's 1983 film Gandhi.

 

Her daughter, Radhika Gupta, told PTI that the costume designer was diagnosed with a tumour in her brain eight years ago and was bedridden for the last three years as one side of her body was paralysed.

 

One of her closest friends, Garewal saidAthaiya was suffering from dementia and didn't remember anything or any of the films, except "Gandhi".

 

"It was very hard to talk to her. I felt sad... Is this what happens to talented human being? It is a huge sense of loss. She had brain tumour too for eight years. Maybe it was time for her to be at peace. She has left a legacy," Garewal told PTI.

 

Khan, who worked with Athaiya for his 2001 period drama "Lagaan", extended his condolences to her family and said that the veteran will missed by the industry.

11:11 AM

Sales of Passenger Vehicles witnessed an increase of 26.45% in September 2020, as compared to September'19

10:48 AM

Bihar election 2020: Nitish Kumar is tired and can't handle the state, says RJD's Tejashwi Yadav

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar is tired & can not handle the state. He doesn't want to talk about development, unemployment, education, health infrastructure & poverty. He says Bihar is a landlocked state hence industries can not be set up resulting in no job creation: Tejashwi Yadav, RJD

10:11 AM

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE: A worthy premium smartphone despite some compromises

The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE (Fan Edition) is a new smartphone model in South Korean electronics maker’s flagship Galaxy S20 series launched earlier this year. Priced at Rs 49,999, the Galaxy S20 FE is touted as a flagship smartphone with features inspired by premium siblings.

 

At first look, the smartphone appears to be an all-rounder, with a big AMOLED screen of 120Hz refresh rate, practical triple-camera set-up on the back, flagship processor, ample onboard storage, wireless charging, and ingress protection rating. Read on...

10:02 AM

In a breather, IMD predicts drop in rainfall in Maharashtra from Friday

In a relief for Maharashtra, where several districts have received heavy showers, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday predicted "drastic reduction" in rainfall activity in the state from Friday.

 

Western Maharashtra districts of Pune, Solapur, Sangli, Satara and Kolhapur have been witnessing heavy showers in the last two days. Read on...

9:57 AM

20,000 people moved to safety in rain-battered Maharashtra, Karnataka flood situation grim

Over 20,000 people were moved to safer places in three districts of Maharashtra which witnessed heavy showers for the past two days, even as the flood situation in Karnataka worsened on Thursday with several areas inundated due to torrential rains and release of water from major dams.

 

After being battered by torrential rains that triggered one of the worst floods in recent times and claimed 50 lives, Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana were returning to normalcy with relief measures being stepped up by the government.

9:56 AM

B S Yediyurappa to review rain havoc in north Karnataka

Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa would review the situation in the flood-battered northern region of the state on Friday, a statement said.

 

"The Chief Minister will do an aerial survey of the affected districts and assess the situation with its Deputy Commissioners on Friday for releasing funds," the statement said.

9:47 AM

Market update: Sensex surges 320.33 points to 40,048.74 in opening trade; Nifty climbs 86.75 points to 11,767.10

9:12 AM

With an eye on China, India gifts a used submarine to Myanmar

With New Delhi’s announcement on Thursday of the gift of a used submarine to Myanmar, India has played a high card in its long-running competition with Beijing for influence in that country.

 

The Indian Navy has operated INS Sindhuvir, a Soviet-origin Kilo-class submarine, since 1988. Now, with its service life extended by 10-15 years in an overhaul at Hindustan Shipyard Ltd, it will serve the Myanmar navy till the 2030s. READ ON...

8:57 AM

Government of India has banned the import of air conditioners with refrigerants