LIVE updates: 16 killed, 36 injured in fire in Tamil Nadu cracker factory

Fire in the factory broke out when some chemicals were being mixed to produce firecrackers. Stay tuned for Latest LIVE news

2:29 PM

LIVE: 'It’s become a habit for Opposition to constantly allege', says FM

"It’s become a habit for Opposition to constantly allege, despite all that Modi govt has been doing for the poor, that this govt only works for crony capitalists. A false narrative is being created to accuse,” says Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Rajya Sabha.

2:27 PM

800 million people provided free food grains during Covid-19 lockdown period: FM

It is worth mentioning that 800 million people were provided free foodgrains, free cooking gas provided for 80 million people and cash directly was given to 400 million people, farmers, women, divyang & also the poor and needy: FM Nirmala Sitharaman in Rajya Sabha.

2:21 PM

Budget clearly draws on experience, administrative capacities and also exposure: FM

It's a Budget which clearly draws on the experience, the administrative capacities and also exposure that the PM had during his long elected tenure - both as CM and as PM of this country - known for his commitment towards development, growth and reforms: FM Nirmala Sitharaman

2:19 PM

800 million people were provided free food grains during the Covid-19 lockdown period: FM

800 million people were provided free food grains during the Covid-19 lockdown period: FM Nirmala Sitharaman

2:16 PM

LIVE: FM replies to the debate on Union Budget 2021-22 in Rajya Sabha

2:14 PM

LIVE: FM Nirmala Sitharaman speaking in the Parliament

2:13 PM

Ration and essential items airlifted to Suki, Lata and Bhalgaun villages of Uttarakhand

1:59 PM

Rakesh Tikait warns farmers' protest to go on for indefinite period

Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Rakesh Tikait on Friday said the ongoing farmers' protest will go on for indefinite period as there is no planning regarding the duration yet.

 

"Farmers' protest will go on for indefinite period as there is no plan currently. It might continue till October," Tikait told ANI.

 

He said this in response to the statement of Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) leader Gurnam Singh Charni that the farmers' protest will continue till October. Tikait had earlier warned the farmers' agitation will not conclude unless government repeals the three newly enacted agriculture laws and it may go on till October.

1:49 PM

Trinamool Congress MP Dinesh Trivedi announces his resignation from Rajya Sabha

1:47 PM

UP Police books Google's Sundar Pichai, others over 'defamatory' video; removes names from FIR later

Police in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi had booked Google CEO Sundar Pichai and 17 others last week over a video that allegedly defamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi but later removed the tech giant officials' names from the FIR, police officials said on Friday. The names of Pichai and three other Google top officials were removed after they were found not involved in the case, a police official privy to the probe told PTI.

 

The FIR was lodged following a complaint by a local resident who claimed that he got over 8,500 threat calls on his mobile phone after he objected to the video that he first came across in a WhatsApp group and later on YouTube, where it has over five lakh views, the officials said.

1:23 PM

Mumbai court grants bail to Chanda Kochhar, asks her not to leave country

A secial PMLA court in Mumbai on Friday granted bail to former MD & CEO of ICICI Bank Chanda Kochhar on a bond of Rs 5 lakh and asked her not to leave the country without the permission of the court.

 

Kochhar appeared before the court on Friday in connection with the ICICI Bank-Videocon money laundering case.

 

The special court for Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) had on January 30 summoned Chanda Kochhar, her husband Deepak Kochhar, Videocon Group promoter Venugopal Dhoot and other accused in the case after taking cognisance of the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) charge sheet. Read on...

1:17 PM

Govt, Twitter get SC notice on plea for mechanism to regulate hate content

The Supreme Court on Friday sought responses from the Centre and Twitter India on a plea seeking a mechanism for regulating content and advertisements spreading hatred through fake news and instigative messages via bogus accounts.

 

A bench of Chief Justice SA Bobde and justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian issued notice to the Centre and Twitter Communication India Pvt Ltd on the plea filed by one Vinit Goenka, which said there are hundreds of fake Twitter handles and bogus Facebook accounts in the name of eminent people and high dignitaries. Read on...

12:27 PM

Normal life partially hit in West Bengal due to 12-hour state-wide 'bandh'

Normal life partially hit in West Bengal due to 12-hour state-wide 'bandh' called by Left Front in protest against police action on its activists during their march towards state secretariat on Thursday.

12:26 PM

SC upholds validity of e-voting for winding up of six mutual fund schemes of Franklin Templeton

SC upholds validity of e-voting for winding up of six mutual fund schemes of Franklin Templeton

12:19 PM

Kolkata: ED conducts search at the residential premises of TMC leader Vinay Mishra

Kolkata: ED conducts search at the residential premises of TMC leader Vinay Mishra, in connection with Cattle and Coal scam