News Highlights: Veteran Himachal BJP leader Kishan Kapoor dies at 73; CM, governor pay tribute

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5:10 PM

Karnataka CM's political adviser B R Patil resigns

MLA B R Patil resigned on Saturday from the post of political adviser to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Patil, who represents Aland constituency in Kalaburagi district, was appointed as adviser on December 29, 2023. He submitted his resignation to the Chief Minister's Office in Bengaluru today.

4:48 PM

Delhi polls: U'khand CM Dhami targets Kejriwal over corruption, women's security during rally

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday hit out at AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal ahead of the upcoming Delhi assembly polls, alleging that while Kejriwal talks about women's security, a woman MP from his own party was beaten up at his residence. Addressing an election rally in northwest Delhi's Rithala, Dhami claimed that the implementation of a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Uttarakhand would benefit the entire country in the future.

4:22 PM

Modi, Kejriwal alike; both came to power on basis of lies: Priyanka Gandhi

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday stepped up her attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal, saying they were both alike and came to power on the basis of "lies". In an apparent jibe at Modi and Kejriwal, she said while one was busy handing over the country to "Adani-Ambani", the other was busy building 'mahals (palaces)'.

4:17 PM

Delegation of foreign diplomats visits Maha Kumbh

A delegation of 73 diplomats and foreign guests from different countries arrived at the Maha Kumbh at Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj on Saturday. The diplomats expressed happiness at the arrangements made for the trip, a UP government said in a statement. Recalling her long association with India, mbassador of the Republic of Lithuania to India, Diana Mickeviciene, said, "I always wanted to come here but never got the opportunity to visit any Kumbh. Today is the time of this special and auspicious Maha Kumbh, and it is my good fortune that I am in India." "This scene is a pleasure for my eyes and soul. I will take a holy bath here," she said.

3:07 PM

Trump fires Rohit Chopra, director of US CFPB

Trump has fired Rohit Chopra, director of the US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

3:06 PM

Remain vigilant: EC tells Delhi poll officials ahead of elections

Ahead of the February 5 assembly polls, the EC on Saturday asked its election machinery in Delhi to hold meetings with top police officials to handle law-and-order situations in the most critical 72 hours before voting concludes. In its directions to the Delhi chief electoral officer, the Election Commission (EC) also said close tracking should be maintained by all enforcement agencies for all forms of misuse of money power and inducement to voters.

3:01 PM

CBI files supplementary charge sheet in online trading scam in Assam

The CBI filed a second supplementary charge sheet on Saturday against alleged mastermind of Rs 400 crore ponzi scam Deepankar Barman through his company in DB Stock Consultancy where deposits of gullible investors were siphoned away in Assam, officials said. Burman, who was arrested on October 27 from Goa, had been collecting deposits in the name of five unregulated deposit schemes promising fixed higher returns, the CBI has alleged in its chargesheet filed before a special court in Guwahati.

2:40 PM

Veteran Himachal BJP leader Kishan Kapoor dies at 73

Leaders across Himachal Pradesh paid rich tributes to Kishan Kapoor, a five-time BJP MLA and former Lok Sabha member, who passed away at the age of 73 at PGI Chandigarh on Saturday. He is survived by his wife, Rekha Kapoor, a son and a daughter.

2:33 PM

Karnataka govt forms panel to probe land encroachment in Ramanagara

The Karnataka government has constituted a five-member committee to probe the encroachment of government land in Ramanagara district. It is alleged that a powerful politician has encroached the land in Bidadi, Ramanagara district. A government order issued on January 28 stated that the panel headed by Bengaluru Regional Commissioner Amlan Aditya Biswas was formed following a High Court directive to investigate the encroachment in survey numbers 8, 9, 10, 16, 17, and 79 of Kethaganahalli in Bidadi, Ramanagara district.

2:05 PM

Munambam judicial panel temporarily winds up operations

The Justice Ramachandran Nair Commission, appointed by the Kerala government to look into the Munambam land dispute, has temporarily wound up its operations. The decision came after the state government told the High Court that the commission was neither a judicial nor a quasi-judicial body and had no power to enforce its recommendations. Confirming the reports, Justice C N Ramachandran Nair told PTI that the functioning of the commission has been halted until the High Court pronounces the final verdict in the petition challenging its appointment.

1:28 PM

Gross GST revenue rises 12.3% to about Rs 1.96 trn in January

Gross Goods and services tax revenue rises 12.3 per cent to about Rs 1.96 trillion in January, shows government data.

 

1:06 PM

Andhra CM pledges to irrigate every acre in Rayalaseema region Sambepalli

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday said that his lifelong desire is to irrigate every acre in the Rayalaseema region of the state to repay his debt as the son of the soil. Addressing a public meeting at Sambepalli village in Annamayya district, the Chief Minister said he must complete this mission started by the former CM of the united state, N T Rama Rao.

12:45 PM

Eight outgoing AAP MLAs join BJP ahead of Delhi polls

Eight outgoing AAP MLAs joined the BJP here on Saturday, with only four days to go for the February 5 Delhi Assembly polls All the eight MLAs resigned from the primary membership of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday, citing reasons like alleged corruption and the Arvind Kejriwal-led party's deviation from its ideology. All the eight legislators were denied poll tickets by the AAP this time.

12:31 PM

18 security personnel, 23 terrorists killed in Pakistan's restive Balochistan

At least 18 security personnel and 23 terrorists were killed during clashes between the two sides in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province. The military said the terrorists were killed in different areas of troubled Balochistan in the last 24 hours. In one such operation in Harnai district on Saturday, national troops effectively engaged the terrorists, killing 11 militants and destroying multiple terrorist hideouts.

12:02 PM

Carmakers see mild uptick in sales to dealers in January

India's overall car sales to dealers saw a slight increase in January, data released by automakers on Saturday showed, as inflation-wary customers continued to delay purchases. Domestic sales of India's top four carmakers - which form 80% of the country's car market - rose 1.8% from a year ago, helped by sales of market leader Maruti Suzuki's small cars and Mahindra & Mahindra's sports utility vehicles. Peers Hyundai India and Tata Motors saw sales declining 5.5% and 10%, respectively, hurt by increased competition.