BJP leader GVL Narasimha Rao on Saturday took a jibe at Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and said that instead of visiting Ayodhya, he should book a Hajj Yatra along with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.Rather than going to Ayodhya, Uddhav Thackrey should book a Hajj Yatra and go there along with Rahul Gandhi, which will suit his (Thackeray's) ongoing politics, said Rao.His statement came soon after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday asked the Maharashtra CM to take Rahul Gandhi wi

President Ram Nath Kovind approved 409 Gallantry and other Defence decorations to Armed Forces personnel and others on the eve of the 71st Republic Day.As per an official release, six army personnel and three police personnel were awarded peacetime military award Shaurya Chakras for demonstrating raw courage and valour while combating terrorists.Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Ranbir Singh is among the 28 awarded with Param Vishisht Seva Medals.Four have been awarded Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, 53 awa

India and Brazil on Saturday unveiled an Action Plan to strengthen their strategic partnership following talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Brazilian President Jair Messias Bolsonaro here.The action plan highlights specific goals set by the two countries for deepening cooperation in the areas of trade and commerce, investments, agriculture, civil aviation and energy mechanisms, among others, as per a release by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).The two countries vowed to work to

Google on Sunday marked India's 71st Republic Day by dedicating a doodle illustrating the country's rich cultural heritage that permeates and unites the diverse nation.From its world-famous landmarks like the Taj Mahal and India Gate, to the wide array of fauna such as its national bird (the Indian peafowl), to classical arts, textiles, and dances, the doodle, designed by Singapore-based artist Meroo Seth, brings together the rich cultural heritage of the country.Republic Day marks the completio

At least 30 people have been killed by intense storms in southeastern Brazil, the Civil Defense office in Minas Gerais state said Saturday. The toll was a jump from the 11 reported by the same office earlier in the day. Seventeen people are also missing, seven injured, and some 3,500 have been forced to move in more following a series of landslides and house collapses, Civil Defense officials said.

President Xi Jinping warned Saturday that China faced a grave situation as authorities raced to contain a virus that has killed 41 people and caused a drastic scale-back of Lunar New Year celebrations. The world's most populous country, which is scrambling to contain the disease that has infected nearly 1,300 people and overwhelmed health facilities, is building a second field hospital and closing more travel routes. After more countries reported cases, Xi said at a Communist Party leadership me

A man was arrested for pointing lasers at planes trying to land at a Florida airport and injuring a pilot in the process, authorities said. Charlie Chapman Jr. aimed his laser pointer toward a plane four times and toward a sheriff's helicopter once as they tried to land last week at Sarasota Bradenton Airport, according to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office. One pilot said the laser hit him directly in the eyes and caused temporary blindness and lingering blurred vision. The Orlando Sentinel re

French carmaker PSA on Saturday said it would repatriate expat staff from Wuhan as fears grew that more cases of coronavirus would be found in France. Three cases of the virus have been confirmed in France while Chinese authorities have said the death toll there has risen to 41 with around 1,300 infected. The French firm, which makes brands including Peugeot and Citroen, said in a statement the evacuation was being implemented in full cooperation with the Chinese authorities and French consulate

Eighty-four-year-old Jagdish Lal Ahuja who serves free food daily to hundreds of poor patients and attendants outside PGIMER Chandigarh and Arunoday Mondal, a doctor who travels six hours every weekend to treat patients in remote Sundarban villages, are among the 21 unsung heroes who have been honoured with the Padma Shri Awards 2020.The awardees were announced on the eve of the Republic Day by the Ministry of Home Affairs. As many as 118 people have been selected for Padma Shri awards this year

An armed attack on a highway rest stop in central Mexico has left at least nine people dead in the country's latest mass killing, state and federal authorities said Saturday. The attack occurred Friday evening in Guanajuato state when a group of heavily armed men burst into a hostel restaurant frequented by truck drivers and opened fire. Six people died on the spot, while three others were taken to a nearby parking lot and executed, the Federal Security Directorate reported. Two other people wer

White House lawyers began their defense of Donald Trump at his historic Senate impeachment trial on Saturday, saying the president did nothig wrong in his dealings with Ukraine and American voters -- not Congress -- should decide his fate. White House counsel Pat Cipollone said it would be a completely irresponsible abuse of power if the Senate follows the lead of the House of Representatives and votes to remove the 45th US president from office. They're asking you to do something that no Senate

Chad's government on Saturday lifted the five-month state of emergency in the north and the east of the country, hailing a campaign to disarm civilians and quell deadly ethnic violence between farmers and herders from rival ethnic groups. 10,000 weapons of all calibres have been recovered, Defence Minister Mahamat Abali Sala said at a ceremony in the east at which he announced that the state of emergency has reached its objectives. The emergency measures were imposed in August in the Quaddai and

- The death toll in the explosion of a gas tanker in Lima has risen to 13 after the overnight deaths of five people hospitalized with severe burns, Peru's Health Ministry said Saturday. The dead included several young children and a 40-year-old man from Venezuela, the ministry said. Nearly 50 people were injured, many seriously, when a tanker truck carrying 10,000 liters of liquefied gas exploded early Thursday, igniting a major fire that destroyed several houses and vehicles in the capital's Vi

Two police personnel were injured after a mob attacked a team of policemen in Nagaon district here. One of the police officers was also tonsured by the mob. Four people have been arrested in connection with the incident.The incident occurred on January 24 when the police party went to the village to investigate a domestic abuse case. Four people have been arrested in this case, said Gunendra Deka, Additional Superintendent of Police.The family members of the person against whom the case was regi

Clashes erupted Saturday between protesters and security forces in the Lebanese capital, as hundreds of people hit the streets to mark 100 days of anti-government demonstrations and denounce a new cabinet line-up. Protests demanding the removal of politicians deemed incompetent and corrupt have gripped Lebanon since October 17 and forced the resignation of the government. A new cabinet was announced on Tuesday after a three-month vacuum, but protesters, who have been demanding a government of in

Police in Greece said Saturday they had seized weapons and more than a tonne of cocaine and arrested eight foreign nationals in a series of raids on a drug-smuggling network. The suspects being held had been bringing drugs into Europe and north Africa from the Caribbean by yacht, police said in a statement. They were thought to have made more than 50 million euros. Officers found 1,040 kilos of cocaine contained in one-kilo pouches packed into travel bags in a Friday raid on the western port of

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Saturday reiterated their mutual interest to work closely at the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to confront the challenges of state-sponsored terrorism and terror financing.The two leaders called upon all countries to work towards rooting out terrorist safe havens and infrastructure, disrupting terrorist networks and financing channels and halting cross border movement of terrorists, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)

Three terrorists including a top Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) commander were on Saturday killed in an encounter with the security forces in Awantipora, said Kashmir Zone Police.Killed terrorists identified as Burhan Sheikh of Tral, Moosa @ Abu Usman & a top JeM commander Qari Yasir, both residents of Pakistan. As per police records involved in series of terror crimes including Lethpora blast & civilian killing, said Kashmir Zone Police.The encounter between security forces and terrorists broke out in

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday said he expected US President Donald Trump's peace plan for the Middle East to be historic ahead of a trip to Washington. An opportunity such as this comes once in history and cannot be missed... I am full of hope that we are on the verge of a historic moment in the annals of our state, Netanyahu, who has been invited to meet Trump at the White House on Tuesday to discuss the plan, said in a statement. Trump on Thursday said he will release h

Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday hit out at NCP chief Sharad Pawar, saying even senior leaders were now spreading misinformation knowingly and creating fear and confusion on CAA and NRC. Speaking at an event on Citizen Amendment Act here, Fadnavis said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has clearly stated that there was no talk of implementing NRC in the government and a wider consultation was going on and after this consultation is over, a de

At least 11 people have been killed by storms in southeastern Brazil, the same region where a dam collapse one year ago killed 270 people, firefighters said on Saturday. Two days of torrential rain in Minas Gerais state have also left seven people injured, 16 missing and more than 2,500 homeless following a series of landslides and house collapses, Civil Defense officials said. At least two children were listed among the dead. Rainfall in the region has been the heaviest since records were first

Spacewalking astronauts plugged a leak in a cosmic ray detector outside the International Space Station on Saturday, completing a series of complex repairs to give the instrument new life. The USD 2 billion Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer could resume its hunt for elusive antimatter and dark matter by midweek. Team members around the world expressed relief as NASA's Andrew Morgan and Italy's Luca Parmitano wrapped up work on the spectrometer. It was their fourth and final spacewalk since November to

The Indian Institute of Technology, Madras on Saturday congratulated its professors and an alumnus who have been conferred with Padma awards. In a statement, IIT-Madras Director Baskar Ramamurthy said, The institute congratulates all three awardees for the well deserved honour in recognition of their work and contributions. Noted industrialist and TVS Motor Company Chairman, Venu Srinivasan who is an honorary professor at the premier institute was conferred with the Padma Bhushan -- the third-hi

The death toll from a powerful earthquake in eastern Turkey rose to 29 as rescue workers raced against time Saturday to find survivors under the rubble. The magnitude 6.8 quake struck on Friday evening, with its epicentre in the small lakeside town of Sivrice in Elazig province, and was felt across neighbouring countries. The Turkish government's disaster and emergency management agency (AFAD) said 29 died in Elazig and in nearby Malatya while nearly 1,500 had been injured. The update came as a

As the Centre announced that singer Adnan Sami, who was born in Pakistan but later took Indian citizenship, has been awarded Padma Shri this year, Union Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that he hoped protestors at Shaheen Bagh were listening. I hope Shaheen Bagh is listening. India doesn't believe in taking away citizenships, said the minister on Twitter. Congratulations to the talented Shri Adnan Sami on being honoured with a Padma Shri. He is one of the many who reposed faith in the c

Boxing Federation of India president Ajay Singh on Saturday congratulated celebrated boxer Mary Kom on being conferred with the Padma Vibhushan, the second-highest civilian award in the country. I extend my heartiest congratulations to Mary Kom on being conferred the Padma Vibhushan. Mary is an inspiration not only for the young girls and boys in the country but for all of us. Her contribution to boxing in India is unparalleled, Singh said. I wish her the very best and hope she betters her Olymp

Salma Hayek is apologising for promoting a controversial new novel, Jeanine Cummins' American Dirt, without actually reading it. American Dirt, published Tuesday, tells the story of a Mexican woman and her 8-year-old son fleeing to the U.S. border after numerous family members are murdered in drug cartel-related violence. The heavily publicized book has been praised by Stephen King and Ann Patchett among others and was chosen by Oprah Winfrey for her book club. On Saturday, it ranked No. 4 on Am

Five people, including four minor students, were killed after two floors of an under-construction building housing a coaching class collapsed in Bhajanpura area in northeast Delhi on Saturday, fire department officials said. They said around 30 students, all minors, were attending classes at the coaching centre when the two upper floors of the four-storey building collapsed, trapping them under the debris. The fourth floor of the building was under construction and did not have a roof, the offic

Entry and exit at some of the metro stations in central Delhi will be closed for a few hours in the morning of Republic Day on Sunday due to security reasons, officials said on Saturday. Entry and exit facilities at Central Secretariat and Udyog Bhawan metro stations will not be available from 6 am to 12 pm, they said. While entry and exit at Patel Chowk and Lok Kalyan Marg metro stations will be closed from 8:45 am to 12 noon. Interchange facilities will be available at Central Secretariat stat

Thirty-one Delhi Police personnel have been conferred with police medals for their services, officials said. Twelve personnel have been awarded the Police Medal for Gallantry, two President's Police Medal for distinguished service and 17 Police Medal for meritorious service on the eve of Republic Day. The recipients of the gallantry medal are Omvir Singh, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Pramod Singh Kushwah, DCP (Special Cell), Assistant Commissioner of Police Hemant Tiwari, Inspector Manish Josh

Security has been stepped up in Mumbai ahead of the 71st Republic Day celebrations on Sunday, the police said. The security at important places and buildings has been increased, an official said. All units of the Mumbai Police including the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad, Riot Control Police, Quick Response Teams, Force One and Anti-Sabotage Check teams would be on alert, he said. The official Republic Day function will be held at Shivaji Park in Central Mumbai in the presence of Maharashtra

The parents of a jailed gangster were among four persons arrested here on Saturday for allegedly helping their son continue his extortion activities from inside the prison, police said. Pratap Behera and his wife Phulabati, parents of Litua alias Bharat Behera who is now lodged in Choudwar Circle Jail here for over five years, have been arrested, a police officer said. Litua had allegedly called up a city-based businessman from inside the prison and demanded Rs 50 lakh from him, he said. He had

The families of those who died in an under-construction building collapse in northeast Delhi's Bhajanpura on Saturday said they were stunned into silence when they heard the news of the accident. Five people, including four students, were killed in the collapse of the building, which housed a coaching centre. Around 30 students were attending classes when the upper two floors of the four-storey building collapsed. Some of them were injured. Arif Sultan, father of the deceased Farhan Sultan (6),

This comes after the central bank hiked the short-term investment limit for FPIs in both corporate and government debt, last week, to 30 per cent from 20 per cent

Google's fees range from $45 for a subpoena and $60 for a wiretap to $245 for a search warrant

The data on companies' inventory, a balance sheet entry, is only reported on a half-yearly and annual basis and is not available for Q3

Students, professors and other staff members of the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay organised a 'Tiranga March' on the insitute's campus on the eve of Republic Day. The theme of the march was 'IIT Bombay for nation-building'. More than 1,500 students, professors, non-teaching staff and their family members participated in the march with a thousand-feet long tricolour, said one of the students who took part in the event.

President Donald Trump's lawyers opened their impeachment trial defence Saturday by accusing Democrats of striving to overturn the 2016 election, arguing that investigations of Trump's dealings with Ukraine have not been a fact-finding mission but a politically motivated effort to drive him from the White House. They're here to perpetrate the most massive interference in an election in American history, White House Counsel Pat Cipollone told senators. And we can't allow that to happen. The Trump

On the eve of the Republic Day which will have Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro as chief guest, India on Saturday honoured two inspirational Brazilian women Lia Diskin and Gloria Areria with Padma Shri. While Areria was awarded for her contribution to literature and education, Diskin was honoured for social work. Diskin, a Gandhian, has been disseminating Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy in Brazil and Latin America for almost 30 years. Areria, a resident of Rio De Janerio in Brazil, is a Sanskrit s

Former Union ministers Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley, Manohar Parrikar and George Fernandes have been conferred Padma awards posthumously, according to an official announcement made on Saturday.While Sushma Swaraj, Jaitley and Fernandes will be awarded with Padma Vibhushan posthumously, Parrikar will be conferred Padma Bhushan.Jaitley, a former finance minister, passed away at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in August 2019. He was 66.Jaitley first became a Cabinet minister in the g

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said the under-construction building that collapsed here in the Bhajanpura area talking a toll on four people was built 'illegally' and a probe will be done on how MCD allowed its construction.What has happened is very upsetting. The construction was going on illegally. We will give orders to investigate how MCD allowed it, Kejriwal told media persons here.He urged the Election Commission to allow the Delhi government to provide compensation of Rs

The ruling TRS in Telangana on Saturday continued its dominance in state politics, achieving an emphatic victory in the Urban Local Body polls held three days ago. In the 120 municipalities and nine municipal corporations where elections were held on January 22,TRS emerged victorious in a number of ULBs as votes were counted on Saturday. Of the total of 3,535 wards where elections were held, the results of 2973 were declared till Saturday night. The TRS bagged 1687 wards, followed by INC-569, BJ

As the Centre announced that late Union ministers Sushma Swaraj, George Fernandes and Arun Jaitley have been conferred with the Padma Vibhushan, Oil and Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the honour is a true reflection of their unparalleled contribution in Indian polity. Thank Honourable Rashtrapati and Honourable Prime Minister Shri Shri Narendra Modi for the posthumous conferment of Padma Vibhushan to stalwart leaders Shri George Fernandes, Shri Arun Jaitley & Smt. Sushma Swaraj. The Padm

After being denied to file nomination papers for Delhi assembly polls, 11 people moved the Delhi High Court on Saturday, seeking an enquiry on the manner the candidates were dealt with by the election officer at Jam Nagar and allegedly allowed out of turn entry of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal inside the election office.Eleven people have requested the Delhi High Court to issue directions to poll panel to give them time to file their nomination papers again.The petitioners including one Kiran P

Film Director Karan Johar, actress Kangana Ranaut, singer Adnan Sami, and TV producer Ekta Kapoor have been announced to be conferred with Padma Shri.Union Ministry of Home Affairs on Saturday announced the names of 141 recipients of the Padma awards, one of the highest civilian awards of the country on the eve of the country's 71st Republic Day.Filmmaker Karan Johar is actively working in Bollywood industry as a successful film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is the son of film produce

BJP leader MP Renukacharya who is political secretary to Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, stoked a fresh controversy by stating that he will cut all facilities given to minorities in the Honnali Assembly constituency as they have not voted for him in the elections.They did not vote for me in 2018 elections and I am sure that they will not vote to me in future as well. That's why I want to find places where they live in the constituency and I will cut the facilities given to them in Honnali, Renuka

A murder convict was killed by unidentified people on Saturday in Kachipura area of Nagpur, police said. Harish Raghunath Patel (35) was found dead with multiple stab wounds near his house under Bajaj Nagar police station limits in the early hours of the day, an official said. Patel was convicted for the murder of one Yogesh Patta and was released from jail after serving eight years. He was running a roadside Chinese food stall, he said. Zone I Deputy Commissioner of Police Vivek Masal said a li

After an almost unrecognisable photograph of detained former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah surfaced online on Saturday, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said it pointed to a very disturbing fact about the government. This picture points to a very disturbing fact about the central government. A former CM, who is also a former Union minister, has been detained for months without any charge. And he and his party have been the biggest votaries of India, Yechury said, retweet

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday said that in Bastar prevention of malaria can lead to alleviation of anaemia and malnutrition.Bastar is one of the most beautiful places on earth, however, there are still a few shortcomings there, which include problems of malnutrition, anaemia and malaria. Prevention of malaria can lead to alleviation of anaemia and malnutrition, said Baghel addressing the public gathering at 'Malaria Mukt Bastar Abhiyan' organized at Karli Police Line of

The private sector lender had posted PBT of Rs 1,902 crore in Q3FY19