12:18 AM

Eric Garcetti sworn in as US Ambassador to India

Eric Garcetti, the former Mayor of Los Angeles, was officially sworn in as the US Ambassador to India on Friday by Vice President Kamala Harris during a ceremonial event. The US Senate confirmed Garcetti’s nomination earlier this month, ending a protracted hiatus of over two years to fill the key diplomatic position.

11:27 PM

Centre approves Rs 318 cr for Tanakpur-Pithoragarh all-weather road

The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has allocated Rs 318 crore for the construction of 150-km-long Tanakpur-Pithoragarh all-weather road. NHAI Executive Engineer Sunil Kumar said the approval has been given for the construction of the road on NH-9 which will be done in four phases.

11:09 PM

Reliance Industries names Srikanth Venkatachari as new CFO

10:46 PM

Mumbai Indians set up Women’s Premier League final against Delhi Capitals after 72-run win over UP Warriorz in Eliminator

10:45 PM

Watchdog: Israel promotes bids for 1,000 settlement homes

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right government authorised construction bids for over a thousand new homes in Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem, a watchdog group reported Friday, despite an Israeli pledge to halt settlement construction as part of efforts to curb a deadly wave of violence in the territory.

10:35 PM

TPG sells 7.6 pc stake in Campus Activewear for Rs 806 cr

Private equity firm TPG on Friday divested a 7.6 per cent stake in sports and athleisure footwear company Campus Activewear for Rs 806 crore through an open market transaction. TPG through its affiliate TPG Growth III SF Pte offloaded the shares in Campus Activewear.

10:29 PM

G20: Mumbai to host first trade, investment working group meet next week

Over 100 delegates from G20 member countries will engage in deliberations to accelerate global trade and investments at the first trade and investment working group meeting under India’s G20 Presidency in Mumbai from March 28-30. New Delhi has identified five priority issues — growth and prosperity, resilient global value chains, MSMEs, logistics, and WTO reform — under its G20 presidency. Of these, it will focus on four in the first meeting.

10:18 PM

Heavy rain in parts of Delhi

Parts of the national capital witnessed heavy rainfall on Friday night. The rainfall was reported in Laxmi Nagar, ITO, Mandi House, Jor Bagh, Lajpat Nagar and North Delhi. The national capital witnessed a drizzle during the daytime. The weather remained pleasant throughout the day with the sun peeking through the clouds for brief moments.

10:07 PM

FM Nirmala Sitharaman to meet chiefs of PSU Banks on Saturday

Finance minister Niramala Sitharaman will meet managing directors of public sector banks (PSBs) on Saturday to review performance against the backdrop of the failure of a few banks in the US and the liquidity crisis faced by Credit Suisse. The meeting is going to take stock of the progress made by banks in achieving targets set for the various government schemes, including Kisan Credit Card (KCC), Stand-Up India, Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), and emergency credit line guarantee scheme (ECLGS) to help businesses affected by COVID-19, according to sources.

09:51 PM

Delhi logs 152 fresh COVID-19 cases, positivity rate rises to 6.66%

Delhi recorded 152 fresh coronavirus cases with a positivity rate of 6.66 per cent on Friday, according to data shared by the health department. It had logged 117 cases with a positivity rate of 4.95 per cent on Thursday.

09:39 PM

Govt proposes tax relief for REITs, InVITS

In a relief to REITs and InVITs, the Finance Bill on Friday proposed to treat distribution from business as return of capital. While presenting the Union Budget on February 1, the government had proposed to tax income distributed by business trusts like REITs and InVITs in the form of debt repayments at the hands of unitholders.

09:30 PM

Govt hikes MSP on jute by Rs 300 to Rs 5,050 per quintal: I&B Minister Anurag Thakur

09:21 PM

Govt extends subsidy of Rs 200 per LPG cylinder under Ujjwala Yojana for 1 year; move to benefit 1.6 cr families: I&B Minister Anurag Thakur

09:11 PM

DA increased for central govt employees and pensioners

Cabinet decided to increase DA (Dearness Allowance) from 38% to 42% today for central government employees and pensioners

09:08 PM

Congress says it will launch ‘Jan-Andolan’ across country

“BJP is rattled by Bharat Jodo Yatra becoming a movement, Congress questioning on Adani issue. Congress welcomes statement of support of all opposition leaders, we should now take issue of opposition unity forward in systematic way,” Jairam Ramesh said after Congress’s strategy meeting.

09:01 PM

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification as MP

This government is scared of the questions being posed to it. This has been done as a part of planning to make sure Rahul Gandhi doesn’t stay in Parliament…We are not scared, we will continue to fight: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification as MP

4 per cent reservation for minorities will be distributed equally and added to existing quota of Vokkaligas and Lingayats in Karnataka

– CM Bommai

08:44 PM

Not good precedent: key Nitish aide on Rahul’s disqualification

A key aide of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday took a grim view of the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from the Lok Sabha and asserted that it had “not set a good precedent”. Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, a senior JD(U) leader and a minister who holds key portfolios like finance and parliamentary affairs, also expressed dismay at the speed of the turn of events which, he said, did not look like “a natural course of justice”.

08:15 PM

India aspires to take technical textiles market to USD 40 bn in 4-5 years: Goyal

Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday said India aspires to take its technical textiles market to USD 40 billion in the next 4-5 years from USD 22 billion at present.In a virtual address at a conference on geo textiles, the Textiles Minister also expressed hope to build a domestic technical textiles market of up to USD 300 billion by 2047.

08:04 PM

Disturbed area status under AFSPA in parts of Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh extended for 6 months

07:54 PM

Fed’s Bullard: Silicon Valley Bank an “unusual case”

The failure of the Silicon Valley Bank was a “a very unusual case,” St. Louis Fed president James Bullard said Friday, and won’t prevent the U.S. from addressing both financial stability and high inflation. “I think you’d be hard pressed to find other banks that had the kind of situation that SVB had,” Bullard said. The U.S. has “tools to do both” keep inflation down and keep the financial system stable, he said, “we’re deploying those effectively and I think we will be successful.”

07:46 PM

France bans TikTok from public employee work phones: ministry source

France on Friday banned public-sector employees from downloading “recreational applications” on their work phones, the public services ministry said, with a ministerial source adding that Chinese-owned TikTok would be among them. Following bans of TikTok in other European countries, “the government has decided from now on to ban the downloading and installation of recreational applications on professional telephones given to public servants,” the ministry said.

07:38 PM

RBI approves merger of three L&T Finance Holdings units

07:38 PM

Jaipur-based retail jeweller Motisons Jewellers files DRHP for IPO

Jaipur-based Retail Jeweller player Motisons Jewellers, has filed its DRHP with the markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to raise funds through an initial public offering (IPO) with a fresh issue of 3,34,71,000 equity shares, with no offer for sale component.

07:29 PM

UP Warriorz opt to field in eliminator against MI

UP Warriorz skipper Alyssa Healy won the toss and opted to bowl first against Mumbai Indians in the eliminator of the inaugural Women’s Premier League on Friday. Grace Harris is back in place of Shabnim Ismail for UP Warriorz, while MI are playing an unchanged side.

07:11 PM

Tharoor on disqualification of Rahul Gandhi as MP

I was stunned by this decision and particularly by the unseemly haste with which it was carried out. The lawyers will certainly be questioning this. It sends a very poor signal to the world about Indian democracy when the leader of the principal opposition party is treated in this way. You can’t muzzle voices in a democracy and still call yourself democratic: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on disqualification of Rahul Gandhi as MP

07:04 PM

YSRC party suspends four MLAs suspected of cross-voting in MLC election

The ruling YSRC on Friday suspended four party MLAs for cross-voting in the recent MLA quota MLC election, said Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy, adviser to Andhra Pradesh government (Political). The suspended MLAs are Anam Ramnarayan Reddy, Undavalli Sridevi, Mekapati Chandrasekhar Reddy and Kotam Sridhar Reddy.

06:58 PM

Vikas Muttoo appointed as COO & Head Member Services of Bharat Financial Inclusion Ltd

IndusInd Bank announced appointment of Vikas Muttoo as ‘COO & Head Member Services’ of its 100% subsidiary ‘Bharat Financial Inclusion Ltd.

06:51 PM

CCI clears GMR Airports Infra-Aeroports de Paris SA deal

Fair-trade regulator CCI on Friday said it has approved the proposed deal of GMR Airports Infrastructure and Aeroports de Paris SA (ADP) under the green channel route. The proposed combination involves ADP’s proposed acquisition of and subscription to foreign currency convertible bonds (FCCB) issued by GMR Airports Infrastructure Ltd, according to a CCI notice.

06:40 PM

BNP Paribas BP says CFO Jean-Charles Aranda resigns

06:39 PM

Sun Pharma entered into an agreement to acquire 60% shareholding in Vivaldis Health And Foods

06:33 PM

Motovolt acquires stake in German electric OEM

Kolkata-based electric two-wheeler manufacturer Motovolt on Friday acquired stake in German original equipment manufacturer (OEM) eROCKIT for expanding global footprint of sales and distribution of its products. A company statement said that Motovolt has invested one million Euros initially, adding that plans are there to make a total investment of Euro ten million in future in the German firm.

06:26 PM

Congress leaders meet at AICC in Delhi over Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification

06:22 PM

Centre approves third electronic manufacturing cluster for Karnataka: MoS IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar

06:21 PM

Bharat Electronics wins order worth 43 Billion Rupees

06:10 PM

Considering the history of independent India, we never had a PM who is just 12th pass: Kejriwal

He can’t run the govt but his ego is at the top. I want to appeal to all leaders of BJP that under PM Modi’s leadership the country is being destroyed. Those who want to destroy the nation stay in BJP & those who want to save the nation must leave BJP today: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

05:59 PM

Govt to make amendments in Finance Bill to correct Typographical error in STT on sale of options

Reported ET Now quoting sources

05:54 PM

Arvind Kejriwal on Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from the Lok Sabha

Now the people of the country will have to come forward and fight this, if we want to save the country then 130 crore people will have to come forward and save the nation. It doesn’t matter which party comes into power, what’s concerning is the way democracy is being attacked: Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi CM on Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from the Lok Sabha

05:49 PM

Jindal Stainless: EU examining containers with 100 tonnes stainless steel due to sanctions against Russia

05:46 PM

Jindal Stainless says its 5 Russia-bound containers sent in February 2022 stuck at Antwerp Port

05:43 PM

Fighting for voice of India, ready to pay any price: Rahul Gandhi after disqualification

05:36 PM

Anurag Thakur on RaGa’s case

SC verdict states parliamentary membership is annulled with conviction, Speaker only confirmed legal position: Anurag Thakur

05:32 PM

Court orders probe in defamation case against Gehlot

Court orders probe by Delhi Police in defamation complaint filed by Union Minister Gajendra Shekhawat against Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot

05:29 PM

‘Low danger’ level avalanche likely to occur in J&K

‘Low danger’ level avalanche is likely to occur above 2800 to 3000 metres above sea level over Baramulla, Doda, Ganderbal, Kishtwar, Kupwara, Poonch, Ramban, Reasi, Anantnag and Kulgam districts in the next 24 hours: Jammu & Kashmir Administration

05:17 PM

India’s foreign exchange reserves rise $12.8 billion to $572.8 billion as on March 17, 2023

05:17 PM

My family irrigated India’s democracy with own blood, tweets Priyanka Gandhi

04:55 PM

The government has to withdraw the action taken against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi: Tamil Nadu CM & DMK president MK Stalin

04:52 PM

Rahul Gandhi can come back by fighting from other constituencies as well: Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu

Winning election isn’t his priority. He is worried about democracy being murdered. Rahul Gandhi strengthened democracy by Bharat Jodo Yatra, BJP got scared of it.

04:51 PM

Centre increases withholding tax rate on royalties and fee for technical services paid to non-residents from 10 per cent to 20 per cent under domestic tax law

Foreign entities will need to evaluate their commercial substance to be able to claim treaty benefits. This may also increase the cost of import of technology in cases where Indian companies are grossing up withholding taxes and treaty benefits are not available.

04:45 PM

NCP leader Ajit Pawar attacks Eknath Shinde govt in Maharashtra, alleges that crime is more rampant in its rule than development

04:45 PM

Many countries have a different view of their own security & a different view of other people’s security. We’ll not accept this differential status: EAM Dr S Jaishankar at BJYM Yuva Samvada event in Bengaluru

04:39 PM

“It’s a political issue because it signifies a systematic, repetitive emasculation of democratic institutions by the ruling party,” says Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi addressing a press conference today

04:29 PM

Under PM Modi’s leadership, attempt being made to destroy country; they disqualified Rahul Gandhi from LS, they are scared: CM Kejriwal

04:21 PM

Rahul Gandhi disqualification

Ever since Bharat Jodo Yatra concluded successfully, Govt is perturbed…The manner in which Rahul Gandhi – a patriot whose entire clan took part in the freedom struggle and whose grandmother & father were assassinated – was blocked from speaking in & coming to Parliament…This will cost them. They had harassed Indira Gandhi as well & she was disqualified from the Parliament and they paid the price – there was a wave of Indira Gandhi and she became the PM with a massive majority. I can say that with the recent activities, chances will increase in 2024 election. People won’t tolerate such a dictatorial NDA Govt: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot.

04:21 PM

Detained Congress MPs raise slogans demanding a JPC probe in the Adani issue and in support of Rahul Gandhi over his disqualification as MP

04:18 PM

There is no political conspiracy in this. It’s a court decision, and no one is above the judiciary. The court order should be accepted,” says BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi

04:09 PM

These are all non-democratic steps: Telangana Congress chief Revanth Reddy

This whole decision has been taken by pressurising the Lok Sabha Secretariat. This has been done to divert the attention of people from the main issues (JPC probe on Adani issue). Congress and Gandhi’s family are not afraid of them (BJP).

04:06 PM

We are confident that we will get a stay of the conviction which will remove the very basis of this disqualification: Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi

We have full faith in the law. We believe we will emerge victorious in the near future.

04:00 PM

Ministry of Defence today signed a contract with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Hyd for procurement of two Integrated Electronic Warfare Systems ‘Project Himshakti’ at an overall cost of approximately Rs 3,000 crore

The project is under the Buy {Indian – IDMM (Indigenously Designed Developed and Manufactured)} category comprising contemporary and niche technologies: MoD.

03:59 PM

Whosoever does a wrong thing that person has to face the consequences for their wrongdoing: MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification as a member of Lok Sabha

What Rahul Gandhi has done he will have to face the consequences for that.