That's all for today, readers. Thanks for staying on with our coverage of the day's action. Your enthusiasm encourages us to better our coverage every day. Do come back tomorrow for more news, views and insights.
20:41 AI disinvestment 'potentially another scam' in making, says Subramanian Swamy
BJP leader Subramanian Swamy hit out at the government over the disinvestment of Air India, saying it was ‘potentially another scam in the making’, reports PTI. The former Union minister said he would watch the developments and file a private criminal law complaint, if he found ‘culpability’ in the disinvestment process.
20:19 Tesla says autopilot was engaged during fatal crash
Electric car maker Tesla has confirmed the autopilot was engaged during a fatal crash last week, a development set to exacerbate concerns over the safety of autonomous vehicles, reports AFP. A Tesla Model X collided with a highway barrier near the town of Mountain View in California on March 23, catching fire before it was struck by two other cars.
20:10 Gazans buried their dead with calls for 'revenge' a day after a major demonstration led to clashes that saw Israeli forces kill 16 Palestinians in the bloodiest day since a 2014 war, reports AFP. Meanwhile, Israel said it will target ‘terror organisations’ in Gaza if violence along the territory's border with Israel drags on, the chief military spokesman warned, reports AP.19:50 Pakistan arrests 52 Indian fishermen
Pakistani authorities have arrested 52 Indian fishermen for allegedly straying into the country's territorial waters, reports PTI. The latest batch of Indian fishermen was arrested on Thursday night by the Pakistan Maritime Security Forces, an official said. Eight fishing boats were also seized.
19:34 Vedanta wins bid to acquire Electrosteel Steels
Anil Agarwal group-owned Vedanta said it has won the bid to acquire bankrupt Electrosteel Steels in an insolvency auction. "Vedanta hereby informs that it has been declared as the successful resolution applicant by the committee of creditors (CoC) for Electrosteel Steels under the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 and has received a Letter of Intent (LoI) today," the company said in a BSE filing. Vedanta said it has accepted the terms of the LoI.
19:23 Construction firm Madhucon Projects has bagged road projects worth Rs 734.9 crore from National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation in Nagaland.
19:17 NHAI awarded projects worth Rs 1.22 lakh crore in FY18
The National Highways Authority of India said it has awarded projects worth Rs 1,22,000 crore for constructing about 7,400 km of highways in FY18, reports PTI. It stated that out of the total projects awarded, 3,791 km length was awarded on EPC mode at a cost of Rs 43,000 crore while 3,396 km was awarded on hybrid annuity mode at a cost of Rs 76,500 crore and 209 km on toll mode at a cost of Rs 2,500 crore.
19:13 The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence has arrested two men and seized fake notes of Rs 2,000, having a face value of over Rs 10 lakh, which were allegedly smuggled into India from Bangladesh for exchange with real currency in poll-bound Karnataka.
19:10 Risks from $1.7 trillion external debt manageable: China
China said the financial risks arising from its mounting $1.7 trillion external debt were manageable, reports PTI. The country's foreign exchange regulator State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) said all major indicators of the external debt remained within international safety standards, amid rising concerns over the debt's accumulation and its impact on China's slowing down of economy.
19:05 Centre, Tamil Nadu move SC on Cauvery Management Board issue
The Centre and Tamil Nadu moved the Supreme Court on the issue of constitution and composition of the Cauvery Management Board in compliance with the February 16 apex court verdict on the decades-old river water-sharing dispute, reports PTI. The Centre sought three-month’s time to implement the apex court order due to the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections. Tamil Nadu, on the other hand, sought contempt action against the Centre for ‘failure’ to frame the scheme for constitution of the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee within six weeks as directed by the apex court on February 16.
19:03 Arnold Schwarzenegger says "I'm back" after recovery from heart surgery
Actor and former bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger underwent heart surgery to replace a valve that was originally replaced 20 years ago, waking up with the words “I’m back” in a twist on his catchphrase, reports Reuters.
19:02 CBSE leaks: 2 coaching centre directors arrested, 4 students detained
Six more people, including two directors of a private coaching centre in Chatra (Jharkhand), were apprehended in connection with the CBSE question paper leaks, reports PTI. Since Friday, 12 people, including Class 10 and 11 students, have been apprehended in the CBSE leak case from Jharkhand's Chatra district, police said.
18:48 Allahabad Bank cuts lending rates by 45 bps
Public sector lender Allahabad Bank has reduced the base rate and benchmark prime lending rate by 45 basis points each. The move comes into effect from April 2 and will lower EMIs for its borrowers. The bank has slashed base rate to 9.15% from 9.6%. BPLR has been brought down to 13.4% from 13.85%.
18:41 Class 12 Hindi paper circulating on social media fake: CBSE
The Class 12 Hindi (Elective) paper being circulated on the social media was ‘fake’, the CBSE said and urged the people not to spread rumours regarding the paper, reports PTI. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is scheduled to hold the Class 12th Hindi (Elective) examination on April 2.
18:37 CBSE papers leak: Google sends reply to Delhi Police
The Delhi Police's Crime Branch has got a reply from Google on the details it had sought pertaining to the e-mail address from where the CBSE chairperson was sent a mail about the Class 10 mathematics paper being leaked, reports PTI.
18:28 Rupee reels under pressure on worsening fiscal outlook, dives 2.2% in Q1
The rupee lost further ground against the US currency, breaching the key psychological 65-mark as deteriorating fiscal outlook and global trade-war fears kept forex market sentiment jittery, reports PTI. Extending its fall for the second-straight week, the home currency depreciated by 17 paise to end at 65.18 against the dollar.
18:12 Snapchat parent cuts 7% of its global workforce in March
Snap said it cut 7% of its global workforce in March, reports Reuters. The social media company said it would incur about $10 million of cash expenditure due to severance costs to be reflected in the current quarter ending March 31. As a result of the layoffs, primarily in its engineering and sales teams, the company said it sees savings of about $25 million in 2018.
18:05 Ishrat Jahan case: Special CBI court sets aside summons to 2 IB officers
A special CBI court set aside summons issued to two Intelligence Bureau officers - Rajeev Wankhede and TS Mittal - by a magistrate court in the Ishrat Jahan alleged fake encounter case that took place in June 2004, reports PTI.
18:02 CBSE paper leak: Private school body demands Prakash Javadekar's resignation
The National Independent Schools Alliance, which claims to represent 60,000 private schools across the country, has sought the resignation of HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar, alleging that the government had failed to conduct the board examinations in a fair manner. Kulbhushan Sharma, its president, said the CBSE paper leak issue had caused ‘immense stress’ for children.
18:00 Virudhunagar, Ramanathapuram top NITI Aayog's healthcare list
Two districts from Tamil Nadu - Virudhunagar and Ramanathapuram -have got the maximum scores on health and nutrition in NITI Aayog's 2018 ranking of Aspirational Districts. Both districts got scores of about 58%.
17:16 Amit Shah declines to share details of discussions with Wadiyar royal family
BJP President Amit Shah today declined to reveal the nature of discussions he had with the Wadiyar royal family of Mysuru, amid speculation that the party was seeking to enlist their support in the May 12 Assembly polls.
"As far as my meeting with the royal family members is concerned, I only want to say that it was a courtesy visit. However, what transpired between us, I cannot reveal it," he told reporters.
17:01 In poll-bound Rajasthan, Raje to begin state tour on April 15
Ahead of the Assembly polls in Rajasthan due later this year, Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje would begin her state tour from Charbhuja Nath temple in Rajsamand district on April 15 to highlight the works done by her government.
State Higher Education minister Kiran Maheshwari today said under the Vikas Yatra the the chief minister will cover all the Assembly constituencies.
16:45 IOC to invest Rs 1.4 lakh cr to double refining capacity
India's biggest oil firm IOC today said it plans to invest about Rs 1.43 lakh crore to nearly double its oil refining capacity to 150 million tonnes and boost petrochemical production by 2030.
While Indian Oil Corp (IOC) is expanding refining capacity to meet fuel demand, which is expected to nearly double by 2040, it does not want to remain "a refining company alone and is thus venturing into petrochemicals and alternative fuels as well," company's Director (Refineries) B V Rama Gopal told reporters.
The company currently owns and operates 11 out of the country's 23 refineries. Its refineries have a total capacity of 80.7 million tonnes per annum.
15:00 Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to visit Russia on Apr 3
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will be travelling to Russia next week to attend the seventh Moscow Conference on International Security here.
This will be her first visit to Russia in her capacity as the Defence Minister.
During her three-day tour, between April 3 and 5, she will participate in the VII Moscow Conference on International Security, according to a statement from Indian Embassy here.
Sitharaman will also meet her Russian counterpart Army General Sergei Shoigu, and other senior leaders, it said. (PTI) 14:38 India increases deployment of troops along border with China near Tibetan region
India has deployed more troops and significantly increased patrolling in the mountainous terrains of Dibang, Dau-Delai and Lohit valleys along the borders with China in the Tibetan region in Arunachal sector following the Doklam face-off, the most tense military confrontations between the two countries in decades.
Military officials said India is also strengthening its surveillance mechanism to keep an eye on Chinese activities along the borders in the strategically sensitive Tibetan region and has even been regularly deploying choppers to carry out recce.
They said India has been focusing on dominating the treacherous terrains which include snow-clad mountains at an altitude of over 17,000 feet, and river passes, as part of a strategy to counter China's rising assertiveness along the border in Dibang, Dau-Delai and Lohit valleys. (PTI)
A video showing an angry bunch of SpiceJet air hostesses accusing the airline of strip searching them at Chennai airport has gone viral, with the airline denying the claims.
The crew alleged that they were searched after de-boarding on the suspicion that they were swindling cash collected from the sale of food and other items on-board.
While SpiceJet confirmed that their security teams undertook "random pat down searches" at few of the stations on the night of March 28 and March 29 as part of security and safety standard operating procedures (SOP), the airline rejected the allegation that the crew was strip searched. (PTI)
Hanuman Jayanti was celebrated across West Bengal today amid tight security.
The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) took out colourful processions and organised Hanuman puja in various parts of the state. Senior party leaders and ministers were seen taking part in the celebrations.
The BJP and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) kept their Hanuman Jayanti celebrations a low-key affair with small-scale programmes at temples and mutts. (PTI)
The ED today said it has attached assets worth Rs 4.53 crore, including 29 plots and deposits in ten bank accounts, of the main accused in the Bihar topper scam that had rocked the state in 2016.
The action under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against the Secretary cum Principal of Vishun Roy College in Vaishali district, Bachha Rai alias Amit Kumar, comes at a time when two CBSE question papers of Class X and XII have leaked and police is looking for culprits.
The agency, in a statement, said it has attached 16 plots in the name of Bachha Rai in Lalganj, Mahua, Bhagwanpur and Hajipur and 13 plots in the name of his wife Sangeeta Rai. (PTI) 11:44 Oil PSUs to supply Euro-VI fuel in Delhi from Apr 1
State-owned oil firms will from tomorrow supply petrol and diesel meeting stringent Euro-VI emission norms in the national capital.
Indian Oil Corp (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Co will supply the less polluting fuel at all their outlets from tomorrow, IOC officials said.
The Euro-VI grade fuel supplies in the national capital have been advanced from the April 1, 2020 target rollout for the entire country to show the oil industry's commitment to supplying cleaner fuel, they said. (PTI)
International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach told North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at a meeting on Friday that the IOC would cooperate with the North to prepare for its participation in the 2020 Tokyo and 2022 Beijing Olympic Games, the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) has reported.
Bach travelled to Pyongyang on Thursday in a visit that comes after North Korea's participation in the Pyeongchang Winter Games helped ease inter-Korean relations.
He told Kim in a meeting that the trip was to "express the most heartfelt thanks" to North Korea's leader for helping make February's Pyeongchang Winter Olympics a Games that were "symbolic of peace," KCNA said on Saturday. (Reuters) 10:54 Malala visits Pak hometown in Swat Valley
Malala Yousafzai, the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner, today arrived in her Swat Valley hometown in Pakistan for the first time after she was shot in the head by Taliban militants for advocating girls education more than five years ago.
Amid tight security, she along with her parents arrived in Swat district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on a day-long visit, reports PTI.
She has been put up in Circuit House. The venue had been surrounded by the law enforcers.
The Russian foreign ministry said it had summoned the heads of missions from 23 countries -- almost all of them European Union member states -- to tell them that some of their diplomats had to leave.
The diplomats from France, Canada, Germany, Australia and other countries were earlier seen arriving at the Russian foreign ministry in flagged official cars. (PTI)
That's all for today, readers. Thanks for staying on with our coverage of the day's action. Your enthusiasm encourages us to better our coverage every day. Do come back tomorrow for more news, views and insights.
AI disinvestment 'potentially another scam' in making, says Subramanian Swamy
BJP leader Subramanian Swamy hit out at the government over the disinvestment of Air India, saying it was ‘potentially another scam in the making’, reports PTI. The former Union minister said he would watch the developments and file a private criminal law complaint, if he found ‘culpability’ in the disinvestment process.
Indian army personnel carry out drills at Kibithu close to the Line of Actual Control in Anjaw district of Arunachal Pradesh. PTI
Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) 'Annie Besant', entirely designed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers, during its launch for Indian Coast Guard at Rajabagan Dockyard in Kolkata on Saturday. PTI
Tesla says autopilot was engaged during fatal crash
Electric car maker Tesla has confirmed the autopilot was engaged during a fatal crash last week, a development set to exacerbate concerns over the safety of autonomous vehicles, reports AFP. A Tesla Model X collided with a highway barrier near the town of Mountain View in California on March 23, catching fire before it was struck by two other cars.
Gazans buried their dead with calls for 'revenge' a day after a major demonstration led to clashes that saw Israeli forces kill 16 Palestinians in the bloodiest day since a 2014 war, reports AFP. Meanwhile, Israel said it will target ‘terror organisations’ in Gaza if violence along the territory's border with Israel drags on, the chief military spokesman warned, reports AP.
Pakistan arrests 52 Indian fishermen
Pakistani authorities have arrested 52 Indian fishermen for allegedly straying into the country's territorial waters, reports PTI. The latest batch of Indian fishermen was arrested on Thursday night by the Pakistan Maritime Security Forces, an official said. Eight fishing boats were also seized.
Vedanta wins bid to acquire Electrosteel Steels
Anil Agarwal group-owned Vedanta said it has won the bid to acquire bankrupt Electrosteel Steels in an insolvency auction."Vedanta hereby informs that it has been declared as the successful resolution applicant by the committee of creditors (CoC) for Electrosteel Steels under the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 and has received a Letter of Intent (LoI) today," the company said in a BSE filing.Vedanta said it has accepted the terms of the LoI.
Construction firm Madhucon Projects has bagged road projects worth Rs 734.9 crore from National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation in Nagaland.
NHAI awarded projects worth Rs 1.22 lakh crore in FY18
The National Highways Authority of India said it has awarded projects worth Rs 1,22,000 crore for constructing about 7,400 km of highways in FY18, reports PTI. It stated that out of the total projects awarded, 3,791 km length was awarded on EPC mode at a cost of Rs 43,000 crore while 3,396 km was awarded on hybrid annuity mode at a cost of Rs 76,500 crore and 209 km on toll mode at a cost of Rs 2,500 crore.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence has arrested two men and seized fake notes of Rs 2,000, having a face value of over Rs 10 lakh, which were allegedly smuggled into India from Bangladesh for exchange with real currency in poll-bound Karnataka.
Risks from $1.7 trillion external debt manageable: China
China said the financial risks arising from its mounting $1.7 trillion external debt were manageable, reports PTI.The country's foreign exchange regulator State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) said all major indicators of the external debt remained within international safety standards, amid rising concerns over the debt's accumulation and its impact on China's slowing down of economy.
Centre, Tamil Nadu move SC on Cauvery Management Board issue
The Centre and Tamil Nadu moved the Supreme Court on the issue of constitution and composition of the Cauvery Management Board in compliance with the February 16 apex court verdict on the decades-old river water-sharing dispute, reports PTI. The Centre sought three-month’s time to implement the apex court order due to the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections. Tamil Nadu, on the other hand, sought contempt action against the Centre for ‘failure’ to frame the scheme for constitution of the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee within six weeks as directed by the apex court on February 16.
Arnold Schwarzenegger says "I'm back" after recovery from heart surgery
Actor and former bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger underwent heart surgery to replace a valve that was originally replaced 20 years ago, waking up with the words “I’m back” in a twist on his catchphrase, reports Reuters.
CBSE leaks: 2 coaching centre directors arrested, 4 students detained
Six more people, including two directors of a private coaching centre in Chatra (Jharkhand), were apprehended in connection with the CBSE question paper leaks, reports PTI. Since Friday, 12 people, including Class 10 and 11 students, have been apprehended in the CBSE leak case from Jharkhand's Chatra district, police said.
Allahabad Bank cuts lending rates by 45 bps
Public sector lender Allahabad Bank has reduced the base rate and benchmark prime lending rate by 45 basis points each. The move comes into effect from April 2 and will lower EMIs for its borrowers. The bank has slashed base rate to 9.15% from 9.6%. BPLR has been brought down to 13.4% from 13.85%.
Class 12 Hindi paper circulating on social media fake: CBSE
The Class 12 Hindi (Elective) paper being circulated on the social media was ‘fake’, the CBSE said and urged the people not to spread rumours regarding the paper, reports PTI. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is scheduled to hold the Class 12th Hindi (Elective) examination on April 2.
CBSE papers leak: Google sends reply to Delhi Police
The Delhi Police's Crime Branch has got a reply from Google on the details it had sought pertaining to the e-mail address from where the CBSE chairperson was sent a mail about the Class 10 mathematics paper being leaked, reports PTI.
Rupee reels under pressure on worsening fiscal outlook, dives 2.2% in Q1
The rupee lost further ground against the US currency, breaching the key psychological 65-mark as deteriorating fiscal outlook and global trade-war fears kept forex market sentiment jittery, reports PTI. Extending its fall for the second-straight week, the home currency depreciated by 17 paise to end at 65.18 against the dollar.
Snapchat parent cuts 7% of its global workforce in March
Snap said it cut 7% of its global workforce in March, reports Reuters. The social media company said it would incur about $10 million of cash expenditure due to severance costs to be reflected in the current quarter ending March 31. As a result of the layoffs, primarily in its engineering and sales teams, the company said it sees savings of about $25 million in 2018.
Ishrat Jahan case: Special CBI court sets aside summons to 2 IB officers
A special CBI court set aside summons issued to two Intelligence Bureau officers - Rajeev Wankhede and TS Mittal - by a magistrate court in the Ishrat Jahan alleged fake encounter case that took place in June 2004, reports PTI.
CBSE paper leak: Private school body demands Prakash Javadekar's resignation
The National Independent Schools Alliance, which claims to represent 60,000 private schools across the country, has sought the resignation of HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar, alleging that the government had failed to conduct the board examinations in a fair manner. Kulbhushan Sharma, its president, said the CBSE paper leak issue had caused ‘immense stress’ for children.
Virudhunagar, Ramanathapuram top NITI Aayog's healthcare list
Two districts from Tamil Nadu - Virudhunagar and Ramanathapuram -have got the maximum scores on health and nutrition in NITI Aayog's 2018 ranking of Aspirational Districts. Both districts got scores of about 58%.
Amit Shah declines to share details of discussions with Wadiyar royal family
BJP President Amit Shah today declined to reveal the nature of discussions he had with the Wadiyar royal family of Mysuru, amid speculation that the party was seeking to enlist their support in the May 12 Assembly polls.
"As far as my meeting with the royal family members is concerned, I only want to say that it was a courtesy visit. However, what transpired between us, I cannot reveal it," he told reporters.
In poll-bound Rajasthan, Raje to begin state tour on April 15
Ahead of the Assembly polls in Rajasthan due later this year, Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje would begin her state tour from Charbhuja Nath temple in Rajsamand district on April 15 to highlight the works done by her government.
State Higher Education minister Kiran Maheshwari today said under the Vikas Yatra the the chief minister will cover all the Assembly constituencies.
IOC to invest Rs 1.4 lakh cr to double refining capacity
India's biggest oil firm IOC today said it plans to invest about Rs 1.43 lakh crore to nearly double its oil refining capacity to 150 million tonnes and boost petrochemical production by 2030.
While Indian Oil Corp (IOC) is expanding refining capacity to meet fuel demand, which is expected to nearly double by 2040, it does not want to remain "a refining company alone and is thus venturing into petrochemicals and alternative fuels as well," company's Director (Refineries) B V Rama Gopal told reporters.
The company currently owns and operates 11 out of the country's 23 refineries. Its refineries have a total capacity of 80.7 million tonnes per annum.
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to visit Russia on Apr 3
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will be travelling to Russia next week to attend the seventh Moscow Conference on International Security here.
This will be her first visit to Russia in her capacity as the Defence Minister.
During her three-day tour, between April 3 and 5, she will participate in the VII Moscow Conference on International Security, according to a statement from Indian Embassy here.
Sitharaman will also meet her Russian counterpart Army General Sergei Shoigu, and other senior leaders, it said. (PTI)
India increases troop deployment along China border near Tibetan region
India has deployed more troops and significantly increased patrolling in the mountainous terrains ofDibang,Dau-DelaiandLohitvalleys along the borders with China in the Tibetan region inArunachalsector following theDoklamface-off, the most tense military confrontations between the two countries in decades.
Military officials said India is also strengthening its surveillance mechanism to keep an eye on Chinese activities along the borders in the strategically sensitive Tibetan region and has even been regularly deploying choppers to carry out recce.
They said India has been focusing on dominating the treacherous terrains which include snow-clad mountains at an altitude of over 17,000 feet, and river passes, as part of a strategy to counter China's rising assertiveness along the border inDibang,Dau-DelaiandLohitvalleys. (PTI)
SpiceJet crew accuse airline of strip search
A video showing an angry bunch ofSpiceJetair hostesses accusing the airline of strip searching them at Chennai airport has gone viral, with the airline denying the claims.
The crew alleged that they were searched after de-boarding on the suspicion that they were swindling cash collected from the sale of food and other items on-board.
WhileSpiceJetconfirmed that their security teams undertook "random pat down searches" at few of the stations on the night of March 28 and March 29 as part of security and safety standard operating procedures (SOP), the airline rejected the allegation that the crew was strip searched.(PTI)
TMC takes out rallies; BJP, VHP stick to temple for Hanuman Jayanti celebrations
HanumanJayantiwas celebrated across West Bengal today amid tight security.
The rulingTrinamoolCongress (TMC) took outcolourfulprocessions andorganisedHanumanpujain various parts of the state. Senior party leaders and ministers were seen taking part in the celebrations.
TheBJPand theVishwaHinduParishad(VHP) kept their HanumanJayanticelebrations a low-key affair with small-scaleprogrammesat temples and mutts. (PTI)
2016 Bihar toppers scam: ED attaches assets of main accussed
The ED today said it has attached assets worth Rs 4.53 crore, including 29 plots and deposits in ten bank accounts, of the main accused in the Bihar topper scam that had rocked the state in 2016.
The action under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against the Secretary cum Principal of Vishun Roy College in Vaishali district, Bachha Rai alias Amit Kumar, comes at a time when two CBSE question papers of Class X and XII have leaked and police is looking for culprits.
The agency, in a statement, said it has attached 16 plots in the name of Bachha Rai in Lalganj, Mahua, Bhagwanpur and Hajipur and 13 plots in the name of his wife Sangeeta Rai. (PTI)
Oil PSUs to supply Euro-VI fuel in Delhi from Apr 1
State-owned oil firms will from tomorrow supply petrol and diesel meeting stringent Euro-VI emission norms in the national capital.
Indian Oil Corp (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Co will supply the less polluting fuel at all their outlets from tomorrow, IOC officials said.
The Euro-VI grade fuel supplies in the national capital have been advanced from the April 1, 2020 target rollout for the entire country to show the oil industry's commitment to supplying cleaner fuel, they said. (PTI)
IOC chief Bach met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un: KCNA
International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach told North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at a meeting on Friday that the IOC would cooperate with the North to prepare for its participation in the 2020 Tokyo and 2022 Beijing Olympic Games, the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) has reported.
Bach travelled to Pyongyang on Thursday in a visit that comes after North Korea's participation in the Pyeongchang Winter Games helped ease inter-Korean relations.
He told Kim in a meeting that the trip was to "express the most heartfelt thanks" to North Korea's leader for helping make February's Pyeongchang Winter Olympics a Games that were "symbolic of peace," KCNA said on Saturday. (Reuters)
Malala visits Pak hometown in Swat Valley
Malala Yousafzai, the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner, today arrived in her Swat Valley hometown in Pakistan for the first time after she was shot in the head by Taliban militants for advocating girls education more than five years ago.
Amid tight security, she along with her parents arrived in Swat district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on a day-long visit, sources said.
She has been put up in Circuit House. The venue had been surrounded by the law enforcers.
Saudi govt decides to not confiscate passports of Indian airlines crew: Air India
The Saudi Arabian government has decided not to retain the passport of the Indian airline crew members on arrival in the country and issue a bar code instead, an Air India spokesperson confirmed.
The move comes as a big relief to the crew of Air India and Jet Airways, the two Indian airlines who fly to that country. Indian authorities had taken up the issue with the Saudi authorities and the decision not to retain the passport of the crews of Indian airlines came into effect from mid-February this year, the Air Indian spokesperson said.
Russia expels diplomats from 23 countries as spy crisis escalates
Russia expelled diplomats from 23 countries today in retaliation against the West in a spy row, in the biggest wave of tit-for-tat expulsions in recent memory.
The Russian foreign ministry said it had summoned the heads of missions from 23 countries -- almost all of them European Union member states -- to tell them that some of their diplomats had to leave.
The diplomats from France, Canada, Germany, Australia and other countries were earlier seen arriving at the Russian foreign ministry in flagged official cars. (PTI)