US S President Donald Trump today attacked the UK's state-funded National Health Service, angering British politicians across party lines.

Leader of Opposition in Upper House, Ghulam Nabi Azad slammed the Modi government and said that they have just changed the names of schemes launched by Congress government and repackaged it as their own. 

Seeking justice for his son's death, the father of 23-year-old Ankit Saxena, who was stabbed to death in west Delhi's Khyala area on February 1, said that he will be "thankful" if the Delhi government will help his family in fighting the case.   

Diplomats are keenly waiting to see whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi takes Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale on his visit to Palestine on February 10. The  Prime Minister's Office may decide to have a secretary in the External Affairs ministry accompany the Prime Minister.

The PM liked former FS S Jaishankar's briefings and was comfortable with his inputs on international relations and politics. But with Gokhale taking over as the new FS, it remains to be seen whether the PM will be warm up to him during the visit to Palestine, his foreign visit in 2018. 

Tamil Nadu minister Sellur K Raju today denied having said that only AIADMK card holders would be given government welfare measures, and claimed that "falsehood" was being spread.


"A falsehood is being spread that I had said government items (schemes) will be available only for those holding AIADMK membership card. This is a false message," he told reporters at Madurai. Raju said there was no legal provision to restrict government schemes to supporters of a particular political party and added that he only sought to ensure new entrants to AIADMK had secured their party membership cards.


Referring to the ruling AIADMK's universal free rice distribution scheme, he said, "We don't see (if beneficiaries of the rice scheme) are AIADMK families (i.e. supporters)." About his reported controversial statement, the state cooperatives minister claimed, "never said so."


Yesterday, media reports had quoted him as saying at an event in Madurai, "AIADMK party card is what identifies us and is equal to our life itself... every party member should have it. All party members should have the card. Only if you have it, can you get government welfare schemes benefits either for you or your family." Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam had made it clear yesterday that all government welfare measures were aimed at benefiting the ordinary and poor people and all sections of society, irrespective of party affiliations. -- PTI

Tension resurfaced in Kasganj today as some miscreants tried to disrupt peace by setting afire the gate of a place of worship but the police swiftly swung into action and the flames were extinguished, an official said.


Following the incident, two constables were suspended over alleged laxity while a large contingent of police personnel was deployed on the spot to ensure that there is no more trouble in the western Uttar Pradesh town which recently saw communal clashes.


"Early this morning, in Ganjdudwara area of the city, some anti-social element set afire the gate of a place of worship. Police swung into action and extinguished the flames," Superintendent of Police Piyush Srivastava told PTI.

Virat Kohli tweets @imVkohli:  Off to Cape Town for the next one!

Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli guided India to a comprehensive nine-wicket victory over South Africa in the second One-Day International at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Sunday. India chased down the meagre 119-run target with 29.3 overs (177 balls) to spare as the visitors took 2-0 lead in the six-match series.

The third ODI will be held in Cape Town.

The CBI today booked billionaire diamond merchant Nirav Modi, his brother and wife and a business partner for allegedly cheating Punjab National Bank of over Rs 280.70 crore crore during 2017, officials said.

The CBI has acted on a complaint from the Punjab National Bank, which alleged that Modi, his brother Nishal, wife Ami and Mehul Chinubhai Choksi, all partners of Diamon R US, Solar Exports, Stellar Diamonds, were in conspiracy with officials of the bank and cheated it, causing "wrongful loss", the officials said. The response to an email seeking the company's comments is awaited. -- PTI

President Ramnath Kovind inaugurates the annual Udyanotsav of the Mughal Gardens of Rashtrapati Bhavan. The Mughal Gardens will remain open for the public from February 6 to March 9 (except on Mondays and March 2, 2018, Holi) between 0930 hrs to 1600 hrs. Entry and exit will be from Gate No. 35 of the President's Estate.

Twenty-two-year-old Captain Kapil Kundu, who was killed in heavy Pakistani shelling along the LoC in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, was to visit home on his birthday. Capt Kundu, a resident of Ransika village near Pataudi in Haryana's Gururgram district, would have turned 23 on February 10.


The young Army Captain was among the four Army personnel who were killed yesterday in heavy Pakistani shelling along the LoC in Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir.


A pall of gloom descended at his village. His mother, Sunita, who was struggling to hold back her tears said his son loved an adventurous life. "Kapil was to visit us on his birthday on February 10. He always used to surprise me and tell his sisters first about his visit. He used to share everything with them," she said, adding he had visited the family in November last year.


According to his family members, Capt Kundu believed in a life which was larger in stature and not in length. "He was fond of life which was full of adventure, he loved nature. He was a great patriot. He used to write poetry to express his feelings for his country. He always used to say country is supreme," she said.


The anguished villagers here raised slogans against Pakistan and demanded the government to give it a befitting reply. Capt Kundu's sister broke down several times recalling the great bond they shared. "He told me that he was visiting the family on February 10 and as usual he asked me not to tell this to anyone as he wanted to give a surprise to our mother," she said. -- PTI

BJP president and Rajya Sabha MP Amit Shah delivers his maiden speech in the Upper House. Shah was supposed to speak in the last session but due to frequent adjournments his turn did not arrive.  Highlights of his speech.

"Sarkaar ne jab kaam-kaaj sambhala, tab sarkaar ke paas virasat me kya tha? Jis prakaar ka gaddha tha, woh gaddha bharne mein hi sarkaar ka bahut saara samay gaya hai aur gaddha bharne ke baad in uplabhdhiyon ko ek alag najariye se dekhein.


"Abhi mai Chidambaram sahab ka tweet padh raha tha ki 'mudra bank ke saath kisi ne pakode ka thela laga diya, isko rozgari kehte hain?' Haan main maanta hu ki bheekh maangne se to accha hai ki koi mazdoori kar raha hai. Uski dusri pidhi aage aayegi to udyogpati banegi.


"Chaiwaale ka beta aaj Pradhan Mantri bankar is sadan me baitha hai. Puri duniya mein jitne bhi loktantra hai, un sab ki yojanaon ko koi khangal kar dekh le, 50 crore logon ko Rs 5 lakh ka bima suraksha dena, kisi bhi sarkaar me ye saahas nahi hai. Isiliye, Ayaushman Bharat ko ab 'Namo healthcare' ke naam se ye janta jaanegi.

"BJP ne kabhi GST ka virodh nahi kiya tha, iske tarikon ka virodh kiya tha. UPA ye kar sudhar leke aayi, Cess ghatane se rajyon ko nuksaan hua, wo UPA ko chukana tha, par nahi chukaya. 37,000 crore NDA ne chukaya." 

Finance Secretary Hasmukh Adhia on Monday attributed the slump in the Indian stock market to the correction seen in the global equity market.Adhia clarified that the fall is not related to the long-term capital gains tax, which was re-introduced in the Union Budget 2018.


"People don't know the global market. But, there is a strong connection of all equity markets now. The MSCI All Country Index of equity market went down by 3.4 percent in the last week and particularly in the last two days. Now, if the entire world's stock markets have gone down, naturally it will have its own ripple effect on the Indian stock markets. It is not LTCG effect, but the overall effect of equity markets which has changed in the other countries of the world also," Adhia said at a session organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry. He, however, acknowledged that the timing of the re-institutionalising of the tax was bad.


"The security transaction tax is a very small tax for transaction and the income that we get out of it is very small. It is only Rs 9,000 crore. There are number of more short-term transactions rather than long-term transactions in the stock exchange.


The income of Rs. 9,000 crore must be coming more from short-term transactions rather than long-term, and we have made no change in the short-term transaction. In spite of putting a nominal 10 percent tax on long-term capital gain on equity, it still remains a very subsidized regime. It is unfortunate that our move came at a very wrong time because of global markets also going down," he added.


Meanwhile, stock markets continue to crumble, with the Sensex opening 527.75 points lower at 34,539 in early morning trade on Monday. Nifty declined by 166.40 points to 10,594.20.The Indian rupee too slipped in the early trade on Monday. It opened lower by 14 paise at Rs 64.20 per dollar versus Rs 64.06 on Friday.Nifty had plunged over 250 points and Sensex witnessed a fall of over 800 points on Friday

The Supreme Court today sought a response from BCCI on controversial cricketer S Sreesanth's plea challenging the life ban imposed on him by the apex cricket body.


A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud asked the Board of Control for Cricket in India and two office bearers of its Committee of Administrators (CoA) to file their responses within four weeks.


The court, however, refused to grant any interim relief sought by senior advocate Salman Khurshid, representing the cricketer, that he may be allowed to play. Sreesanth, who had been absolved in the IPL spot-fixing case, was successful when he filed a plea before the single judge bench of the Kerala High Court challenging the life ban imposed on him by BCCI.


However, the division bench of the high court had set aside the single judge bench and upheld the ban. The cricketer has now challenged the high court verdict in the apex court. -- PTI

India will continue to give a "befitting reply" and its action will speak for itself, the Army's vice chief said today, a day after four of its personnel were killed in heavy shelling by Pakistan along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir. The Pakistani Army has been supporting infiltration by terrorists along the border, Army Vice Chief Sarath Chand said.


"We will continue with our process of giving a befitting reply," he told reporters. "(Our) action will speak for itself," Chand added in response to a question on yesterday's incident. Four Army personnel, including a 22-year-old captain, were killed yesterday in the Pakistani shelling along the Line of Control in Poonch and Rajouri districts. -- PTI

A BSF sub-inspector was injured in shelling and firing by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district, an official said today. There was "intermittent shelling" through the night by Pakistani troops along the LoC in Rajouri district, Deputy Commissioner (DC), Rajouri, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary said.


He said that the BSF SI was injured late last night in the Keri forward area in Rajouri and was hospitalised. No civilian casualties have been reported. There were also no reports of civilians migrating from the forward areas, Choudhary said.


Teams have been deputed for loss assessment, he said, adding that 84 schools were closed today for three days and camps have been made functional.


In heavy Pakistani shelling along the LoC in Poonch and Rajouri districts, yesterday, a 22-year-old Indian Army officer and three jawans were killed and at least four people were injured.


There was heavy firing and shelling by Pakistani forces along the LoC in Rajouri's Bhimbher Gali Sector last evening, Army officials said. In the shelling, Captain Kapil Kundu, a resident of Ransika village in Haryana's Gurgaon district; Havildar Roshan Lal (42) of J-K's Samba district; Rifleman Subham Singh (23) of J-K's Kathua district and Rifleman Ramavatar (27) of Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh were killed, they said.


Two teenagers and a jawan were injured in the Shahpur Sector of Poonch district yesterday in the shelling from across the border, a police official said. The injured civilians were identified as Shahnaz Bano (15) and Yasin Arif (14) of Islamabad village.  -- PTI

Hansraj Ahir, Minister of State Home Affairs, on ceasefire violations by Pakistan: "We will not forgive Pakistan's actions. It will prove to be Pakistan's foolishness and will cost them dearly."

On Sunday night, Pakistan initiated unprovoked firing along the LOC in Rajouri district that claimed the lives of four soldiers -- one officer, three jawans -- while another two were injured.  In January, schools along the International Border and the LoC in five districts -- Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch -- were closed for over a fortnight because of firing and shelling by Pakistani troops.

All schools situated within five kilometres of the Line of Control in Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir have been closed by authorities for three days in view of firing and shelling by Pakistani troops, an official said today.

Metro Railway services were today affected in the southern part of Kolkata during morning rush hours from 9.05 am owing to a technical snag in a rake. Train services from Kavi Subhash station in the far south to Mahanayak Uttam Kumar station were stalled for 20 minutes after a brake-binding snag in a rake at Shahid Khudiram station, Metro spokesperson Indrani Banerjee said.

The Budget for 2018-19 strikes a balance between fiscal prudence and growth, and a "slight" slippage in fiscal deficit has no material impact on overall economic strength. The government has revised its 2018-19 fiscal deficit projections to 3.3 per cent of GDP and for the current fiscal to 3.5 per cent of GDP, against original targets of 3 per cent and 3.2 per cent, respectively.


"The revised fiscal consolidation path is modestly shallower than the previous roadmap, but does not fundamentally alter India's overall fiscal strength," says William Foster, Vice President-Senior Credit Officer at Moody's.


The medium-term target to reduce the central government debt-to-GDP ratio to 40 per cent is supportive of the sovereign credit profile, Foster said. Moody's in a statement said India's budget for the fiscal year ending March 2019 strikes a balance between fiscal prudence and growth. -- PTI

The BSE Sensex dipped below the 35,000-level by plunging around 546 points in opening trade today on heavy losses in metal, realty, capital goods, banking and oil & gas stocks amid a global rout in equity markets. The BSE 30-share barometer tanked 545.95 points, or 1.55 per cent, to 34,520.80.


The gauge had lost 1,216.50 in the previous four sessions following imposition of long-term capital gains of 10 per cent on equities in the Budget 2018. All sectoral indices led by realty, metal, capital goods, healthcare and bankex were trading in the negative terrain, falling by up to 3.47 per cent.


The NSE Nifty was trading down by 173.80 points, or 1.61 per cent, at 10,586.80. Asian markets dropped over 1 per cent following deep losses on Wall Street last week after a strong US jobs report and rising Treasury yields fanned fears of interest rate hike quicker than thought.


The laggards were Yes Bank, HDFC Ltd, SBI, Axis Bank, Hero MotoCorp, Bajaj Auto, Tata Steel, Hind Unilver, L&T, M&M, Adani Ports, Kotak Bank and RIL, falling by up to 3.89 per cent. In the Asian region, Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 1.82 per cent, Japan's Nikkei shed 2.43 per cent, while Shanghai Composite Index down 0.33 per cent in their late morning deals. The US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 2.54 per cent lower on Friday. -- PTI

Sensex falls 545 points to trade below 35,000 level, Nifty tumbles 173.80 pts to 10,586.80 in opening trade amid global sell-off.

Congress social media head and Karnataka leader Divya Spandana Ramya today took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi wondering if he was on "pot", a put-down which invited a sharp response from the BJP by
calling it atrocious and "insult" to the masses. 


Ramya's swipe came following Modi's comment in a rally in Karnataka during which he said farmers are his top priority and described 'TOP' as tomato, onion and potato. She tweeted, "Is this what happens when you're on POT?"


The BJP hit back at Ramya for her choice of words with party  spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao tweeting, "Most people of the country and our party members won't even know what you are referring to (including PM himself) but your Leader will connect with it instantly. While you have insulted people of India with your atrocious comment, your leader will be proud of you!!"


BJP's IT wing head Amit Malviya said more than 3,500 farmers have committed suicide in Karnataka, the highest for any state in India, but "speaking for them is being on 'POT'... Congress keeps it classy, again".
"Will Rahul Gandhi maintain silence on Divya Spandana's comment while he sacked Mani Shankar Aiyar just because his jibe came close to Gujarat election and Karnataka is still some months away? Or sacrificing his close aide, responsible for his rise as a leader, takes some courage?" he asked in a
tweet.


The Congress had suspended Aiyar from the party for his "neech" (lowly) jibe at Modi during the Gujarat Assembly.

Image: Congress social media head Divya Spandana.