Gabbard, 42, a four-term Democratic Congresswoman and the first Hindu-American from Hawaii, made a failed presidential bid in 2020. 

After leaving the US Congress, she also quit the Democratic Party in 2022 and is seen aligning herself with the opposition Republican Party. 

She appears regularly on Fox News, a conservative news channel. 

Trump and his top advisers have spoken with Gabbard "about foreign policy and how the Defense Department should be run in a second Trump term', The Washington Post reported. 

According to people familiar with the matter, the daily said, the talks with Gabbard are part of a broader conversation about how Trump would manage the Pentagon differently if voters award him a second term. -- PTI

"The Navy had welcomed the two ships IRINS Bushehr and Tonb. Bushehr is 107 meters long with a crew of 270 while Tonb is 94 meters long with a crew of 250. The two Naval personnel are to engage in activities of fostering cooperation,' the Sri Lankan Navy said in a statement. 

The commanding officers of the warships are scheduled to call on the Commander Western Naval Area and director general operations of the Sri Lankan Navy during their stay in the country. 

"Additionally, naval personnel from both nations are anticipated to participate in various programmes aimed at fostering cooperation. Furthermore, the crew members of the Iranian ships will have the opportunity to visit several tourist attractions in Sri Lanka," the statement said. 

The duo of Iranian Naval Ships are scheduled to depart the island on February 19.

The visit of Iranian warships assumed significance as the Sri Lanka Navy is currently preparing to join the international coalition against Houthi rebel attacks on merchant shipping. 

It was alleged that Houthi rebels were being backed by Iran. -- PTI

Hansda is the Minister of State for Forests and Self Help - Self Employment Group (Independent Charge). 

The other portfolio of public enterprises and industrial reconstruction under Mallick was allocated to Partha Bhowmick, a senior official said. 

Bhowmick is the minister-in-charge of the irrigation and waterways department. 

The decision was taken as per the advice of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the official said. 

Governor CV Ananda Bose exercised his powers under Article 166(3) of the Constitution and relieved Mallick of his duties as minister with immediate effect, a source in the Raj Bhavan said. 

In October last year, the Enforcement Directorate had arrested Mallick under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act in connection with the scam. -- PTI

In the incident which took place in Ponnakal village late on Thursday night, five more dogs were found injured, they said. 

Unknown persons shot at stray dogs with weapons and police were informed about the incident on Friday morning, a police official said, adding that 20 dogs were found dead and five dogs were injured in the incident. 

An investigation is underway to identify the culprits, he said. 

An eyewitness has claimed that one person who came in a car is the one who committed the crime, the official said, based on preliminary investigation. -- PTI

Several thousand people had attended the October rally in Jarange's native Antarwali Sarati village in Ambad tehsil in Jalna, the official said. 

"A total of 441 farmers got Rs 32 lakh, while 130 got Rs 14.55 lakh. The state has also provided aid to kin of 80 persons who committed suicide for Maratha quota. More than 25 lakh was disbursed from the Chief Minister's Medical Assistance Fund for those who received injuries in a police lathicharge in Antarwali Sarati," the official informed. -- PTI

The samples were sent to a forensic laboratory in Jaipur, Rajasthan shortly after the November 3, 2023 incident and their results were received by the police in Noida a few days ago, an officer privy to the probe said. 

"The results of the forensic reports of the sample have confirmed that the substances found from the party spot were indeed venom of cobra and krait species of snakes as was suspected initially in the case," the officer said. 

Six people, including YouTuber Elvish Yadav, were booked under provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act and IPC Section 120A (criminal conspiracy) for allegedly providing snake venom for the suspected rave party at a banquet hall in Noida's Sector 51 on November 3 last year. 

While five of those named in the FIR were arrested, Yadav was questioned in the matter but not arrested. According to police, Yadav, who was not present at the party, is being investigated on charges of providing venom for the event. -- PTI

The news of his demise was shared by chef Kunal Kapoor on Friday. 

Taking to X, Kunal Kapoor posted, "With great sadness and a heavy heart, I regret to inform you of the heartbreaking news of the passing of Padma Shri Chef Mr Imtiaz Qureshi, who departed from this world earlier this morning." 

"His culinary legacy and contributions will forever be remembered and cherished. May his soul find eternal peace and may his memory continue to inspire us all," Kapoor added. 

Chef Ranveer Brar also paid his condolences. 

"Lucknow has lost its biggest ambassador. As a Lucknow boy with dreams of becoming a chef, the folklore of Imtiaz Qureshi is something I grew up with. It was around 1999 when I was working as a trainee chef at the Taj in Delhi. I remember once taking the Rs. 612/- I had earned to ITC Maurya next door and trying out the Galouti Kebab . It's an extremely sad moment for me, for everybody in Lucknow..am currently in a state of shock," Brar wrote on Instagram. -- ANI

The incident took place in G Block of South City 2 residential area around 5 pm on Thursday, they said. 

The police said the drone was being flown by Skye Air at a time when prohibitory orders are enforced due to Chief Minister ML Khattar's visit in the district and a case has been registered against the company. 

The RWA of the society informed the Sector 50 police station about the incident and a police team reached the spot. 

When contacted, logistics solution provider Skye Air said the pilot, after getting to know about the prohibitory orders, "attempted to make an emergency landing on a building in compliance with the law" . 

Use of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones etc.) in Gurugram district was banned on February 15 and 16 in accordance with the prohibitory orders enforced under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. 

Based on a complaint, an FIR was registered against Skye Air under Indian Penal Code sections 188 ( disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 287 (negligent conduct to respect to machinery), 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) at Sector 50 police station on Thursday night. -- PTI

The move will allow continuity of Paytm QR, Soundbox, card machine after the March 15 set by the Reserve Bank of India, as per a regulatory filing. 

The RBI has advised customers and merchants of Paytm Payments Bank Ltd to shift their accounts to other banks by March 15, giving 15 more days to the beleaguered entity to close most of its operations, including deposit and credit transactions. 

"The company has also shifted its nodal account to Axis Bank (by opening an escrow account) to continue seamless merchant settlements as before." 

"This arrangement is expected to seamlessly replace the nodal account that OCL was using with Paytm Payments Bank. Paytm Payment Services Ltd, OCL's wholly owned subsidiary has already been using the Axis Bank services since its inception," Paytm said in a filing. 

The nodal account of Paytm is like a master account in which all its customers, merchant transactions are settled. 

The RBI in the list of FAQs has clarified that Paytm QR code, Paytm Soundbox or Paytm POS terminal will continue to work after March 15 if it is linked to other banks instead of PPBL. 

"We are committed to providing seamless service to our merchant partners, with focus on compliance and regulatory guidelines. We assure our users that the Paytm app, and our pioneering devices like Paytm QR, Soundbox, Card Machine will continue to work as always," it said. -- PTI 

'She said she can't afford to wait for the outcome of OCI proceedings with the MHA. She left India this afternoon, a source confirmed to Newslaundry.' 

'Dougnac has lived in India for 23 years and is married to an Indian citizen. A resident of Delhi, she writes for French publications Le Point and La Croix, and Swiss and Belgian daily newspapers Le Temps and Le Soir from south Asia. She was first denied permission to work as a journalist in India in September 2022,' writes Rajpurohit. 

"Last month, I was sent a notice that accused me and my articles of being 'malicious', of harming 'the interests of the sovereignty and integrity of India" and required me to respond to why my Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card should not be cancelled. The notice further claimed that my articles could 'provoke disorder and disturb peace',' Dougnac's statement quoted by Newslaundry said. 

Saying she hopes to return someday, Dougnac wrote: "I will cherish the memories I have of the warmth of the people and the beauty of this immense region. Delhi was my beloved city, where I lived my life. To bid farewell to it now is a tremendous sorrow.'   

You can read the Newslaundry report here.

The incident happened at Kalianala village on Thursday night, a police officer said.

The tusker trampled Puina Dehuri to death while he was sleeping in his house, the police officer said, adding that Puina's two daughters escaped unhurt.

A herd of three wild elephants from Dalma Sanctuary of Jharkhand had crossed over to the Betnoti Range of Baripada Forest Division on Thursday, a forest official said.

The police have registered a case of unnatural death and sent the body to PRM Medical College and Hospital in Baripada for autopsy, the officer-in-charge of Moroda police station, Satyanarayan Bal, said. -- PTI

Rashtriya Janata Dal president Lalu Prasad Yadav on Friday said the party's 'doors were always open' for Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, his arch-rival who recently ended a short-lived alliance and returned to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democraitc Alliance.

Lalu, who has maintained a stoic silence ever since his party suffered loss of power as a result of the Janata Dal-United president's volte face, was responding to queries from journalists.

The two leaders were on Thursday seen warmly shaking hands inside the Vidhan Sabha premises where Lalu, who stays mostly indoors since his kidney transplant operation two years ago, had gone to boost the morale of Manoj Jha and Sanjay Yadav, both of whom filed nomination papers as RJD candidates for Rajya Sabha elections.

When Lalu was asked whether the bonhomie indicated that he was still open to rapprochement with Kumar, who has ditched him for the second time, causing his son and heir apparent Tejashwi Yadav to lose the deputy CM's post on both occasions, the RJD supremo replied, "Let him come back. Then we will see (jab aaenge tab dekha jaaega)."

Pressed further, as to whether the doors were still open for the former ally, Lalu, who has known Kumar since their days as student leaders in the 1970s, said: Those are always open.

However, state BJP president Samrat Choudhary made light of the remarks of Lalu, asserting that it was not the RJD supremo, but the JD-U boss who could take a call on forming an alliance.

"It is for Nitish Kumar to decide whether he wants to be with the BJP or RJD. What difference is anything said by Lalu ji going to make?" said Choudhary, who has become a deputy CM.

Meanwhile, JD-U MLC and chief spokesman Neeraj Kumar said in a statement: "Lalu ji says the doors are still open. He should know that the famous padlock of Aligarh has been placed on the doors. Our leader Nitish Kumar has clearly said whenever RJD has shared power with us, it has engaged in corruption. There is no question of going back."  -- PTI

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is likely to appear before a court on Saturday in connection with a complaint filed by the Enforcement Directorate against him over non-compliance with its summons in a money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped excise policy.

The court had on February 7 summoned Kejriwal for February 17, noting that prima facie the Aam Aadmi Party chief was 'legally bound' to comply.

In its complaint, the ED has alleged that the Delhi chief minister intentionally did not want to obey the summons and kept on giving 'lame excuses'.

If a high-ranking public functionary like him disobeyed the law, it would 'set a wrong example for the common man i.e. the Aam Aadmi, the agency said. From the contents of the complaint and the material placed on record, prima facie offence under Section 174 of the IPC is made out and there are sufficient grounds for proceeding under against accused Arvind Kejriwal... 

"Accordingly, issue summons to accused Arvind Kejriwal for the offence under Section 174 of the IPC for February 17, 2024," the judge had said. 

Section 174 relates to non-attendance in obedience to an order from a public servant. The ED had on February 3 filed a fresh complaint case against Kejriwal for non-compliance of its summons.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor had earlier written to the ED, describing the summonses issued to him as 'illegal and politically motivated'. 

He had alleged that the summonses were aimed at preventing him from campaigning in elections.   -- PTI

Speaking on NPR, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan also added the Kremlin's "long and sordid" history of harming its opponents "raises real and obvious questions about what happened here."

 'Alexey Navalny died in a Russian prison -- it is obvious for me that he was killed,'' Zelenskyy told reporters at a joint news conference in Berlin with German chancellor Olaf Scholz, reports CNN.

''Putin does not care who dies as long as he stays in his position - and this is why he should lose everything. This is why he should lose the war and he should be held accountable for the crimes that were committed on his behalf,'' Zelensky went on to say. 

''Like thousands of others who have been tortured to death because of this single Russian leader,'' Zelensky said.

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has died in prison, Al Jazeera reported on Friday, citing state media.

The death of the jailed Russian-opposition leader, 47, has been reported by state media which further cited the prison service of the Yamalo-Nenets region where he had been serving his sentence.

Al Jazeera cited a statement put out by state media quoting the prison service of the Yamalo-Nenets region which said that Navalny 'felt bad' after a walk and lost consciousness 'almost immediately'.

As per a January 31 order of the central bank, PPBL was asked to stop further deposits, credit transactions, or top-ups in any customer accounts, prepaid instruments, wallets, FASTags, and National Common Mobility Cards, after February 29.    

The RBI said this is being done keeping in view the interest of customers (including merchants) of PPBL who may require a little more time to make alternative arrangements and the larger public interest.    

"Further, it is directed that the bank shall facilitate a seamless withdrawal of customer deposits that are parked with partner banks under the automatic 'sweep-in sweep-out' facility without causing any inconvenience to such customers," the Reserve Bank of India said.    

The central bank has taken action against PPBL for persistent non-compliances and continued material supervisory concerns in the bank, warranting further supervisory action.    

On Friday, the RBI also released a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), for the convenience of customers of PPBL, and the general public at large.  

He was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in June 2023 in a money laundering case. 

Principal sessions judge S Alli, before whom Senthil Balaji was produced by the prosecution through video-conferencing from Central Prison, extended his judicial custody till February 20. 

Further, Balaji's counsel informed the court that the DMK leader has filed a petition to discharge him from the money laundering case. 

Originally, the judge had on January 11 posted the case for framing of charges against Balaji. However, when the matter came up for hearing on January 22, Senior counsel S Prabakaran, appearing for Balaji informed the court that the DMK leader has filed a petition to defer the trial till the disposal of the predicate offence. 

After hearing elaborate arguments from both sides, the judge had on February 15 dismissed the petition filed by Balaji. 

The court had also directed the police to produce Balaji in person today. 

When the case came up for hearing on Friday, counsel for Balaji informed the court that Balaji has filed a petition to discharge him from the money laundering case. He also requested the court to postpone the framing of charges. 

Thereafter, Balaji was produced through video conferencing and his remand was extended till February 20.

Seen as President Vladimir Putin's most vociferous critic, Navalny was serving a 19-year jail term for offences widely considered politically motivated, reports the BBC.

He was moved to an Arctic penal colony, considered one of the toughest jails, late last year.

The prison service in the Yamalo-Nenets district said he had "felt unwell" after a walk on Friday.

He had "almost immediately lost consciousness", it said in a statement. The causes of his death were being established, Tass news agency reported.

 "I will bring the vote of confidence in Delhi Assembly today," Kejriwal said in a post on X in Hindi. However, he did not specify the reason behind the move. PTI

 In its notice to the district magistrate of North 24-Parganas district, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) said it has come across a news article regarding a distressing incident of a group of miscreants, accompanied by police officials, carrying out an assault on a woman resident on February 10.

 The report indicates that the miscreants forcibly entered her house and physically assaulted her. Shockingly, they also snatched her infant daughter and callously threw her away, the commission said. 

 In view of the gravity and sensitivity of the matter, the commission has taken cognizance of it and sought a prompt investigation into the incident. The commission called for proper rehabilitation and re-settlement of the family, action against the alleged perpetrators, and an action taken report on the matter. 

 Sandeshkhali has been tense with a large number of women in the locality accusing Trinamool Congress strongman Shajahan Sheikh and his supporters of "land-grab and sexually assaulting" them under coercion. Sheikh has been absconding since January 5 when a mob attacked Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers during a raid at his residence in connection with an alleged ration scam. PTI

 Earlier, on Wednesday, the chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party filed her nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections from Rajasthan. 

 "I am writing to address a significant concern regarding the incomplete and concealment of details of immovable assets in Form 26 filed by Congress leader Sonia Gandhi. In Para 7 B of the aforementioned Form 26, under the section detailing immovable assets, Sonia Gandhi mentioned the ownership of a share in the inherited property in Italy. 

"However, crucial details such as the specific location of the property, whether it is situated in Rome, Florence, Milan, Trento, or any other city, have been united. Additionally, pertinent information regarding the percentage share in the feathered property, whether it is 25% or more, has not been disclosed Instead, Column ( has been stated as "Not Applicable," thereby raising questions of transparency in the disclosure of information of concealment and a lack of transparency" read the letter by Tanwar. 

 "The failure to provide specific details regarding the aforementioned property, including its location and the percentage shore owned, rames concerns of a deliberate attempt to cover up pertinent information that should be made available to the public. 

All relevant details must port in immovable assets, including location. share percentage, survey manner, area, and approximate current value, are explicitly mentioned to ensure transparency and integrity in the process," she added in her letter. 

"In light of the incomplete disclosure and concealment of crucial details regarding innovative assets in Form 26, it is my strong recommendation that the nomination of Sonia Gandhi be rejected unless the necessary formation is provided in full as required. Failure to rectify prompted disclosing assets may cause me to question the values and integrity of the election process, and it is essential to uphold the principles of transparency and accountability in this matter of public interest." the letter read further.

 The national president of the Congress president for almost 22 years, between 1998 and 2022, and a five-time Lok Sabha MP from Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh, Sonia revealed that she wouldn't seek a fresh term from the seat this time.

The Congress delegation spearheaded by Chowdhury, encountered initial hindrance from police officials at Sarberia and subsequently at Rampur, along the path to Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district. Authorities cited prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) as the reason behind the prevention of the Congress delegation's entry into Sandeshkhali. Chowdhury condemned the Mamata Banerjee-led government, asserting that it was attempting to politicise the situation.

 He questioned the state government's rationale behind denying access to opposition parties, stating, "Why are opposition parties being prevented from entering Sandeshkhali? What is the state government trying to hide? Why are they trying to politicise it?" Following the interruption at Rampur village, Chowdhury and Congress workers staged a sit-in, leading to a minor altercation with police. 

 Addressing reporters, Chowdhury criticised Banerjee for purportedly "communalising the issue." 

 "The chief minister, instead of acknowledging that the incidents in Sandeshkhali are a matter of shame, is attempting to imbue them with a communal narrative by introducing the aspects of Hindus and Muslims. We condemn such communal politics," he asserted. 

 Chowdhury's remarks came amidst Banerjee's allegations implicating the saffron camp of instigating unrest in the area. -- PTI

 "SpiceJet's role as the operating partner for the new airline involves providing essential staff, services, and industry expertise. This collaboration is anticipated to generate synergies between the two carriers, leading to improved cost management, revenue growth, and a strengthened market position within the Indian aviation industry," the release said. 

 Singh, who is the Chairman and Managing Director of SpiceJet, said that he firmly believes that Go First holds immense potential and can be revitalised to work in close synergy with SpiceJet, benefiting both carriers.

 The preliminary investigations revealed that Prakash Kumar Singh (25) alias Aviraj, a resident of Bhojpur Singha village in Bihar, was shot dead by a constable named Birendra and his accomplices, they said.

 Haldwani Police in a statement said that Birendra and his accomplices were arrested on February 15 and the murder weapon, a pistol along with four live cartridges, was recovered from them. They have confessed to their crime and a case under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered against them, the statement said. 

 The victim was allegedly having an affair with the constable's wife. He had made an obscene video of her and was trying to blackmail her, it said.

Singh's body with gunshot injury was recovered from near the railway tracks at Anwla gate beyond Indra Nagar railway crossing on February 9, a day after the Haldwani violence, police said. Prima facie, it seemed the death could be related to the firing incidents that had taken place in Banbhoolpura area on February 8, they said.

 Nainital Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Prahlad Meena had, however, later indicated that the body had been found two to three km away from the epicentre of the violence and could be an isolated incident. The toll in the Haldwani violence stands at six presently, police said. -- PTI

 While presenting the report "Law on Matrimonial Issues Relating to Non-Resident Indians and Overseas Citizens of India" to the law ministry, panel chairman Justice (Retd) Ritu Raj Awasthi said the Commission is of the opinion that the proposed central legislation should be comprehensive enough to cater to all facets involving marriages of NRIs as well as foreign citizens of Indian origin with that of Indian citizens. 

 "The rising occurrence of fraudulent marriages involving Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) marrying Indian partners is a worrisome trend. Several reports highlight an increasing pattern where these marriages turn out to be deceptive, putting Indian spouses, especially women, in precarious situations," Justice Awasthi said in his covering letter to Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Thursday. 

 Such a legislation, the panel said, should be made applicable not only to the NRIs but also to those individuals who come within the definition of 'Overseas Citizens of India' (OCIs) as laid down in the Citizenship Act, 1955. 

 "It is further recommended that all marriages between the NRIs/OCIs and Indian citizens should be made compulsorily registered in India," Justice Awasthi said. 

 He said the comprehensive central legislation should also include provisions on divorce, maintenance of spouse, custody and maintenance of children, serving of summons, warrants, or judicial documents on the NRIs and OCIs.

 "Further, it is recommended that requisite amendments need to be introduced in the Passports Act, 1967 in order to mandate the declaration of marital status, the linking of a spouse's passport with the other and mentioning of the marriage registration number on the passports of both the spouses," he told the government.

 Considering the flood of devotees to the temple following the consecration ceremony, the temple trust has increased the time of 'darshan' from 6 am to 10 pm. 

 Since January 23, the deity was woken up at 4 am for morning rituals. It takes around two hours before devotees are allowed to have 'darshan' and it continues till 10 pm.

 "Shri Ram Lalla is a five-year-old child and he cannot take the stress of staying awake for such long hours. So to give some rest to the child deity, the trust has decided that the doors of the temple will remain closed from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm, so that the deity may take rest," Acharya Satyendra Das, the chief priest, told PTI. 

 Before the consecration ceremony, the timing of 'darshan' was from 7 am to 6 pm, including a two-hour afternoon break from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm. PTI

 He also highlighted the achievements of his government in the last 10 years, including the historical moon landing event. 

 "If the G20 summit was successful, it was because of your blessings. India's flag reached the moon where no one could; it happened with your blessings. In the last 10 years, India rose from 11th position to become the fifth largest economy in the world. In my third term, I need your blessings to make India the third-largest economy in the world in the coming years..," PM Modi said. 

 "Ab Ki Baar 400 paar" for NDA," PM Modi said. 

 The visit assumes significance ahead of the Lok Sabha elections due in April and May this year. Referring to the inaugural ceremony of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya in January, PM Modi said, "Just a short while ago, I got the opportunity to hand over development projects worth Rs 10,000 crores to Haryana, including Rewari AIIMS, a new rail line and metro line, and a museum...The blessing of Lord Ram is such that nowadays I get the opportunity to be associated with such holy work everywhere...," PM Modi added. 

 Before his address, PM Modi inaugurated, dedicated to the nation, and laid the foundation stone for multiple development projects worth more than Rs 9750 crore in Haryana's Rewari. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar felicitated PM Modi before his public address.

 Maryam Riaz Wattoo also alleged that the life of Pakistan's former first lady was in danger at the jail, the Pakistan media outlet reported.

"There is no political decision making. There is no implementation of what has been discussed. How can you move forward?" Ashok Chavan tells Rediff.com Senior Contributor Neeta Kolhatkar.

Read the interview here.

The six-member team includes party leaders Annapurna Devi, Pratima Bhowmik, Sunita Duggal, Kavita Patidar, Sangeeta Yadav and Brij Lal. BJP leader Agnimitra Paul is accompanying the delegation to Sandeshkhali.

As the delegation was blocked by the police, they raised objections to the police's conduct claiming the police had no right to stop them.

"We are folding hands in front of you (the police) please allow us to meet the victims. We feel like the local police are also involved in atrocities against these women. Let us go. We want to go. The way the police are stopping us, they have no right. The 6-member team has come, and their sole purpose is to meet the affected families, especially the women and daughters. We want to meet them and assure them. The police cannot stop us from meeting anyone," a member of the delegation said even as the police team surrounded them.

 When asked about giving a chance to Nitish Kumar again, Lalu Prasad Yadav said, "Ab aayenge toh dekhenge, khula hi rehta hai darwaaza' (if he will we will see, door remains open)." 

 A day earlier, the duo was seen exchanging pleasantries in a brief encounter at the state assembly. Despite their brief interaction, the footage of their meeting became widely discussed on social media. This was the first meeting between the two leaders since their recent separation. 

 During this, Lalu was accompanied by his son, former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav. 

 When asked if Rahul Gandhi could become the Prime Minister, Lalu said, "Koi kami thodi hai, koi kami nahi hain, (there is no incompetency in him)."

 Lalu also claimed that during the upcoming Lok Sabha elections they are going to remove Prime Narendra Modi. Meanwhile, contradicting his father's statement, Tejashwi Yadav launched a fresh attack on Nitish Kumar while addressing the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra on Friday in Sasaram and said that the Bihar CM does not want to listen to anyone. 

 "You all very well know how our CM is, he does not want to listen to anyone. He used to say 'I will die, but won't join BJP'...We decided to stay with Nitish ji, no matter how much we have to sacrifice, only to defeat BJP in 2024. We had appointed a tired Chief Minister, "said Tejashwi Yadav.

 A large number of women in Sandeshkhali have claimed that TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh and his supporters captured swathes of land by force and also sexually harassed them. 

 They are demanding the immediate arrest of Sheikh, who has been absconding since an Enforcement Directorate (ED) team that raided his house in connection with an alleged ration scam was attacked by a mob last month. 

 The NCSC delegation visited Sandeshkhali on Thursday and submitted its report to the President after returning to Delhi, the officials said. PTI

 The actor, also popular as the homemaker Lalitaji in the Surf detergent commercials in India in the late 1980s, was admitted to the hospital a few days ago. 

 "She passed away following cardiac arrest last night around 8.30 pm in Amritsar at the hospital. She was admitted to the hospital a few days ago due to low blood pressure. Her condition became critical later," Ajay Sayal, Chaudhary's nephew, told PTI. 

 The last rites were held in Amritsar on Friday morning. The actor is survived by Sayal and her niece. 

 Chaudhary was best known for her portrayal of IPS officer Kalyani Singh in "Udaan", a progressive show about women empowerment, which ran on Doordarshan between 1989 and 1991.

 The former Bihar deputy CM joined Gandhi for the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, which has spent five days in the state in two phases so far. Yadav left for Sasaram, the district headquarters of Rohtas, on Thursday and joined Gandhi for a roadshow on a red car after spending the night there.

 After exchanging a warm hug, Gandhi asked Yadav to take the wheels. The two leaders also interacted with farmers, a regular feature of the Yatra known as 'Kisan Mahapanchayat'.

 While Gandhi focused on attacking the Modi government, Yadav directed his criticism towards Nitish Kumar, the Bihar Chief Minister, who abruptly returned to the NDA and took away Yadav's power. 

 Shouts of "Palturam (turncoat)" came from the crowds when Yadav referred to the JD(U) president's exit from the "Mahagathbandhan", despite the "sacrifice" made by the numerically stronger RJD in accepting him as chief minister. 

 "When I first promised 10 lakh jobs, he used to mock at me and ask if I would use my father's money (baap ka paisa) to pay salaries. But we made the tired (thake hue) chief minister take significant steps towards job creation," said Yadav, referring to the nearly 17-month period he shared power with the JD(U) president. 

 "I don't want to use colorful epithets against him like you people are doing," said Yadav, who is admired by his detractors for his correct behaviour. 

 "But, of course, Nitish ji is answerable to the people, who want to know under what circumstances he chose to realign with the BJP, despite saying in the past that he would prefer to be consigned to dust (mitti mein mil jayenge) and accept death (mar jaana qabool hai) rather than going back to the NDA," said the RJD leader. PTI

"Congress is corrupt; it can't think of a future; India failed to thrive under Congress," the PM said ahead of the Lok Sabha elections due in April-May this year.

PM Modi was addressing a 'Viksit Bharat Viksit Rajasthan' programme via video conferencing.Lashing out at Congress, the PM further said, "After independence, today this golden period has come. India has this opportunity to leave behind all the disappointments from 10 years ago. India is moving forward now with confidence. Before 2014, there used to be only discussions of scams and bombings. People in India used to wonder what would happen to them and to the country. During the Congress regime, this was the atmosphere..."

"Congress has only one agenda, anti-Modi, extreme anti-Modi. They spread such things against Modi, which divide the society. When a party gets trapped in the vicious circle of nepotism and dynasty politics, the same thing happens to it. Today everyone is leaving Congress, only one family is seen there" PM Modi added.

He also expressed gratitude to the people of Rajasthan for giving a grand welcome to the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, who was the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations on January 26.

Hitting out at the previous Congress government in Rajasthan, the PM said, "During the regime of the previous government in Rajasthan, there used to be frequent paper leaks, and youth used to get affected by this. To investigate this, an Special Investigation Team was formed as soon as the BJP came to power. The Central Government has formed a stringent law against those who indulge in paper leaks..."

"Several people from every Assembly of Rajasthan have joined this important program, I congratulate all of you... A few days ago, the grand welcome you gave to the President of France in Jaipur echoed throughout India and France...," PM said. -- ANI

The tribunal will hear the matter next Wednesday before a final decision is taken on the matter. 

 Tankha said he told the tribunal that the Congress would not be able to participate in the "festival of elections" in case its accounts remain frozen.

Earlier in the day, treasurer Ajay Maken said the Income Tax department had frozen the Congress' main bank accounts on "flimsy grounds" and this affected all political activity of the party barely two weeks before general elections are announced. 

 The accounts, including that of the Indian Youth Congress, were frozen on an Income Tax demand of Rs 210 crore for 2018-19, an election year, Maken said at a press conference. According to him, the party filed its Income Tax return for the concerned year a few days late and that is why this action. He said the IT authorities' orders freezing the accounts had come on Wednesday.

 Maken said four main bank accounts were frozen. 

Sources later put the number at nine. The party was unable to use even the funds received under its crowdfunding scheme, Maken said at the press conference and alleged that democracy was in danger in the country. 

 "For the first time in the country's history, accounts of the principal opposition party have been frozen by the tax authorities on flimsy grounds, barely two weeks before the announcement of general elections," Maken told reporters. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said in a post on X, "Power drunk Modi Government has frozen the accounts of the country's largest Opposition party - the Indian National Congress - just before the Lok Sabha elections." "This is a deep assault on India's Democracy," he added. The unconstitutional money collected by the BJP would be utilised by them for elections, but the money collected by the Congress through crowdfunding shall be sealed, the party president said. "That is why, I have said that there won't be any elections in the future. We appeal to the Judiciary to save the multi-party system in this country and protect India's Democracy," the Congress president said. Echoing the party chief, Maken appealed to the judiciary to save democracy as it was in danger and said the country is headed towards "one-party democracy".

In a press conference held at the AICC headquarters in Delhi, Maken said, "I have very disturbing news to share with all of you. The accounts of the Congress party have been frozen and also those of the Youth Congress have been frozen."

"We got information yesterday that banks are not honouring the cheque we are issuing. On further investigation, we got to know that the Youth Congress bank accounts have been frozen. The accounts of the Congress party have also been seized. Income tax asked for Rs 210 crore recovery from Youth Congress and Congress party. The crowdfunding money in our accounts has been frozen. Just two weeks before elections when the opposition's accounts are frozen, it is equivalent to freezing the democracy," he added.

The Congress leader questioned the motive behind the alleged freeze of party accounts ahead of the forthcoming parliamentary elections.

"When the principal opposition party's accounts have been frozen just two weeks before the announcement of the national elections. Do you think democracy is alive in our country?" Maken remarked.

"We don't have money, we don't have money to pay the salaries, not only Nyay Yatra but all political activities will be impacted. We appealed in the Income Tax appellate tribunal the day before yesterday and the hearing is going on. We believe in the judiciary," he added. -- ANI

 Addressing a press conference on Friday, the farmer leader raised concerns over the central government's use of para-military forces to resist the farmers that have left hundreds injured. 

 "The demands of the farmers and farm labourers of the country are united, everyone is fighting together. Look, now there are 54 serious injuries. The way the overall number is 400. People have suffered huge losses, so this is continuously happening. So we have raised most of these things in the meeting yesterday and we will again appeal to the Honorable Prime Minister through you." 

 "It is not appropriate that military force is imposed on them, give us the right to protest peacefully, if you do not want us to demand or accept our demands and as far as the demands are concerned, there should be long discussion on every demand," Pandher said. 

 "That whenever there will be talks again, please, we would like these issues to be resolved amicably or else we should be allowed to present our views democratically and constitutionally," he added. 

 He emphasised that the MSP purchase issue raised by the Punjab farmers is not just confined to Punjab or Haryana but is a question of farmers across the country. 

 "Many things are being said, so we would like to tell everyone that farmers are also farm labourers. The law of guarantee of MSP purchase is not a question of Punjab or Haryana alone. Here, some crops are being procured, but there are states like Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan and other states of the country where many farmers are in bad condition, then the entire country needs a law to purchase more MSP than just these two states and this movement is a nationwide movement," the farmer leader said.

 "Kisan Mazdoor Morcha is an umbrella union umbrella morcha which has 100 sub-unions, similar is SKEM. The forms are working and the entire country is with the organization, so I don't think it is inappropriate to talk like this, even today we say that whoever is a voter or supporter of Modi ji, he should vote for Modi ji. We have no objection, we have no connection with any politics, but the farmers and farm labourers of the country will stand with us on these demands," he added. -- ANI

 However, the flying objects returned to the Pakistan side after briefly hovering over the Indian territory in Balnoi-Mendhar and Gulpur sectors, they said. 

 They said a search operation was launched in both the sectors to ensure there was no dropping of weapons or narcotics by the quadcopters. Officials said troops noticed two quadcopters entering the Balnoi area of Mendhar around 6.30 am and opened fire but the remotely controlled machines returned. 

 Similarly, a couple of quadcopters hovering over Gulpur sector around the same time returned in the face of firing by Indian troops, they said. Earlier on February 12, Army troops had fired on an enemy drone after picking up its movement in Mankote area of Mendhar sector. 

 Pakistan is using drones to drop narcotics and weapons in Jammu and Kashmir. The Jammu and Kashmir Police recently announced a cash reward of Rs 3 lakh to anyone providing information about drones flown from across the border with a purpose to drop weapons and narcotics. PTI

Air Commodore Nitin Sathe's latest book, The Siachen Soldier and Other Stories draws from his extensive service in the Indian Air Force and reflects on the trials, triumphs, and moments of joy that once consumed his service in the forces. 

This is his fifth book and the stories vividly portray life in the armed forces -- from the thrill of combat to the rigours of training, the turmoil of warfare, the solitude of distant outposts, and the joy of leisure.

Congress MP and the author of several books, Shashi Tharoor, says of Nitin Sathe's book, "The Siachen Soldier and Other Stories is a delightful compendium of tales that provides an insiders view into the adventurous life in the Air Force. In this enrapturing read, the author beautifully uses his own experiences to craft a delightful bouquet of short stories that are sure to enthral readers of all ages! 

The book is available on on Amazon and Flipkart.

What you waiting for? Christmas is many months away; grab your copy NOW. 

Also read this very interesting review by Nitin Sathe on the film Fighter for Rediff.com here. The Air Commodore is a frequent columnist for Rediff.com. Read some of his pieces here.  

 Punjab Roadways, Punbus and PRTC Contract Workers' Union are supporting the Samyukta Kisan Morcha's (SKM) bandh call.

 During the day, farmers will also hold demonstrations at many places in Punjab under the banner of the SKM. Many farmer bodies including Bharti Kisan Union (Rajewal), Bharatiya Kisan Union (Dakunda), Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lakhowal), Bharatiya Kisan Union (Qadian) and Kirti Kisan Union are taking part in the bandh. 

 Passengers were seen waiting for buses at many bus stands to reach their respective destinations. Mainly students and office-goers faced inconvenience because of the non-availability of buses. At the Patiala bus stand, a college student said he could not find any bus to go to Landran road.

 A government employee said he had to go to Mohali for work but no bus was available. At the Amritsar bus stand, a woman passenger who had to go to Jalandhar said she had been waiting for more than 30 minutes for a bus. 

 The SKM has appealed to all like-minded groups to support its bandh call. Many employee bodies and other associations have extended support to the bandh. 

 Besides a legal guarantee of MSP, the farmers are demanding the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations, pension for farmers and farm labourers, farm debt waiver, no hike in electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases and "justice" for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and compensation to the families of the farmers who died during a previous agitation in 2020-21. PTI

 With the fresh arrests, the total number of rioters held in connection with incidents of stone pelting and arson triggered by the demolition of a madrassa in the town on February 8 has climbed to 42, they said. 

 Malik had constructed the madrassa and had vehemently opposed its demolition. He is said to be the mastermind behind the clashes. 

 Relaxation of curfew for a few hours with certain restrictions continued on Friday in Banbhoolpura area, which was the epicentre of the violence. However, internet service in the area remained suspended for the eighth day. 

 Authorities on Thursday had relaxed curfew in Banbhoolpura area of the town for varied durations. 

 Violence broke out on February 8 over the demolition of an illegally built madrassa in the Banbhoolpura area, with locals hurling stones and petrol bombs at municipal workers and police, forcing many police personnel to seek refuge at a police station, which the mob then set on fire. 

 In the violence, six rioters were killed and more than a 100, including police personnel and mediapersons, were injured, according to the police.PTI

 The matter came to light after the family of the student, Sanjay Nerkar (24), asked his hostel mates to check on him as he was not answering his phone, they said. 

 Nerkar (24) stayed in room number 757 at Dronacharya Hostel. He was from Nashik, Maharashtra, a police official said. 

 "Nerkar's family members called him on Thursday night. When he did not answer the phone, the family members asked his hostel mates to check on him," a police officer said. 

 When the other students went to his room, they found it locked from inside. They informed the hostel guard, who broke open the door. Nerkar's body was found hanging from the ceiling of the room, the officer said. The student's family members have been informed and an investigation is underway to ascertain the cause of death, police said. PTI

 The situation in the district remained tense this morning after the offices of the superintendent of police and the deputy commissioner were vandalised, vehicles used by CAPF were torched by a mob and the national flag at the SP office complex was pulled down, an official told PTI. 

 "There is apprehension that some anti-social elements might use social media extensively for transmission of images, posts and video messages inciting the public, which might have serious repercussions for the law and order situation... there is imminent danger for loss of lives/ damage to public or private property and widespread disturbances to public tranquillity and communal harmony as a result of inflammatory material and false rumours," the notification said. 

 The violence broke out in the district on Thursday night as the mob barged into the government complex and torched vehicles hours after a head constable of the district police was suspended after he was seen with gunmen in a purported video, an official said. 

 Security forces fired several rounds of tear gas shells and used "minimum lethal force" to disperse the agitators and bring the situation under control. Locals claimed that one person died and as many as 30 people were injured in the clash.

 Churachandpur-based Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) called for a shutdown in the district on Friday to protest the killing of one person. Protesters demanded the reinstatement of the head constable in the service, alleging that his suspension was "unfair".

 A five-hour meeting, which started around 8:45 pm on Thursday, between three Union ministers and the farmer leaders remained inconclusive. 

 The two sides will now meet on February 18 for the fourth round of talks. The two previous rounds of dialogue on February 8 and 12 also remained inconclusive. 

 Union Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Minister Arjun Munda, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai represented the Centre at Thursday's meeting over the farmer unions' various demands, including a law guaranteeing a minimum support price (MSP) for crops. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema also joined the meeting at the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration in Sector 26 here.

 The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have given a 'Delhi Chalo' call to press the BJP-led central government to accept their demands. 

 Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Union Minister Munda said the meeting between the government and the farmer leaders took place in a cordial atmosphere. 

 There was a positive discussion, he said. The talks will continue and will now take place on Sunday at 6 pm, he said. 

 "We will find a solution by sitting together," he added. Mann said a detailed discussion took place between farmer leaders and the ministers. "There was a detailed discussion on each issue," he said. 

 Mann said he raised with the Centre the issue of suspension of internet services in certain areas in Sangrur, Patiala and Fatehgarh Sahib, and that of Haryana security personnel using a drone to drop tear gas shells on protesters inside Punjab's territory. Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said a detailed discussion was held on their demands, including a legal guarantee for MSP and a debt waiver. "They (Union ministers) said they need time," said Pandher. 

 "We want that there should be a positive result and any confrontation should be avoided. Otherwise, our programme to go to Delhi stands," he said. Responding to a question on whether farmers will stay put at the Punjab-Haryana borders, Pandher said, "Yes". During the meeting with the Union ministers, the farmer leaders took exception to the suspension of the social media accounts of various leaders. Pandher said they also raised the issue of tear gas shelling by the paramilitary forces on farmers at the Shambhu and Khanuri borders. 

 He said they showed the shells to the ministers during the meeting. Farmers from Punjab began their march to the national capital on Tuesday but were stopped by security personnel at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Delhi and Haryana. The protesting farmers have been camping at the border points.

Electoral bonds -- introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government -- was put in practice in January 2018 -- and allowed corporates and individuals to donate money to political parties without any limit.A donor has to buy electoral bonds from the State Bank of India and donate funds to a political party of his/her choice.

There has been criticism from Opposition parties on electoral bonds, data with the Election Commission of India and the Association for Democratic Reforms shows that that the bulk of the funds via the bonds went one political party, the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com spoke to Dr Jaya Thakur, general secretary, Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee, one of the petitioners against the electoral bonds, on why she went to court and why she felt electoral bonds lacked transparency.

Read the interview here

 Pandaram lands, a form of land ownership, became a controversy in the island after the present administrator took over and claimed such properties belong to the government, the locals alleged.

Three Union ministers held talks with the leaders of protesting farmer unions for more than five hours on Thursday night, amid a standoff between the protesters and security personnel at two points on the Punjab-Haryana border. 

 Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) coordinator Sarwan Singh Pandher, while speaking to the media after the meeting said that the farmers' union leaders have assured the cabinet ministers of their "commitment to dialogue."

 Expressing concern about the current environment, including the suspension of social media accounts and teargas shelling during peaceful interactions, Pandher said, "We said we are not Pakistan. We seek a peaceful solution, not confrontation. They assured us that our pages would be restarted... We assured them of our commitment to dialogue." 

 He further said that the discussion was held to find a resolution to the issues. "The discussion with the Centre was held on all the demands raised by us. We discussed to find a resolution to the issues. The ministers said that they require time. We hope that a peaceful solution is derived; avoid any conflict. Our programme to go to Delhi is still there," Pandher added.

 Jagjit Singh Dallewal, president of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Sidhupur), said that the government asked for more time to discuss the demands of the farmers in detail. 

 "We engaged in a detailed discussion, and the government acknowledged the need for dialogue on MSP and shared debts, committing to further discussions. After the discussion, the government said that the demands require a detailed discussion. They have decided Sunday for the next (fourth) round of meeting," he said. 

 The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have given a "Delhi Chalo" call to press the BJP-led Centre to accept their demands.

Eleven people were killed and four injured in a fire that broke out in a paint factory in outer Delhi's Alipur on Thursday evening, police said.

The deceased are yet to be identified and the bodies have been shifted to Babu Jagjeevan Ram Hospital, they said.  

Among those four admitted to hospital, one is a police personnel, who got wounded during the rescue operation.  

The Delhi Fire Services (DFS) official said a call about the incident was received at 5.25 pm and 22 fire-tenders were pressed into service.

Police said the fire was preceded by a blast, probably caused by chemicals kept in the factory.

Due to the blast, some nearby houses and shops also caught fire. Some of the injured persons were residing in those places. 

United States President Joe Biden and his administration are working very hard to thwart and disrupt attacks on Indian and Indian American students, the White House has said.

The announcement by John Kirby, Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council in the White House comes amid a slew of attacks on Indian and Indian American students in various parts of the country.

"There is no excuse for violence, certainly based on race or gender or religion or any other factor. That's just unacceptable here in the United States," Kirby told reporters when asked about the series of attacks on students from India and also those from the Indian American community.

"The president and this administration have been working very, very hard to make sure we're doing everything we can to work with state and local authorities to try to thwart and disrupt those kinds of attacks and make it clear to anybody who might consider them that they'll be held properly accountable," Kirby said.

Vivek Saini, a student working part-time in a department store, died following an attack by a drug addict in Lithonia, Georgia in January. Syed Mazahir Ali, an Indian student at Indiana Wesleyan University was assaulted in February.

Deaths of at least four Indian American students have been reported in the last several weeks.

Akul Dhawan of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Neel Acharya of Purdue University died apparently due to heavy drinking followed by long exposure to low temperatures at night in January.

Shreyas Reddy Benigeri, an Indian-origin student at the Lindner School of Business in Cincinnati was found dead in Ohio this month. -- PTI

Fresh violence broke out in Manipur's Churachandpur on Thursday night after a mob barged into the government complex housing the superintedent of police and district collector offices and torched vehicles and ransacked government property, hours after a head constable of the district police was suspended after he was allegedly seen with armed men in a video grab, an official said.

Several buses and trucks used by security forces were burnt by the agitators as hundreds of them entered the office rooms and vandalised government property, the official said.

Security forces fired several rounds of tear gas shells and used 'minimum lethal force' to disperse the agitators and are currently working to bring the situation under control, he said, adding, 'the situation is extremely volatile'. 

Eyewitnesses said one person died and as many as 30 people sustained injuries in the clash.

"Trouble started in front of the Churachandpur SP office around 7.40pm soon after the suspension order by SP Sivanand Surve went viral in various social media groups," the eyewitness said.

Earlier in the day, Manipur Police had posted on X, 'A mob numbering approximately 300-400 attempted to storm the office of SP CCP today, pelting stone, etc. The SF (security forces) including RAF is responding appropriately by firing tear gas shell to control the situation. Things are under watch.'

Head constable Siamlalpaul was kept 'under suspension with immediate effect until further orders' after a video of him with 'armed men' and 'sitting together with village volunteers' went viral on social media.

'This tantamount to very grave misconduct being a member of the disciplined police force,' a police order said.

'A departmental inquiry is being contemplated against Siamlalpaul of Churachandpur district police, as a clip has gone viral on social media showing him making a video with armed men on February 14,' the order said. 

Siamlalpaul has been asked not to 'leave the station without prior permission' and 'his pay and allowances have been restricted to subsistence allowance admissible as per the rules', it said.

Meanwhile, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF) has held SP Shivanand Surve responsible for the incident.

"If the SP cannot act with fairness, we will not allow him to remain in any tribal areas. He should immediately revoke the suspension of the policeman and leave the district within 24 hours. Otherwise, Mr. Surve will bear sole responsibility for any future incident," the forum said in a statement.  -- PTI