TODAY NEWS ON February 09, 2024

News Headlines

FM Nirmala Sitharaman tables white paper on Indian economy in Lok Sabha

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 8 tabled a ‘White Paper on the Indian Economy’ in the Lok Sabha. “When we formed the government in 2014, the economy was in a fragile state; public finances were in a bad shape; there was economic mismanagement and financial indiscipline, and there was widespread corruption. It was a crisis situation” the white paper, tabled by the Finance Ministry, noted.

We rescued the economy from crisis, says government

As promised in her Interim Budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman laid a White Paper on the economy in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, outlining that the UPA’s 10 years in office created “an inheritance of loss” for the country and the Narendra Modi-led NDA government “rescued the economy from a state of crisis, despair and paralysis”.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge releases ‘Black Paper’ against Modi government

Ahead of the tabling of the ‘white paper’ on economy in Parliament, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge released a ‘black paper’ against the Narendra Modi government to highlight the government’s failure. Mr. Kharge said, “There is a danger to democracy in the country...In last 10 years, 411 MLAs were taken on there by the BJP. They toppled so many Congress governments. They are finishing democracy.”

Gujarat BJP leaders reject Rahul Gandhi’s charges on PM’s OBC status

Former Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat and current Rajya Sabha member Narhari Amin on Thursday refuted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not born into a caste belonging to the the Other Backward Classes (OBC), and that his caste was actually brought under the OBC category in 2000, during the BJP regime.

PM Modi lies that he was born OBC, alleges Rahul Gandhi in Odisha

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of lying that he was born Other Backward Class during his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in the western Odisha town of Jharsuguda on February 8. “Your Prime Minister was not born OBC and he was born in general caste. He was born in Teli caste in Gujarat. The Bharatiya Janata Party government had included his caste in OBC category in 2000. He keeps lying everywhere that he was born OBC,” said Mr. Gandhi addressing a public meeting.

Pakistan election results being announced as 'delay' raises eyebrows

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced first results of the 2024 polls in the early hours of Friday, more than 10 hours after voting ended amid allegations of rigging, sporadic violence and a countrywide mobile phone shutdown.

India suspends Free Movement Regime with Myanmar

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on February 8 that the Government has decided to scrap the Free Movement Regime (FMR) along Myanmar border to ensure the internal security of the country and to maintain the demographic structure of India’s North Eastern States. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has recommended the immediate suspension of FMR, he said. Mr. Shah posted on X, “It is Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji’s resolve to secure our borders, MHA has decided that the FMR between India and Myanmar be scrapped to ensure the internal security of the country and to maintain the demographic structure of India’s North Eastern States bordering Myanmar. Since the Ministry of External Affairs is currently in the process of scrapping it, MHA has recommended the immediate suspension of the FMR.”

Manipur welcomes Free Movement Regime suspension with Myanmar, some tribes unhappy

Manipur Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh on Thursday welcomed the Centre’s decision to scrap India’s Free Movement Regime (FMR) agreement. His counterparts in other northeastern States also hailed the announcement by Home Minister Amit Shah, which miffed political parties and NGOs in Mizoram and Nagaland.

India’s Kaladan project ‘almost dead’ after Paletwa fell to Arakan Army: senior Myanmar Opposition leader

One of India’s flagship connectivity projects that was aimed at enhancing road and maritime connection with Southeast Asia has faced a definite setback after an important town in Myanmar was captured recently by a rebel group, a senior figure of Myanmar’s Opposition has stated.

Fukushima nuclear plant leaked radioactive water; no one injured

“Highly radioactive water leaked from a treatment machine at the tsunami-hit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, but no one was injured and radiation monitoring shows no impact to the outside environment,” the utility operator said on February 8. “A plant worker found the leak on February 7 during valve checks at a SARRY treatment machine designed to mainly remove caesium and strontium from the contaminated water,” the Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings said. The machine has been idled for maintenance work.

RBI’s MPC keeps repo rate unchanged at 6.5% to bring down inflation, support growth

The Monetary Policy Committee of the Reserve Bank of India on February 8 after a detailed assessment ddecided to keep the policy repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility unchanged at 6.50%. Announcing the bi-monthly monetary policy, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said the Monetary Policy Committee has decided to keep the repo rate unchanged at 6.5%.

RBI says no systemic worries, action on Paytm due to “persisted non-compliance”

Reserve Bank Governor Shaktikanta Das on February 8 said there are no systemic worries and the action on Paytm was driven by a “lack of compliance” at Paytm. Deputy Governor Swaminathan J. said the actions against the fintech have been taken due to “persisted non-compliance”.

PM Modi lauds his predecessor Manmohan Singh for his contribution to Rajya Sabha

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will be remembered every time there is a discussion on Indian democracy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, lauding his predecessor while bidding adieu to Mr. Singh who along with other 67 members are retiring from Rajya Sabha.

Lok Sabha passes Water Act to lessen imprisonment worries of industry over water pollution

The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed The Water Amendment (Pollution and Prevention) Act, 2024. The legislation, which was introduced and passed in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, makes important changes to the Water (Pollution and Prevention) Act, 1974 such as decriminalising certain violations of the act deemed “minor,” replaces for the most part the penalties of imprisonment with fines ranging from ₹10,000 to ₹15 lakh.

Low budgetary allocation crippling MGNREGS, says Parliamentary panel

A reduced budget at the outset of the financial year for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) has a “cascading effect on various important aspects” of the programme and a telling impact on its progress, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development said in its report tabled on Thursday.

Israeli strikes kill 13 in a southern Gaza town that could be the next target in the war

Israeli airstrikes killed over a dozen people overnight and into Thursday in Rafah in the Gaza Strip, hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected Hamas' cease-fire terms and vowed to expand the offensive into the southern Gaza town.

Israel PM Netanyahu orders troops to prepare for push into Rafah

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered troops to prepare to enter the overcrowded Gazan city of Rafah, even as a new round of talks aimed at securing a truce with Hamas were set to open on February 8 in Cairo. Mr. Netanyahu announced the order after rejecting Hamas’s response to a ceasefire proposal at the centre of intense recent diplomatic efforts, though visiting U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken insisted on Wednesday that he still saw “space for agreement to be reached”.

West Bengal Budget | State government presents ₹3.6 lakh crore budget, says Centre imposed ‘financial blockade’

West Bengal Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya on February 8 presented the budget for 2024-25 with a slew of policies for social welfare and employment generation, even as she accused the Centre of imposing a “financial blockade” on the State. Tabling a budget of ₹3,66,166 crore, Ms. Bhattacharya said the monthly financial assistance under the ‘Lakhsmir Bhandar’ scheme has been raised to ₹1,200 for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes communities, whereas for other categories, it has been increased to ₹1,000.

‘Tired’ of talks with INDIA bloc, AAP announces 3 candidates for Lok Sabha polls from Assam

Aam Aadmi Party General Secretary (organisation) Sandeep Pathak announced AAP candidates from Assam for Lok Sabha polls on February 8. Mr. Pathak announced Manoj Dhanowar, Bhaben Chowdhury, and Rishi Raj as AAP candidates for Dibrugarh, Guwahati and Sonitpur respectively.

NASA climate satellite blasts off to survey oceans and atmosphere of a warming Earth

NASA’s newest climate satellite rocketed into orbit Thursday to survey the world’s oceans and atmosphere in never-before-seen detail. SpaceX launched the Pace satellite on its $948 million mission before dawn, with the Falcon rocket heading south over the Atlantic to achieve a rare polar orbit.

Sportstar Aces Awards 2024 | Shami is Sportsman of the year in Team Sports

India cricketer Mohammed Shami and chess Grandmaster R. Vaishali won the ‘Sportsman of the year (Team Sports)’ and ‘Sportswoman of the year (Individual)’ awards respectively at the Sportstar ACES Awards 2024 held at the Taj Mahal Palace here on Thursday.

Accused of rape, Varun withdraws from FIH Pro League, takes urgent leave to fight legal battle

Accused of rape under the stringent POCSO act, Arjuna award-winning Indian hockey player Varun Kumar has withdrawn from the FIH Pro League in Bhubaneswar to explore his legal options against the allegation, which he described as a “calculated attempt to extort money” from him. The 28-year-old has been granted “urgent leave” from national duty by Hockey India after he stated that the incident has taken a toll on his “physical and mental health”.

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