FM Nirmala Sitharaman forms committee to improve NPS for Government Employees

Agency News: New Delhi

During the presentation of the Finance Bill 2023 in the Lok Sabha on Friday, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that a committee would be set up to examine issues related to pensions for government employees. The group will devise a strategy that meets employee requirements while also maintaining fiscal prudence.Sitharaman stated that the current national pension system (NPS) for government employees needed improvement, citing representations received on the issue. The proposed approach would be developed for adoption by both central and state governments.The decision

Over Rahul Gandhi

Taapsee Pannu looks sassy in the semi-sheer black gown.

6 cops suspended after infant death

Agency News: Jamshedpur

Six policemen were suspended on Thursday following the death of an infant, who was allegedly crushed under police boots during a search operation in Jharkhand’s Giridih district on Tuesday night.

According to the police sources, a search team had gone to the home of an accused in an assault case following g a non-bailable warrant issued by the Giridih district court against him. The accused, Bhushan Pandey, escaped from his house at Koshongondodighi village under Deori police station on Tuesday night.

Agency News: Mumbai

Uddhav Thackeray, who heads the Shiv Sena party, on Friday dubbed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification as “murder” of democracy and said this is the beginning of the end of “dictatorship”. In a statement, Thackeray said it has become a crime to call a thief a thief, while those “looting” the country are out. “This is the murder of democracy. All agencies are under pressure. This is the beginning of the end of the dictatorship...the battle only needs a direction (now),” Thackeray said. Earlier in the day, the Lok Sabha Secretariat said Gandhi has been disqualified from the Lok Sabha, a day after a Surat court convicted him in a 2019 criminal defamation case.

Announcing his disqualification, the Lok Sabha Secretariat in a notification said that it was effective from March 23, the day of his conviction ”Consequent upon his conviction by the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Surat... Rahul Gandhi, Member of Lok Sabha representing the Wayanad Parliamentary Constituency of Kerala stands disqualified from the membership of Lok Sabha from the date of his conviction i.e. comes as several non-BJP states have decided to switch back to the Old Pension Scheme, which is linked to dearness allowance, and

23 March, 2023,” the notification read. The Surat court on Thursday sentenced Rahul Gandhi to two years in jail in a defamation case.

Renuka Chowdhury to File Defamation Case Against PM Modi

Agency News: New Delhi employee organizations in other states have demanded the same. In addition to notifying the centre of their decision to switch back to the OPS, the states of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh also asked for a return of the corpus accumulated under the NPS.

Committee formed by Finance Minister to improve attractiveness of NPS for government.

After a Surat court held Rahul Gandhi guilty in a 2019 criminal defamation case over his remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s surname, Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury announced that she would file a defamation case against Modi since the latter supposedly linked her laughter to ‘Surupanakha’, a demoness in Hindu mythology in a House proceeding.Taking to Twitter, Chowdhury on Friday said that Modi insulted her by his remark made in Parliament in 2018. She also posted a video of the House proceedings.She added: “This classless megalomaniac referred to me as Surupanakha on the floor of the House. I will file a defamation

Delhi case against him. Let’s see how fast courts will act now.”In the video, Modi while addressing the Chairman said: “I request you not to say anything to Renuka ji. I am fortunate to hear such laughter today, after the Ramayana serial.” The Chairman had asked Chowdhury to be silent after her laughter was heard during Modi’s address.

Agency News: New Delhi

Siddaramaiah, the Congress leader, allegedly assaulted a man today while being mobbed by supporters demanding an electoral ticket for a party MLA.When the former chief minister went out of his house in Bengaluru this morning, he was reportedly swarmed by supporters of Harihar MLA S. Ramappa.In the video tweeted by the BJP Karnataka, it can be seen that the Congress leader is mobbed by a huge crowd, and evidently frustrated and slaps one of the Congress supporters.Siddaramaiah slapped one of them and showed a video after being pushed by the crowd. After slapping he quickly drove away in a car.The Congress Party is scheduled to release its candidate list for the Karnataka assembly elections later this year.

excise policy case: Court

Preacher’s Deportation

Agency News: New Delhi

Radical Islamist preacher Zakir Naik is a fugitive from justice with numerous cases against him and the Indian government is taking up the matter with Oman to bring him back to India, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday amid reports over his deportation.“Zakir Naik is an accused in numerous cases in India. He is a fugitive from justice. We have taken up the matter with the Govt of Oman and Oman authorities,” MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.earlier that Zakir Naik is likely to be deported. to

Pronounce

order on Manish Sisodia’s bail on March 31

Agency News: New Delhi

Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court will pronounce an order on former deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia’s bail plea in the now scrapped excise policy case lodged by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on March 31.

India’s forex kitty jumps by $12.8 billion to $572.8 billion

Agency News: New Delhi

India’s forex kitty rose by USD 12.798 billion to USD 572.801 billion in the week ended March 17, the Reserve Bank said on Friday. In the previous reporting week, the reserves had dropped by USD 2.39 billion to a three-month low of USD 560.003 billion. It can be noted that in October 2021, the country’s forex kitty had reached an all-time high of USD 645 billion.The reserves have been declining as the central bank deploys the kitty to defend the rupee amid pressures caused majorly by global developments.For the week ended March 17, the foreign currency assets, a major component of the reserves, increased by USD 10.485 billion to USD 505.348 billion.

Mr. Sisodia is currently in judicial custody in the cases registered by the CBI and ED, till April 3.Special Judge M.K. Nagpal on March 24 said that the court will pronounce the order on Mr Sisodia’s bail at 4 pm on March 31. The bail plea was filed in the case lodged by CBI.Mr Sisodia’s bail plea in the money.

Starbucks Indian-Origin CEO To Work As Barista In Stores Every Month

Agency News: New Delhi

Starbucks’ new Indian-origin CEO Laxman Narasimhan has said he will work as a barista once a month in stores to stay close to the company’s culture, customers, challenges and opportunities. Mr Narasimhan, 55, officially became the Seattle-based coffee giant’s chief executive on Monday, taking the reins from Howard Schultz about two weeks earlier than scheduled. He was welcomed as incoming chief executive officer of Starbucks with a coffee tasting in the place where it all began - at Seattle’s Pike Place market store. In a letter to the employees on

89806 69994

Thursday, the Indian-American business executive said he will always be a “fierce advocate” for the company’s partners and its culture. “With you, I’ve experienced every aspect of the business to learn what it truly means to wear the green apron. You’ve welcomed me into our stores.

Amritpal Singh manhunt: 11 aides produced in court, sent to judicial custody

Agency News: Amritsar

The police produced 11 aides of fugitive Amritpal Singh in Baba Bakala and Ajnala courts on Thursday in connection with various cases filed against them in Khilchian and Ajnala police stations.The Punjab police and paramilitary forces made extensive security arrangements in both court complexes, the surrounding areas, and the roads leading to the court.While the Baba Bakala court sentenced 11 people to 14 days in judicial remand, the Ajnala court sentenced ten of them to two days in police remand.The FIR was filed on March 19, a day after Amritpal fled.The court also granted transit remand so that ten of them could appear in front of the Ajnala court.

Editorial

Sunvilla Samachar

India must draw red line on Khalistan, Symbolic protests against foreign missions don’t work

India logs 1,249 new Covid cases while active cases increase to 7,927

Agency News: Morbi

Agency News: New Delhi

Agency News: New Delhi India logged 1,249 new coronavirus cases, while the active cases have increased to 7,927, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday. The death toll has increased to 5,30,818 with one death each reported by Karnataka and Gujarat, the data updated at 8 am stated. The daily positivity was recorded at 1.19 per cent while the weekly positivity was pegged at 1.14 per cent.The Covid case tally was recorded at 4.47 crore The active cases now comprise 0.02 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has been recorded at 98.79 per cent, the ministry said.As many as 92.07 crore tests for detection of Covid have been conducted so far with 1,05,316 tests being conducted in the last 24 hours.The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,41,61,922, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent. According to the ministry’s website, 220.65 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in the country so far under the nationwide vaccination drive. On Thursday, India recorded a single-day rise of 1,300 new Covid cases, the highest in 140 days.

Surrender within 15 days: Supreme Court to convicts, undertrials released during COVID-19

Agency News: New Delhi

- Kapilkumar M. Hirpara Editor

The totally untenable and unpardonably anti-national demand for Khalistan is being raised again in some quarters. The earlier movement for a similar demand in the eighties, led by self-styled leader of the Sikhs, Bhindranwale ended in very tragic circumstances, leading to the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The fact that the separatist movement lasted longer than estimated and had far reaching political and security impact, goes to prove that the demand was not merely home grown. The Bhindranwale movement ran on the twin crutches of fundamentalism and terrorism. Amritpal, the self-styled religio-political upstart, formerly working as a driver in Dubai, is believed to have been recruited by the ISI of Pakistan with a mandate to revive the long-forgotten issue of Khalistan and vitiate the atmosphere in Punjab and the rest of the country.The renewal of the Khalistan movement began with the Referendum 2020, which was spearheaded by several pro-Khalistan elements led by US-based secessionist group called Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), headed by one Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. The Referendum 2020 was used as a springboard to bring all pro-Khalistan groups under one umbrella. This attempt seems to have failed as the groups located in various countries had their own respective political agenda and were probably not willing to give up their local identity and political benefits and lose their local influence. Besides, some of them were probably not willing to surrender their ill-earned ‘donations’ to some entity in the US. Nevertheless, they could have maintained their networking and links intact, which could have formed the data base for the ISI to recruit new “leaders”. Now declared a fugitive, Amritpal was anointed head of ‘Waris Punjab De’, which was founded by Punjabi actor and activist Deep Sidhu who died in a road accident in February 2022.

Delhi Police file FIR over London protest that targeted Indian high commission

Agency News: New Delhi

The Delhi Police has registered a case under multiple penal provisions including India’s antiterror law in connection with the violent protest at the Indian High Commission in London on March 19 when pro-Khalistan activists were able to clamber onto the mission’s balcony and pull down the national flag from a pole at the front of the building, a senior police officer said on Friday. The officer, who asked not to be named, said the first information report (FIR) was registered on directions of the Ministry of Home Affairs which asked the police to take appropriate legal action on the report received from the Ministry of External Affairs about the incident. The FIR has invoked provisions of the Indian Penal code, the Unlawful

Activities (Prevention) Act and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act. The protests in London on March 19 began hours after Punjab Police launched a statewide manhunt against pro-Khalistani separatist preacher Amritpal Singh and his followers, arresting nearly 100 people on the first day and suspending mobile internet and text messaging services across the state. Amritpal Singh, who was accused in eight FIRs of abduction, inciting violence, and disturbing social harmony, is linked to the Khalistani secessionist movement and is chief of “Waris Punjab De”.

Protest in Idukki after operation to capture rogue elephant stayed by Kerala HC

Agency News: Munnar

The Kerala high court in a special hearing on Thursday stayed the forest department’s plan till March 29 to tranquillise a wild tusker nicknamed Arikomban which razed many houses and shops and destroyed crops in the region in the past 16 months, leading to protests in Munnar and Chinnakanal in Idukki. Farmers’ outfits and political parties threatened to block roads if the mission was called off. Some local political parties announced protest rallies on Sunday against the high court’s stay order.“We are shocked that the operation was stayed till Wednesday. Arikomban took several lives. It razed many houses and shops and destroyed crops for more than two years. Sadly, the operation was called off at the eleventh hour. Human beings should not suffer at the cost of animal love,” said Kerala Independent Farmers’ Association.“We thought by Sunday Arikomban’s threat will be over forever. We have no idea how long we have to spend sleepless nights,” said P Sebastian, a resident of Chinnakanal.

NIA files chargesheet against Lawrence Bishnoi, Goldy Brar on terror nexus case

Agency News: New Delhi

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filled a chargesheet against gangsters Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar for having links with the banned pro-Khalistan outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and other similar terrorist groups in one of three terrorcriminal nexus cases. The chargesheet has also named 12 other individuals. The NIA has alleged that Bishnoi, along with Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar, has been operating his

The Supreme Court on Friday directed all convicts and undertrial prisoners, released during COVID-19 pandemic, to surrender within 15 days. Many prisoners were released from jails to decongest it and minimise the spread of infection among inmates. Bench of Justices MR Shah and CT Ravikumar said that undertrial prisoners released on emergency bail during the pandemic can move for regular bail before competent courts after their surrender. “All the convicts who were released during the COVID-19 pandemic after their surrender can move competent courts for suspension of their sentence”, the bench said. Notably, several convicts and undertrial prisoners, with most of them booked for nonheinous offences, were released during the pandemic in various states. The decision was taken on the recommendations of a highpowered committee.

Over 95% of Karnataka MLAs are crorepatis, 35% have criminal charges: ADR report

Agency News: New Delhi

Over 95% of the members of the legislative assembly (MLA) in Karnataka are crorepatis while 35% of the lawmakers have declared criminal cases, a report by poll watchdog Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) revealed on Thursday. ADR recently analysed the criminal, financial and other background details of 219 out of 224 sitting MLAs from Karnataka.15 MLAs had switched parties after the 2018 assembly elections, of which, 10 contested from the Indian National Congress (INC) in the 2018 assembly polls, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) being their current party.

According to the report, around 26% of the MLAs have declared serious criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits, with BJP recording the highest number of such MLAs at 30%. BJP’s 112 out of 118 MLAs are crorepatis, the report added. The average assets per sitting MLA have been valued at ₹29.85 crore, with the Congress leading in average assets

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched a volley of attacks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday. From implementation of GST to farm laws to corruption allegations against the BJP-led government in Karnataka, Arvind Kejriwal used these issues to try and corner PM Modi.Addressing a public meeting at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal said, “I am worried that the prime minister of the country is not educated. Anyone can get him to do anything. My question is whether there is no need of an educated prime minister in the 21st century? Can a less educated PM help in building 21st century?” He said, “After 75 years, Manish Sisodia was sent from above for the rejuvenation of the education system. The government school managed to beat private schools. Manish Sisodia is respected by lakhs of parents. If the PM were educated, he would have said ‘Give me Manish Sisodia. I will make him education minister of the country’.” He likened Manish Sisodia to freedom fighter Bhagat Singh and said if orders were given to hang the AAP leader, he would happily accept it.“Nobody can understand GST. If the prime minister was educated, GST would have been implemented well,” Kejriwal said on Thursday.

Advice of Senior Leaders Matters in Governance, Says

Uttarakhand CM Dhami

Agency News: Dehradun

Completing one year in office, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, in an exclusive interview to News18, brushed aside rumours on his leadership capabilities and said he welcomes advice from senior leaders in matters of governance. Asked about the buzz over his official trips to Delhi, Dhami said: “Within three months of me taking the Chief Minister’s oath, I have been hearing. Those who have no work are the ones spreading rumours and I ignore them. I focus on the work given to me by PM Narendra Modi.” At 47, Dhami in the youngest chief minister of the hill state, leading a battery of senior leaders, including former CMs. Dhami said his age comes in handy as

Cases of heart attack while playing cricket are increasing in the state. Today, one such incident has happened in Morbi’s Halwad. According to the details of this incident, a 32-year-old youth suddenly started vomiting while playing cricket at Lajai in Halwad and was immediately taken to a nearby private hospital. However, doctors on duty declared him brought dead. It was found that the young man died due to a heart attack. Practices were being conducted for the district panchayat match to be played on this ground. The name of this

Cong Chief Kharge Holds Meeting with Opposition Leaders Day After Rahul’s Conviction

Agency News: New Delhi terror-crime syndicate from jails. He has been in jail from 2015.In 2022, the investigating agency had taken Bishnoi in its custody from the high-security Bhatinfa central jail in connection with a case related to a conspiracy by terror outfits and criminal syndicates to execute sensational crimes in the country. of ₹48.58 crore.The average assets per candidate for 118 BJP MLAs stood at ₹19.6 crore, while Janata Dal MLAs average assets amounted to ₹4.34 crore and four independent MLAs have average assets of ₹40.92 crore.As many as 49 out of 112 MLAs from the BJP, 16 out of 67 MLAs from the INC, 9 out of 30 MLAs from the JD(S) and 2 out of 4 independent MLAs have declared criminal cases against them. Out of 219 sitting MLAs analysed, 73 MLAs declared educational qualification until the Class 12, whereas 140 MLAs declared as graduates. Only two MLAs had a doctorate degree, the report added.

Gwalior hit by magnitude 4 earthquake

Agency News: Bhopal

An earthquake of magnitude 4 hit Gwalior and areas in its vicinity in Madhya Pradesh on Friday morning, an official said. No damages have been reported so far, he said. Mild jolts occurred at 10.31.49 am, India Meteorological Department’s Bhopal office duty officer SN

No damages have been reported so far as per officials

Sahu told. The epicentre of the magnitude 4 quake was 28 km south-east of Gwalior, the official said. Sahu said the quake struck at a depth of 10 kilometres.

As SIT probes Darshan Solanki’s ‘suicide’, his father pens scathing letter to IIT Bombay director

Agency News: Mumbai

Darshan Solanki’s father, Ramesh Solanki wrote a letter to the IIT Bombay Director in response to the interim report released by IIT-B’s investigative committee. Bashing the committee’s report, Ramesh Solanki said that the probe held Darshan responsible for his own death.‘It is sheer disrespect to ignore the hardwork and dedication of a Dalit student who self-coached himself to gain admission in IIT using the space of his home and his mobile phone. The institute seems to blame my son for not knowing how to use computers and for not being conversant in English (sic),’ he wrote.Ramesh Solanki goes on to state that the IIT-B investigative committee had no external members or experts who could understand casteism inside the IIT. He further alleges that the committee never came to Ahmedabad to hear the statements from the Solanki family and only did it online. senior leaders are happy to share their experiences and offer tips on governance. “I give a patient ear to every senior leader and worker, and do whatever fits the bill,” he told. Commenting on completing one year in office, the CM counted the law against forced conversions, law to check cheating in competitive exams and forming a draft committee for Uniform Civil Code as three major works of his government, besides providing 30% horizontal reservation to women in jobs.

Private aircraft crashes into house in Dhanbad; 2 injured

Agency News: Dhanbad

An unfortunate incident showing a private aircraft crash into a residence in Dhanbad, Jharkhand, was caught on camera. The chilling visuals captured the moment of the plane going out of control and hitting at a building near Birsa Munda Park. The incident reportedly took place on Thursday and was recorded by an onboard camera. The pilot and a teenage passenger of the joyride glider were injured after the mishap, a police officer told According to news reports, the aircraft reportedly hit one Nilesh Kumar’s house wherein two of his children playing there had a narrow escape from the crash. The passenger was identified as

Kush Singh (14) of Patna who had come to the Dhanbad house of his maternal uncle Pawan Singh. The injured pilot and Singh got admitted to Jharkhand’s Asarfi Hospital and doctors were quoted in reports suggesting the duo’s condition being serious.Singh had reportedly gone for a joyride in the glider run by a private agency from the Barwadda airstrip. The incident might have resulted due to a technical snag and an investigation is underway, police sources were quoted in media reports.

Patients Are Being Treated as Tools for Money by Hospitals and Doctors: Allahabad HC

Agency News: New Delhi

The Allahabad High Court (HC) recently rejected bail plea of the owner of the building of a hospital where a patient died last year allegedly due to carelessness of the hospital. The deceased was a dengue patient who had been administered adulterated platelets.A bench of Justice Saurabh Shyam Shamshery said, “For a patient, hospital is like a temple wherein doctors are worshipped as a God. However, of late, there are many reported incidents that both management of hospitals and doctors are treating patients as a tool of earning money”.The judge said that for the sake of more money, the hospital as well as the doctors are now indulging in such practices which are contrary to their “Hippocratic” oath. “Specifically, when there

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday held a meeting with opposition leaders and deliberated on the strategy going forward in the wake of Rahul Gandhi’s conviction in a 2019 defamation case.Besides the Congress, senior leaders of parties such as the DMK, National Conference, RSP, VCK, JDU, CPI(M), SP, SS, IUML, AAP and CPI attended the meeting at Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Kharge’s office inside Parliament complex.The opposition parties have also sought time from President Droupadi Murmu on Friday afternoon to raise the matter with her. A court in Surat on Thursday sentenced Gandhi to two years in jail in the case filed against him over his “Modi surname” remarks. The court also granted him bail and suspended the sentence for 30 days to allow him to appeal in a higher court. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh had on Thursday asserted that it is not just a legal issue but also a serious political matter linked with the future of democracy in the country, he said. “This is another major example of the Modi government’s politics of vendetta, threat and intimidation. We will fight it legally as well as politically. We will not bow down or be intimidated by such politics and will turn this into a major political issue,” he had said.

Woman Who Tried To Bribe Amruta Fadnavis Sent To 14-Day Judicial Custody

Agency News: Mumbai

A court in Mumbai on Friday sent Aniksha Jaisinghani, arrested for allegedly offering a bribe to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s wife Amruta and also threatening her, to 14day judicial custody, turning down the cops’ plea to extend her police remand. Aniksha was arrested by the city police on March 16 based on a case filed at Malabar Hill police station on February 20 on the complaint of Amruta Fadnavis. She is also accused of demanding extortion of ₹ 10 crore from the latter. The police produced Aniksha before sessions court judge DD Almale at the end of her previous remand.The police, represented by special public prosecutor Ajay Misar, sought her custody for three more days to confront her with a

Aniksha was arrested by the city police on March 16 based on a case filed at Malabar Hill police station on February 20 on the complaint of Amruta Fadnavis witness.Aniksha’s lawyer Manan Sanghai submitted that no new ground was made out for extending the police remand.The court, after hearing both sides, rejected the investigators’ plea and remanded the accused in judicial custody.Police have also arrested her father and suspected bookie Anil Jaisinghani and their relative Nirmal Jaisinghani in connection with the case.

36-year-old woman, her 4-year-old child attacked with acid in Bharat Nagar

Police are probing it from all angles even though it is suspected to be a result of personal enmity is scarcity of medicines, medical instruments, and platelets,” the judge added.Regarding the present case, the judge noted that the accused persons, knowing well that adulterated platelets to a dengue patient may cause his death, still indulged in the activity of making money by procuring adulterated platelets and providing them to the patients, which ultimately led to the death of deceased. “Applicant has not only committed an offence which is against one person but in the given circumstances it is against public at large,” the judge underscored while denying any relief to the accused hospital owner.

Agency News: New Delhi

A 36-year-old woman and her 4-year-old child have suffered burn injuries after being attacked with acid in northwest Delhi’s Bharat Nagar on Thursday. Although the police suspect the attack to be a result of personal enmity, they are investigating the incident from all angles. The deputy commissioner of police (northwest), Jitendra Kumar Meena, confirmed that no one has been arrested in connection with the case yet. According to the victim, she was sitting at her shop in Guru Bazar in Bharat Nagar area when an unknown person came through the park and threw acid at her.The latest incident follows a similar attack on a 17-year-old girl in December 2022, where she was also attacked with acid by two bikeborne men in Delhi under Mohan Garden police station.The younger sister of the victim said that they were on their way to school when the attack occurred. She heard her sister scream and got nervous after seeing her face. The victim was then taken to a doctor for treatment.

The bike used by the attackers did not have any number plate, and the victim knew both of them from the past.Acid attacks in India have become a frequent occurrence, and the country has one of the highest rates of acid attacks globally.

According to data provided by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), there were 244 reported acid attacks in 2020.

It is up to the franchises to keep a tab on players’ workload: Rohit Sharma

Agency News : New Delhi

Shreyas Iyer’s decision to opt for rest and rehab on the advice of a specialist in Mumbai when the National Cricket Academy (NCA)’s sports science and sports medicine unit preferred surgery on his lower back has touched off a debate on whether the key batter was going the Jasprit Bumrah way.Bumrah, India’s pace spearhead, had delayed the surgery option for quite some time, preferring rest and rehab, before being forced to go under the scalpel in New Zealand earlier this month, putting in doubt his participation in the ODI World Cup at home. Iyer missed the final Test of the Border-

EURO qualifiers: Leader Kylian Mbappe seeks to be the ‘unifier’

Agency News : New Delhi

US charges crypto fugitive Do Kwon after Montenegro

arrest

Gavaskar Trophy and the ODI series following a sudden recurrence of back pain during the third Test. He is currently in Mumbai under the supervision of the NCA’s medical unit.It remains to be seen if Iyer, the Kolkata Knight Riders captain, can take part in the IPL.

India can play Pakistan at a neutral venue during Asia Cup: Pakistan Cricket Board’s proposal

Agency News : New Delhi

India can play archrivals

Pakistan and other teams at a venue outside of Pakistan during the Asia Cup. This is according to a proposal of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the hosts of the tournament.

PCB came up with the proposal during last week’s Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting in Dubai.

ACC president Jay Shah, also the BCCI secretary, was present at the meeting while Arun Dhumal, the IPL chairman, represented India. However, no decision has been taken yet about the venues for the India games. The BCCI had made it clear after last year’s Annual General Body Meeting that the Indian team will not travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup because the central government would not give clearance.If India reaches the final, the game will also have to be held outside of Pakistan“The proposal to play India games at a neutral venue (outside Pakistan) has been proposed by the Pakistan Cricket Board. They haven’t informed the BCCI about which the neutral venue will be. The ACC hasn’t taken any decision on it. It will be discussed during the next meeting. There are logistics and financial implications too. At the same time we don’t know whether the official broadcaster will agree to this move because they will need another crew in another country,” an official, who attended the meeting, said.

Kylian Mbappe’s main role as France captain will be to link the old and new generations of players in the squad, the Paris St Germain forward said on Thursday in his first news conference since getting the job. Mbappe was named France captain to replace Hugo Lloris on Tuesday after the 36-year-old goalkeeper announced his international retirement in January. The 24-yearold Mbappe was given a specific task by coach Didier Deschamps. “He wants me to be a unifier, to bring my team along with me. I am the link between the generations,” Mbappe said. “I’m captain of my country, it’s something you can’t shirk. It’s a new responsibility. I’m going to take it on naturally, it’s not going to change how I play, but maybe the way I behave.” Mbappe said vicecaptain Antoine Griezmann had been disappointed by the decision. The 32-year-old forward has been a long-serving player for Deschamps, making his first appearance for his country in 2014. “It’s an expected reaction. I told him I would have had the same reaction,” Mbappe said.

“He is perhaps the most important player during the Deschamps era. I am not his hierarchical superior.

Hardik Pandya to Shubman Gill, Titans nurture natural leaders

Agency News

: New Delhi

Shubman Gill did not get too many runs in the just-concluded ODI series against Australia. But Gujarat Titans aren’t too concerned about their opener’s current form. What the defending champions want to focus more on is Gill’s “professional attitude” as well as his sense of responsibility.“Shubman is a leader in his own right for the simple fact that he takes on a lot of responsibility. In my mind, it is not important that you play with an asterisk next to a player’s name,” the Titans’ director of cricket, Vikram Solanki, said at a virtual news conference on Thursday.“Shubman adapted to the leadership role last year by his conduct, the way he goes about and with his professional attitude towards the game.”Gill also appears to be the Titans’ leader for the future. “Yes, absolutely, though no decision has been made on it. But he’s a very mature and considerate young man who has an abundant amount of talent.“He has also got a very smart cricketing brain and we’ll continue to have conversations with him and invite his opinion on every decision we make,” Solanki said. Skipper Hardik Pandya had led from the front when the Titans won the IPL last year on debut.

Weak rupee may force RBI to sell dollar

Agency News : New Delhi

The Reserve Bank of India

Agency News : New Delhi

The US District Court in Manhattan filed an eight-count fraud indictment against Do Kwon on Thursday following news of his arrest on an Interpol warrant in Montenegro. The indictment charges Kwon, a South Korean national who co-founded Terraform Labs and developed the TerraUSD and Luna cryptocurrencies, with two counts each of securities fraud, wire fraud, commodities fraud and conspiracy. Terra and Luna were two paired cryptocurrencies whose value rose rapidly in 2021 and early 2022, only to collapse in May 2022, wiping out at least $40 billion in market capitalization. The criminal case follows civil charges already filed against Kwon and Terraform. Authorities in Montenegro said on

Thursday that they had arrested a man they believed to be Kwon. He was arrested along with a second suspect trying to board a flight to Dubai at Podgorica airport.

Police found forged Costa Rican and Belgian passports during the encounter. ”The person is suspected of being one of the most wanted fugitives, South Korean national Do Kwon, a co-fonder and CEO of the Singapore-based Terraform Labs,” Interior Minister Filip Adzic wrote on Twitter. On Friday, South Korean police said the individuals identity had been confirmed including by fingerprint match. “This has been shared with the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office and Interpol in Montenegro,” an official at the Korean National Police Agency said.

(RBI) may be forced to raise rates because of the depreciation in the rupee, which could pinch the economy, Moody’s Analytics said on Thursday. The economies in emerging Asia will outperform the emerging markets, Moody’s said, but their central banks could find themselves in a spot because of currency weakness.“Nowhere is this risk greater than in India, where a new bout of rupee weakness could force the RBI to press harder on the brakes, slowing what we expect to be one of EM Asia’s best performing economies,” the report said. The rupee on Thursday closed with gains of 40 paise against the dollar at 82.26 following weakness of the greenback in the overseas market. The dollar index, which gauges the greenback’s strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading 0.03 per cent lower at 102.31. The rupee had kicked off this calendar year at 82.74 to the dollar and had even appreciated to 80.98 in January 2023. It has given up these gains on portfolio outflows and interest rate increases by the US Fed. Forex circles feel that if foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) continue to be on a sell mode.

Thursday Has Become The New Friday, 79% Indians Going To Office By Choice: LinkedIn Survey Vedanta set for fifth payout

Agency News : New Delhi

Anil Agarwal-led Vedanta Ltd on Thursday said its board will meet next week to consider and approve the fifth interim dividend for FY23. The announcement comes days after Vedanta Resources which is a majority shareholder of Vedanta Ltd stating that it has enough means to meet debt repayment liabilities in the coming quarters as it looked to assuage investor concerns around its financial position. “The meeting of the board of directors of the company (the board) is proposed to be scheduled on Tuesday, March

28, 2023, to consider and approve the Fifth Interim Dividend on equity shares, if any, for the Financial Year 2022- 23,” the company said in a regulatory filing.Vedanta Resources said it is in the advanced stage of finalisation to tie-up $1.75 billion through a combination of syndicate loans and bilateral bank facilities.Vedanta Resources had said it had pre-paid all of its debt that was due for repayment till March 2023, deleveraging by $2 billion in the past 11 months. Further, it is confident of meeting its liquidity requirements for the quarter ending June 2023.