Indian Sub-continent

Bahraich (UP), Feb 1 (PTI) A human trafficking racket was busted and five people were arrested while a woman held by them was freed in the Nanpara area here, police said on Tuesday.

Bahraich Senior Superintendent of Police Keshav Choudhary said a joint operation was launched on Monday evening by the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and the Uttar Pradesh Police with the help of an NGO after learning about the activities of the gang.

New Delhi, Feb 1 (PTI) Skier Arif Khan, the only athlete representing India at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, left for the Games in the Chinese capital along with Chef De Mission Harjinder Singh and support staff.

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Narinder Batra wished the contingent luck before its departure for the Games on Monday.

Arif, who will participate in two events, is aiming a modest top-30 finish in the showpiece which begins on Friday.

The Indian team will return on February 19, Batra said.

Mumbai, Jan 31 (PTI) A court here on Monday remanded Neeraj Bishnoi, the prime accused in the Bulli Bai app case wherein photos of some Muslim women were posted online for 'auction', to judicial custody for two weeks.

Bishnoi, the alleged creator of the mobile application, was arrested earlier this month by the Delhi Police in a similar case. Mumbai Police later took his custody for investigating the Bulli Bai app case.

A Metropolitan Magistrate's court in Mumbai on Monday remanded Bishnoi to judicial custody.

New Delhi, Jan 31 (PTI) Indian economy contracted by 6.6 per cent in 2020-21 as against the earlier estimate of 7.3 per cent decline, showing that the COVID-19 pandemic hit economy did not perform as badly as was initially worked out.

As per the provisional estimates released in May 2021, the GDP had contracted by 7.3 per cent during 2020-21 on account of the outbreak of COVID-19 and subsequent nationwide lockdown to contain the pandemic.

New Delhi, Jan 31 (PTI) India and Russia on Monday agreed to deepen cooperation at the UN Security Council after the two sides held wide-ranging talks on issues before the global body.

Russia is set to assume the presidency of the UN Security Council in February.

The two sides held bilateral consultations on UN-related issues at a meeting in Delhi, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

Indore, Jan 31 (PTI) Activists of the Akhil Bhartiya Hindu Mahasabha were booked on Monday for raising slogans in support of Gandhiji's assassin Nathuram Godse a day earlier on the death anniversary of the Mahatma, which is observed nationwide as Martyrs Day.

These activists had gathered at Veer Savarkar Square despite prohibitory orders banning such gatherings without permission being in place, said Tukoganj police station in charge Kamlesh Sharma.

They have been charged under section 188 of IPC for showing disobedience to order issued by authorities.

Mangaluru, Feb 1 (PTI) A student of the girl's pre-university college in Udupi district has moved the Karnataka High Court with a prayer to allow the right to wear a hijab' (headscarf) inside the classroom.

The writ petition was filed on behalf of the student Resham Farooq, represented by her brother Mubarak Farooq.

The petitioner states that the students' right to wear a hijab is a fundamental right guaranteed under Article 14 and 25 of the Constitution and is an essential practice of Islam.

New Delhi, Feb 1 (PTI) The Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday approved the Budget 2022-23, sources said.

The Budget will be presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in a short while from now in the Lok Sabha.

The Budget documents usually include the finance minister's speech in Parliament, highlights, annual financial statement, finance bill containing tax proposals, memorandum explaining the provisions in the financial bill, and macroeconomic framework statement.

New Delhi, Feb 1 (PTI) The government is committed to reduce imports and promote self-reliance in the defence sector, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Tuesday.

She said that 68 per cent of capital for the defence sector would be earmarked for the local industry.

Sitharaman also said that 5 per cent of Universal Service Obligation (USO) Fund would be provided for R&D and technology upgradation.

New Delhi, Feb 1 (PTI) The Congress on Tuesday accused Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Prime Minister Minister Narendra Modi of betraying the country's salaried and middle classes by not announcing any relief measures for them in the Union Budget.

Congress general secretary and chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the salaried and the middle classes have been affected due to pay cuts and high inflation.