E-Paper
Morning news bulletin: Top 5 stories on February 21
From farmers rejecting the government's offer to Putin gifting Kim Jong Un a Russian-made car, here are the top 5 news on February 19 morning.
Good morning! Here are the top stories in your news bulletin on February 21.
Farmers protest to resume
Delhi is bracing for another round of traffic chaos amid a standoff between security personnel and protesting farmers. After failing to cross the Shambhu border due to heavy police deployment last week, the protesters brought heavy machinery on Tuesday. The driver cabins of the excavators and JCB machine have been modified to withstand the impact of rubber bullets and shotgun pellets. Many farmers have also prepared rudimentary anti-riot shields, and organised gas masks to blunt the impact of tear gas shells. The protesters have also readied thousands of sandbags that could be used to build makeshift motorable pathways through non-barricaded areas. The police have ramped up arrangements by deploying shipping containers loaded with heavy material to prevent them from being moved. Read full story
41 Rajya Sabha candidates elected unopposed
BJP president JP Nadda, I.T. minister Ashwani Vaishnaw, education minister Dharmendra Pradhan and former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi were among the 41 candidates who won seats unopposed in the latest round of the Rajya Sabha elections. As the last date of withdrawing nominations ended on Tuesday, 41 out of 59 candidates virtually secured their victories although the results will be formally announced on February 27. The remaining 15 seats are expected to see contests, especially in U.P. and Karnataka, as political rivals have fielded candidates. In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP is set to win seven of the 10 seats in this round of the biennial polls. The party has fielded Sanjay Seth to snatch the third seat from Samajwadi Party. Read full story
Pak deadlock
Former Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said his party had reached an agreement with Nawaz Sharif's party to form a coalition government. The agreement between Bhutto Zardari's Pakistan Peoples Party and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz of ends days of uncertainty and negotiations after the February 8 elections produced a hung national assembly. Bhutto Zardari confirmed at a late-night press conference that former Premier Shehbaz Sharif, the younger brother of Nawaz, will be the coalition's candidate for prime minister. He said his father Asif Ali Zardari will be their candidate for the country's president. Read full story
Bumrah rested for Ranchi Test
India fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah will be rested for the fourth cricket test against England. Bumrah, the world's top-ranked test bowler, is the only frontline pacer from either team to be an ever-present in the five-match series so far. He has been released from the squad and did not travel with his teammates as they went from Rajkot to Ranchi on a charter flight on Tuesday. There is just a four-day turnaround between the end of the third test and the start of the fourth on Friday. Mukesh Kumar, who was released from the squad for the third test, has joined the squad in Ranchi. Read full story
Cinema Lovers Day
Movie buffs can watch their favourite releases for a ticket price of ₹99 in PVR INOX cinema chains on 'Cinema Lovers Day' this Friday. Viewers can watch new releases like "All India Rank", "Article 370", "Crackk" and "Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya" and "Fighter". Or take their pick from Hollywood releases like "Madame Web", "The Holdovers" and "Bob Marley-One Love", "Mean Girls" and "The Teachers Lounge" in the Hollywood bucket. The cinema chain has reduced ticket price to ₹199 for recliner seats and those keen on experiencing films in IMAX, 4DX, MX4D and gold category will also find ticket prices on discount.
