News updates from HT: ‘Normal’ monsoon likely for 3rd year in row, say experts and all the latest news

Here are today’s top news, analysis and opinion. Know all about the latest news and other news updates from Hindustan Times.

Here are today’s top news, analysis and opinion. Know all about the latest news and other news updates from Hindustan Times.

The monsoon is critical because two-thirds of Indians depend on farm-based income and over 40% of the country’s net-sown cropped area does not have any form of irrigation. (HT File photo)

‘Normal’ monsoon likely for 3rd year in row, say experts

India has received normal monsoon for two straight years, aiding a farm-driven economic recovery in a pandemic year. Sufficient June-to-September rains will be critical this year, but data show three consecutive normal monsoons are rare, occurring only once in the past two decades. Read more

BJP MLA tries to drink sanitiser in Odisha Assembly over paddy procurement row

A BJP legislator on Friday rocked the legislative assembly when he tried to drink hand sanitiser to protest the state government’s “failure” to procure paddy of thousands of farmers in his area in the western district of Bargarh. Read more

Mumbai cop Sachin Vaze seeks anticipatory bail in Mansukh Hiran case

Assistant police inspector Sachin Vaze who is in the eye of a storm in connection with the death of Mansukh Hiran, an auto parts dealer linked to the SUV found parked near billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s residence on February 25 with 20 sticks of gelatin and a threatening letter, applied for anticipatory bail in Thane sessions court on Friday. Read more

Refrain from forming ‘exclusive cliques’: China on Quad summit

The Quad grouping - comprising India, the US, Japan and Australia - shouldn’t undermine the interests of any third party or form “cliques”, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Friday while the state-controlled media dismissed its first-ever summit as an attempt to copy the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato) model. Read more

'Don't have dedication to play international cricket': Brad Hogg slams Chakravarthy, Tewatia for failing fitness test

Former Australia spinner Brad Hogg is unimpressed with the fact that Varun Chakravarthy and Rahul Tewatia have failed to pass the fitness test for India ahead of the England T20Is and will miss out on the high-profile series. Read more

Neena Gupta, Vivian Richards feature with Masaba in this unseen, throwback pic: 'My world, my blood'

Designer-actor Masaba Gupta has shared unseen throwback pictures from her childhood and it is totally winning everyone's hearts online. Masaba is actor Neena Gupta and former West Indies cricketer Vivian Richards’ daughter. Read more

Janhvi Kapoor in sheer feather mini dress will steal your breath away, pics

Sheer dresses with feathers are celebrity favourite and for all the right reasons. From Beyonce to Jennifer Lopez and Kendal Jenner, the globally renowned fashionistas have often been spotted on the red carpet wearing some version of the sheer dress adorned with feathers. Read more