I-League: Lajong, Gokulam gear up to salvage pride (Preview) (Just in)
Shillong, Feb 21 (IANS) In what could be a battle to grace the relegation and finish as high as possible in the I-League table, Shillong Lajong FC will take on Gokulam Kerala at the JLN Nehru Stadium, here on Friday.

Winter will stretch to the first week of March: Experts (Weather Roundup) (Just in)
New Delhi, Feb 21 (IANS) This is usually the time of year when people in north India begin packing away their woollens as the days and nights warm up but experts say the winter season is expected to continue till the first week of March.

SC to consider plea for recall of Rafale verdict (6 minutes ago)
New Delhi, Feb 21 (IANS) The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday agreed to consider a petition seeking a recall of its verdict that gave a clean chit to the government's acquisition of 36 Rafale fighter jets and initiation of perjury proceedings against officials, who allegedly misled the court by giving false evidence and suppressing information.

Military action against Pakistan won't help India: CPI-M (10 minutes ago)
New Delhi, Feb 21 (IANS) It is doubtful if military action against Pakistan will serve the strategic purpose of curbing terrorism propped up by Islamabad, the CPI-M has said.

BJP alleges scam in Bengal crop procurement, demands CBI probe (14 minutes ago)
Kolkata, Feb 21 (IANS) BJP National Secretary Rahul Sinha on Thursday alleged corruption in procurement of paddy from farmers in West Bengal and demanded a CBI inquiry into the scam.

Ex-Punjab police officer sentenced to 10 years jail (18 minutes ago)
Chandigarh, Feb 21 (IANS) Former Superintendent of Police (SP) of Punjab Police, Salwinder Singh, was on Thursday sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment in a case of rape registered against him.

HC notice to Centre over death penalty under SC/ST Act (18 minutes ago)
Chandigarh, Feb 21 (IANS) The Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued notice to the Centre on a petition filed by a law student challenging the constitutionality of mandatory death sentence prescribed under a provision of the SC/ST Act.

Terming Gumnami Baba as Netaji a sinister campaign, must be probed: Bose family (22 minutes ago)
Kolkata, Feb 21 (IANS) Accusing the Delhi based non-profit organisation Mission Netaji of running a "sinister campaign" to taint Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's image by claiming that the leader lived in Uttar Pradesh as a hermit named Gumnami Baba, the members of Bose's family on Thursday urged the Centre to release all Intelligence Bureau (IB) files on the recluse.

Telangana cabinet approves Vote-on-Account budget (26 minutes ago)
Hyderabad, Feb 21 (IANS) The Telangana cabinet on Thursday approved the Vote-on-Account budget for 2019-20, which will be presented in the state Assembly on Friday.

CoA meet to discuss playing Pakistan in World Cup (26 minutes ago)
New Delhi, Feb 21 (IANS) The subject of playing Pakistan in the ICC World Cup is likely to top the agenda when the two-member Supreme Court appointed BCCI Committee of Administrators (CoA) meets here on Friday as calls for boycotting the neighbour in the marquee tournament in the United Kingdom have come from all quarters.

Saudi Crown Prince arrives in China (28 minutes ago)
Beijing, Feb 21 (IANS) Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrived in China on Thursday on the last leg of his Asia tour that earlier took him to Pakistan and India in an attempt to build ties and clinch deals as the kingdom faces a diplomatic chill in the West following journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder.

Inclement weather in Himachal hampers search for five soldiers (Lead) (19:46)
Shimla, Feb 21 (IANS) Rescuers on Thursday resumed a search operation but inclement weather hampered it near the Tibet border with Himachal Pradesh where a snow avalanche killed a soldier while five others have gone missing.

'Sunny Leone' tops Bihar job merit list, actress congratulates (19:44)
Patna, Feb 21 (IANS) As news of an aspirant named Sunny Leone topping the merit list for recruitment of junior engineers in the Bihar Public Health Engineering Department went viral, Bollywood actress Sunny Leone expressed her happiness at her namesake's performance. However, officials said the aspirant Sunny Leone had not been recruited.

SC appoints Justice Jain as BCCI Ombudsman (Second Lead) (19:42)
New Delhi, Feb 21 (IANS) AThe Supreme Court on Thursday appointed its former judge Justice D.K. Jain as BCCI's first Ombudsman for the resolution of disputes arising in the apex cricketing body in the course of administration of its affairs.

Cement workers' pay to rise by Rs 5,000 as CMA, unions sign wage pact (19:42)
New Delhi, Feb 21 (IANS) The Cement Manufacturers' Association (CMA) has signed with major trade unions a new wage settlement pact, which would increase the gross monthly pay of cement employees by Rs 5,000.

Furore as Kashmir students attacked in Yavatmal (19:38)
Yavatmal (Maharashtra), Feb 21 (IANS) Barely five days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit here, four Kashmiri students were threatened, attacked and humiliated, allegedly by some Yuva Sena activists, sparking widespread condemnation.

UPPSC examination: CBI registers PE to probe nepotism allegations during Mayawati rule (Lead) (19:38)
New Delhi, Feb 21 (IANS) In yet another trouble for the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati, who was Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister from 2007 to 2012, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a preliminary enquiry involving unknown officials of the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) and others for nepotism, alleged irregularities and misconduct in the 2010 examination of 250 posts of additional private secretary (APS).

AGP sets up panel to devise strategy for LS polls (19:36)
Guwahati, Feb 21 (IANS) Assam's Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), which broke its alliance with the BJP over the Citizenship bill, has set up a nine-member committee to devise its strategy for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, a party leader said on Thursday

Syed Mushtaq Ali: Jharkhand, Kerala start on winning note (19:36)
Vijayawada, Feb 21 (IANS) On the first day of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, an all-round effort helped Jharkhand edge past Delhi by three runs in a group A match here on Thursday.

Imran orders Pakistan Army to 'respond to aggression by India' (19:34)
Islamabad, Feb 21 (IANS) Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday told the Pakistan Army to respond "decisively and comprehensively" to any aggression or misadventure by India amid rising tensions between the two neighbours after a Kashmiri suicide bomber killed 40 CRPF personnel.

Madhuri hasn't changed at all over the years: Anil Kapoor (19:30)
By Subhash K. Jha
Mumbai, Feb 21 (IANS) "Would you believe, Ive done 18 films with Madhuri Dixit," exclaimed Anil Kapoor as he spoke about how the actress hasn't changed at all over the years -- something he has realised after teaming up with her once again in Indra Kumars "Total Dhamaal".

Week growth pointers spurred MPC to cut key rate (19:30)
Mumbai, Feb 21 (IANS) Weak growth impulses along with expectations of lower food and fuel prices led to change in the country's monetary policy stance to "neutral", according to the minutes of the latest Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting released here on Thursday.

India decides to stop water to Pakistan (Lead) (19:30)
Baghpat/New Delhi, Feb 21 (IANS) Continuing its tough stance in the wake of Pulwama terror attack, India on Thursday decided to stop its share of water from the three eastern rivers --the Beas, Ravi and Sutlej -- to Pakistan.

Gwyneth Paltrow files countersuit in skiing case (19:28)
Los Angeles, Feb 21 (IANS) Actress Gwyneth Paltrow has filed a countersuit against a man who has accused her of crashing into him and causing him serious injuries while skiing on a Utah mountain in 2016.

Director Rima Das to be showstopper at fashion event (19:26)
Gurugram, Feb 21 (IANS) National Award-winning filmmaker Rima Das will turn showstopper for designer Tara Bhuyan at a fashion event.