Daily Bulletin: India, Russia likely to sign S-400 deal today; Centre, 11 BJP-ruled states cut fuel prices; day's top stories

Centre slashes fuel prices by Rs 2.50: Eleven BJP-ruled states follow suit; Opposition rubbishes cut

The government on Thursday announced a Rs 2.50 per litre cut in fuel prices. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said on Thursday that Centre has reduced excise duty by Rs 1.50 a litre and asked oil companies to absorb another Re 1. Within minutes of Jaitley’s announcement, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis tweeted saying his government would “also give additional relief” of Rs 2.50 on fuel rates in the state. Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani echoed Fadnavis, reciprocating positively to the finance minister’s announcement. Besides poll-bound Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, the governments of Chhattisgarh, Assam, Tripura, Jharkhand, Goa, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana also announced cuts by Rs 2.50.  The Opposition however said that the cut announced was too little, too late. While the Congress said that the Centre was trying to apply “band-aid” after inflicting wounds on the people, the Left called the government decision a joke played on the people of India.

19th India-Russia annual summit today, countries expected to sign S-400 air defence system deal

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in New Delhi on Thursday for the annual summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi after which Russia and India are expected to sign the S-400 air defence system deal and a number of other pacts in key sectors such as space and energy. Modi and Putin on Friday will hold the 19th India-Russia annual summit during which the two leaders will hold comprehensive discussions on wide-ranging bilateral, regional and international issues, including US sanctions against Moscow and counter-terrorism cooperation. The spotlight will be on the S-400 missile defence system deal as, if signed, it could violate US sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) instituted by the US Congress on arms purchases from Russia. Besides holding talks with Modi, the Russian leader will also have a meeting with President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday. He will also interact with a group of talented children and address an India-Russia business meet.

Sabarimala verdict: Congress’ Kerala unit to hold day-long Satyagraha protest today

The Congress on Wednesday denied there was any contradiction in the party’s stand at the national and the state level on the Supreme Court order allowing entry of women of all age groups into the Sabarimala temple in Kerala. Despite the party welcoming the verdict, the party’s Kerala unit announced that leaders would observe a day-long fast in Pathanamthitta on Friday and launch a campaign to protect the customs of the Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple. The Leader of the Opposition in Kerala Legislative Assembly, Ramesh Chennithala, said the day-long fast would mark the commencement of the Congress agitation, adding that he too would take part in it. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala explained it by saying that the Kerala unit of the Congress was only expressing sentiments of the people of Kerala by demanding a review of the apex court’s verdict.

Hindustan Times Media Summit begins today

Top dignitaries from India and around the world are set to address the Hindustan Times Media Summit starting in New Delhi on Friday. Rahul Gandhi will give the inaugural address at 10.30 am. The theme of this year’s Hindustan Times Leadership Summit is ‘Reimagining the Future’. Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley and Piyush Goyal will also be addressing the summit. Hollywood actor Will Smith will also be joining the list of speakers.

Sensex crashes 806 points; Rupee plunges to all-time low

The Sensex hit its lowest level in three months on Thursday, crashing over 806 points to close below the 35,200-level as concerns over weakening rupee and rising crude oil prices spooked investors. Similarly, the NSE Nifty cracked the 10,600-level by falling 259 points. The rupee plunged to an all-time low (intra-day) of 73.81 to the US dollar and global crude oil prices touched a four-year high of $86 a barrel, triggering worries for India on the macro-economic front.

India vs Windies, 1st Test, Day 2

After a dominant performance on Day 1, thanks to a fantastic debut ton from 18-year-old Prithvi Shaw, India will now look to post a mammoth first innings total. Virat Kohli is unbeaten on 72 and will be eyeing a ton while Rishabh Pant would want to score some runs in home conditions after a tough induction to Test cricket in England.

Nokia 7.1 launched

Nokia has announced its latest smartphone called the Nokia 7.1. Along with that Nokia also announced two new accessories — the Nokia True Wireless Earbuds and the Nokia Pro Wireless Earphones. The Nokia 7.1 has a 5.84-inch Full HD Plus (2280 x 1080p) notched display and an aspect ratio of 19:9. It is powered by the Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 636 processor and will be available with 3GB/4GB RAM and 32GB/64GB of storage. The phone has been priced starting at €319 which is approximately Rs 27,000. The India launch should happen soon.

Govt not biased towards Nana Patekar, police will probe if plaint is filed, says says minister Deepak Kesarkar

Maharashtra minister Deepak Kesarkar said on Thursday there will be a fair probe if actor Tanushree Dutta files a police complaint against Nana Patekar, following up on her allegations that he misbehaved with her during the shooting of a film in 2008. Kesarkar also asserted that the government was not biased towards Patekar.