Indians waited to see what Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will have for them on Thursday. Stargazers in India, North America, Hawaii, the Middle East, Russia, and Australia had the chance to witness a rare “super blue blood Moon”. These stories made news on Wednesday. Here is more about them.
All eyes on Arun Jaitley for Budget 2018
Indians waited to see what Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will have for them on Thursday when he presents his fifth union budget and seeks to create jobs, address agriculture distress and boost growth and still stick to fiscal prudence. Markets will be focused on how much the government widens its fiscal deficit beyond the 3% of gross domestic product projected for 2018/19.
VHP rallies in UP disallowed; man held for Kasganj death
Police in Uttar Pradesh said they refused to let the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) carry out Tiranga Yatras in the state after a 23-year-old man died in a communal clash during a similar flag rally in Kasganj city. A VHP leader rejected the police’s claim and said rallies were held in 20 districts of western UP. A man was arrested for the Republic Day murder of Abhishek Gupta, aka Chandan, a step the authorities hope will bring peace to Kasganj.
Army files its version about firing in Kashmir’s Shopian
The Indian Army gave Jammu and Kashmir police its version of the firing in Shopian that left three civilians dead and prompted the state government to file a complaint against the force. The Army’s written rebuttal came after police decided to investigate the personnel of the 10th Garhwal battalion, including a Major, for the firing on Saturday. The army claims that soldiers fired on protesters in “self-defence”.
Donald Trump warns of immigration peril in speech
US President Donald Trump summoned his country to a “new American moment” of unity in his first State of the Union, challenging Congress to make good on long-standing promises to fix a fractured immigration system. He cast the debate over immigration - an issue that has long animated his most ardent supporters - as a battle between heroes and villains, leaning heavily on the personal stories of White House guests in the crowd.
6.1 magnitude quake rattles northern Afghanistan
A powerful 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck northern Afghanistan, sending people in Kabul rushing into the streets and creating tremors as far away as New Delhi. There were no reports of any damage in India due to the earthquake. An infant was killed and nine of her family members reported injured in southwest Pakistan’s Balochistan province.
Rahul Gandhi vs BJP on ‘jacket, suit-boot’
Rahul Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being elitist, hours after the Meghalaya unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party posted a picture on Twitter that showed the Congress chief wearing a jacket estimated to cost Rs 63,400. “The fact of the matter is that he (Modi) is still a suit-boot person. He has not done anything,” said Gandhi, repeating a phrase used to describe the rich.
‘Super blue blood moon’ spectacle
The moon put up a rare cosmic show. It was the first time in 35 years a blue moon has synced up with a supermoon and a total lunar eclipse. Stargazers in North America, Hawaii, the Middle East, Russia, India, and Australia had the chance to witness the event.
I-T department ‘attaches’ bungalow owned by SRK’s company
The income tax department has provisionally attached a bungalow owned by actor Shah Rukh Khan’s company in Alibaug, a seaside town near Mumbai. The bungalow--estimated to be worth around Rs 250 crore--was bought for farming but used to build a farmhouse, reports said.