Republic Top 10 Headlines: Owaisi car attackers confess; Lata Mangeshkar critical & more

PM Modi Speaks On 'digital Agriculture' & 'micro-irrigation' At ICRISAT's Golden Jubilee

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)'s Climate Change Research Facility on Plant Protection and Rapid Generation Advancement Facility. The PM also launched a commemorative stamp issued on the 50th Anniversary celebrations of the ICRISAT in Hyderabad.

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Owaisi Car Attack: 'Tried To Kill Him At 3 Rallies' Confesses Attacker Sachin Sharma

In a major breakthrough, sources reported on Saturday, Sachin Sharma, who allegedly shot at AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, has confessed to UP police that he had attempted to kill Owaisi at three other rallies. Sharma said that he had attacked Owaisi as 'he was a patriot' and Owaisi's statements were 'anti-India'. Two assailants - Sachin Sharma and Shubham have been arrested by UP police in connection to the attack on Owaisi.

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Lata Mangeshkar Tolerating Procedures Well, Still Under Aggressive Therapy, Says Doctor

Legendary playback singer Lata Mangeshkar continues to be in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai. Dr Pratit Samdani, who is treating her at the hospital informed that she continues to be under aggressive therapy and is tolerating the procedures well at the moment, ANI reported. Earlier today it was informed that the iconic singer's health had deteriorated as she is undergoing treatment for COVID-19, which has been underway for over three weeks now.

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Kerala Gold Smuggling Accused Swapna Suresh Tears Into M Sivasankar; Reflects On CMO Role

Three months after being released from jail, Kerala gold smuggling accused Swapna Suresh opened up on the case in an exclusive interview with Republic TV on Saturday. Arrested by the NIA on 12 July 2020, she was booked and arrested in cases filed by the Customs, ED and the state police. After securing bail in all cases and getting her detention under the COFEPOSA quashed, she walked free on 6 November 2021. During the interview, Suresh spoke on various issues ranging from her alleged role in the scam to her relationship with M Sivasankar, ex-Principal Secretary to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

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COVID: Indian Scientists Develop Self-disinfecting, Biodegradable Face Masks

As concerns of rising COVID cases mount, a team of Indian scientists has collaborated with an industry partner to produce a 'Copper-based Nanoparticle-coated Antiviral Face Mask.' According to the Ministry of Science and Technology, the mask is biodegradable, very breathable, and washable, and it performs effectively against the COVID virus and various other viral and bacterial illnesses.

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Nirmala Sitharaman Takes On Budget 2022's Critics; Speaks To Arnab About India's Economy

Days after tabling the Budget for the financial year 2022-23, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday spoke to Republic's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami on 'Nation Wants To Know'. Speaking on the budget that was referred to as the blueprint for the 'Amrit Kaal' to come over the next 25 years, the BJP leader outlined that this quarter-century - these 25 years - will be leading towards India at 100 years after Independence. She said that at 100 years, the citizens of the country should be having everything - 'be it home, education, or simply bridging the gap between the urban and the local life'.

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Karnataka Hijab Row: MoS PMO Issues Response Over Ongoing Controversy

With the Karnataka hijab row flaring up, MoS PMO Dr Jitendra Singh on Saturday said that if people were not happy with the 'progress, religion mix-up' then it 'cannot be for good'. As per sources, MoS PMO opined on the hijab row and said, "under the rule of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the new Education Policy has come up, which will help change the scenario, and give it a jump". 

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Centre Raises Objections To Zakir Naik's Appeal On IRF Ban; Claims It Violates SC Order

Following the extension of the five years ban imposed on Zakir Naik's Islamic Research Organisation (IRF) in India, the Centre raised objections to the Islamic preacher's vakalatnama on the account of non-compliance with the Supreme Court order. On December 14, the Centre constituted an Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal comprising Delhi High Court Chief Justice DN Patel under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA) provisions to adjudicate over the ban.

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India Delivers 1 Lakh RAT Kits As Part Of COVID Aid To Sri Lanka Hit By Financial Crisis

As Sri Lanka is facing a severe financial crisis amid the coronavirus pandemic, India is continuing its COVID-19 support to the nation by commencing the supply of 100,000 Rapid Antigen Self Test Kits on the nation’s Independence Day, as per the High Commission of India in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Further, the Indian high commission announced on Twitter on February 4, Friday that the remaining covid-19 test kits will be delivered in the following days. 

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Punjab Elections: Union Min Hardeep Puri Calls BJP's Alliance With SAD 'bad Marriage'

Ahead of the Punjab Assembly election 2022, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Saturday confirmed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will not form an alliance with Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in the poll-bound state, stating that their earlier alliance was a 'bad marriage'. He also asserted that the saffron party's alliance with Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt) and Punjab Lok Congress (PLC) is based on 'commitment'.

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