British finance minister Javid quits in reshuffle
London: Britain's finance minister, Sajid Javid, resigned on Thursday, just weeks after Brexit and a month before he was due to deliver the government's annual budget.
Javid's spokesman confirmed he would be leaving just as Prime Minister Boris Johnson carried out the first reshuffle of his cabinet since winning a parliamentary majority in December's election.
The domestic Press Association news agency quoted an unnamed source close to Javid as saying Johnson wanted him to sack his team of aides but he refused.
"He has turned down the job of Chancellor of the Exchequer," the source said.
"The prime minister said he had to fire all his special advisers and replace them with Number 10 special advisers to make it one team.
"The chancellor said no self-respecting minister would accept those terms."
Javid's resignation came after Johnson replaced Northern Ireland minister Julian Smith, in a surprise move just weeks after he brokered the restoration of power-sharing government in Belfast.
It follows weeks of rumours about tensions between the Treasury and the premier's closest adviser, Dominic Cummings, who has promised a shake-up of government operations.
Javid, 50, is a former high-flying banker who moved into politics, serving as interior minister before replacing Philip Hammond as chancellor of the exchequer in July last year.
Hammond locked horns with Johnson's predecessor Theresa May over her Brexit strategy.
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Kantara mimicking case: HC extends interim relief given to actor Ranveer Singh till March 9
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka High Court on Monday extended the interim relief given to Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh till March 9, in a case related to mimicking a character from the movie, 'Kantara Chapter-1', and allegedly mocking a deity.
The actor had approached the High Court seeking the quashing of the FIR against him for mimicking Rishab Shetty's role as 'Chavunda' deity in the movie.
While mimicking, Singh had called the deity a "ghost". The actor was asked to appear before the court in person on Monday.
Appearing on behalf of the actor, his counsel Sajjan Poovayya said Singh was stuck in London and was unable to reach Bengaluru due to the conflict in West Asia.
The complainant, who is a lawyer, alleged that his religious sentiments were hurt by calling the deity a ghost. On the directions of a local Court, the police registered a case against the actor.
The High Court on February 24 granted interim relief to the actor with directions to the police not to take any coercive steps against him.
