CATEGORIES

Don picks David Perdue to be China ambassador

US President-elect Donald Trump said on Thursday he has selected former Sen David Perdue of Georgia to serve as his ambassador to China, leaning on a former business executive turned politician to serve as the administration's envoy to America's most potent economic and military adversary.

Biden mulls pardons for Trump critics

US President Joe Biden is weighing whether to issue sweeping pardons for officials and allies who the White House fears could be unjustly targeted by President-elect Donald Trump's administration, a preemptive move that would be a novel and risky use of the president's extraordinary constitutional power.

South Korea's ruling party backs stripping Yoon's powers

SOUTH Korea's governing party chief expressed support Friday for suspending the constitutional powers of President Yoon Suk Yeol for imposing martial law this week, in a bombshell reversal that makes Yoon's impeachment more likely.

Iran launches its heaviest space payload

IRAN said on Friday it conducted a successful space launch, the latest for its programme; the West alleges improves Tehran's ballistic missile programme.

Gaza ceasefire talks resume in Qatar

HAMAS official said on Thursday that international mediators have resumed negotiating with the militant group and Israel over a ceasefire in Gaza, and that he was hopeful a deal to end the war was within reach.

Rebels at Homs' doorstep, seize two more towns

Rastan and Talbiseh fall to insurgents, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, who are now just 5 km away from Syria's third largest city

BRO turns to rock-bolt tech to tackle landslips

In a bid to tackle landslides that pose challenges during the tourism and pilgrimage season in Uttarakhand, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has turned to rock-bolt technology, which has proven beneficial in treating landslide zones in the mountainous regions.

Convict gets death for rape, murder of kid

A fast-track court in West Bengal on Friday awarded capital punishment to Mustakin Sardar for rape-murder of a nine-year-old girl in Jaynagar in October this year.

Real life! 'DM moment' for Assam civil servant aspirant science teacher

Administrative arms

NDA to focus on EBC outreach in Patna rally today

THE NDA will hold a rally in Patna on Saturday in an attempt to expand its support base among extremely backward castes (EBCs).

Gujarat bachelor lured for booze worth ₹100 and farm job, sterilized

IN a bizarre twist of priorities in Gujarat's Mehsana, officials appear to have placed sterilization quotas above personal milestones like marriage.

Maha scramble over portfolios

Fadnavis says cabinet expansion before assembly winter session, Shinde still eyes home

SAD smells AAP govt conspiracy to attack moderate Akali leaders

THE SAD core committee on Friday alleged that the assassination bid on party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal was part of a conspiracy against the \"moderate Akali leadership\", hatched by the ruling AAP government in Punjab.

Speedy trial a fundamental right, says SC

THE Supreme Court on Friday observed that the speedy conclusion of a trial is a fundamental right and that an undertrial cannot be subjugated to indefinite incarceration.

Cabinet clears decks for 83 new KVs

THE Centre on Friday sanctioned ₹8,232 crore for setting up 85 Kendriya Vidyalayas (KV) and 28 Navodaya Vidyalayas (NV).

Chopper case: CBI reply sought on Michel bail plea

THE Supreme Court on Friday issued a notice and sought a detailed response from the CBI within four weeks on an appeal filed by Christian Michel James, an alleged middleman and accused, in the alleged Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland VVIP Chopper scam case, seeking bail.

Navy to commission stealth missile frigate INS Tushil in Russia on Dec 9

THE Indian Navy will commission its latest multi-role stealth guided missile frigate, INS Tushil, at Kaliningrad in Russia on December 9, officials said.

Progress in last decade bridged gap between Delhi & Northeast: Modi

PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said efforts have been made over the last decade to bridge the emotional and developmental gap between Delhi and the Northeast, emphasizing the importance of bringing the region closer to the nation's heart.

THE DANGER OF LEGITIMACY LAUNDERING

Biased indexes can accrue credibility in an echo chamber of cross-references. Reforms in the World Bank's governance indicators show a structured pushback can yield better results

THE KASH TRANSACTIONS COMING TO WASHINGTON

ONKEY see, monkey do. The change of government forthcoming in the US next month could exert an influence the world over, first by emulation.

AP govt forms SIT to probe PDS rice scam

IN a bid to address the growing concern over the illegal export of PDS rice, the Andhra Pradesh government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe 13 cases registered in Kakinada district.

5 killed in road mishap in K'taka

Five persons including two women were killed in a road accident near Bilebavi Cross in Talikot Taluk, of Karnataka's Vijayapura district on Friday.

Adani proposes to develop strategic corridor

Adani Ports & Logistics submits proposal to CM Majhi to develop Gopalpur port-Jeypore economic corridor under BOOT model

Kuwait loan fraud: Nurses repaid smaller loans at first to gain bank's trust

THE nurses who are accused of defaulting on loans issued by a Kuwaiti bank gained the trust of authorities by repaying smaller loans they had availed earlier.

Increase relief from ₹2K to ₹5K: Thiruma

CM MK Stalin should take into account people's expectations and hike the relief amount for those affected by Cyclone Fengal to ₹5,000, said Chidambaram MP and VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan on Friday.

On Ambedkar anniv, guv says crimes against Dalits up 40%

GOVERNOR RN Ravi, Chief Minister MK Stalin, AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami and leaders of various political parties praised the legacy of BR Ambedkar on his death anniversary.

EPS slams DMK, says no bridge built during AIADMK rule collapsed

OPPOSITION leader and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami visited Tiruvannamalai district to meet the families of those killed in a recent landslide.

CM did not meet Adani, opposition raising baseless allegations: Balaji

CHIEF Minister MK Stalin did not meet with Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani, said Minister for Electricity V Senthil Balaji said on Friday in an attempt to put an end to allegations raised by opposition parties that the business tycoon met with the top brass of the DMK during a closely kept visit to Chennai in July.

Vijay equates Vengaivayal, Manipur; slams DMK & BJP

TAMILAGA Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief and actor Vijay on Friday said he could imagine the amount of pressure VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan would have faced from the DMK-led coalition, preventing him from attending the launch of the book on none other than BR Ambedkar; he knew that the latter's heart was fully at the event.

Govt fixed rain relief without discussion: Farmers

Farmers accused the state government officials and the elected representatives of being out of touch with ground reality, alleging that the state had decided on the compensation without holding discussions with them.