CATEGORIES

Water conservation in era where flooding, drought collide

Just 10km from the Bengaluru International Airport, Devanahalli town, situated in a semi-arid zone, has faced persistent water shortage. In recent years, the local municipal corporation was forced to hire private water tankers as 32 of the town’s 130 borewells ran dry. But, for the last six months, the town has been using treated wastewater of Bengaluru blended with rainwater in two lakes to supply 0.2 mld (million litres per day) of water to households.

INS Imphal to have separate accommodation, facilities as women sailors to serve on warship

The Indian Navy is set to assign women sailors to its newest guided-missile destroyer, INS Imphal, in February-March 2024 as the country’s first warship with separate accommodation for women officers and sailors prepares for its operational deployment on the high seas, boosting the navy’s ability to secure India’s economic and military interests, officials aware of the matter said.

'Paid 1st tranche in 2020 to embark on donkey route'

The Nicaragua-bound Indians sent back from France after being detained over fears of human trafficking were first supposed to embark on their attempt to illegally emigrate in 2021, and had paid the first instalments to a network of travel consultancies running the racket as far back as 2020.

PM to announce projects worth ₹15k-cr during Ayodhya visit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate a slew of development projects worth ₹15,700 crore in Uttar Pradesh, including the Maryada Purushottam Shri Ram International Airport in Ayodhya and the redeveloped Ayodhya Railway Station, during his visit to the temple town on Saturday, his office said in a statement on Thursday.

Traffic restrictions in place for NYE. heavy curbs around CP

With New Year's Eve around the corner, the Delhi Traffic Police on Thursday issued an advisory detailing traffic restrictions in and around central Delhi, and advised people to be mindful of the subsequent congestions near commercial hubs.

India asks Pak to hand over 26/11 attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed

India has asked Pakistan to hand over Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) founder Hafiz Saeed, who is wanted in the country for several terror attacks including the 2008 assault on Mumbai, according to reports in the Pakistani media.

Language row simmers, Sidda promises to bring in ordinance

Karnataka will soon pass an ordinance directing all commercial establishments to use signboards and name plates with at least 60% Kannada signage on them, chief minister Siddaramaiah said on Thursday, doubling down on a fractious language issue that triggered violent protests by a fringe group a day ago.

Build team work between govt, society: PM to officials

Government administrators should identify “low-hanging fruits”, focus on building team work between the government and society, and those governing aspirational blocks should coordinate with each other and discuss ongoing developments in their respective places, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told a top conference of officials on Thursday, according to a district magistrate who attended the session.

'Will save democracy': Cong on foundation day

The Congress kicked off its campaign for the 2024 general elections with a mega rally in Nagpur on Thursday, promising a minimum support income, a nationwide caste census and employment for the young, as it hailed Opposition unity and fired salvos at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Relief as Qatar takes 8 Indians off death row

A Qatari court on Thursday commuted the death sentence given to eight former Indian Navy personnel earlier this year and sentenced them to prison for varying durations ranging from three years to 25 years, people familiar with the matter said.

How to navigate the season's 'rash' realities

Winter rash can be extremely uncomfortable. But, with a few lifestyle changes, you can make sure to keep it at bay

Reds go on top as Nunez strikes, Hojlund caps United fightback

Liverpool climbed to the top of the Premier League as Darwin Nunez ended his goal drought to inspire a 2-0 win against Burnley, while Rasmus Hojlund broke his own barren run to cap Manchester United's thrilling fightback to beat Aston Villa 3-2 on Tuesday.

'Teams for Paris Qualifiers should be picked via trials'

Tokyo Olympian boxer Simranjit Kaur is not known for holding back her punches in-and-out of the ring. On Wednesday she may have considered herself a bit unlucky to have lost to Jaismine Lamboria in the final (60kg) of Women’s National Boxing Championships here, but there were sufficient signs to show she was close to recapturing her form well in time for the Paris Olympics Qualifier in February.

Elgar century thwarts India's chances after backup act flops

Pacer Bumrah gets breakthroughs but Krishna, Thakur fail to step up in support roles on Day 2

At Centurion, Rahul finds his best touch

There's something about KL Rahul. Well, there always has been.

NBFCs will have to diversify funding sources in 2024

Non-bank lenders that borrow heavily from commercial banks to lend further may need to diversify their funding sources in the year ahead, given the rising competition for bank credit, and higher risk weights on loans to these lenders, experts said.

Centre may bring all farm produce under export review

Exports of all farm commodities may come under the government lens soon, a move that aims to cool domestic prices but may spark global food security concerns.

Fortify balance sheets: RBI to banks

Improved asset quality, high credit offtake, profitability key to FY23 growth

'Parasite' actor found dead in Seoul amid drugs probe

Lee Sun-kyun, a South Korean actor who drew global attention with his performance as the wealthy patriarch in the Oscar-winning film Parasite, was found dead on Wednesday in an apparent suicide in a Seoul park, officials in the capital said.

Eiffel Tower closes as staff go on strike

The Eiffel Tower, one of the world's prime tourist attractions, was closed on Wednesday after staff went on strike, the tower's operator said.

Thunderstorms batter east Australia, 10 killed

Ten people were killed in Australia after severe thunderstorms battered the country's east over the Christmas holidays, authorities said on Wednesday, with tens of thousands of properties still without power.

Gaza deaths surge; Israel says war to last 'many more months'

Israeli forces pounded central Gaza by land, sea and air on Wednesday and Palestinian authorities reported dozens more deaths including 20 in one attack after Israel's military chief said the war on Hamas would grind on for months.

Pro-Kannada stir turns violent; signboards torn

Vandals from a fringe language group on Wednesday attacked business establishments across Bengaluru, damaging signboards and billboards that were not in Kannada, as protests demanding that 60% of all such store signage bear the local language took a violent turn.

Modi aims to promote women of SHGs, upscale cooperatives

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said he aims to turn 20 million women associated with self-help groups (SHGs) into 'lakhpatis' over the next three years, adding that his government was working to make cooperatives a strong part of rural life and scaling them up in sectors such as agriculture and fisheries.

11 dead, 32 injured as fog engulfs northern states

A thick sheet of fog engulfed the northern plains yet again on Wednesday, severely truncating visibility, wrecking transport schedules and resulting in a spate of accidents and deaths across the region.

Bengal appoints Rajeev Kumar as new DGP, IGP

The West Bengal government on Wednesday appointed senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Rajeev Kumar, who is considered to be close to chief minister Mamata Banerjee, as the state's director general and inspector general of police (DGP and IGP), a senior officer from the home department said.

Cabinet approves plan for key bridge in Bihar

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the construction of a 4.56 km long, six-lane bridge on Ganga river, connecting Digha and Sonepur in Bihar, Union minister Anurag Thakur said.

Rajnath meets kin of 3 men killed in J&K, assures probe

Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday met the families of the three civilians, who were allegedly tortured to death after they were picked up for interrogation in connection with last week’s terror attack on an army convoy in Jammu & Kashmir’s Poonch district, and assured justice and an expeditious investigation into the matter.

Govt may clear non-forest projects built in Aravallis

The Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC) will consider for ex-post facto clearance for various non-forest projects that have come up in the Aravallis, the minutes of a forest advisory committee (FAC) meeting have revealed, prompting experts to say it could clear the way for constructions deemed illegal on the protected lands to be regularised again.

Bharadwaj urges LG to take action against top bureaucrat

Delhi health minister Saurabh Bharadwaj has urged lieutenant governor (LG) VK Saxena to initiate disciplinary proceedings against chief secretary Naresh Kumar, accusing the city's top bureaucrat of leaking a sensitive action-taken report related to the Burari sexual harassment case, the minister's office said on Wednesday.