CATEGORIES

France's Macron names centrist ally Bayrou as PM

Veteran centrist figure, Francois Bayrou, became France's fourth prime minister in a year, on Friday, after President Emmanuel Macron named his longtime ally as the new head of government.

Israeli strike kills 66 Palestinians in Gaza

An Israeli strike killed at least 30 Palestinians and wounded 50 others who were sheltering in a post office in central Gaza Strip, bringing the death toll on Thursday in the enclave to 66.

2nd impeachment vote for Prez Yoon on edge

South Korea's opposition leader on Friday urged ruling party lawmakers to side with the \"people\" and impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his failed martial law bid, a day before a second parliamentary vote that appears on a knife edge.

New York CEO killing suspect wasn't client

The man charged with killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was not a client of the medical insurer and may have targeted it because of its size and influence, a senior police official said on Thursday.

Burning green: Health costs of landscape fires

The cascading effects of forest fires and stubble burning on human health and environment are severe

Ratan Tata: In a class of his own

While Thomas Mathew's admiration for his subject is evident, Ratan Tata: A Life also explores the challenges that the Tata Group faced

Uniquely Indian traits that produce civic indifference

I often wish Richard Sennett, that great and inspiring writer on cities and civic life in the western world, had a chance to live in Bengaluru for a couple of months.

A coming of age for Indian chess

D Gukesh's rise as the youngest world champion is a tale with two pieces - one of individual and family sacrifice, and the other of legend Viswanathan Anand's payback to Indian sport

PROBE DEATH OF THREE STUDENTS, MEA TELLS CANADA

India on Friday described the recent murder of three Indian students in Canada as \"terrible tragedies\" and urged Canadian authorities to carry out a thorough investigation into the crimes against the backdrop of a sharp deterioration in bilateral ties.

'Pak border fully fenced by tech'

The Border Security Force has placed almost the entire 200-km Indo-Pak international border in Jammu under technological surveillance, including smart fencing and anti-drone systems, a top official said on Friday.

SEVERED BODY PART OF WOMAN FOUND IN TRASH BIN: POLICE

A severed body part of a woman was found in a garbage bin in a residential area in south Kolkata on Friday morning, police said.

8 held for raping girl in Guwahati temple: Cops

Eight people were arrested on Friday for allegedly gang-raping a girl at a temple in Guwahati, recording the crime and sharing the video on social media, police said, adding that they are trying to nab one more accused.

Deaths of bizman, wife trigger slugfest in MP

The deaths of a businessman and his wife have triggered sharp exchanges between the Opposition Congress and ruling BJP in Sehore district of Madhya Pradesh, after a purported suicide note accused an Enforcement Directorate (ED) officer of harassment.

SC asks panel to mediate with farmers; Hry seeks medical aid

The Supreme Court on Friday directed a court-appointed high-powered panel to engage with protesting farmers to persuade them to temporarily suspend their agitation or relocate it from highways along the Punjab-Haryana border, while ensuring that the well-being of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, whose fast-unto-death entered its 18th day, remains a top priority.

Clergy accepts penance as Sukhbir seeks pardon

Former Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Friday offered prayers at the Akal Takht after completing a 10-day punishment, with Akali Dal leaders saying that the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs accepted his penance.

After decades of bloodshed, two C'garh districts to shed LWE tag

When Chhattisgarh chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai met Union home minister Amit Shah last week, he had more than an invitation for the closing ceremony of Bastar Olympics.

'Nicobar report not public due to strategic info

NGT FORMED THE PANEL LAST YEAR TO REVISIT THE CLEARANCE GRANTED TO THE GREAT NICOBAR INFRA PROJECT

'Satellite spectrum not to be allocated on first come first serve basis'

Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Friday asserted that satellite spectrum allocation will not follow a first-come-first-serve basis, while also addressing the recent controversy over personal remarks made against him in Parliament by an Opposition MP.

Remark made in court an observation: Ex-CJI

Former Chief Justice of India Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud has said that a comment made by him in 2022 on the Places of Worship Act, 1991 being no bar to ascertain religious \"character\" was only an observation and cannot be regarded as a verdict by the court.

Rajnath leads govt charge on Day 1 of debate

Defence minister kicks off Constitution debate in Lower House with a sharp attack on Cong, even as Oppn leaders blame BJP for stoking unrest and attempting to dent India's armour

MINORITIES ARE TARGETED IN U.P.: IQRA IN LOK SABHA

Samajwadi Party lawmaker Iqra Choudhary on Friday expressed concern over the \"rising attacks on minorities\" in Uttar Pradesh, accusing the BJP-led government in the most-populous state over the land and order situation.

TMC MP's comment draws BJP anger

A comment by Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra referring to late judge BH Loya in her speech in the Lok Sabha on Friday led to an uproar and prompted two short adjournments, a sharp response from Union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju, and support from senior opposition members.

Oppn submits notice in RS to impeach HC judge

More than 55 Opposition lawmakers from the Rajya Sabha on Friday submitted a notice to the secretary general of the Upper House for the impeachment of Allahabad high court judge, Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav, over his controversial remarks at an event organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad last week.

It's Samvidhan, not Sangh ka Vidhan, says Priyanka

India's Constitution is not a set of rules dictated by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Wayanad parliamentarian Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said in her first address in the Lok Sabha on Friday, adding that the Bharatiya Janata Party realized the Constitution cannot be changed after its loss of seats in the 2024 polls.

NDA allies slam Oppn 'hypocrisy'

Tearing into the Congress during a debate on the Constitution of India, Union panchayati raj minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, alias Lalan Singh, on Friday said in the Lok Sabha that people who \"preyed on the Constitution cannot be its protectors\", accusing the grand old party of \"misusing\" the national document countless times.

RS adjourned again as Dhankhar, Kharge spar

Acrimonious exchanges involving the Opposition and the government, and between Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar and Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge forced the Upper House to adjourn for the day on Friday without transacting business.

Bengal ex-min gets bail, SC defers release till Feb

The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to former West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee in a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in academic staff recruitment in the eastern state, but stalled his release till key witnesses are examined on or before February 1, 2025.

HC grants Darshan, aides bail in kidnap-murder case

The Karnataka high court on Friday granted bail to Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, his friend Pavithra Gowda and five others in the Renukaswamy murder case.

FORMER RG KAR PRINCIPAL, EX-COP GET BAIL IN PROOF TAMPERING CASE

A Kolkata court granted bail to Sandip Ghosh, ex-principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, and Abhijit Mondal, former officer-in-charge of Tala police station as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) failed to submit the charge sheet against the two within the 90-day period.

HC GRANTS BAIL TO KEY ACCUSED IN PROF'S HAND CHOPPING CASE

The Kerala high court has granted bail to the main conspirator in the college professor hand chopping case of 2010.