CATEGORIES

Ministries in talks on steel imports from China

THE steel ministry is in talks with the finance ministry to address the issue of rising imports of steel from China, according to minister HD Kumaraswamy.

'E-Drive scheme to accelerate EV adoption'

HD Kumaraswamy, Union heavy industries minister, said on Wednesday that the newly approved PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM e-Drive) scheme is set to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) via substantial upfront incentives and development of crucial charging infrastructure.

'Small personal loans under stress'

STATE Bank chairman CS Setty on Wednesday said some risk is being built in small-ticket and unsecured loans.

OTT communication apps excluded from authorisation regime

DESPITE demands from telecom service providers to bring them under licencing, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has excluded overthe-top (OTT) communication apps such as WhatsApp and Telegram from its new authorisation regime.

FM introduces pension scheme for children, parents can enrol in bank

FINANCE minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday introduced NPS Vatsalya scheme, enabling parents to invest in a pension account for their children.

Another by-election loss for Trudeau

CANADIAN Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Tuesday he's focused on the work ahead after the ruling Liberals lost in another by-election, raising more questions about his ability to lead the party into the next federal election.

'Hungarian firm made pagers that exploded'

A company based in Hungary was responsible for manufacturing the pagers that exploded in Lebanon and Syria in an apparent Israeli operation targeting Hezbollah's communications network, another firm whose brand was used on the devices said.

Caste survey, MSP among Cong promises for Haryana

AHEAD of the Haryana Assembly polls, the Congress on Wednesday announced seven guarantees, including the promises of a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) and a caste survey, if voted to power.

'Daddy Uncle' rapes 3-yr-old girl in Bhopal

A three-and-a-half-year-old prenursery student was sexually assaulted by a technical staff of the private school, not once, but allegedly multiple times inside the private school premises in Bhopal's Kamal Nagar police station area over the last few days.

PM rally in Sheri Kashmir cricket stadium today

PRIME Minister Narendra Modi would be arriving in Srinagar on Thursday amid tight security measures to address a poll rally in favour of party candidates for the second and third phase of Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir.

Patient seeking injection in hosp enrolled as BJP member

A patient seeking treatment at a hospital in Gujarat's Mehsana district was allegedly made a BJP member on Wednesday without her consent.

2 jawans killed, 2 injured as colleague opens fire in C'garh Armed Force camp

IN a shocking incident, a Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF) jawan opened fire with his service rifle killing two personnel at the battalion base camp in Balrampur district, about 400 km north of Raipur, on Wednesday.

Women to get drone training for self-employment

WOMEN-led Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in Chhattisgarh will now be trained in drone operations as part of the Centre's 'Namo Drone Didi Yojana'.

300 inmates in U'Khand prisons likely to be released on bail after SC verdict

IN a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court has ordered the release on bail of undertrial prisoners in Uttarakhand who have served one-third of their maximum sentence.

Unrealistic, BJP tactic to divert attention: Cong

ASSERTING that the idea of ‘one nation, one election’ is not practical, the Congress on Wednesday alleged that the BJP invokes such matters to divert attention from the real issues when elections approach.

NDA allies hail decision, say it's a game-changer

PM Narendra Modi after his cabinet okayed the simultaneous polls on Wednesday complimented former President Ramnath Kovind.

Plea seeking to ban freebies to be heard by SC

THE Supreme Court on Wednesday said it will soon take up for hearing a batch of pleas challenging the marital rape exception for husbands under the new criminal laws.

India sends notice to Pak for Indus Water Treaty review

INDIA has served a formal notice to Pakistan seeking review and modification of the Indus Water Treaty (IWT), citing fundamental changes in the circumstances and impact of persistent cross-border terrorism, government sources said on Wednesday.

India aims for the Moon & Venus

Cabinet nod to Chandrayaan-4 & a mission to Venus by March '28 to explore the planet THE Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved two key space missions another mission to the Moon, called Chandrayaan-4, and a mission to Venus by March 2028 to study and explore the planet.

Hezbollah pagers explosion is a tactical gain for Israel, says analyst

HUNDREDS of paging devices used by members of Hezbollah -the Iran-backed Shia militant group exploded across Lebanon and parts of Syria in an attack that is said to have killed at least a dozen people, including a child, and wounded around 3,000 people.

DOCS' STIR PUTS BAND-AID ON A FESTERING WOUND

HE longest doctors' strike in India's post-independence history is into its sixth week.

THE ALARMING INCREASE IN GLOBAL DEBT

Most of the heavy borrowings by nations in recent years have not been put to productive use. This has made the world much more vulnerable to future shocks

'Animal fat was used to make Tirumala prasadam'

IN sensational remarks that could have far-reaching implications, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu alleged that animal fat was used instead of pure ghee for preparing Prasadam offered at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Tirumala during the previous YSRC regime.

India's second mpox patient is KL man who returned from Dubai

THE state has confirmed its first and India's second-case of monkeypox (mpox) this year in a 38-year-old man from Edavanna in Malappuram. Following the confirmation, Health Minister Veena George advised the public to exercise caution and also announced a list of hospitals equipped with treating and possessing isolation facility in each district.

NHRC begins probe on Manjolai workers' plight

NATIONAL Human Rights Commission (NHRC) started investigating the status of Manjolai estate workers on Wednesday.

HC slaps ₹5L fine on DME for unfair selection process

THE Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court imposed a cost of 5 lakh on the director of medical education (DME) in Chennai on a petition filed by a man over unethical and unprofessional acts committed during the MBBS/BDS selection process in 2017-18, which affected his daughter's career.

Pondy bandh hits life; 850 detained, 3 buses attacked

BARRING a few minor incidents, the 12-hour bandh organised on Wednesday by the INDIA bloc parties against the power tariff hike passed off peacefully.

Notice on plea for spl public prosecutors in assets case trial against DMK ministers

THE Madras High Court has issued notice to the state on the petitions seeking orders to appoint special public prosecutors to conduct the trial of the disproportionate asset (DA) cases against Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu and Revenue Minister KKSSR Ramachandran at the principal district and sessions court in Srivilliputhur in Virudhnagar district in order to ensure transparency and a fair trial.

'Respond to plea of rape victim's mom'

A division bench of Madras High Court consisting of Justices SM Subramaniam and N Mala on Wednesday directed the state to file a reply to the habeas corpus petition (HCP) moved by the mother of a minor girl, a rape victim.

'Periyar's ideas relevant for all, especially youth'

The ideas of Periyar eV Ramasamy will remain relevant for generations and they carry more importance for the youth, said Youth Welfare and Sports Development Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin at the Periyar Memorial lecture organised by his department at the Anna Centenary Library on Wednesday.