CATEGORIES

Scholz sets Germany on course for an early election as he requests a confidence vote next week

Chancellor Olaf Scholz formally set Germany on course for an early election Wednesday by requesting a confidence vote in parliament next week.

Kolkata needs trams, not battery-run buses

When the West Bengal government decided to drastically scale back Kolkata's 150-year-old tram service, leaving just a short heritage stretch from Maidan to Esplanade, it ignited a wave of protests from environmentalists and tram enthusiasts alike.

Toothless committees

Provincial assembly parliamentary committees are pivotal to strengthening federalism in Nepal.

Great Games

While the Assad family rulers were as dictatorial and undemocratic as any of the neighbouring Arab monarchies, they did not pander to religious extremism as was done by the likes of Saudi Arabia or Turkey which fanned fundamentalism and nurtured 'friendly' militias. If anything, the Bashar Al Assad led Syrian military was at the forefront of taking on (and successfully countering) the scourge of the Al Qaida or later, ISIL. Ironically, while the US was supposedly against religious extremism of ISIL et al, it counterintuitively targeted Assad's Syrian forces

Air Crisis

India's escalating air pollution crisis is one of its gravest public health challenges, yet it remains strikingly absent from mainstream cultural narratives.

Cold wave hits Delhi as mercury dips to 4.5 degrees Celsius

Cold wave hit Delhiites on Thursday as the minimum temperature dropped to 4.5 degrees Celsius, the weather department said.

Criminals in the capital no longer fear the law: Kejriwal on Trilokpur shootout

In a veiled attack on the BJP-led government at the Centre for the law and order situation in the national capital, former chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal said on Thursday that criminals no longer fear the law.

No hike in property tax rates in NDMC budget for FY 2025-26

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), on Thursday, has not enhanced property tax rates in its budget for the financial year 2025-26 presented on Thursday.

Kejriwal writes letter to CEC over alleged deletion of voters

Aam Aadmi Party National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday wrote a letter to Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, summarizing the assurances given by the poll body during the party's delegation visit on Tuesday over allegations of deletion of voters in the national capital.

₹36.07 cr tribal products sold through TRIFED in FY24: Govt

A total of 4,990 tribal artisans and suppliers linked to the Tribal Co-operative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) have recorded a sale of Rs 36.07 crore in 2023-24 from distribution of tribal products, including organic and handicraft items, the Parliament was informed on Thursday.

Delhi cabinet nod for 'Mahila Samman Yojana'

Kejriwal promised to increase the amount to ₹2,100 after the assembly polls

TN: Seven burnt to death in Dindigul hospital fire

Seven people, including a three-year-old boy, were burnt to death in a private hospital in Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, on Thursday night.

Heavy rain across TN, Chennai suburbs flooded

Close on the heels of cyclone Fengal, which devastated northern Tamil Nadu, heavy rains under the influence of a low pressure in the Bay of Bengal continues to lash the state and neighbouring Puducherry.

Farmer handcuffed in Telangana, Revanth Reddy orders probe

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has ordered a probe after his government faced flak for taking a farmer, arrested in connection with the attack on government officials, to hospital in handcuffs and shackles after he suffered a heart attack.

Diplomatic success: India B'desh to swap fishermen

49 Indian fishermen detained by Dhaka to be exchanged for 78 Bangladeshi fishermen held in India

Maha Cabinet expansion, portfolio allocation discussed with BJP top brass, says CM Devendra Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated on Thursday that he held discussions about the cabinet expansion and portfolio allocation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister Amit Shah, BJP President JP Nadda and party's National General Secretary BL Santhosh.

'Operation Lotus' shadow gets bigger as MVA MPs meet PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah

The exact purpose behind the meeting remains unknown but the meeting of the seven Thackeray-led Sena MPs with Modi is considered politically significant

Union Minister Giriraj Singh protests in Parliament premises against Sonia, questions her relationship with George Soros

Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Thursday protested in the Parliament premises against Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sonia Gandhi over her alleged links to Hungarian-American businessman George Soros.

Bengal Police submits report to Calcutta HC on arrangements at cyber police stations

West Bengal Police, on Thursday, submitted a detailed report to a division Bench of Calcutta High Court on the existing arrangements at the different cyber police stations in the state.

RG Kar tragedy: Statement of forensic doctor who took pictures of victim's body crucial for CBI

The statement of one particular doctor in the team of forensic experts conducting the autopsy of the body of the lady junior doctor of R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital -- who was raped and murdered within its premises in August -- and who took some pictures of the victim's body before the autopsy, has become crucial for CBI trying to establish if tampering was done with the evidence in the case.

ED conducts raids at two places in Bengal in chit fund case

The officials of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday carried out search operations at two places at Rishra in Hooghly district of West Bengal in connection with a chit fund scam matter.

Cold wave alert for five districts of south Bengal

The cold spell has been brought in mainly by dry northwesterly to northerly winds prevailing at lower levels

CM Mamata inaugurates renovated street in Howrah

The chief minister renamed the street after legendary footballer Sailen Manna

WBCERC asks private hospital to refund ₹3.70L to patient

The West Bengal Clinical Establishment Regulatory Commission (WBCERC) on Thursday directed a private hospital in southern Kolkata to refund treatment charges of around Rs 3.68 lakh to a patient after the commission found negligence in his treatment.

Awas Yojana anomalies in E Burdwan

A local leader of the ruling Trinamul Congress owns a flat in Katwa town in East Burdwan, but his wife surprisingly has been allocated a house in Bangla Awas Yojana (BAY).

Govt directives to all departments on fund release for schemes

After the tablet scam where government funds were diverted to other accounts, the state finance department today issued directives to all departments asking them to exercise caution while releasing funds for different flagship schemes of the government to ensure transparency.

DG SSB to arrive ahead of Shah's visit

Director General (DG) of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Amrit Mohan Prasad, is scheduled to arrive in Siliguri on 18 December in preparation for Union Minister Amit Shah's visit to the SSB Regional Headquarters in Ranidanga on 20 December.

Wedding collection from Shyam Sundar Co Jewellers

Shyam Sundar Co Jewellers is presenting Shubho Vivaha Utsav from 16-28 December.

'Banglar Bari' scheme list for W Burdwan, Purulia finalised

Out of 24,051 applicants, about 15,863 applicants have been selected for the Banglar Bari scheme of the state government in West Burdwan district.

Fire in factory, 1 hurt

A major fire broke out in a naphthalene factory in Muchpara near Durgapur under New Township police station yesterday evening and one labourer suffered severe burn injuries yesterday evening.