Indore, Jul 3 (PTI) Incineration of entire 358 tonnes of toxic waste from the defunct Union Carbide factory finally concluded as contaminated soil and packaging material were burnt at a disposal plant in Madhya Pradesh's Pithampur on Thursday, over six months after the consignment was brought to the unit. Nineteen tonnes of the soil containing residual toxic waste from the defunct factory and 2.22 tonnes of packaging material used in its transportation were incinerated at the plant during the d...Read More
Rayachoti (Andhra Pradesh), Jul 3 (PTI) Two alleged terrorists from Tamil Nadu nabbed here recently after 30 years lived under "fake identities," and nearly 20 kg of explosives were seized from them, police said on Thursday. Abubacker Siddique, allegedly involved in the 2011 pipe-bomb planting attempt during BJP veteran and former Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani's rath yatra in Tamil Nadu's Madurai and his accomplice Mohammed Ali were arrested earlier from here. Siddique was involved in sever...Read More
New Delhi, Jul 3 (PTI) The Delhi government on Thursday urged the Centre's air quality panel to immediately suspend the fuel ban on overage vehicles and said it will also make "all out efforts" to resolve issues related to restrictions on the movement of end-of-life vehicles on the city's roads. In his letter to Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) chairman Rajesh Verma, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the fuel ban is not feasible and that it cannot be implemented due to...Read More
Accra/New Delhi, July 3 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi today paid homage at the mausoleum of Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana's founding president and a revered leader of the African independence movement, in Accra.PM Modi said in a post on X: "In Accra, paid homage to Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. He was a visionary statesman whose thoughts and ideals guide several people. He devoted himself towards the well-being of people of Ghana."The MEA spokesperson said in a post: "Honouring Dr. Kwame Nkrumah's lasting co...Read More
New Delhi, Jul 3 (PTI) Bengaluru-based deep tech startup Maieutic Semiconductor has raised USD 4.15 million in a funding round co-led by Endiya Partners and Exfinity Venture Partners, the company said on Thursday. The start-up is working on chip design by introducing generative AI to design and development workflows. "We are thrilled to have raised this round of funding and are incredibly grateful to have visionary partners like Endiya Partners and Exfinity Venture Partners on board, who not o...Read More
Bengaluru, Jul 3 (PTI) BEML, a Defence Public Sector Undertaking, on Thursday announced a major infrastructure expansion at its historic Kolar Gold Fields (KGF) complex, located in Bengaluru. The commissioning of three next-generation units dedicated to defence production reflects BEML's strategic push to enhance indigenous capabilities and accelerate the delivery of mission-critical military platforms, the company said in a statement. The new facilities were inaugurated by BEML Chairman and M...Read More
Kolkata, Jul 3 (PTI) Union Minister Kirti Vardhan Singh on Thursday advocated the need to allow science to break new ground, but with a mindset rooted in India's soil. Addressing the valedictory session of the Animal Taxonomy Summit 2025 by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) here, the Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change and External Affairs said, "True intellectual freedom lies in liberating the mind from blindly imitating what is contemporary or borrowed from t...Read More
Jaipur, Jul 3 (PTI) The southwest monsoon remained active in Rajasthan where several areas witnessed heavy rainfall on Thursday, disrupting normal life. The highest rainfall of 136.5 mm was recorded in Jalore, the Jaipur Meteorological Centre said. Other areas also saw significant rainfall. Sikar recorded 22 mm of rain, Vanasthali 19 mm, Jhunjhunu 18.5 mm, Jodhpur 17.3 mm, Jaisalmer 12.2 mm, Barmer 7.1 mm, Dausa 4.5 mm, and Jaipur 3 mm, it said. Continuous and heavy rainfall, particularly in ...Read More
Srinagar, Jul 3 (PTI) Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday served water to people at Jammu and Kashmir's famous Lal Chowk as part of Muharram tradition. Chouhan, who is on a two-day official visit to Kashmir, distributed water to the passersby at City Commercial nerve centre Lal Chowk. Talking to reporters, the minister said that it was a touching experience to be a part of the Muharram tradition by distributing water to people. Chouhan also spoke about the Central gov...Read More
New Delhi, Jul 3 (PTI) Vedanta registered a decline in production of saleable steel, oil and gas, and refined metal in the first quarter of the current fiscal year. However, aluminium production rose marginally by 1 per cent to 6,05,000 tonnes during the first quarter and the iron ore output also increased by 42 per cent to 1.8 million tonnes during the period. The production of saleable steel dropped 2 per cent to 3,49,000 tonnes, in case of refined metal the decline was by 5 per cent to 2,50...Read More
Srinagar, Jul 3 (PTI) Over 12,000 pilgrims had darshan of the naturally formed ice 'Shivling' in the holy cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas on the first day of the pilgrimage on Thursday, officials said. "A total of 12,348 pilgrims paid obeisance at the 3,880-metre high cave shrine on the first day of the pilgrimage," they said. The officials said that it included 9,181 male pilgrims, 2,223 female pilgrims, 99 children, 122 sadhus, seven sadhvis and eight transgenders. The of...Read More
New Delhi, Jul 3 (PTI) The pharmaceutical industry on Thursday refuted Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's remarks linking COVID-19 vaccines with a spate of heart attack deaths in the state's Hassan district, saying such claims without scientific evidence are factually incorrect and misleading. Pharmaceutical industry leaders asserted that COVID-19 vaccines have been well-documented and rigorously tested according to regulatory standards, and linking them to the deaths in Hassan district du...Read More
New Delhi, Jul 3 (PTI) A "large cartel" of architects, chartered accountants, and officials of the Vasai Virar City Municipal Corporation in Maharashtra colluded for large-scale illegal construction on land meant for sewage treatment plants, and dumping ground was sold fraudulently to the public, the Enforcement Directorate has said. The federal probe agency said in a statement that fresh searches were conducted at 16 locations on July 1 in connection with the money laundering probe into the co...Read More
New Delhi, Jul 3 (PTI) An extensive discussion on plans to organise programmes, including Hindu Sammelans, across the country will be held at a three-day annual meeting of the 'prant pracharaks', beginning Friday, the RSS national publicity and media department head, Sunil Ambekar, said on Thursday. Addressing a press conference here, he said the meeting will also review the work done so far by various units of the organisation and firm up plans for the future. The three-day meeting will be pr...Read More
Patna, Jul 3 (PTI) In an unprecedented move, five colleges of Patna University got their principals through draw of lots with Bihar Governor and varsity chancellor Arif Mohammed Khan defending the move on Thursday saying, "we have adopted a system in which a principal's appointment is not guided by personal likes and dislikes". According to a notification by the varsity registrar, the appointments of new principals were made on the recommendation of the Bihar State University Service Commission...Read More
New Delhi, Jul 3 (PTI) The Sewani family lived a peaceful life in the Lajpat Nagar area of southeast Delhi, running a clothing store called Kuldeep Garments in the busy main market, and Ruchika Sewani (42), a businesswoman and mother, managed the shop with her husband, often accompanied by their teenage son. Ruchika and Kuldeep Sewani were polite and hardworking. They never troubled anyone, said Sunil Varma, one of their neighbours. In an "act of revenge", a 24-year-old man killed Ruchika Sewa...Read More
Kolkata, Jul 3 (PTI) The Calcutta High Court on Thursday said it will consider a prayer for 'in-camera' hearing of a petition by monk Kartik Maharaj, seeking quashing of an FIR against him alleging rape. Swami Pradiptananda, who is popular as Kartik Maharaj and a recipient of the Padma Shri award this year, has denied the allegation made by a woman, who claimed in the police complaint that the incident occurred in 2013. Upon a verbal prayer made by the monk's lawyer, Justice Jay Sengupta start...Read More
Raipur, Jul 3 (PTI) Faced with mounting protests, the Chhattisgarh forest department on Thursday withdrew its directive that had effectively barred all other government departments, NGOs and private entities from undertaking any activity concerning Community Forest Resource Rights (CFRR). Forest Minister Kedar Kashyap has directed that the advisory be withdrawn, the department said in a statement. The directive was perceived by a section of society as an attempt to restrict rights, it said. Un...Read More
New Delhi, July 7 (PTI) Reliance Retail is transferring its consumer goods business to a new entity, Reliance Consumer Products Ltd (RCPL). As per the scheme filed before the NCLT, Reliance is transfering and vesting the FMCG brands business from Reliance Retail Ltd (RRL) to a new entity named New Reliance Consumer Products Ltd (New RCPL). The Mumbai bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) on June 25 asked to convene a meeting for approval of the internal restructuring process, under...Read More
Shimla, Jul 3 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday directed the Labour and Employment Department to develop a dedicated website and mobile application to empower youths seeking employment opportunities abroad. The digital platform will compile comprehensive data of aspirants, ensuring better transparency, accessibility, and protection while securing overseas jobs, he said and also instructed the department to develop a database of NRIs from the state. He ins...Read More
New Delhi, Jul 3 (PTI) The Congress on Thursday launched a fresh attack on the Election Commission over Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, accusing the poll body of conspiring to deprive 20 per cent people of their voting rights, and asked it not to act at the behest of ruling party. Addressing a press conference here, Congress' media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said the EC should act within its limits set by the Constitution and be a "slave" to democrac...Read More
Shimla, Jul 3 (PTI) With the recovery of one more body, the death toll in the cloudburst and flash flood-related incidents in Mandi has mounted to 14, officials said on Thursday. Five people were injured, while a search is underway for 31 missing, they said. The latest body, yet to be identified, was found in Rode in the Thunag subdivision of the district. Ten cloudbursts, three flash floods and a landslide were witnessed in different parts of Mandi on Tuesday. Earlier in the morning, two peo...Read More
New Delhi, Jul 3 (PTI) This is a classic case where the offence of money laundering is made against all accused, the Enforcement Directorate on Thursday argued before a Delhi court in the National Herald case. Continuing his argument on the point of chargesheet's cognisance before special judge Vishal Gogne, additional solicitor general S V Raju said Sonia and Rahul Gandhi were the "beneficial owners" of Young Indian and acquired 100 per cent control after the death of other shareholders. "The...Read More
Mumbai, Jul 3 (PTI) A court here on Thursday denied police further remand of a 40-year-old woman school teacher, arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor student, and instead sent her in 14-day judicial custody. "The investigating officer asked for further remand, but there is no reasonable ground for extension of police custody," said Sabina Malik, special judge for Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act cases, in her order. The English teacher, who is married, alle...Read More
New Delhi, Jul 3 (PTI) Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Samirul Islam raised a question on Thursday as to which documents are required to prove Indian citizenship, while claiming that Bengali-speaking migrants from West Bengal are facing harassment in neighbouring Odisha. The TMC MP, who has been raising the issue of Bengali-speaking migrants being dubbed as Bangladeshis in different states, shared a letter written by West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant to his Odisha counterpart, Manoj Ahuja, sta...Read More
New Delhi, Jul 3 (PTI) Delhi on Thursday recorded a maximum temperature of 36.9 degrees Celsius, 0.8 notch below seasonal average, according to IMD. The minimum temperature settled at 27.7 degrees Celsius, with the weather department predicting rains along with thunderstorm. The relative humidity was 61 per cent at 5.30 pm. The weather department has predicted thunderstorm with rains for Friday, with maximum and minimum temperatures expected to hover around 37 degrees Celsius and 27 degrees C...Read More
New Delhi, Jul 3 (PTI) The ISRO transferred 10 technologies, including two inertial sensors to reduce import dependence, to six Indian industries for commercial use in space and other sectors, India's space sector promoter said on Thursday. The transfer of technology was facilitated by the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe). Technologies of two advanced inertial sensors - the Laser Gyroscope and the Ceramic Servo Accelerometer - developed by the ISRO's Inertial...Read More
Bengaluru, Jul 3 (PTI) Double Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra on Thursday said shouldering the organisational responsibilities and managing his personal preparations at the same time were his biggest challenges ahead of the international javelin event that carries his name. The Neeraj Chopra Classic, which will have a top-class field, is set to take place at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium here on Saturday, and the ace athlete is coming after two highly competitive events in Paris and Ostrava, Czec...Read More
Chandigarh, Jul 3 (PTI) Chairperson of Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) Rajesh Verma on Thursday chaired a meeting regarding implementation of various environmental directives for abatement of air pollution in Haryana. During the meeting, Haryana Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi unveiled a comprehensive and multi-pronged strategy to combat air pollution across the state, particularly in the NCR region. Among others, the meeting was also attended by senior members of CAQM, Virinder Sh...Read More
Kottayam (Kerala), Jul 3 (PTI) Kerala Health Minister Veena George is facing mounting pressure to resign after a woman died when part of a building collapsed at Kottayam Medical College Hospital on Thursday. While opposition Congress-led UDF demanded her resignation, citing serious lapses in rescue operations and broader failures in the state's public health system, the BJP said that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan "is no longer fit to remain in his position even for a moment" and must resign. ...Read More