Mumbai, Dec 21 (PTI) Police interrogated four persons in connection with suspected recce outside Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Rauts bungalow here and later released them after verifying that they were employees of a telecom network services company, an official said on Saturday. The men were employees of Insta ICT Solution, a telecom network services company, and were testing the network in the area on Saturday, the official said. He said four men were interrogated and later released after the

New Delhi [India], December 19 (ANI): Congress leader Supriya Shrinate on Thursday alleged that social media platform X has told them through an e-mail that the Ministry of Home Affairs and the IT Ministry has asked them to remove the video of Amit Shah as it violates Indian Laws. Speaking to ANI, Shrinate mentioned that X informed them under transparency. This is the mail that X has written to us, to Congress leaders INC, Jairam Ramesh, me and others. In the mail, they say that the Ministry of

New Delhi, Dec 18 (PTI) Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said the country will not tolerate Babasaheb Ambedkars insult and demanded that Home Minister Amit Shah should apologise for his remarks in the Rajya Sabha. Several MPs of the INDIA bloc, including Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, staged a protest in Parliament premises demanding Shahs apology for his remarks which they claimed were an insult to B R Ambedkar. Sharing pictures from the pro

Dec 17 (Reuters) Indias Ambuja Cements will merge two of its recently purchased units into the company, it said on Tuesday, in a bid to streamline the structure of the Adani Groups cement businesses and simplify compliance requirements. Ambuja acquired Penna Cement in a $1.25 billion deal in June, while it had picked up a majority stake in operations of Sanghi Industries last year. The company said it would merge the publicly listed Sanghi Industries by offering 12 Ambuja shares for every 100 S

New Delhi, Dec 17 (PTI) Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on 17 December, Tuesday, termed the bill that lays down the mechanism to hold simultaneous elections anti-constitutional and asserted that it is against federalism. Her remarks came after two bills that lay down the mechanism to hold simultaneous elections were introduced in the Lok Sabha after a fiery debate. Opposition parties dubbed the draft laws a Constitution amendment bill and an ordinary bill as an attack on the federal structure

New Delhi, Dec 17 (PTI) Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said the ED (Enforcement Directorate) has restored properties worth Rs 22,280 crore to the victims or rightful claimants and asserted that the fight against economic offenders will continue unabated. Replying to a debate on the first batch of Supplementary Demands for Grants in the Lok Sabha, she said Rs 14,131.6 crore worth properties belonging to fugitive Vijay Mallya have been restored to public sector banks. As regards th

New Delhi, Dec 17 (PTI) Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Tuesday moved in the Lok Sabha two bills which lay down the mechanism to hold simultaneous polls in the country, with the opposition dubbing the draft laws as an attack on the basic structure. Meghwal moved for introduction the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, popularly being referred to as the Bill on one nation, one election and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which seeks to align the

New Delhi, Dec 17 (PTI) Several Congress MPs, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, staged a protest in Parliament premises on Tuesday, demanding justice for Hindus and Christians facing atrocities in Bangladesh. The MPs protested with handbags which had Stand with minorities of Bangladesh written on it. They raised slogans urging the government to ensure justice for minorities in Bangladesh. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi was seen carrying a cream-coloured handbag to Parliament on which it was written

Eating a clove of garlic every day (roughly 3 to 6 grams) can reduce your cholesterol levels by 10%. The research said that claim garlic intake led to a significant decrease in cholesterol levels due to high levels of allicin an antioxidant that also gives garlic its signature scent. Allicin may block the production of bad LDL cholesterol in the liver by binding to LDL receptors on liver cells. The effects are often dose-dependent, meaning that higher doses of garlic can lead to greater drops i

New Delhi, Dec 16: The government on Monday asked members of Parliament to spread awareness about 21 fake universities operating across the country and caution students against joining such institutions. Replying to supplementaries during Question Hour in the Lok Sabha, Union Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar said the central government had requested the chief secretaries of all states and Union Territory administrations to take legal action for closure of these institutions. I ap

DHAKA, Dec 16 (Reuters) Elections in Bangladesh could be held by the end of 2025, the head of the countrys interim government said on Monday, provided that electoral reforms are carried out first. Bangladesh has been ruled by an interim government led by its only Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus since August, when then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to India amid mass protests. If there is political consensus and the voter list is prepared accurately with only minor reforms, it may

A group of experts have revealed that enjoying a glass of wine between 4pm and 7pm could surprisingly aid in burning fat more effectively. For those partial to a tipple of red or white, the new findings suggest that timing your indulgence with your bodys natural rhythms could offer health benefits beyond just relaxation. According to Ski Vertigo, when it comes to guilt-free enjoyment of your favourite drink, timing is everything. As we approach the festive season and indulgence is in full swing,

New Delhi, Dec 14 (PTI) Paracetamol, a common over-the-counter medication, may increase the risk of gastrointestinal, heart- and kidney-related complications among adults aged 65 and above, a new study has found. Taken commonly for treating mild-to-moderate fever, paracetamol is also the first drug recommended for treating osteoarthritisa chronic condition causing pain, stiffness and swelling in the joints due to wear-and-tearas it is considered effective, relatively safe and accessible. However

New Delhi [India], December 14 (ANI): Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Saturday targeted the BJP saying that they can do anything for power and still talk about the constitution. Addressing a press conference, Rajya Sabha MP Sibal said, They can do anything for power and still talk about the constitution. I dont think the PM Modi will talk about the dignity of the constitution (in the Lok Sabha). This is not good for the nation. What is the Election Commission doing? Only those judges are being app

New Delhi, Dec 14 (PTI) Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Saturday cited Hindutva idealogue V D Savarkars criticism of the Constitution that there was nothing Indian about it to attack the BJP and said the ruling party is defaming and ridiculing its own supreme leader when it talks about protecting the Constitution. The BJP and the RSS are supporters of Manusmriti but the country will be run on the Constitution, Gandhi said. Drawing a parallel with the story of Eklavya who had to chop off his

SEOUL, Dec 14 (Reuters) South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, impeached on Saturday over his short-lived attempt to impose martial law, has been stripped of his duties and powers as head of state but remains president while the Constitutional Court decides his fate. Here are some of the powers he loses and what he continues to enjoy, according to the constitution, statutes and protocol guidelines. POWERS, DUTIES SUSPENDED Yoons main constitutional powers have been transferred to Acting Presiden

Bhubaneswar, Dec 14 (PTI) The CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) has summoned senior Odisha cadre IAS officer Bishnupada Sethi and his drivers for deposition as part of its investigation into an alleged bribery case, sources said on Saturday. In a letter to the IAS officer, CBI inspector Gurjinder Singh on December 10 said: It is learnt that you are acquainted with some important and relevant facts and circumstances of the instant CBI case, which are required to be ascertained from you. Sethi

New Delhi, Dec 13 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Friday said the plea seeking a policy for verification of electronic voting machines should go before the same bench that delivered a verdict in April rejecting the demand for bringing back the old paper ballots. When the plea on EVMs came up for hearing, a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and P B Varale told petitioners counsel senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, Why dont this matter go before the same bench? Sankaranarayanan informed the court abou

New Delhi, Dec 13 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Friday expressed concern over the deteriorating health of Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is on a fast-unto-death protest at the Khanauri border for over 17 days. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan directed the Centre and Punjab government representatives to immediately meet Dallewal and provide him medical help and persuade him to break his fast-unto-death protest saying his life was precious. The bench asked Solicitor Ge

New Delhi, Dec 13 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Friday granted conditional future bail to former West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee in a money laundering case related to the cash-for-job scam. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan said that Chatterjee shall be released on February 1, 2025 subject to the trial court framing charges before the winter vacation and examination of vulnerable witnesses by the second and third week of January 2025. The top court said upon his release Chatter

Vitamin D and calcium could lower blood pressure in overweight older adults, if they have a BMI (body mass index) greater than 30, suggests a study published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society. The health experts say Vitamin D deficiency is common across the globe and has been associated with cardiovascular disease, immunological diseases. The study, Blood Pressure Decreases in Overweight Elderly Individuals on Vitamin D, found SBP (systolic blood pressure) and DBP (diastolic blood pressure

NEW DELHI, December 13, 2024 (AP) Indian teenager Gukesh Dommaraju became the youngest chess world champion Thursday after beating the defending champion Ding Liren of China in the final match of their series in Singapore. Dommaraju, 18, secured 7.5 points against 6.5 of his Chinese rival in the contest, surpassing the achievement of Russias Garry Kasparov who won the title at the age of 22. The Indian teen prodigy has long been considered a rising star in the chess world after he became a ches

NEW DELHI, Dec 12 (Reuters) Retail inflation eased in November as soaring vegetable prices moderated, boosting expectations of an interest rate cut by the central bank at its next policy review amid concerns around slowing growth. Retail inflation eased in November to 5.48%, lower than 6.21% in the previous month and below a 5.53% forecast by economists in a Reuters poll. Food inflation slowed down to 9.04% from 10.87% a month earlier. Food accounts for nearly half of the consumption basket. Ve

Kolkata, Dec 12 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the Union government over its decision to push for simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, terming the move unconstitutional and anti-federal. In a post on X, Banerjee alleged that the proposed legislation One Nation, One Election was an attempt to centralise power and undermine Indias democracy. The Union Cabinet has bulldozed their way through with the unconstituti

Hathras (UP), Dec 12 (PTI) Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi met the family of a Dalit woman here who died allegedly after being gangraped in September 2020, and alleged that the family is being treated like criminals. The Congress MP reached Bool Garhi village around 11.15 am, even as police stepped up deployment in and around the hamlet in the Chandpa area of the district in light of his visit. The family had reached out to Gandhi earlier this year, seeking his support in gett

New Delhi [India], December 12 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Thursday restrained all courts across the country from passing any effective interim or final order including orders of survey in pending suits against existing religious structures. A bench of Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justices PV Sanjay Kumar and KV Viswanathan also ordered that no fresh suits can be registered over such claims while the court is hearing pleas challenging the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1

New Delhi [India], December 11 (ANI): Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi on Wednesday gave a notice for adjournment of the House under Rule 267 for immediate discussion on the increasing violent communal incidents against the Muslim community in the country. From Sambhal to Ratlam, there is a long series of violent incidents steeped in communalism against the Muslim community in different parts of the country, at some places, the administration is taking unilateral action and at some places, the BJP

Dec 11 (Reuters) Indian shares were little changed on Wednesday, as investors awaited key U.S and domestic inflation data for cues into the rate trajectories of the two countries. The NSE Nifty 50 added 0.09% to 24,630.85 points as of 10:14 a.m. IST, while the BSE Sensex was up 0.03% to 81,537.02. The benchmark Nifty 50 traded in a narrow range of less than 170 points in the last two sessions after logging gains in the previous three weeks ended Dec. 6. There is a little bit of wait-and-see in

New Delhi, Dec 11 (PTI) Congress Deputy Leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi has urged Speaker Om Birla to examine the partys complaint against BJP MP Nishikant Dubeys defamatory remarks against Rahul Gandhi and remove them from the record. Gogol said after the Speakers decision, the Congress party is keen to participate in the legislative business listed for the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament. Posting the letter on X, Congress General Secretary (In-charge, Communications) Jairam Ramesh said G

NEW DELHI, Dec 10 (Reuters) Indian opposition parties moved on Tuesday to impeach Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, a spokesman said, accusing him of being partisan in his role as chairman of parliaments upper house, in a first such move in the countrys history. Dhankhars office did not respond to a request for comment but Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said Dhankhar had been extremely professional and impartial. The step follows several weeks of disruption in parliament, where gove

New Delhi, Dec 10 (PTI) Noisy protests erupted in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday as treasury and opposition benches traded charges and raised slogans over Congress-George Soros links and Adani issues, leading to the adjournment of the House in the afternoon. As soon as the House met at 12 noon after the first adjournment, Leader of the House J P Nadda raised the issue of alleged links between the Congress leadership and billionaire investor George Soros, claiming that they were conniving to destabil

NEW DELHI, Dec 10 (Reuters) India appointed career civil servant Sanjay Malhotra as its new RBI governor on Monday in a surprise move that leaves markets guessing about the future direction of monetary policy, as growth slows and high inflation persists. With a new governor at the helm of the Reserve Bank of India and a deputy governor retiring next month, the RBIs monetary policy committee (MCP) will have a new look. Some economists said this means rate cuts could come sooner than previously e

Bengaluru, Dec 10 (PTI) Former Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna died at his residence early Tuesday morning. The 92-year-old veteran politician was ailing for quite some time, a family source said. S.M. Krishna is no more. He breathed his last at 2:45 am at his residence. Mortal remains are likely to be taken to Maddur today, the source said. Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna is survived by wife Prema and two daughters. Born in Somanahalli in Karnatakas Mandya district on May 1, 1932, Somanahalli

BENGALURU, Dec 10 (Reuters) India retail inflation likely fell to 5.53% in November after breaching the central banks 6% upper tolerance band as the arrival of fresh produce to markets moderated soaring vegetable prices, a Reuters poll of economists found. The Reserve Bank of India held interest rates steady last week, as predicted in a separate Reuters poll, citing price pressures, despite news of a surprise sharp slowdown in economic growth last quarter. Inflation unexpectedly rose to a 14-mo

Bhubaneswar, Dec 9 (PTI) The opposition Congress on Monday questioned the Odisha BJP governments silence on the alleged Adani bribery case in which the state has been named by a US court. The issue was raised during the Zero Hour by Congress Legislature Party leader Rama Chandra Kadam who asked, What is the reason behind the state governments silence? While the Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh governments have already made their stands clear, the Odisha government is yet to open its mouth on the

DHAKA, Bangladesh, December 9, 2024 (AP) The foreign secretaries of Bangladesh and India met Monday in Dhaka to discuss the strained relations between the two neighbors, including the growing tensions after former Bangladeshi premier Sheikh Hasina fled into exile in India in August. This is the first high-level visit by an Indian official since massive protests ended Hasinas 15-year rule. Tensions spiked further over the recent arrest of a Hindu spiritual leader in Bangladesh, currently run by

New Delhi, Dec 9 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a plea seeking directions to the Centre and other authorities to immediately clear blockades on national and state highways in Punjab where farmers are staging protests. A bench of justices Surya Kant and Manmohan said the matter is already pending before the court and it cannot entertain repetitive petitions on the same issue. We are already examining the larger issue. You are not the only conscience keeper of society. Dont file repet

Mumbai, Dec 9 (PTI) Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole has urged the Supreme Court and the Election Commission to take note of the growing public demand for ballot paper voting in view of doubts about the mandate in assembly elections. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi has upped the ante against electronic voting machines (EVMs) after the BJP-led Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats in the Maharashtra assembly elections. Patole on Sunday claimed the Mahayuti victory didnt reflect the mandate of

Solapur, Dec 8 (PTI) NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday backed villagers from Markadwadi in Maharashtras Solapur district who had questioned the credibility of EVMs and tried to conduct a mock repoll using ballot papers. Pawar visited the village, emerging as an epicentre of protests against Electronic Voting Machines after last months assembly elections, which saw BJP-led Mahayuti winning 230 out of 288 seats. We have collected some data about EVMs. People cast their votes, but in the end, t

New Delhi, Dec 7 (PTI) The US on Saturday rejected the BJPs allegations that organisations funded by the US State Department and elements in the American deep state were behind attempts to destabilise India through targeted attacks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and business tycoon Gautam Adani. A spokesperson at the US embassy described the allegations as disappointing and asserted that the US government has been a champion of media freedom around the world. The BJP alleged on Saturday that th

Kolhapur, Dec 7 (PTI) NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday claimed that no enthusiasm or overt joy was visible among the people of Maharashtra after the BJP-led Mahayuti coalitions landslide victory in the November 20 assembly elections. Speaking at a press conference at Kolhapur in western Maharashtra, Pawar said the Opposition need not worry, but it should go back to the people after the setback. The Oppositions Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance will work to ensure that the government kept all its

SEOUL, South Korea, December 7, 2024 (AP) A South Korean legislative push to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived imposition of martial law fell through on Saturday after most lawmakers from his conservative governing party boycotted the vote. The defeat of the motion is expected to intensify public protests calling for Yoons ouster and deepen political chaos in South Korea, with a survey suggesting a majority of South Koreans support the presidents impeachment. Yoons martial la

Motihari (Bihar), Dec 7 (PTI) Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday asserted that an eight-fold rise in per capita income needs to be achieved to realise the goal of Viksit Bharat (developed India) by the year 2047. Addressing the second convocation ceremony of Mahatma Gandhi Central University in Bihars Motihari, he also expressed hope that the country, which was currently the fifth largest economy in the world, would soon leave Germany and Japan behind. Lavishing praise on the Narendra M

New Delhi [India], December 7 (ANI): Aam Aadmi Party chief and former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday attacked Union Home Minister Amit Shah and said that the Bharatiya Janata Party is no longer able to handle the law and order situation in the national capital. Amit Shah ji has ruined Delhi. He has turned Delhi into a jungle raj. People are living a life of terror everywhere. BJP is no longer able to handle the law and order situation in Delhi. The people of Delhi will have to unite

Sydney, Dec 7 (The Conversation) A major international test has revealed a concerning gender gap in maths among Australian school students. In the 2023 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), Australias boys did much better than girls. Year 4 boys outperformed girls by the equal highest margin out of 58 countries that did the test. The story is not much better for Year 8 students Australia had the 12th-largest gender gap of the 42 countries. This is out of character with

Experts have urged people to add chickpeas to their diets, claiming it could help slash cholesterol levels, controls diabetes and improve digestion among other benefits. It is believed that chickpeas originally come from the regions surrounding what is now Turkey, but its consumption expanded to such an extent that it is produced in more than 50 countries. Currently, most of it is grown in India and Mexico. The importance of chickpeas consumption is such that they have a high content of vegetabl

SEOUL, South Korea, December 7, 2024 (AP) South Korea president apologized Saturday for public anxiety caused by his short-lived attempt to impose martial law earlier this week hours ahead of a parliamentary vote on impeaching him. Yoon said in a brief televised address Saturday morning he wont shirk legal or political responsibility for the declaration and promised not to make another attempt to impose it. He said he would leave it to his conservative political party to chart a course through

New Delhi, Dec 6 (PTI) Finance Ministry on Friday asked banks and financial institutions to use artificial intelligence tools including MuleHunterAI developed by the Reserve Bank to rein in growing financial frauds. In a meeting chaired by Financial Services Secretary M Nagaraju, banks were asked to adopt best practices, leveraging cutting edge tools, and foster inter-bank collaboration to address mule accounts effectively. He emphasised that proactive measures are required to be taken to protec

NEW DELHI, December 6, 2024 (AP) Indian police on Friday used tear gas against hundreds of farmers taking part in a march to New Delhi to demand guaranteed crop prices in a repeat of 2021 protests. Clashes broke out near Shambhu, a border crossing between northern Punjab and Haryana states, where multiple entry points into the capital have been sealed with metal barricades and barbed wire. The authorities also suspended internet service in some districts of Haryana to prevent communication amon

NEW DELHI, Dec 6 (Reuters) Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) has accused the State Department and deep state elements in the U.S. of trying to destabilise India in conjunction with a group of investigative journalists and opposition leader Rahul Gandhi. The accusation comes as a surprise as New Delhi and Washington have forged a strong relationship in the last two decades and both have vowed to further strengthen ties despite some differences and irritants. Gandh