The Sen Times

New Delhi, Feb 13 (PTI) Leaders from various opposition parties in the Rajya Sabha have demanded that a discussion on the working of the External Affairs, Rural Development and Commerce Ministries be taken during the ongoing Budget session, sources said on Friday. According to a source, the demand was made at a meeting of the business advisory committee of the Rajya Sabha held on Thursday, as the Upper House takes up discussions on the working of ministries after recess in the Budget Session. Pa

Kolkata, Feb 13 (PTI) Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra has charged BJP leader Amit Malviya with intervening with the execution of a court warrant by the West Bengal Police in Uttar Pradeshs Noida against a man accused of circulating fabricated chat messages linked to her. The police in West Bengals Nadia district also alleged that their attempt to arrest the accused was obstructed, following which the individual managed to flee. Union minister and state BJP leader Sukanta Majumdar said the UP

Hyderabad, Feb 13 (PTI) Ruling Congress was heading for a decisive victory in the Telangana municipal elections as its candidates were inching closer to winning over 1,200 wards by Friday afternoon, followed by BRS in over 600 wards and BJP in over 200 wards as the counting of votes progressed. Of the total 2,582 wards in 116 municipalities, Congress candidates were set to win 1,247 wards. The counting of votes began at 123 centres across the state at 8 AM. Postal ballots were taken up first for

Mumbai, Feb 13 (PTI) The rupee consolidated in a narrow range and settled for the day 3 paise lower at 90.64 (provisional) against the US dollar on Friday, tracking the strength of the American currency in the overseas market and a negative trend in domestic equities. Forex traders said rupee traded in a narrow range with a weakening bias as a firm dollar limited the upside for emerging market currencies including the rupee. At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 90.69 aga

New Delhi, Feb 13 (PTI) Lifting and lowering heels, or soleus push-ups, while sitting may reduce post-meal blood sugar spikes by up to 52 per cent and insulin response by 60 per cent during oral glucose tolerance tests, according to a review of previously published studies. Performing passive stretching exercises for 40 minutes acutely lowered blood glucose by up to 28 milligrams per decilitre, persistently improves blood flow to the femur or thigh by 30 per cent, findings published in the journ

DHAKA, Bangladesh, February 13, 2026 (AP) Tarique Rahman spent 17 years in self-imposed exile. Now, he is poised to become the prime minister of Bangladesh and follow in the footsteps of his mother. Thursdays national election seemed to hand Rahmans Bangladesh Nationalist Party a majority, according to local media reports, marking a significant political shift in the South Asian nation of more than 170 million people. The BNP has also claimed victory. For Rahman, the turnaround is dramatic. Th

New Delhi, Feb 13 (PTI) Silver prices on Friday rose Rs 5,465 to Rs 2,41,900 per kilogram in futures trade as participants increased their bets. On the Multi Commodity Exchange, silver contracts for March delivery increased Rs 5,465 or 2.31 per cent to Rs 2,41,900 per kg in a business turnover of 3,201 lots. Fresh positions built up by participants led to a rise in silver prices, analysts said. Globally, silver was trading 2.49 per cent higher at USD 77.15 per ounce in New York.

Mumbai, Feb 13 (PTI) Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty tumbled over 1 per cent in early trade on Friday, led by steep losses in IT stocks amid weak global cues and persistent concerns over artificial intelligence-led disruptions which weighed on investor sentiment. The 30-share BSE Sensex tanked 883.4 points, or 1.05 per cent, to 82,791.52 in early deals. The 50-share NSE Nifty dropped 262.60 points, or 1.02 per cent, to 25,544.60. Technology stocks extend the brunt of selling pressure f

Melbourne, Feb 13 (The Conversation) Men tend to lose the Y chromosome from their cells as they age. But because the Y bears few genes other than for male determination, it was thought this loss would not affect health. But evidence has mounted over the past few years that when people who have a Y chromosome lose it, the loss is associated with serious diseases throughout the body, contributing to a shorter lifespan. Loss of the Y in older men New techniques to detect Y chromosome genes show fre

NEW YORK, February 13, 2026 (AP) Kathy Ruemmler, the top lawyer at storied investment bank Goldman Sachs and former White House counsel to President Barack Obama, announced her resignation Thursday, after emails between her and Jeffrey Epstein showed a close relationship where she described him as an older brother and downplayed his sex crimes. Ruemmler said in a statement that she would step down as Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel of Goldman Sachs as of June 30, 2026. Up until her resi

DHAKA, Bangladesh, February 13, 2026 (AP) The Bangladesh Nationalist Party has claimed victory in the countrys first election since the 2024 uprising, positioning itself to form the next government and potentially reshape Bangladeshs political landscape after years of intense rivalry and disputed polls. The partys media unit in a post on X Friday said it had secured enough seats in Parliament to govern on its own. Final results have not yet been announced by the Election Commission, though seve

MUMBAI, Feb 13 (Reuters) The Indian rupee is expected to be under pressure at the open on Friday, weighed down by a broad risk-off mood and weakness across Asian currencies. The limited impact of the central banks intervention further sours the currencys immediate outlook, bankers said. The 1-month non-deliverable forward indicated the rupee will open in the 90.68-90.70 range versus the U.S. dollar, having settled 0.12% higher at 90.59 on Thursday. Despite what bankers said was an unexpected pr

Feb 13 (Reuters) Indias stock benchmarks are poised to open lower on Friday, tracking a drop in Wall Street and Asian equities, with information technology shares likely to remain under pressure ahead of the U.S. inflation reading due later in the day. The Gift Nifty futures were trading at 25,719.5 points, as of 7:38 a.m. IST, indicating the benchmark Nifty 50 will open below Thursdays close of 25,807.2. Domestic equities declined in the previous session with IT stocks sliding 5.5% to a 10-mon

UNITED NATIONS, February 13, 2026 (AP) The U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly Thursday to approve a 40-member global scientific panel on the impacts and risks of artificial intelligence, with the United States strongly objecting. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who established the panel, called the adoption a foundational step toward global scientific understanding of AI. In a world where AI is racing ahead, he said, this panel will provide whats been missing rigorous, indepen

Dhaka, Feb. 13, 2026 (AFP) The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by Tarique Rahman is heading for a thumping win in the first elections held since a deadly 2024 uprising, Bangladeshi TV stations projected Friday. Senior BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, in a party statement, claimed a sweeping victory, without giving figures, calling for followers to give thanks in prayer on Friday rather than celebrate on the streets. There will be no victory rally despite the BNPs sweeping victory, the state

BILZEN-HOESELT, Belgium February 12, 2026 (AP) Leaders from across the European Union are meeting Thursday in a Belgian castle as the 27-nation bloc faces antagonism from U.S. President Donald Trump, strong-arm economic tactics from China and hybrid threats from Russia challenges that have prompted a rethink of Europes approach to diplomacy and trade. We all know we must change course, and we all know the direction, Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever told a meeting of some European leaders o

WASHINGTON, February 12, 2026 (AP) Scientists are testing an entirely new way to fight heart disease: a gene-editing treatment that might offer a one-time fix for high cholesterol. Its very early stage research, tried in only a few dozen people so far. But gene-editing approaches being developed by two companies show hints that switching off certain genes could dramatically lower artery-clogging cholesterol, raising hopes of one day being able to prevent heart attacks without having to take pil

NEW DELHI, Feb 12 (Reuters) Key inflation rate accelerated to 2.75% in January on higher food and precious metal prices, the maiden print under a revised data series showed on Thursday, returning to the RBIs target band for the first time since August. The new series changes the weighting of key components such as food and housing, while moving the base year to 2024 from 2012 to better capture changes in consumption patterns over the years. Annual retail inflation was at 1.33% in December under

Mumbai, Feb 12 (PTI) The rupee appreciated 17 paise to settle for the day at 90.61 (provisional) against the US dollar on Thursday, as foreign fund investments lifted investor sentiments. Forex traders said foreign fund inflows, while not massive, provided a psychological anchor. Moreover, the RBI has been quietly ensuring that liquidity remains abundant in the banking system, they said. At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 90.55 against the US dollar, and touched an int

New Delhi, Feb 12 (PTI) The opposition on Thursday accused the government of favouring industrialists over workers while drafting the industrial relations code, even snatching away their right to protest for demands. Initiating a discussion on the Industrial Relations Code (Amendment) Bill, Congress member Kodikunnil Suresh said that instead of dialogue, the government has chosen to dominate labourers. Suresh, a former Union Minister of State for Labour, said the strike call given by workers on

New Delhi, Feb 12 (PTI) Over 13 per cent of heart failure cases among people living with diabetes in India could be linked to physical inactivity, a global study has estimated. The findings, published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science, also show that 9.6 per cent of coronary heart disease and 9.4 per cent of cardiovascular complication cases among people living with diabetes in India could be attributed to lack of physical activity. Globally, one in ten cases of macrovascular (large blo

NEW DELHI, Feb 12 (Reuters) A group representing Indias top airlines IndiGo and Air India has asked the government to dilute proposed fatigue management rules for cabin crew, warning they could disrupt flight schedules and limit growth prospects, a letter shows. The pushback from the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA) on a key Indian government proposal comes after IndiGo, the countrys largest airline, cancelled about 4,500 flights in December due to poor planning for new fatigue management ru

New Delhi, Feb 12 (PTI) BJP MP Nishikant Dubey on Thursday said he has given a notice to initiate a substantive motion against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and demanded that his Lok Sabha membership be cancelled and he be debarred from contesting elections for life. Speaking to PTI videos in Parliament House complex, Dubey said that in his notice he has stated how the Leader of the Opposition visits foreign countries joining hands with the Soros Foundation, USAID, Ford Foundation and colludes w

DELHI/MUMBAI/SOUTHAMPTON, England, Feb 12 (Reuters) In an office block on the outskirts of Delhi, a first cohort of students gathers for a class in a Business Management degree at the University of Southampton an institution headquartered nearly 7,000 kilometres (4,350 miles) away. Far from its sprawling green campuses in southern England, Southampton is the first of several British universities setting up in India to tap one of the worlds fastest growing student markets. Britain and India agr

DHAKA, Bangladesh, February 12, 2026 (AP) Polls opened across Bangladesh on Thursday for voters to cast ballots in a parliamentary election seen as a critical test of the countrys democracy after years of political turmoil. After a slow start, crowds came to polling stations in the capital, Dhaka, and elsewhere by midmorning. Balloting will continue through Thursday with results expected Friday. More than 127 million people are eligible to vote in Bangladeshs first election since former Prime M

Mumbai, Feb 12 (PTI) Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty declined in early trade on Thursday dragged down by heavy losses in IT stocks such as Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services amid weak cues from US markets. Extending the previous days decline, the 30-share BSE Sensex dropped 421.66 points, or 0.50 per cent, to 83,811.98 in early trade. The 50-share NSE Nifty fell 121.10 points, or 0.47 per cent, to 25,832.75. Analysts said rising crude oil prices also added to the cautious sentiment

New Delhi, Feb 12 (PTI) Employees and workers associated with a joint forum of central trade unions observed a day-long strike on Thursday to show their resistance to anti-worker, anti-farmer and anti-national pro-corporate policies of the central government. The forum has claimed that 30 crore workers are being mobilised for a general strike to protest against the new labour codes, among other issues. All India Trade Union Congress General Secretary Amarjeet Kaur told PTI that the general strik

Guwahati, Feb 11 (PTI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said that the police have registered a case based on a complaint by Congress leaders over a controversial video featuring him, which was uploaded and later deleted by the state BJP. Sarma said that a BJP worker has also filed a separate police complaint over the same issue. The now-deleted video showed Sarma purportedly taking aim with a rifle and firing a shot at two people, one wearing a skull cap and the other with a

MUMBAI/NEW DELHI, Feb 11 (Reuters) Indian corn and soybean prices fell on Wednesday after New Delhi agreed to duty-free imports of U.S. soyoil and a protein-rich animal feed under a new trade deal with Washington, stoking fears of cheaper supplies among farmers. Farm unions and opposition parties, concerned about cheap U.S. supplies, have called nationwide protests for Thursday. A joint statement from India and the U.S. last week said New Delhi had agreed to allow duty-free imports of soyoil an

New Delhi, Feb 11 (PTI) Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that the government has sold Bharat Mata through the India-US interim trade deal and that it was a wholesale surrender with Indias energy security handed over to America and farmers interests compromised. Participating in the debate on the Union Budget, he said that had an INDIA Bloc government negotiated the trade agreement with the US, it would have told US President Donald Trump that he should treat India as an equ

The standard diabetes test, HbA1c (glycated haemoglobin), which is commonly used to diagnose and monitor type-2 diabetes (T2D), may not always give accurate results for people in South Asia, especially in India. This is because many people in the region have anaemia, blood disorders like sickle cell disease or thalassaemia, and G6PD deficiency, which can affect HbA1c readings. A recent article published in Lancet Regional Health: Southeast Asia highlighted these concerns. The study suggests that

MUMBAI, Feb 11 (Reuters) The Indian rupee traded in a tight range on Wednesday, wedged between a broadly weaker dollar and steady corporate hedging appetite, while expectations of volatility in the currency receded after jumping last week. The rupee was at 90.53 per dollar as of 11:15 a.m. IST, slightly firmer than its previous close of 90.5775. The currency has settled into a broad 90-91 trading range after a relief rally last week, sparked by the announcement of the U.S.-India trade deal. Whi

BENGALURU, Feb 11 (Reuters) Indian equity benchmarks were little changed on Wednesday, as broad-based losses after a recent market rally pressured the earnings-driven surge in hospital chain Apollo Hospitals and Royal Enfield parent Eicher Motors. The Nifty 50 fell 0.04% to 25,925.8, while the BSE Sensex shed 0.09% to 84,197.76, as of 10:16 a.m. IST. Eleven of the 16 major sectors logged losses. The broader small-caps and mid-caps fell about 0.4% each. Heavyweight banks and financials fell 0.2%

Brisbane (Australia), Feb 11 (The Conversation) You may have noticed an unexpected wellness trend gaining traction online. People are claiming a daily cup of hot water (with nothing else in it) can deliver everything from weight loss and clearer skin to relief from menstrual cramps and sore throats. The practice is often presented as simple and natural. But are these benefits real, or is drinking hot water just another viral wellness fad? The short answer Drinking hot (not boiling) water is gene

Dibrugarh (Assam), Feb 9 (PTI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday expressed ignorance of the state BJPs video, which created a controversy and was deleted. The video showed Sarma purportedly taking aim with a rifle and firing a shot at two people, one wearing a skull cap and the other with a beard, with point-blank shot as the caption. It was deleted later. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an official function here, the CM also said he is not aware of any police case fil

ISLAMABAD, February 9, 2026 (AP) Pakistans president has warned that the Talibans government in Afghanistan has created conditions similar to or worse than those before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, a sign of rising tensions with Kabul after last weeks mosque attack in Islamabad, which analysts said Monday highlights militants reach to the capital. Asif Ali Zardari made the remarks while thanking the international community for condemning Fridays suicide bombing at a Shiite mosque that killed 31

New Delhi, Feb 9 (PTI) A joint platform of 10 central trade unions on Monday said that the call for a nationwide general strike on February 12 is on, and not less than 30 crore workers across the country are expected to join the protest. The group of unions had given a call for a nationwide strike on January 9, 2025, to show their resistance to anti-worker, anti-farmer and anti-national pro-corporate policies of the central government. All India Trade Union Congress General Secretary Amarjeet Ka

NEW DELHI, Feb 9 (Reuters) The United States and India have released an interim framework for a trade deal, paving the way for an agreement that would lower tariffs, reconfigure energy ties and deepen economic cooperation as both seek to realign global supply chains. The IndiaU.S. joint statement suggested that New Delhi pushed back against Washingtons efforts to broadly open its agricultural market. However, India has agreed to lower trade barriers on some farm goods, drawing criticism from fa

New Delhi, Feb 9 (PTI) The opposition is considering moving a resolution to remove Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla from office for disallowing Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders from speaking in the House on the Motion of Thanks to the Presidents address, as well as for the suspension of eight MPs. At the same time, Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, and some others met Birla on Monday afternoon to work out a solution to end the stalemate, as the House has not been function

Mumbai, Feb 9 (PTI) Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty extended their gains for the second straight session on Monday, driven by optimism over the India-US trade deal and robust buying in public sector banks, consumer durables, and realty stocks. The 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 485.35 points, or 0.58 per cent, to close at 84,065.75. During the day, the benchmark surged 734.28 points, or 0.87 per cent, to hit an intraday high of 84,314.68. The 50-share NSE Nifty appreciated by 173.60 points

NEW DELHI, Feb 9 (Reuters) Indian farm unions and opposition parties have called for nationwide protests against the new India-U.S. trade framework, saying it risks hurting the farm sector by allowing more U.S. imports, although the government says key staples are protected. The agreement has become a political flashpoint, reviving memories of the 202021 farm law protests, when the government was forced to repeal three laws aimed at deregulating agricultural markets. The government has defended

NEW DELHI, Feb 9 (Reuters) Indias state-owned refiners Indian Oil Corp and Hindustan Petroleum Corp have together bought 2 million barrels of Merey crude from Venezuela for delivery in the second half of April, two trade sources aware of the deal said. The crude will be carried on a single very large crude carrier with IOC taking about 1.5 million barrels and HPCL about 500,000 barrels and is set to arrive on Indias east coast, the sources said, adding the seller was Trafigura. The purchase hig

New Delhi, Feb 6 (PTI) Precious metal prices declined sharply in the national capital on Friday, with silver dropping nearly 5 per cent to Rs 2.55 lakh per kg, while gold slipped to Rs 1.57 lakh per 10 grams as investors kept booking profits for the second straight day. According to the All India Sarafa Association, the white metal plunged Rs 13,000, or 4.85 per cent, to Rs 2,55,000 per kilogram (inclusive of all taxes) from Thursdays closing level of Rs 2,68,000 per kg. Similarly, gold of 99.9

ISLAMABAD, February 6, 2026 (AP) The death toll from a massive bombing that tore through a Shiite mosque on the outskirts of Islamabad during Friday prayers has risen to 24, a Pakistani official said. Nearly a hundred people were injured, government officials and rescue workers said. Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Memon and police confirmed that the blast was an attack and said an investigation is underway. Memon wrote on X that the death toll had risen to 24, while hospital officials said

Mumbai, Feb 6 (PTI) RBI (Reserve Bank Governor) Sanjay Malhotra on Friday announced a new framework to compensate customers up to an amount of Rs 25,000 for loss incurred in small-value fraudulent transactions. Announcing the last bi-monthly policy for the current financial year, Malhotra said, we will also publish a discussion paper on possible measures to enhance the safety of digital payments. Such measures may include lagged credits and additional authentication for specific class of users l

New Delhi, Feb 6 (PTI) After a 25 basis point rate cut in December, the RBI on Friday decided to pause on the policy rate front amid geopolitical uncertainties. This is the first monetary policy review after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the Budget for financial year 2026-27. Announcing the sixth and final bi-monthly monetary policy for the current fiscal, RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra said the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has decided to retain short-term lending rate or repo r

New Delhi, Feb 5 (PTI) Precious metal prices tumbled sharply in the national capital on Thursday, with silver slumping 10 per cent to Rs 2.68 lakh per kg, and gold falling to Rs 1.6 lakh per 10 grams triggered by a global selloff and a firm US dollar. According to the All India Sarafa Association, silver nosedived by Rs 30,300, or 10.16 per cent, to Rs 2,68,000 per kilogram (inclusive of all taxes), compared with Wednesdays closing level of Rs 2,98,300 per kg. Gold of 99.9 per cent purity also d

KYIV, Ukraine, February 5, 2026 (AP) Fighting against Russias 4-year-old invasion has cost the lives of 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers, according to Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as a U.S. envoy described two days of talks between Moscow and Kyiv officials as detailed and productive. Ukraine has also listed a large number of people as missing in the war, Zelenskyy added in an interview broadcast by French TV channel France 2 late Wednesday. The last time the Ukrainian leader gave a figure

WASHINGTON, February 5, 2026 (AP) A new kind of pill sharply reduced artery-clogging cholesterol in people who remain at high risk of heart attacks despite taking statins, researchers reported Wednesday. Its still experimental but the pill helps rid the body of cholesterol in a way that today can be done only with injected medicines. If approved by the Food and Drug Administration, the pill, named enlicitide, could offer an easier-to-use option for millions of people. Statins block some of the

A newborn baby died from a listeria infection likely linked to the childs mother drinking raw milk during pregnancy, health officials said. New Mexico officials this week warned people to avoid consuming unpasteurized dairy products following the death. Interest in and sales of raw milk have been rising in recent years, fueled by social media and growing support from the Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s Make America Healthy Again movement. State officials provided few details about the ne