Page 19 - Bs Reads

Isro identifies south polar landing site on Moon for Chandrayaan-4 mission

The Chandrayaan-4 Mission is at least two years away, but the ISRO has identified a location in the South Polar region of Moon to land its lander. The union government has approved the Chandrayaan-4 mission, designed as a lunar sample-return mission and it will be India's most complex lunar endeavour yet. "We are targeting 2028 for Chandrayaan-4," ISRO chairman V Narayanan had earlier said. According to ISRO officials, they had zeroed in on four sites of the Mons Mouton (MM) and found one of them suitable for landing on the lunar surface. Mons Mouton is a region on the Moon. Officials said they had identified locations -- MM-1, MM-3, MM-4 and MM-5. Of them, MM-4 was chosen for the landing. "The four sites in Mons Mouton area were fully characterised with respect to terrain characteristics using high resolution Orbiter High Resolution Camera (OHRC) multi view image datasets," they said. It was found that one kilometre by one kilometre area around MM-4 contains "the less hazard ..

Majority of workers see improved conditions with new labour codes: Survey

Stronger protection for the workforce, simpler compliance and improved working conditions are seen as some of the benefits of the implementation of four new labour codes in the country, according to a survey. Around 60 per cent of workers believe in improvement in their overall working conditions with the implementation of four new labour codes, a labour ministry statement said, citing a survey carried out by Noida-based V V Giri National Labour Institute (VVGNLI), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Labour and Employment. The ministry notified the four labour codes on November 21 last year and sought comment on draft rules on December 31, 2025. The government intends to fully operationalise the four codes from April 1, 2026. The latest survey reflects deepening trust and widespread positivity among workers and employers in the implementation of the labour codes, the ministry said. The study, titled 'The Implementation of Labour Codes: A Perception-based Analysis', indicates .

Tanker carrying chemicals catches fire on Jaipur-Ajmer road; no casualties

A tanker carrying chemicals caught fire on the Jaipur-Ajmer highway here on Monday morning, police said. No loss of life was reported in the incident, they said, adding that the blaze has been brought under control. The incident occurred around 4.45 am when the tanker, loaded with methyl chemical, on its way to Jaipur from Ajmer developed sparks near tyres. The sparks triggered a fire in the lower portion of the tanker. After noticing the fire in the moving vehicle, passersby alerted the driver who stopped the tanker and got down to save himself. Police rushed to the spot and fire tenders were pressed into service. The blaze was brought under control later, the police said.

The Oak And The Larch: Russian history through a prism of woods and trees

A new book traces how Russia's forests shaped its history, literature and power - from religious exiles and empire-building to gulags, nationalism and climate change

Amid gold-silver volatility, book partial profits in rallies to cut risks

Instead of chasing high prices, new investors must enter through systematic investment plans with a horizon of five years

Sunil Thapa, actor known for 'Mary Kom' and 'The Family Man', dies at 68

Thapa was also seen in the third instalment of 'The Family Man' where he played the role of David Khuzou in the series

EC says permanent resident certificate is valid document under SIR 2026

The Election Commission of India has clarified that Permanent Resident Certificate is one of the admissible documents for determining eligibility under the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal, an official said on Saturday. In a communication to the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) sent on Friday, the Commission referred to earlier correspondence dated January 1 and January 12, 2026, and stated that the SIR guidelines issued on October 27, 2025, explicitly include the Permanent Resident Certificate as a valid document, he said. The Commission said that Domicile or Permanent Resident Certificates in West Bengal are issued in accordance with a state government letter dated November 2, 1999, and subsequent orders issued thereunder. It clarified that Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs), as competent statutory authorities under the Representation of the People Act, 1950, shall accept .

Cop dead, 13 injured as swing falls, gate collapses at Surajkund mela

An on duty police officer died while nearly a dozen people were injured when a swing fell down at Surajkund fair here on Saturday, just an hour after two people, including a child, got hurt in a gate collapse incident, officials said. District Deputy Commissioner (DC) Ayush Sinha and MD Tourism Parth Gupta reached the scene immediately after receiving information. Arrangements were immediately made for the treatment of the injured persons, he added. According to the police, around 6 pm approximately 15 people on the swing when it suddenly collapsed. Rescue operations were immediately launched to help the injured. During the rescue operation, a stall operator, Raghav, was also struck by a swing grill, injuring his shoulder. Earlier, around 5 pm, gate number 2 of the fairgrounds suddenly collapsed, injuring two people, including a child.

No relaxation in land use change norms under consideration: J-K govt

The Jammu and Kashmir government on Saturday said there is no proposal under consideration to relax the norms related to change of land use (CLU) in the Union Territory. The information was provided by minister Javed Ahmed Rana in the Assembly in reply to a question raised by MLA Surjit Singh Salathia. The minister was replying on behalf of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. Rana said, "The government does not intend to grant any relaxation in CLU norms at present." He also clarified that there is no proposal to exempt rural areas from the existing CLU provisions. The minister further said the government is not considering any proposal to reduce the prescribed fees or ease formalities related to CLU. MLAs Vikram Randhawa, Rajiv Jasrotia and R S Pathania raised supplementary questions on the issue.

Indian Coast Guard cracks international oil smuggling ring off Mumbai coast

The racket was being operated through a network of handlers based in multiple countries, coordinating the sale and transfer of cargo between sea-going vessels

Zero-duty US access for diamonds, coloured gems a 'turning point': Industry

The Indian gem jewellery industry on Saturday welcomed the announcement of zero-duty access for diamonds and coloured gemstones to the US under the Interim Agreement framework, saying it is a turning point that will give a fresh boost to the sector. "We are elated by the Interim Agreement framework announcing zero-duty access for diamonds and coloured gemstones to the US, especially after a difficult year in which India's cut and polished diamond exports to our largest market fell by over 60 per cent, from USD 3.64 billion to USD 1.45 billion, due to tariff-driven loss of competitiveness," GJEPC Chairman Kirit Bhansali said in a statement. India and the US on Saturday announced they have reached a framework for an interim trade agreement under which both sides will reduce import duties on a number of goods to boost two-way trade. Tariffs will go down to zero on a wide range of goods, including generic pharmaceuticals, gems and diamonds, and aircraft parts, thereby further enhancing

Delhi govt plans four curated tourism circuits, heritage walk from Feb 20

To mark the completion of its first year in office, the Delhi government will roll out four curated tourism circuits along with a guided heritage walk from February 20, aiming to offer residents and visitors a systemic tour exploring the capital's historical, cultural and architectural landmarks. An official of the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC) said the initiative includes four themed circuits -- 'Dilli Ki Dharohar', 'Dilli ka Dil aur Virasat', 'Dilli ka Rahasya' and 'Dilli Dekho Dil Se' -- which will operate daily except Mondays. The circuits have been designed as half-day guided tours, covering prominent monuments, museums and public spaces across the capital, he said. The official said tickets for the tours can be booked online, following which tourists will receive detailed instructions regarding the reporting point and schedule. "After booking, visitors will be informed about a designated assembly location from where DTTDC will provide an ..

Blanket freezing of bank accounts arbitrary, violates rights: Delhi HC

Blanket or disproportionate freezing of bank accounts, when the account holder is neither an accused nor a suspect in an investigation, is manifestly arbitrary and against one's fundamental right to livelihood and freedom to carry on trade and business, the Delhi High Court has said. Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav said that indiscriminate freezing of accounts paralyses the day-to-day business operations of an otherwise innocent entity, resulting in loss of commercial goodwill and financial consequences. The observations came on a petition filed by Malabar Gold and Diamonds, seeking to direct the Centre and I4C to withdraw any communication or direction given to the State Bank of India and HDFC Bank to "put on hold" its bank accounts. Established under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), I4C acts as a nodal point at the national level in the fight against cybercrime. The petitioner's bank accounts were frozen after a cyber complaint was registered against one of its customers for

Trump administration targets job protections of 50,000 federal employees

It is the biggest change to the rules governing the civil service in more than a century and targets employees that the administration sees as undermining the president's priorities

ECB keeps rates unchanged, plays down impact of dollar weakness on policy

Asked about the currency, Lagarde said the ECB was keeping a close eye on markets but ultimately concluded that no big change has taken place in recent months

Once the hottest bet on Wall Street, private credit has started to crack

Apollo Global Management and BlackRock, two other large players, have also rattled investors with write-downs on large loans to several troubled e-com- merce companies.

Nike faces probe over alleged discrimination against white workers

Nike said it has "shared thousands of pages of information and detailed written responses to the EEOC's inquiry" and is "in the process of providing additional information"

RARE: The 'RJ' commandments, beyond hot investing tips and market noise

This book on understanding the mind of one of India's most famous strategic investors is a valuable read - but not if you are looking for a hot tip

UPSC CSE 2026 prelims on May 24; face authentication made mandatory

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has made face authentication mandatory for all aspirants at examination centres and introduced strict eligibility restrictions for candidates already appointed to certain services. These changes were announced in an official notification for the Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2026, released on Thursday. The commission announced 933 vacancies for this year's recruitment cycle, which include 33 posts reserved for persons with benchmark disability. The preliminary examination of the competitive examination will be held on May 24, it said. The prestigious exam is conducted annually by the UPSC in three stages -- preliminary, main and interview-- to select officers of Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) among others. "In order to ensure a secure and smooth examination process, all candidates will be required to undergo face authentication at the examination venue mandatorily. ...

India-US trade deal in final stages, to open new phase in ties: Jaishankar

The "historic" India-US trade agreement is in the final stages of detailing that will be completed "very soon", External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Thursday after holding wide-ranging talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The talks between Jaishankar and Rubio in Washington DC came three days after US President Donald Trump, following a phone conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, announced reduction of US tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent from 50 per cent under the trade deal. The external affairs minister said the trade deal will open up a "new phase" in the relations. Except a confirmation on bringing down the US tariffs, including the removal of a 25 per cent levies imposed on India by Washington over Russian energy purchases, no concrete details of the trade deal have come out so far. Jaishankar, in a social media post, described his visit to the US as "productive" and "positive". "The historic India-US trade deal is in the final stages of ...