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Accenture beats quarterly revenue estimates on strong AI demand

Acquisitions of fast-growing firms and AI-focused assets will account for roughly $5 billion in spending this year, Accenture CEO Julie Sweet said

Chain of Ideas: Ibram X Kendi on rise of modern xenophobia in conservatism

Ibram X. Kendi's Chain of Ideas traces the rise of replacement theory but struggles to balance ideology with real-world political and economic forces

New tax law from April 1: What it means for income, filing, and compliance

Taxpayers must be able to distinguish between matters where the old tax law still applies and those where the new one does

Iran says its Natanz nuclear facility has been hit in an airstrike

Iran's Natanz nuclear facility was hit Saturday in an airstrike, the official Iranian news agency Mizan reported. There was no radiation leakage, it said. Natanz, Iran's main enrichment site, was hit in the first week of the war and several buildings appeared damaged, according to satellite images. The United Nations' nuclear watchdog said that "no radiological consequence" was expected from that earlier strike. The nuclear facility, located nearly 220 kilometers (135 miles) southeast of Tehran, had been targeted by Israeli airstrikes in the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June 2025, and by the United States.

Transgender, queer groups oppose Amendment Bill, demand withdrawal

Transgender and queer collectives, along with individuals, on Saturday opposed the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026, demanding its immediate withdrawal and terming it "discriminatory". Addressing a press conference here, community representatives alleged that the Bill proposes a restrictive redefinition of "transgender persons". "It collapses intersex and transgender identities into a single category, despite these being distinct experiences. It also removes the right to self-identification, limiting legal recognition to specific socio-cultural identities such as Hijra, Kinnar, Aravani or Jogti, thereby excluding many others," community spokesperson Prasant Meera said. He added that the Bill assumes individuals are forced into transgender identities through "coercion" or "undue influence". The Supreme Court's 2014 NALSA judgment stated that "transgender" is an umbrella term recognising persons whose gender identity differs from the sex assigned at bir

Kerala approaches Centre to verify reports of native's death in Israel

The Kerala government has approached the Centre seeking the authenticity of reports regarding the death of a man from the state in the war-hit region of Israel. When contacted, the NORKA officials told PTI on Saturday that they received the information from a collective of Keralites working in Israel and therefore approached the Centre to confirm it. NORKA is a state-run agency that oversees matters related to non-resident Keralites. According to local media reports, the deceased man was a Thiruvananthapuram native and his cause of death was yet to be ascertained. A member of a WhatsApp group of Keralites working in Israel, told PTI that they got the information about the death on Wednesday and they are also trying to collect further details.

Iranian Navy guided Indian LPG tanker through Strait of Hormuz: Report

During the crossing, the officer's ship was in contact with the Iranian navy by radio, he said

Air India to introduce crew fitness policy; lapses may lead to pay loss

Air India is planning to introduce a health and fitness compliance policy for its cabin crew, under which those found underweight, overweight or obese could face derostering and loss of pay. The compliance assessment will be based on the cabin crew members' Body Mass Index (BMI) with a reading of 18-24.9 defined as 'normal' and accepted as 'desired range' by the airline. A BMI reading of less than 18 will be considered as 'underweight', though it may be acceptable subject to clearing of medical evaluation and functional assessment, according to the policy accessed by PTI. A BMI reading in the range of 25-29.9 will be defined as 'overweight' and will be considered acceptable, provided the cabin crew member clears the functional assessment. As per the policy, to be effective from May 1, a reading of 30 or above is 'obese' and not an acceptable range. A cabin crew member will be derostered if he or she is either 'underweight' or 'overweight' and will be required to clear the function

Safety of Indians in UAE is 'priority' amid West Asia crisis: Envoy

The UAE has assured India that the safety of Indians living in the Gulf country is its "priority", stressing that they are protected and treated like family, especially amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia which has seen the emirate facing attacks from Iran. UAE Ambassador to India Abdulnasser Alshaali also hailed India's move to co-sponsor a UN resolution that condemned Iran's attacks against Gulf countries, saying it was a statement of principle from a country that the UAE considers a strategic partner and friend, at a moment when it mattered most. The UAE will remember that India was among those "who stood with us first", he said. "The safety of Indian nationals in the UAE is a priority. They are protected and are treated as family, including the 200 nationalities living in the country in peace and harmony," Alshaali told PTI Videos. He said that UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited five injured civilians in the hospital: two Emiratis, one Indian, one Sudane

Delhi govt to release ₹500 cr pending dues to NHAI for two expressways

The Delhi government has approved the outstanding payments to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for the construction of two major expressways around the national capital. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Saturday that the cabinet recently approved a proposal by the Public Works Department to clear the outstanding amount in a phased manner. "As part of this plan, Rs 500 crore will be released in the financial year 2025-26 from the revised budget estimates to the Union Government or the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)," a statement from the Chief Minister's Office said. The remaining Rs 3,203.33 crore will be paid in instalments in the coming years, depending on budgetary provisions, it added. According to the chief minister, the expressways, which became operational in 2018, have effectively created a protective traffic ring around Delhi through Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. "The payment would resolve long-pending inter-state financial issues and improve ..

Shah to table CAPF bill on recruitment, promotion in Rajya Sabha on Monday

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will introduce in the Rajya Sabha on Monday an "umbrella law" for central armed police forces (CAPFs) to regulate recruitment, deputation, promotion and other conditions of services of their officers, according to the List of Business issued by the House. All the CAPFs -- CRPF, BSF, ITBP and SSB -- are governed by their respective Acts. The rules under these Acts govern the recruitment and conditions of service of Group A General Duty Officers and other officers and members in the CAPFs. The Central Armed Police Forces (General Administration) Bill, 2026, provides that for the purposes of appointment of officers from the Indian Police Service in CAPFs, 50 per cent of the posts will be filled by deputation in the rank of Inspector General and a minimum of 67 per cent of the posts will be filled by deputation in the rank of Additional Director General. The posts in the ranks of Special Director General and Director General shall be filled by deputation

Govt raises commercial LPG allocation to 50% as gas crisis hits sectors

The total LPG allocation increases to 50 per cent for commercial users with the latest additional 20 per cent allocation

Govt raises commercial LPG allocation to 50% as domestic output improves

The government has approved an additional 20 per cent allocation of commercial LPG to states and Union Territories, taking the total allocation to 50 per cent, as increased domestic output is helping the situation crawl back to normalcy. The three-week-long war in the Middle East disrupted energy supplies to India, leading to initial curtailment in LPG supplies to commercial establishments like hotels to prioritize supplies to household kitchens. Later, a fifth of their supplies were restored, and the government offered an additional 10 per cent, subject to states expediting piped gas projects. On Saturday, the government announced a 20 per cent enhanced allocation to key sectors such as restaurants, hotels, industrial canteens, food processing units, community kitchens and subsidised food outlets, while also supporting migrant workers through targeted distribution. The additional allocation will be subject to commercial establishments registering with oil companies and applying fo

Kerala Assembly polls: LDF Ministers, Cong, BJP leaders file nominations

Kerala state ministers, top Congress and BJP leaders filed their nomination papers on Saturday for the upcoming Assembly polls. Several state ministers, including P Rajeev, V Sivankutty, R Bindu and P A Mohamed Riyas as well as CPI(M) leaders K K Shylaja and Kadakampally Surendran were those from the LDF who filed their nominations, from Kalamassery, Nemom, Irinjalakuda, Beypore, Peravur and Kazhakootam constituencies, respectively. BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar (Nemom), former Union Minister of State V Muraleedharan (Kazhakootam) and several other candidates of the saffron party filed their nominations accompanied by chief ministers from party-ruled states like Rajasthan and Gujarat. Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma accompanied Chandrasekhar and Muraleedharan when they filed their nominations, while the party candidate from Thrissur, Padmaja Venugopal, was accompanied by Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel. From the Congress, KPCC chief Sunny Joseph, senior party leader

Delhi CM meets PM Modi, discusses national capital's development

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday and discussed the national capital's all-around development. "I had the privilege of a heartfelt meeting with the Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi during which I received his invaluable guidance. His visionary leadership and special affection for Delhi always fill us with fresh energy and inspiration," Gupta said in a post on X. The BJP leader said that during the meeting, detailed discussions on Delhi's all-around development were held, including strengthening infrastructure, and commitment to fulfilling the people's aspirations. "With the able guidance and continuous support of the prime minister, we are fully committed to taking Delhi to new heights of progress, prosperity, and good governance," she added. Gupta also thanked the prime minister for his constant inspiration and for giving his valuable time.

UK condemns Iran's 'reckless attacks' on Diego Garcia base in Indian Ocean

Britain has condemned "Iran's reckless attacks" after its military fired missiles at the UK-US air base on the island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. UK officials have not given details of the attempted strike, which was unsuccessful. It's unclear how close the missiles came to the base, which is about 2,500 miles (4,000 kilometres) from Iran. The Ministry of Defence said on Saturday that Iran's "lashing out across the region and holding hostage the Strait of Hormuz, are a threat to British interests and British allies." Britain has not participated in US-Israeli attacks on Iran, but has allowed American bombers to use UK bases to attack Iran's missile sites. On Friday, the British government said US bombers can also use UK bases, including Diego Garcia, in operations to prevent Iran attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran targeted the base before that UK statement.

PM Modi speaks with Iranian President, hopes for peace in West Asia

PM Modi also discussed the West Asia's security situation and its wider implications with the Iranian President

PWD installs QR code boards on roads for public feedback, transparency

In a move aimed at citizen participation, the PWD has introduced QR code-enabled display boards on roads undergoing strengthening, officials said on Saturday. PWD minister Parvesh Sahib Singh said the initiative seeks to transform how people engage with public infrastructure projects by providing easy access to key information while also creating a direct channel for feedback. "Transparency is not just about sharing information; it is about listening to the people. With this initiative, citizens will not only know the details of road works but will also be able to give their feedback directly," the Public Works Department (PWD) minister said. According to officials, the display boards will be installed within seven days of the completion of any road work. "These will be placed at prominent public locations such as bus queue shelters, major intersections, and other high footfall areas to ensure visibility," Singh said. Each QR code will allow citizens to access detailed information

Attacks on Iran will 'increase significantly' next week: Israeli Minister

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said that attacks against Iran will "increase significantly" in the coming week. Katz spoke on Saturday, hours after US President Donald Trump said he was considering "winding down" military operations in the Mideast. "This week, the intensity of the attacks that the IDF and the US military will carry out against the Iranian terrorist regime and against the infrastructures on which it relies will increase significantly," Katz said in a video statement.

Navy set to commission frontline stealth frigate 'Taragiri' on Apr 3

Indigenous stealth frigate 'Taragiri', endowed with the cutting-edge weapon suite including supersonic missiles, is set to be commissioned into the Indian Navy on April 3, officials said on Saturday. The ceremony in Visakhapatnam is scheduled to be presided over by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and it will serve as a powerful testament to the nation's journey toward becoming a completely self-reliant naval power, they said. As the fourth potent platform of the Project 17A class, 'Taragiri' is not merely a ship; it is a 6,670-tonne embodiment of the 'Make in India' spirit and the sophisticated engineering capabilities of our indigenous shipyards, a Navy spokesperson said. The fourth ship of Nilgiri-class (Project 17A) and the third one built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilding Ltd (MDL), 'Taragiri' (Yard 12653), was delivered to the Navy on November 28 last year at MDL, Mumbai, marking a major milestone in achieving self-reliance in warship design and construction. This state-of-the-art