Page 27 - Bs Reads

The Ground Breaker: A model autobiography of the redoubtable Kanwal Rekhi

Kanwal Rekhi's delightful autobiography paints a picture of the US, its strengths and weaknesses, through the eyes of the first wave of talented Indian entrepreneurs

Delhi air quality improves to moderate after 157 days, AQI at 119

Delhi breathed easier on Monday after 157 days, as the city's air quality improved to 119 in the 'moderate' category, while the city recorded a maximum temperature of 32.2 degrees Celsius. The 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 119, the lowest recorded since October 9, 2025, when the AQI had stood at 99 in the same category. At 9 am on Monday, the AQI stood at 97 in the 'satisfactory' category, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The improvement came after the city experienced light rain on Sunday. According to the CPCB classification, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 to 100 'satisfactory', 101 to 200 'moderate', 201 to 300 'poor', 301 to 400 'very poor', and 401 to 500 'severe'. The improvement in air quality came after many parts of Delhi and the surrounding region on Sunday received light rain, triggered by a western disturbance. The drizzle brought respite from the rising heat and helped disperse pollutants in the

Govt allocates additional 87,587 tonnes of sugar export quota for 2025-26

The food ministry has approved an additional export quota of 87,587 tonnes of sugar for the 2025-26 marketing year (October-September), following requests from sugar mills, the ministry said in a circular on Monday. The government had earlier permitted exports of 1.5 million tonnes for the season, and in February allocated an extra 500,000 tonnes to willing mills on a non-swappable basis. Mills had until February to apply for portions of the additional quota. Of the 500,000 tonnes, only 87,587 tonnes were requested and approved, with the remainder lapsing, the ministry stated. Mills must export the allocated sugar by June 30, 2026. Those exporting at least 70 per cent of their quota by that date will be allowed to ship the balance by September 30, 2026. Failure to meet the 70 per cent threshold will result in the unutilised quantity lapsing, with potential reallocation to higher-performing or willing mills. No extensions will be granted except in force majeure cases. The quota cann

LPG supply crisis hits JNU canteens; students demand preventive steps

The JNUSU on Monday said a march to the office of the dean of students will demand preemptive measures ensuring smooth and uninterrupted functioning of mess and dhabas on the campus, amid the LPG supply crisis. The call for the march by the student union -- planned for Tuesday -- comes as the food menus in the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) canteens continue to be hit. According to the two separate letters sent from the Indraprastha Gas Limited to the mess heads of Sabarmati and Lohit hostels, "....supplies to all industrial and commercial customers are being restricted to 80 per cent of their average consumption for last six months with effect from 6 am on 11th March 2026". With the gas supply being cut by 20 per cent, the revised mess menu of the Lohit hostel specifies that no roti and poori will be available on certain days. The menu specifically mentions that no roti will be available for Tuesday and Saturday lunch, with replacements like "only rice" or khichadi added ...

Delhi govt to build new flood monitoring centre before monsoon: Minister

The Delhi government will construct a new Flood Control Monitoring Centre for better emergency response during the monsoon season, Irrigation and Flood Control Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh said on Monday. He laid the foundation stone of the centre at the LM Bund Office Complex in Shastri Nagar and said that the work would be completed before this year's monsoon. "Every monsoon, our engineers and field teams work day and night to monitor river levels, drainage systems, and vulnerable locations across Delhi. Facilities like this monitoring centre will ensure that coordination becomes smoother, and decisions can be taken quickly when the situation demands," he said. The minister added that preparedness and timely coordination are the most important aspects of flood management. "Our aim is simple: better monitoring, better coordination and faster response. This centre will act as a nerve centre during the monsoon season where officers and engineers can review the situation in real time

BJP releases first list of 47 candidates for Kerala Assembly polls

Union Minister George Kurian and former Union ministers Rajeev Chandrasekhar and V Muraleedharan are among the 47 candidates announced by the BJP in its first list for the Kerala Assembly elections. Fielding a mix of senior leaders and new faces as it prepares for the April 9 polls, the party is hoping to end its electoral drought in the state, where politics has traditionally been dominated by the CPI(M)-led LDF and the Congress-led UDF. Among the prominent names in the list are Kurian, Chandrasekhar and Muraleedharan, along with senior leaders K Surendran, Sobha Surendran, P C George, Padmaja Venugopal, P K Krishnadas, former director general of police R Sreelekha and filmmaker Major Ravi. Chandrasekhar will contest from the Nemom Assembly constituency, while Muraleedharan has been fielded from Kazhakkoottam, both key constituencies in Thiruvananthapuram district. Nemom is the only constituency in Kerala that has so far been won by the BJP, when O Rajagopal won the seat in the 20

Israel ready to stop hostilities if Iran changes course: Envoy Azar

Amid the raging conflict in West Asia, Israeli Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, on Monday said "we are ready to stop hostilities if Iran changes course", and asserted that Tel Aviv has consulted "diplomatic channels" in the last few days, including its partners the US and countries in the region. Asked about Israel's plans as the conflict entered its 17th day on Monday, Azar told reporters, "I don't think a full-fledged terrestrial invasion is on the cards." He also said that through the military action, "we've managed to degrade Iran's launching capabilities" to a large extent. "We are still hunting launchers... And the remainders of other military capabilities," the envoy said. "Right now, we are controlling the skies of Iran," Azar told reporters, adding, "They (Iran) are in dire straits." The West Asia conflict began on February 28 when the US-Israel combine conducted airstrikes on Iran. In retaliation, Iran attacked the Gulf countries hosting American military bases and cho

Financial fraud siphoned $442 bn from global economy in 2025: Interpol

Over USD 442 billion has been siphoned off from the global economy in 2025 through financial fraud, Interpol said in its global financial fraud threat assessment for 2026, released on Monday. The report kept the overall global risk related to financial fraud at "high". Scamsters are leveraging agentic artificial intelligence (AI), which can "autonomously plan and execute complete fraud campaigns -- from reconnaissance to ransom demands", the Lyon-based global police cooperation body said. The second edition of the report, released Monday, warned that AI-enhanced fraud is 4.5 times more profitable than traditional methods, as agentic AI systems are now capable of autonomously planning and executing complete fraud campaigns -- from reconnaissance to ransom demands, making them a force multiplier. From harvesting victim credentials to generating psychologically tailored ransom notes, fraudsters have used "deepfake audio" to mimic the voices of corporate executives during real-time pho

EU, India focus on implementing FTA, defence deal: von der Leyen

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday said the EU and India are now focused on efficiently implementing their recently concluded free trade deal and security partnership. Her remarks came after a meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who is on a two-day visit to Brussels for talks with his counterparts from the 27-member European Union (EU). "At the EU-India Summit in January, we concluded our Free Trade Agreement the mother of all deals and signed a Security and Defence Partnership," von der Leyen said in a social media post after her "good meeting" with Jaishankar. "Now we are focused on efficient implementation, to deliver for the people of Europe and India as soon as possible," she said. The two leaders also discussed developments in West Asia and Ukraine. "De-escalation, stability and energy security are our shared objectives," the EU leader said. India and the EU sealed the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) -- billed as the "mother of all de

India has no blanket deal with Iran for Hormuz ship transit: Jaishankar

India does not have a "blanket arrangement" with Iran for transit of Indian-flagged ships through the Strait of Hormuz and "every ship movement is an individual happening", External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said. In an interview to the Financial Times, Jaishankar said that negotiations between New Delhi and Tehran have resulted in two Indian-flagged tankers pass through the key shipping route. "I am at the moment engaged in talking to them and my talking has yielded some results," he said in the interview in Brussels. "This is ongoing. If it is yielding results for me, I would naturally continue to look at it," he added. Global oil and gas prices have surged after Iran has virtually blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping lane between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman that handles roughly 20 per cent of global oil and LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas). The West Asia region has been a major source of India's energy procurement. Jaishankar also denied India had given

India exports to US fall 13% in Feb; China trade deficit crosses $100 bn

India's exports to the US dipped 12.88 per cent year-on-year to USD 6.88 billion in February due to high tariffs in America, while the trade deficit with China crossed USD 100 billion during the 11-month period of this fiscal, according to the commerce ministry data released on Monday. Exports contracted in September, October, December last year and January this year also. However, it rose 22.61 per cent in November. Indian goods were attracting a sweeping 50 per cent levies in the US. But after US Supreme Court struck down the Trump tariffs, US President Donald Trump imposed 10 per cent duty on all countries from February 24 for 150 days. So now the impact of the lower tariffs is likely to be reflected in the data for the month of March, which will be released in mid-May. Imports, on the other hand, from the US grew 36.53 per cent to USD 4.48 billion in February, data showed. During the April-February period of this fiscal year, the country's exports to the US increased 3.84 per

Need to get out of mindset that only Delhi requires greenery: Supreme Court

There is a need to get out of the mindset that only the national capital needs to have greenery and other states are lesser mortals, the Supreme Court said on Monday while hearing a matter related to the Delhi Ridge. The Ridge is an extension of the Aravalli Hill range in Delhi and is a rocky, hilly and forested area. For administrative reasons, it has been divided into four zones -- south, south-central, central and north -- which make up an area of around 7,784 hectares. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi observed there was a need to have a holistic approach on the issue of green cover. "We need to get out of this mindset that only Delhi, being the national capital, needs to have greenery and the others are lesser mortals," the bench observed. Senior advocate K Parameshwar, assisting the top court as an amicus curiae in the matter, pointed to the November 11 verdict of the apex court which directed the Centre to give ...

Delhi govt in talks with Haryana for increasing water supply: Minister

Aiming to increase water supply to the capital, the Delhi government is in talks with its Haryana counterpart for a water exchange project, Delhi minister Parvesh Sahib Singh said on Monday. Currently, the city's average water production ranges between 900-1,000 million gallons per day (MGD), while the average requirement is around 1,260 MGD, with demand peaking during the summer season. "While we fix the gaps in our supply lines and reduce water losses, the Delhi government is working on a project for exchange of 30 cusecs of raw water from Haryana in exchange of treated water, which can be used for irrigation purposes in their state," Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh said. According to the minister, there is a major factor of 20 per cent water loss in transmission from Haryana, which is increasing the gap in demand and production. The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) currently operates nine water treatment plants (WTP) supplying around 864 MGD water and the remaining 126 MGD is extracted

Suspension of 8 opposition MPs from Lok Sabha likely to be revoked on Tue

The suspension of eight opposition MPs from the Lok Sabha is likely to be revoked on Tuesday, sources said, citing a decision taken at a meeting convened by Speaker Om Birla. Seven Congress and a CPI(M) MP were suspended for unruly behaviour, following a resolution passed by the Lok Sabha in the first part of the Budget Session. While the eight MPs were suspended for the entire session that is scheduled to conclude on April 2, opposition parties have been urging the speaker to revoke the suspensions during one of the sittings of the Lok Sabha. When Congress members had urged Birla to revoke the suspensions, he had said such action is taken when someone climbs on tables. The revocation of suspension of the eight MPs has been a key demand of the opposition since the second leg of the Budget Session commenced on March 9. The sources said there was a general consensus at the meeting that opposition members will restrict themselves in the Well of the House and not cross over to the ...

Tata Motors to raise commercial vehicle prices by up to 1.5% from April 1

Tata Motors on Monday said it will increase the prices of its commercial vehicle range by up to 1.5 per cent from April 1. The price increase is being undertaken to partially offset the impact of rising commodity prices and other input costs, the company said in a regulatory filing. The increase will vary, depending on the model and variant, it added. Part of the USD 180 billion Tata Group, Tata Motors is India's largest manufacturer of utility vehicles, pick-ups, trucks, and buses. Tata Motors shares on Monday ended 2.82 per cent up at Rs 437.75 apiece on BSE.

Karnataka Assembly passes Bill to regulate hoardings, levy ad fee

The Karnataka Assembly on Monday passed an amendment Bill aimed at regulating outdoor advertisements and enabling municipal bodies to levy and collect fees on hoardings and billboards across the state. The Karnataka Legislative Assembly adopted the Karnataka Municipalities and Certain Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, after it was moved by Urban Development and Town Planning Minister B S Suresha. The legislation empowers municipal councils and corporations to levy an advertisement fee on any person who erects, exhibits, fixes or displays an advertisement on land, buildings, walls, hoardings or other structures within municipal limits. The fee will be determined by local bodies through a resolution, subject to minimum and maximum rates prescribed by the state government. However, the Bill provides exemptions for advertisements related to public meetings of municipalities or corporations, elections to legislative bodies and candidature in such elections. It also mandates the display

India inks terms of reference with Philippines, Maldives for trade talks

India has inked terms of reference with the Philippines and the Maldives to start negotiations for free trade agreements (FTAs), the Commerce Ministry said on Monday. The terms of reference (ToR) outline the scope and modalities of a proposed trade pact. With the Philippines, a Southeast Asian nation, negotiations will begin for a preferential trade agreement (PTA), while with the Maldives, it will be for a free trade agreement (FTA), the ministry said. In a PTA, two trading partners either significantly reduce or eliminate import duties on a specific number of goods traded between them. On the other hand in an FTA, two trading nations either significantly reduce or eliminate import duties on maximum number of goods traded between them, besides easing norms to promote trade in services and investments. India's exports to the Philippines rose 3.11 per cent to USD 2.16 billion in 2024-25, while imports dipped 17.8 per cent to USD 1.17 billion. The Philippines is a part of the ASEAN

Trump may delay China trip over Iran war, not to pressure Hormuz: Bessent

President Donald Trump may delay his China trip due to the Iran war, but Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Monday it's not to pressure Beijing on the Strait of Hormuz. Bessent said any delay to Trump's trip to Beijing would not be because of disagreements over the Iran war or efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. "If the meeting for some reason was rescheduled, it would be rescheduled because of logistics," he said. "The president wants to remain in D.C. to coordinate the war and travelling abroad at a time like this may not be optimal." Trump has suggested he may delay the much-anticipated visit to China at the end of the month as he seeks to ramp up the pressure on Beijing to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz and calm oil prices that have soared during the Iran war. In an interview Sunday with the Financial Times, Trump said China's reliance on oil from the Middle East means it ought to help with a new coalition he is trying to put together to get oil tanker traffic moving .

India warns citizens in Iran not to cross borders without embassy clearance

India on Monday asked its citizens currently in Iran not to approach or attempt to cross any land border for onward travel without prior and explicit coordination with the Indian Embassy in Tehran. In an advisory, the Indian Embassy further said that Indian nationals who attempt to leave Iran via land borders without its knowledge and guidance are highly likely to encounter serious logistical and immigration difficulties. "...All Indian nationals currently in Iran are strictly advised not to approach or attempt to cross any land border of Iran for onward travel without prior and explicit coordination with the Embassy of India," the advisory said. It said the embassy will not be in a position to provide assistance once individuals move outside Iranian territory without prior coordination. "The Embassy is in regular contact with members of the Indian community, and coordinated arrangements are being undertaken wherever necessary. Uncoordinated movement toward land borders is strongly

JSW Steel unit eyes debut $1 billion short-term debt issue, says report

The company has invited bids for both the issues on Wednesday and has hired a few foreign banks to act as arrangers, they added