National News

A-I crash final report delay expected due to unfinished engine analysis

The GE Aerospace-made engines have been at the ​centre of the probe into the crash of the Air India plane shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025

CBSE uses same OSM tool for Class 12 rechecks; results expected by end-June

The board is continuing to use Coempt's on-screen marking platform for re-evaluation while keeping examination data and records under its own control

After mayor's exit, Bengal govt asks why KMC board should not be dissolved

The West Bengal government has asked the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) to explain why its board should not be dissolved, issuing a show-cause notice after senior TMC leader Firhad Hakim resigned as mayor and plunging the city's civic administration into fresh uncertainty. The Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Department served a show-cause notice on the KMC under provisions of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Act, 1980, directing it to explain within three days why action should not be initiated against the civic body. The move came less than 24 hours after Hakim quit as mayor on Friday, saying he was no longer in a position to function effectively and did not wish to continue merely occupying the chair without authority. In the notice, the BJP government contended that the civic body was failing to discharge its obligations towards Kolkata's residents and that the resignation of the mayor could adversely affect the normal functioning of the corporation and delivery of

Education woes draw students, parents to CJP protest at Jantar Mantar

School students, college-goers, competitive exam aspirants and parents were among those who gathered at Jantar Mantar here on Saturday for a protest organised by the supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), with many saying concerns over the education system had brought them to the demonstration. The crowds that started assembling from Saturday morning, kept swelling through the day. Several participants who spoke to PTI said recurring controversies around examinations, uncertainty over results and a lack of accountability from authorities have shaken their confidence in the system. Some also expressed disappointment with both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as well as the opposition parties, saying issues affecting young people are not receiving adequate attention. Parents accompanying children said the concerns extend beyond students. Nusrat Parveen, who attended the protest with her three daughters, said she has seen the pressure students face while preparing for .

Iranian-French cartoonist and filmmaker Marjane Satrapi dies at 56

Acclaimed Iranian-French cartoonist and filmmaker Marjane Satrapi, a prominent advocate for women's rights, has died at 56, the French presidency said Thursday. "Her passing marks the loss of a leading figure of French culture and an artist devoted to freedom, whose work carried a universal message and earned her immense international acclaim," the French presidency said in a statement. President Emmanuel Macron and his wife "pay tribute to a remarkable artist who transformed an Iranian childhood into a universal fable," the statement said. News broadcaster BFM TV and other French media reported Satrapi has "died of sadness" a little over a year after the death of her husband, Swedish film producer and actor Mattias Ripa, according to a statement from people close to the artist. The French Academy of Fine Arts, of which she was a member, expressed its deep sadness in a social media statement, paying tribute to "a passionate advocate for cinema and film education" who earlier this y

The Hindware-Google row: Invisible keywords, visible consequences

The Delhi High Court's ruling against Google in the Hindware trademark dispute could alter how keyword advertising, trademark rights and platform liability are viewed in India

Delhi Gymkhana Club to write to L&DO seeking clarity on handover order

The Delhi Gymkhana Club on Saturday said it will write to the Land and Development Office seeking clarity on several issues after the Centre asked the club to hand over its premises by June 5. In an official communication to its members, the club said the Centre has asked it to hand over its premises in Lutyens' Delhi to "strengthen and secure defence infrastructure" and for other public security purposes. The club said it received the notice on May 22 from the Land and Development Office (L&DO) under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, seeking "re-entry and resumption" of the 27.3-acre land parcel, which is located on 2, Safdarjung Road, adjacent to the prime minister's residence on Lok Kalyan Marg. "Pursuant to the sudden development, the Gymkhana Club met today on an urgent basis and after detailed deliberation decided to file an immediate response to the L&DO requesting clarity on several issues in the interest of the members and employees of the club," it said. The

Govt appoints R Balasubramaniam, Joram Aniya as full-time Niti members

The Centre on Saturday appointed academician Joram Aniya and scholar-author R Balasubramaniam as full-time members of the Niti Aayog, taking the total number of such members in the government think tank to seven, along with a vice-chairman. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the chairman of the Niti Aayog. "In continuation of the Cabinet Secretariat's notification dated 24.04.2026, the prime minister has approved the appointment of the following persons as full-time members of the NITI Aayog with effect from the date of assumption of charge and until further orders, on the same terms and conditions as are applicable to full-time members: (i) Dr R Balasubramaniam; (ii) Dr Joram Aniya," a notification issued by the Cabinet Secretariat said. On April 24, while reconstituting the Niti Aayog, the government appointed Ashok Kumar Lahiri as its vice-chairman and economist K V Raju, AIIMS Director M Srinivas, Secretary in the Department of Science and Technology, Abhay Karandikar, scientist ..

SC flags limits of reform, says courts cannot 'annihilate religion'

The Supreme Court said judicial reform has limits in matters of faith, warning against dismantling religion while hearing the Sabarimala reference before a nine-judge Bench

Govt fixes OCI card application fee at $275, scraps 6-mth stay rule

The government has fixed the application fee for the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card at USD 275, payable in equivalent Indian rupees for applications in India or local currency when applying through Indian missions abroad, officials said Tuesday. A fee of USD 25 will be charged for reissuance of an OCI card with a change of particulars, reissuance when the cardholder turns 20 years of age, and for renunciation of the OCI card. Reissuance in case of loss of the card will attract a USD 100 fee, according to a post on X by the Bureau of Immigration. Now, the fee for fresh OCI cards will be USD 275, payable in the equivalent local currency where the application is made -- in rupees for applications filed within India, officials said. Earlier, eligible applicants had to pay Rs 15,000 for an OCI card when applying from India. The Home Ministry has also introduced several changes to the OCI application process. The earlier mandatory requirement of a six-month continuous stay in India

Constitutional Amendment Bill proposes to expand LS seats from 543 to 850

The Bill proposes to amend Article 81 to allow for not more than 815 members from states and up to 35 from Union Territories, taking the Lok Sabha's total strength to 850

First phase of PM-KUSUM scheme failed to meet targets, says report

The first phase of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha & Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) scheme, which ended on March 31, fell short of meeting its targets, according to a new report. Launched in 2019, the PM-KUSUM scheme is India's flagship programme to promote solar energy in agriculture. The analysis, 'Scaling Solar Power for Irrigation in India: Lessons from PM-KUSUM', was published on Wednesday by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), the Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP), and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD). The analysis focused on the scheme's Component A (setting up small-scale grid-connected solar plants on farmers' land) and Component C-FLS (feeder-level solarisation of existing grid-connected agriculture pumps). The report revealed that deployment under Component A stood at just 8.4 per cent of the target, which was 10,000 MW. In case of Component C-FLS, only 38.2 per cent of the 35.6 lakh pumps ...

Census 2027 begins today, to be conducted digitally for first time

It is India's 16th Census and eighth after Independence

Archaic tree-felling laws, policy gaps curb India's agroforestry potential

Experts flag outdated tree-felling rules and policy gaps as key hurdles to India's agroforestry growth, warning of rising import dependence despite strong domestic demand and export potential

Delhi riot accused Sharjeel Imam gets interim bail for brother's wedding

Imam has been in custody since January 28, 2020, in connection with the alleged larger conspiracy behind the Delhi riots

Santal freedom fighters not given due recognition: Droupadi Murmu

President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday said the contributions of the Santals to the country's freedom struggle have not received due recognition, and asserted that the names of several legends belonging to the community were "not deliberately included in history". After inaugurating the ninth International Santal Conference at Bidhannagar in Siliguri in West Bengal's Darjeeling district, she stressed the need for education for Santal children. "I know how much the Santals have contributed to the country's freedom struggle. But the names of Santal legends have not deliberately been included in history," she said. The President urged the community to ensure that the younger generation receives proper schooling. "I want all children of the Sanal community to get a good education, and this would help them become independent and stronger," Murmu said. The President said the community should also learn languages in addition to Ol Chiki to expand opportunities. In 1925, Pandit Raghunath M

India's CAD widens to ₹13.2 billion in Q3 on higher trade deficit: RBI

The current account deficit stood at $11.3 billion, or 1.1 per cent of GDP, in the corresponding quarter of 2024-25

Cheetah Gamini delivers fourth cub at Kuno; population rises to 39

South African cheetah Gamini has given birth to the fourth cub at the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, taking the number of these big cats in India to 39, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said on Friday. "Kunoh national park is pleased to announce the birth of the fourth cub to female cheetah Gamini. The presence of the fourth cub was confirmed during intensive monitoring by the field and veterinary teams. "All four cubs are presently healthy and doing fine. The number of cheetahs in India now stands at 39, including 28 India-born cubs," Yadav said in a post on X. Gamini was translocated to India from South Africa as part of the ambitious project launched in September 2022 to revive the population of the world's fastest land animal in India, which had gone extinct decades ago. Yadav had announced the birth of three cubs of Gamini earlier this month.

Centre mandates sale of E20 petrol with minimum RON 95 from April 1

The government has mandated the sale of petrol with up to 20 per cent ethanol and a minimum Research Octane Number (RON) of 95 across all states and Union Territories from April 1, 2026. The oil ministry in a February 17 notification, said, "the central government hereby directs that oil companies shall sell ethanol-blended motor spirit (petrol) with percentage of ethanol up to 20 per cent as per the Bureau of Indian Standards specifications and having minimum Research Octane Number (RON) of 95, in states and the Union Territories". The central government can allow exceptions in special situations, for specific regions and for a limited time. Ethanol is made from sugarcane, maize, or grain. It is renewable, domestically produced and has cleaner burning than pure petrol. The government has mandated ethanol blending in petrol to help cut oil imports as also reduce emissions. Such a mandate also supports farmers as it boosts demand for sugarcane, maize and agricultural surplus. Most

India moved from 'aspiring' to 'inspiring' nation: Former President Kovind

Former President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday said India has transitioned from an "aspiring nation to an inspiring nation" and praised the country's extraordinary development journey over the past two decades. He was addressing the curtain-raiser ceremony of the Merchants' Chamber of Commerce & Industry's 125th anniversary, themed 'India @2047 - Economic Vision for Amrit Kaal'. He said that despite global disruptions such as the pandemic and geopolitical tensions, India has remained firm in its growth trajectory. "Nations either drift or they decide. India has decided," he said. Citing economic progress, Kovind said India is "the only major economy to double its GDP in the last 10 years" and noted that more than 25 crore people have been lifted out of poverty, which he termed "the most remarkable dimension of the India story". He also highlighted the country's growing self-reliance in defence production, saying India is now exporting equipment to over 80 countries and has developed .