India's new sports policy for Pakistan: No to bilateral ties, yes to global events

A year after the Pahalgam terror attacks and Operation Sindoor, India has formally opened the door for Pakistani athletes and teams to compete on its soil in international events in a clear policy that separates bilateral ties from global sporting commitments.

An Office Memorandum issued Tuesday by the Union Sports Ministry stated that "Pakistani players and teams will be able to participate in multilateral events hosted by India", and signalled a more supportive visa regime for athletes, officials and international federation representatives.

US, Iran close in on memo to end war, Hormuz ship escorts paused; oil prices fall

The US and Iran are closing in on an agreement on a one-page memorandum to end the war in the Gulf, a source from mediator Pakistan and another source briefed on the mediation said Wednesday.

Rusty-spotted, among tiniest wildcat species, sighted close to Delhi

The rusty-spotted cat is classified as 'Near Threatened' on the IUCN Red List, and is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an organisation of 160 member countries and hundreds of civil society groups that work together for the protection of biodiversity, and to examine the health of species and their extinction risk.

The rusty-spotted cat measures no more than 35-48 cm in length, about half of which is bushy tail. It has short, reddish grey fur, with rusty spots on the back and sides.

The cat is native to India, Nepal and Sri Lanka, where almost 75% of its habitat is believed to be under threat from land-use change, including agriculture and urban expansion. The animal is rarely documented due to its secretive nature and low density.

Delhi tops - crimes against women & elderly, offences by juveniles, cases of thefts

Delhi Recorded the highest number of crimes against women and senior citizens among the country's 19 Metro cities in 2024, while also reporting the highest rate of crimes committed by juveniles, according to the latest Crime in India report released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) on Wednesday. It also topped the list of cities across the country when it came to cases of theft, with nearly 30% of all such offences being reported in the Capital.

Mitigating SO2 from coal power plants could prevent over 1.24 lakh deaths annually in India, says IIT Delhi study

India Could prevent an estimated 1,24,564 deaths every year by fully mitigating sulphur dioxide (SO₂) emissions from coalfired power plants (CFPP), according to a study conducted by researchers from IIT Delhi, published in the Nature journal this week.

The study is among the first comprehensive attempts to quantify how SO₂ from CFPPS contributes not only to ambient SO₂ levels, but also to the formation of secondary fine particulate matter, or PM2.5.

Ministry to make fresh move for PM-SHRI in Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala after political shifts

Amid the changes of guard in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala after the Assembly poll results, the Ministry of Education is preparing a fresh push to implement the Centre's flagship PM Schools for Rising India (PM-SHRI) scheme in these states.

Despite constitutional safeguards, social justice remain far from resolved, says CJI

Pointing out that instances of discrimination based on caste, class, economic status, and identity continue to exist despite constitutional safeguards, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said on Wednesday that true justice is realised when society itself is prepared to look inward and embrace change.

Crime cases saw 6% dip; cyber offences rose by 18% in 2024: NCRB data

Even though crime cases in India saw a 6% dip in 2024, recording 58.85 lakh cases as against 2023's 62.41 lakh cases, cyber crimes saw an almost 18% jump in the period, according to the latest data released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) on Wednesday.

Wasn't 2023 ruling meant for short period until a law was made: Supreme Court

Does the 2023 law on appointing the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners need to reflect the principles the Supreme Court laid down in its constitution bench judgment that was to apply only until a law was made? This was the question posed by a two-judge bench of the SC Wednesday hearing a challenge against the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023.

India, Vietnam elevate ties to enhanced comprehensive strategic partnership

India and Vietnam decided to elevate bilateral ties to Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership', set a new trade goal of $25 billion by 2030 and increase defence systems procurement between the two countries after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the visiting President of Vietnam To Lam on Wednesday.

In war-torn world, India needs autonomy, consensus at home

India is a civilisational state with the rare capacity to combine cultural depth with a modernising agenda. Its democratic ethos, rooted in pluralism, positions it credibly as a consensus-builder.

How hantavirus is deadlier than Covid, but slower

A Group of people on a Dutch cruise ship was found to be infected by the deadly hantavirus earlier this week. Seven cases - two laboratory confirmed and five suspected - have been identified among the 147 passengers and crew onboard the MV Hondius, which was travelling from Argentina to Spain. Three of them have died while one is seriously ill. Three others are reporting mild symptoms, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The vessel is currently stationed in Cape Verde, off West Africa. The WHO said Wednesday that three suspected patients had been evacuated from the ship to receive medical care in the Netherlands. These cases created global concern, though WHO said that at this stage the "overall public health risk remains low".

Why SC expanded definition of 'acid attack victim' in Disabilities Act

The Supreme Court on Monday held that persons who were forced to consume acid and thus suffered internal injuries, without visible scars, would be considered acid attack victims under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act, 2016.

The top court's ruling was necessitated by the fact that the Act's definition of acid attack victims appears to confine itself to external "disfigurement".

With 12 plants in phase one, India's chip-making mission sets sights on next frontier

The Union Cabinet on Tuesday approved two new semiconductor plants, including one that could be the country's first display fabrication facility, in a boost to India's chipmaking ambitions. A display fabrication facility is a specialised, high-investment, cleanroom environment designed to create electronic screens (such as LCD and OLED) by layering materials on glass semiconductor bases.

G7 trade talks target critical minerals as US-EU tariff rift strains unity

Group of Seven trade ministers meeting in Paris on Wednesday sought common ground on securing critical mineral supplies that are dominated by China, but fresh US tariff threats against European Union-made cars risked straining unity.

India, ASEAN to update trade pact by year-end, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries will update the trade agreement by the end of the year. The deal was originally signed in 2009 under the UPA government, and both trade partners began renegotiating the deal in 2024 amid a ballooning trade gap.

Indian cos pledge to invest record $20.5 bn in US; pharma in focus

Indian Companies have pledged to invest a record $20.5 billion in the United States, which includes $19.1 billion in pharmaceuticals, the US embassy said on Wednesday.

The commitments were made during an investment summit in Maryland, US.