Energy to defence, India, UAE deepen ties; PM calls for opening of Hormuz

Deepening Bilateral relations amid the crisis in West Asia, India and the UAE signed a slew of pacts Friday including a framework for a strategic defence partnership, storage of 30 million barrels in Indian strategic petroleum reserves, supply of LPG and a ship repair cluster in Gujarat's Vadinar. The UAE also pledged investments totalling USD 5 billion in Indian infrastructure and RBL Bank and Samman Capital.

Disputed Bhojshala site a temple, rules Madhya Pradesh HC

A Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court Friday concluded that the religious character of the disputed Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque complex was that of Bhojshala, described as a temple of goddess Vagdevi Saraswati.

Defence Minister lays foundation stone for combat aircraft infra project in Andhra

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday laid the foundation stone for a Rs 16,000-crore combat aircraft infrastructure project here in Sri Sathya Sai district. Singh said the event marks a historic chapter in India's defence history.

Bengal signs pact with Centre to implement PM-SHRI scheme

The BJP government in West Bengal signed an agreement with the Centre on Friday to implement the PM-SHRI schools scheme in the state.

While the Centre's PM-SHRI schools scheme - meant to upgrade existing schools into exemplar ones that showcase the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020- was approved in 2022, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala had refused to implement it.

Divisions between Iran, UAE on war in West Asia thwart joint statement

With Iran and UAE divided on the war in West Asia, India was unable to bridge the diplomatic gap within the BRICS Foreign Ministers and could not come up with a joint statement after the two-day meeting.

Instead, Delhi on Friday is-sued a chair statement and outcome document trying to reflect the divergences between Iran and UAE on the war in West Asia. But, it also flagged two paragraphs on Palestine and Yemen to which Iran is learnt to have objected, since they targeted Hamas and Houthis.

Discussed increased supply of Russian energy with Modi, Jaishankar: Lavrov

A Day before the US's waiver on sanctions on Indian imports of Russian oil is set to expire, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday that the topic of "increased supply of Russian energy" came up in his conversations with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday.

Shah: Uniform laws needed across globe to fight narcotics

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday called for a unified global response to narcotics trafficking and said that the country has set a national goal of achieving a "Drug-free India by 2047"

Why the spike in crude oil price will test the economy

When govts borrow more to pay for the fuel bill instead of passing costs to consumers, they are deferring the inevitable.

Consumers will eventually have to pay the prices, either in the form of higher pump prices or through higher taxes to repay the debt.

Hantavirus as a warning: Why outbreaks like this may become more common

The Recent hantavirus outbreak has once again raised a question that scientists have been warning about for years: are zoonotic spillovers - the transmission of pathogens from animals to humans - becoming less of an exception and more of an inevitability? If Covid-19 was the defining reminder of how devastating an animal-borne virus can become, hantavirus is the latest signal that the ecological conditions enabling such spillovers are a risk.

In Great Nicobar, strategic ambitions are at odds with ecology

The Proposal to build an international transshipment port, an airport, and a 160-square-kilometre township on Great Nicobar - promising to remake the island as India's "Singapore or Hong Kong"-has the makings of an ecological disaster. Marketed as a deep-draft port positioned to outpace regional competitors, the Rs 72,000-crore project is fraught with logistical, safety, and economic contradictions.

Are Trump and Xi reviving bipolarity?

The US is showing disinterest in Quad and NATO, while China doesn't seem too enthusiastic about forums like BRICS and G20. 

Taiwan says it will deepen ties with US following Trump-Xi summit

Taiwan Will deepen ties with the United States following talks between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing, its foreign minister said on Friday, adding that it was China that was increasing regional "risks". 

Congo confirms new Ebola outbreak as death toll reaches 65

The Ebola virus is highly contagious and can be contracted through bodily fluids such as vomit, blood, or semen. The disease it causes is rare, but severe and often fatal

3 old thermal power sites chosen for new nuclear power projects

In a significant move to repurpose ageing coalfired power infrastructure, a government panel has shortlisted at least three old thermal power plant sites for setting up of new nuclear power projects.

Of the three shortlisted sites, two have been found suitable for large nuclear reactors of 700 megawatt-electric (MWe) capacity, while one site is being considered for smaller 220 MWe reactors. The disclosures were made during a presentation at a high-level workshop on the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Act organised by Central Electricity Authority (CEA) showed.

How tax relief on bond investments will help FPIs

The government is reportedly considering slashing the "with-holding tax" rate from 20% to the earlier 5% as it looks to revive overseas inflows.

Withholding tax, akin to a tax deducted at source (TDS), is paid by foreign investors on the interest they earn on their holding of Indian bonds.

A high withholding tax is seen as a major deterrent for foreign capital inflows at a time when India is grappling with rising external pressures, including a sharp surge in crude oil prices.