National News

The current astronaut training centre in Bengaluru — where India’s Fabulous-4, Group Captains Prashanth Nair, Ajit Krishnan and Angad Prathap, and Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla, are training — is designed to cater only to demands of the first mission under Gaganyaan and Isro will build a larger training facility. Sources now indicate that the larger facility — most likely in Devanahalli although Challakere is not ruled out yet — could accommodate 25-30 astronauts and maybe even their families.

Zarina Utkirovna, an Uzbekistan national, found dead in Jagadish Hotel under mysterious circumstances in Bengaluru. Suspected assault, missing valuables. Police investigating intruders and missing hotel staff. Autopsy pending for confirmation of assault.

Fins constituted about 80% of the shark-derived products seized, according to an analysis by TRAFFIC and WWF-India

According to UNDP’s Human Development Report 2023-24, India showed progress in reducing gender inequality, ranking 108 out of 166 countries in Gender Inequality Index (GII), as compared with 122 out of 170 nations in 2021. With a GII value of 0.437 in 2022, India fared better than the global average of 0.462 and South Asian average of 0.478.

The BSP, once a formidable player in U.P., witnessed a decay in support base evident from the past two Assembly and Parliamentary elections in the State

Delhi CM has challenged his summoning by a magistrate court on a complaint by the central probe agency for not appearing before it for questioning in connection with the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy

Road transport ministry's pilot programme in Chandigarh provides cashless treatment to road crash victims, aiming for nationwide expansion and reduced road fatalities by ensuring timely medical care during the golden hour. The ministry said the pilot programme is aimed at establishing an ecosystem for providing timely medical care to the road crash victims, including during the golden hour (first hour from accident). TOI had on Jan 31 first reported about the govt proposal to cap the amount for cashless treatment.

Scheme to be applicable for all road accidents

Effective April 1, 2025, all cars must include a 'rear seat belt alarm'. Stemming from Cyrus Mistry's incident, non-compliance may result in fines. Despite the law, many rear seat passengers are unaware of this rule's enforcement. The draft notification for introduction of this crucial safety feature, aimed at nudging rear-seat passengers to wear seatbelts, has been put in public domain seeking feedback. “The notification is only for rear seatbelt alarm and there is no other new provision,” said an official.

The Chameli Devi Jain Award for Outstanding Woman Media Person of the Year is named after Chameli Devi Jain, a freedom fighter and community reformer

Assam on Thursday informed SC that Union-controlled oil and gas firms in the past 12 years have earned a cumulative net profit of over Rs 3.3 lakh crore but are unwilling to part with even 0.6% of that amount towards their tax dues to the state, chargeable on 6,639 sq km of land used by them, which is more than the size of Goa.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Thursday announced five guarantees for farmers that the INDIA bloc will implement if the coalition comes to power.These included crop loan waiver for farmers, exclusion of farmers from the ambit of GST, minimum support price for farm produce based on the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations, framing new import/export policies keeping the interest of farmers in mind.

States endowed with major minerals but featuring low on the prosperity index told Supreme Court on Thursday that India's economic federalism would be fractured by the Centre's vehemence in denying states their right to tax mineral-bearing lands and questioned big industrial groups - Adani, Ambani, Tata and Vedanta - for supporting the Union's stand.

Govt-run fuel retailers on Thursday slashed prices of petrol and diesel by Rs 2 per litre. In a separate post on X, the oil ministry said the latest reduction will "boost consumer spending and reduce operating costs for over 58 lakh heavy goods vehicles running on diesel, 6 crore cars and 27 crore two-wheelers".

The Ministry of Minority Affairs approved multiple projects for the development of cultural and religious studies across several Indian universities