India

India to Release 2.5 Lakh Tonnes of Sugar Ahead of Festive Season

Indian sugar refiners are planning to sell 2.5 lakh tonnes of white sugar in the domestic market to meet rising demand ahead of the festive season. The move is also aimed at bringing down costs for consumers. Government measures have already helped reduce sugar prices at the mill level. A new policy permitting duty-free import of 10 lakh tonnes of raw sugar has further supported the effort to boost domestic supplies. Mills have also begun early crushing operations to improve overall production outcomes.

30,000 Ship Arrivals Raised Alaska's Invasive Species Risk by 50% Over a Decade

A new study found that nearly 30,000 commercial vessel arrivals in Alaska between 2012 and 2022 introduced approximately 430 square kilometres of submerged hull surface into its waters. These underwater surfaces can transport non-native marine organisms through a process called biofouling. Passenger ships were the largest contributor, accounting for more than half of the total submerged area. The research warns that rising water temperatures and growing Arctic shipping activity could further increase the threat of invasive species establishing themselves in Alaskan waters.

Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati Sworn In As Chief Justice of J&K and Ladakh HC

Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati has been sworn in as the Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. The oath of office was administered by Vinai Kumar Saxena, who is currently performing the duties of the J&K Lieutenant Governor. Saxena is serving in an acting capacity during the leave of incumbent LG Manoj Sinha. The swearing-in ceremony marks Justice Bhati's appointment to the top judicial post in the union territory.

Watch: Nepal flash floods engulf homes, roads and buildings in horrifying video

Britain’s turtle doves rebound after 98% decline as 30 birds are released

Mayawati sets father-in-law's retirement as condition for Akash Anand's comeback

BSP chief Mayawati has declared that Akash Anand can only be reinstated to a significant party role after his father-in-law Ashok Siddharth fully withdraws from politics. Akash Anand was previously stripped of his national convener position, with Mayawati citing a need for greater political maturity. The party has indicated it will reassess his responsibilities only upon Siddharth's complete political exit. In a separate move, Mayawati also welcomed back previously expelled leaders and signaled a potential new role for Ishan Anand within the BSP. These internal reshuffles come ahead of crucial assembly elections in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.

From District Topper to Samsung Engineer: NIT Jalandhar Gold Medalist's Rise

Arsh Goyal, originally from Faridkot, Punjab, overcame limited engineering knowledge to graduate as the gold medalist from NIT Jalandhar. He secured the NTSE scholarship after topping his district in Class 12, later gaining experience at ISRO and other leading tech organisations. Goyal currently works as a Senior Software Engineer at Samsung India. Beyond his professional career, he has mentored over 50,000 engineers through 150-plus workshops covering software engineering, AI, and GenAI. His efforts aim to broaden career access and guidance for aspiring engineers across the country.

SIR row: No notice issued to Prof CNR Rao over name discrepancy, says Bengaluru official

Zuckerberg and Chan gave $4m to save a 600-year-old fishpond for the community

'Make ground in Gaza tremble': Egypt warned Netanyahu of Hamas plans before October 7

Bengaluru e-rickshaw driver returns lost MacBook to owner, refuses reward

Harshit Sureka lost his MacBook, worth approximately Rs 2 lakh, on a Bengaluru road during heavy rainfall. The laptop was found by e-rickshaw driver Shivam Raj, who took the initiative to locate the owner. Raj tracked down Sureka through social media and returned the device to him. He declined any financial reward for his efforts, drawing widespread praise for his honesty and integrity.

Justice R.V. Ghuge Sworn In as Calcutta High Court Chief Justice

Justice Ravindra Vithalrao Ghuge was administered the oath of office as the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court. West Bengal Governor R.N. Ravi officiated the swearing-in ceremony. The event was attended by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, Assembly Speaker Rathindra Bose, and senior state cabinet members. The ceremony marks Justice Ghuge's assumption of the top judicial post at one of India's oldest high courts.

Adani Ports Wins 30-Year Concession to Develop Two Dry Bulk Berths at Paradip

Adani Ports has secured a bid to develop two dry bulk berths at Paradip Port on India's eastern coast. The project will be carried out under a Public-Private Partnership model. The concession granted to Adani Ports spans a period of 30 years. This development is expected to expand cargo handling capacity at one of India's major ports.

Real Estate Experts Call for Faster Approvals, Digital Records and Affordable Housing

Real estate professionals are pushing for a series of reforms to address rising land prices and operational bottlenecks in the sector. Key demands include expedited project approvals and the digitization of land records to improve efficiency. Industry stakeholders are also calling for a stronger affordable housing policy to support middle- and lower-income homebuyers. Experts emphasize that adopting technology is critical to improving transparency and accountability across the industry. These measures, they argue, would collectively enable smarter and more sustainable construction practices.

Philippines chief gets China's note mid-speech; his blunt reply stuns room

Nepal Faces $5 Billion Reconstruction Bill After Catastrophic Floods

Nepal is confronting a massive reconstruction challenge following devastating floods that caused billions of dollars in damage. The country estimates the cost of restoring homes and infrastructure could reach as high as $5 billion. Nepal is pursuing funding from multiple sources, including development banks and international climate finance mechanisms. Both domestic resources and foreign assistance are expected to play key roles in financing the recovery effort. Authorities are emphasizing resilient rebuilding strategies to better protect the country against future disasters.

As 5 orangutans find new home in Odisha, a probe into how they landed there

Rajnath Singh Meets Sri Lankan President, Signs Defence MoUs in Colombo

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited Colombo and held talks with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The two leaders discussed strengthening bilateral ties, covering areas of regional security, peace, and prosperity. Sri Lanka reaffirmed its commitment to India's security interests and expressed appreciation for Indian assistance. Both leaders jointly inaugurated three Bailey Bridges built by Indian defence forces through a virtual ceremony. The visit concluded with the signing of memorandums of understanding aimed at deepening defence cooperation between the two countries.

Dutch researchers convert office urine into electricity, fertilizer and hydrogen

Scientists in the Netherlands have developed a system that transforms human urine collected from office urinals into usable energy and nutrients. The setup uses bacteria to break down organic matter in urine, with electrons transferred to electrodes to generate electric current. The process also extracts phosphate and ammonia, which can serve as fertilizer inputs. Separately collected urine acts as an effective feedstock for these bio-electrochemical treatment systems. Researchers say the technology demonstrates urine's potential as a source of hydrogen gas and agricultural nutrients.

LA's 2023 Record Storms Refilled Reservoirs but Restored Only 25% of Deep Aquifers

Record-breaking storms in 2023 significantly replenished Los Angeles's surface reservoirs and shallow groundwater supplies. However, deeper aquifers located more than fifty meters underground recovered only about 25% of their lost water volume. This stark gap reveals that surface-level improvements do not necessarily reflect the condition of deeper underground water sources. Years of prolonged drought and heavy groundwater extraction are believed to be the primary causes of the slow deep aquifer recovery.