Centre opens power bids to four China-linked firms

In a sign of a continuing thaw in India's stance on Chinese in-vestments, the government has issued an order allowing four companies with Chinese ownership or links to bid for projects tendered by the Indian government in the power sector.

El Nino impact: Chhattisgarh govt. advises farmers to go for fast-growing varieties of crops

In a bid to mitigate the rainfall uncertainty due to the potential impact of El Nino, the Chhattisgarh government on Friday advised farmers in the State to cultivate oil seeds and use Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) in-stead of the traditional transplanting method in paddy for the upcoming kharif season.

An El Nino is the periodic warming of the central and eastern equatorial Pacific that tends to weaken the South Asian monsoon. Chhattisgarh is one of the major paddy growing regions of the country and agriculture is the main occupation for a large section of the population.

Burning bright: tiger population quadruples at Assam's Nameri Tiger Reserve in 3 years

The population of tigers at the 344 square km Nameri Tiger Reserve in north central Assam's Sonitpur district has quadrupled in three years, the State's For-est and Environment Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah said on Friday.

One of four tiger re-serves in Assam, Nameri shares a boundary with the 1,276.95 sq. km Pakke Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh. The other three tiger reserves are Kaziranga, Manas, and Orang, the first two being UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Kaziranga status

Better known for its one-horned rhinos, Kaziranga has one of the highest tiger densities - 13.44 per 100 sq. km in India. The 2022 AITE reported that Kaziranga had 104 tigers, one more than the number recorded in the 2014 AITE. However, 148 tigers were recorded in the 'Status of Tigers in Kaziranga Tiger Reserve', a report released by State Forest Department in 2024 stated.

The Iran conundrum and the decline of the West

Ever since 1945, the dominance of the United States and western Europe in world affairs has been taken for granted, largely because of their military power, technological innovations, and financial strength. This situation continued until fairly recently. However, the rise of China, along with the growing prominence of certain "middle powers" in recent years, has begun to dent -though not eclipse - the image of the U.S. as a superpower.

Manufacturing justice

But for its serious implications, a judge re-lying on Artificial Intelligence (AI) hallucinations to arrive at a judicial determination would have been comical. Given the serious miscarriage of justice that such hallucinations can lead to, if used in the judicial processes, the Supreme Court of India has likened it to methyl isocyanate, the poisonous gas that led to the Bhopal gas tragedy in 1984 "invisible, insidious, and catastrophic by the time anyone notices".

Building water security in a rapidly drying India

Indian cities - from Bengaluru to Mussoorie (Uttarakhand) - are reeling under severe water stress. June saw a monsoon rainfall deficit of over 40%. Delhi is facing a severe shortage, and water supply has plummeted to about 70% of the total demand of 1,250 million gallons per day. Research by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) further finds that 11 out of 15 major river basins in India are experiencing water stress, with annual water availability below 1,700 m³ per person. Several of them, including the Krishna, Cauvery, Mahi, and Tapi basins, are below the water scarcity threshold of 1,000 m³ per person. A recent report by the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) warns of global water bankruptcy. Several river basins are polluted and closed, with no outflow to the sea. Aquifers are being depleted beyond safe limits. Nearly three-quarters of the global population lives in water-insecure countries, with four billion people facing severe water scarcity for at least one month a year.

Counting cancer

Making cancer a notifiable disease at the national level is the way forward

What's good for the goose is surely good for the geese. What the States will benefit from, the country could too. In India, cancer is not a notifiable disease at the national level, keeping with the Health Ministry's position that such notification is only for communicable diseases. Population-based cancer registries and hospital-based cancer registries are currently the only national tool at the disposal of the Centre to count cancer cases.

India-Japan relations should not target third party: China

China said on Friday that bilateral cooperation bet-ween countries should not target any third party or undermine the interests of another nation, a day after India and Japan unveiled a raft of landmark initiatives during Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's visit to Delhi. "Cooperation between countries should be conducive to enhancing the understanding and trust among regional countries and safeguarding peace and stability in the region," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told the media in Beijing.

India will consider 'all related developments' to Teesta project, says MEA

Days after Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman visited China where the two sides dis-cussed the Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project (TRCMRP), India on Friday said its development assistance to projects in Bangladesh work on the basis of a "mutually agreed roadmap", and that India will consider "all related developments" in formulating an "overall approach" to the Teesta river-related project.

DAC gives approval for military purchase worth ₹52,000 crore

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on Friday accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for defence acquisition proposals worth nearly ₹52,000 crore aimed at enhancing the operational capabilities of the Army, Navy and Air Force.

'No revival of Indus treaty if Pak. does not end terror'

India on Friday said the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) will remain in "abeyance" till Pakistan "credibly and irrevocably" stops sup-porting cross-border terrorism. Official spokesperson of the External Affairs Ministry Randhir Jaiswal made the remark in the context of a recent international conference held in Pakistan where it called for the restoration of the treaty.

Ladakh to have customised self-governance framework

A customised sui generis model, which is most suitable for Ladakh, will be adopted under the provisions of Article 371 for the Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh, said the draft shared by a team from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) with leaders of civil society groups of the region on Friday.

Referring to the fifth meeting held on May 22 this year of the sub-committee of the High-Powered Committee (HPC) on Ladakh, the MHA team released the minutes of the meeting agreed upon by the Centre and the leaders of civil society groups of the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA).

Legislative debates must focus on solutions, says Om Birla

Legislative debates in the Houses must focus on solutions, not merely criticism, said Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday, launching a two-day orientation pro-gramme for the members of the West Bengal Assembly.

"Constructive debate is the hallmark of a vibrant democracy. While criticism is an essential component of legislative functioning, every discussion should also offer practical solutions to public problems.

India's services PMI growth at new low

Activity in India's services sector eased to its lowest level in 17 months, according to a private sector sur-vey, driven by weak growth in new order intakes in over two-and-a-half years.

Assam estate sells country's first commercially produced matcha tea

An Assam tea estate on Fri-day sold India's first commercially-produced matcha tea, marking a significant shift from conventional teas.

Matcha is made after shading Camellia sinensis tea leaves for three to four weeks before harvest. Ac-cording to tea planters, blocking 90% of sunlight from the leaves boosts chlorophyll and amino acid levels and gives them distinct colour and flavour.