With the second round of talks taking place in Geneva today, US President Donald Trump has said he will be “indirectly involved” in discussions between the US and Iran. Trump said he believes Iran wants to reach a deal over its nuclear programme, the BBC reported. The talks come amid repeated military threats against Iran, as well as the country’s crackdown on internal protests and ongoing disputes over its nuclear activities. The fresh round of negotiations come after five rounds of failed indirect talks in April-May 2025 that were broken off by joint Israeli and American bombardment of Iran in…
Author: Making Basera
Militants from the banned TTP rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into a checkpost in northwest Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, killing 11 security personnel and a child, the military said on Tuesday. TTP claimed responsibility for the deadly suicide attack on the FC check post in the Bajaur district bordering Afghanistan. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), “On February 16, a cowardly terrorist attack was attempted on security forces and law enforcement agencies’ joint check post in Bajaur District by Khwarij belonging to Fitna al Khwarij”. Fitna-al-Khawarij is a term that the state uses for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The…
New Delhi: Budget documents have indicated that India’s customs duty forgone owing to preferential tariff reductions under the free-trade agreements (FTAs) signed so far could cross Rs 1 trillion in 2026-27 (FY27), reported Business Standard. India’s customs revenue forgone for the FTAs in FY26 was Rs 98,569 crore, higher than the budget estimate of Rs 94,172 crore for the same year. The countries part of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) are expected to account for the highest revenue impact in terms of customs duty foregone among partner countries and blocs, amount to a whopping Rs 40,833 crore in…
India and France elevated bilateral ties to a “Special Global Strategic Partnership” on Tuesday after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron met in Mumbai and announced a total of 21 important outcomes in areas including defence, tech and innovation, startups, critical minerals, advanced materials, health and skilling. They also virtually inaugurated the H125 Light Utility Helicopter Final Assembly Line of Tata Airbus in Karnataka. “We take pride in the fact that, together, India and France will manufacture in India the world’s only helicopter capable of flying to the heights of Mount Everest and export it to the…
More heads are likely to roll over the alleged cover-up of the electrocution death of an elephant in Odisha, with the state’s forest department now asking the Baliguda divisional forest officer (DFO) to explain why disciplinary action should not be taken against him – signalling an expanding probe. The carcass was found on January 5 inside Belghar reserve forest under Baliguda division, but forest officials had allegedly cut it into 32 pieces and buried it across Kandhamal and Kalahandi districts to avoid departmental action. The carcass was eventually recovered on January 19 after some locals alerted the department and alleged…
In a crackdown on alleged large-scale corruption in the Jal Jeevan Mission, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Rajasthan Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested nine senior officials on Monday following early morning raids across multiple locations. Acting on findings in a case registered by the ACB, more than 15 teams conducted simultaneous operations in Jaipur, Barmer, Udaipur, Karauli, Delhi, and other locations. The action led to the arrest of nine accused, including serving and retired senior engineers of the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED). According to the ACB, the investigation revealed that two firms allegedly secured tenders worth approximately…
A research park at IIT Patna, an AI centre of excellence and Global Capability Centres (GCC) — these are among the Bihar government’s biggest takeaways from the Rs 468 crore MoUs signed with leading tech companies and academic institutions at the ongoing India AI Impact Summit and Expo 2026 in New Delhi. Among the key MoUs, signed at the five-day event that began Monday, was the establishment of a Research Park at IIT Patna at an investment of Rs 250 crore. Other key takeaways were a Rs 60 crore Bihar AI Centre of Excellence (CoE), with Patna-based Tiger Analytics as…
A 27-year-old youth in Kerala died after his bike fell into an uncovered drainage pit at Thodupuzha in Idukki on Monday night. The death sparked protests seeking action. The victim, Jeys Benny, a native of Muthalakodam near Thodupuzha, was scheduled to leave for a job abroad on Wednesday. CCTV visuals showed the youth’s bike falling into the pit from the carriageway of the road. Police said a case has been registered in connection with the mishap and that they are looking into the officials’ laxity in leaving the pit, dug for drainage, uncovered for the last several months. Outraged over…
A bomb threat targeting private schools in Mohali, Punjab, has caused panic, leading to evacuations, heightened security, and intensive searches across the city. In Phase 5 of Mohali, one private school was immediately evacuated after authorities received a threatening message warning that multiple schools could be blown up. Students were sent home as a precaution. The threat, received earlier in the day, also mentioned a hospital, prompting alarm among security agencies. Although Fortis Hospital was not explicitly named, police launched extensive searches at the facility. Five police teams, including bomb disposal units and dog squads, were deployed to carry out…
Mumbai: Mumbai woke up to a bright and unusually warm morning on Tuesday, February 17, offering clear skies across the city. The day also began on a positive note as air quality showed an improvement. The city saw a significant drop in AQI, providing a respite to early morning commuters. Meteorological data from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) indicate that Mumbai will witness partly cloudy skies accompanied by hazy conditions through the day. Temperatures are expected to hover between 19°C and 32°C, a range that signals the gradual transition towards peak summer. Significant Drop in AQI Mumbai’s overall Air Quality…