Akshita Kapoor

[ad_1] US secretary of state Marco Rubio Secretary of state Marco Rubio announced on Wednesday that US will begin revoking visas of some Chinese students, "including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields.” Rubio announced in a post on X, saying the state department would “aggressively” revoke visas. China is the second-largest source of international students in the US. During the 2023–2024 academic year, over 270,000 Chinese students were enrolled in UAS institutions, nearly a quarter of all international students.Growing uncertainty for international studentsThe announcement follows a series of actions this week that have added to growing uncertainty for international students. On Tuesday, Rubio suspended the scheduling of new visa interviews as the state department drafts stricter guidelines, including increased surveillance of students' social media activity.The crackdown has intensified concerns among international students, who […]

[ad_1] NAINITAL: To address Nainital's parking crisis, MHA Wednesday issued formal directives allocating the premises of the Metropole Hotel to the Uttarakhand government for temporary use as a parking facility.Built in 1880, the hotel once belonged to the Raja of Mehmoodabad, who migrated to Pakistan. A luxury destination in its prime, it famously hosted figures such as Pakistan's founding father, Mohd Ali Jinnah, who spent his honeymoon there. It was designated 'enemy property' in the early 1960s.MHA's decision follows a request by CM Pushkar Singh Dhami, who cited the town's acute parking shortage and proposed using the hotel's expansive grounds, capable of accommodating over 1,000 vehicles, for public parking. According to a state govt communique, home minister Amit Shah responded positively, confirming MHA's approval in an official letter to the CM. Thanking Shah, Dhami said the move would "significantly ease […]

[ad_1] Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan NEW DELHI: India's foodgrain production is estimated to have increased 6.6%, the fastest pace of expansion in the last eight years, to reach a new high of 354 million tonne (MT) in 2024-25. All major crops, including paddy, wheat, maize, groundnuts and soybean, reported record output during the crop year. Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan attributed the all-time record foodgrain output in 2024-25 to the Centre's farmer-friendly policies, including fair pricing, loss compensation and low-interest loans, and their proper implementation by state governments."Overall foodgrain production is increasing continuously...Pulses and oilseeds output has to be increased further, for which efforts are being made," Chouhan said while releasing the third advance estimates of the overall foodgrain output.According to the estimates, wheat output was revised upward to 117 MT for 2024-25, compared with an earlier […]

[ad_1] JAISALMER: A state government employee was detained on Wednesday in Rajasthan on suspicion of spying for Pakistan's spy agency ISI amid a widening crackdown on espionage networks across the country after Operation Sindoor.Sakur Khan Mangaliyar, employed with the state's employment department, was picked up by a joint team of CID and intelligence agencies from his office in Jaisalmer. Mangaliyar is expected to be transferred to Jaipur for further questioning.Authorities are also probing a suspected connection between Mangaliyar and a senior Congress politician from the border region. Security agencies have withheld comment on political links. Sources said Mangaliyar served as a personal assistant to a Congress functionary during the previous Congress-led state govt.Mangaliyar, a resident of Mangaliya's Dhani in Baroda village near the Pakistan border, had been under surveillance for several weeks. Investigators found multiple Pakistani phone numbers in his […]

[ad_1] Maharashtra CM Fadnavis, his deputies Shinde and Pawar, and others at the Ahilyadevi Holkar memorial in Chondi earlier this month MUMBAI: The cash-strapped Maharashtra government granted approval for plans worth Rs 2,954 crore for preservation and renovation of memorials and temples in the state on Wednesday.This includes clearance for a development plan worth Rs 681.3 crore for the preservation of the memorial to the 18th-century warrior queen Ahilyadevi Holkar at her birthplace in Chaundi village in Ahilyanagar. The project was announced at a cabinet meeting held at Ahilyanagar on May 6 and comes ahead of the ruler's 300th birth anniversary. The work is to be completed over the next three years.At the same cabinet meeting, development plans worth Rs 5,503 crore were cleared for seven major pilgrimage centres in the state. This included Rs 147.8 crore for Ashtavinayak temples, […]

[ad_1] RAIPUR: Once synonymous with the rise of Maoist insurgency, Bastar, along with Kondagaon, have been removed from the list of Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected districts by Union home ministry, marking a turning point in Chhattisgarh's mission against Naxalism.This comes a week after Maoist general secretary Basavaraju was gunned down, along with 27 other Maoists, in neighbouring Narayanpur district. Bastar had been on the LWE-affected districts' list for at least 25 years. Bastar and Kondagaon have now been sub-categorised as 'districts of legacy and thrust', which means Maoist activities have come down to a great extent. Bastar range IG P Sundarraj told TOI, "Kondagaon and Bastar are among 30 districts across the country now brought under 'districts of legacy and thrust' category. This removes them from the category of LWE-affected regions but they need development and vigilance on the operational […]

[ad_1] NEW DELHI: The Centre on Wednesday raised the MSP for paddy by 3% (Rs 69) to Rs 2,369 per quintal, even as it placed special focus on pulses, oilseeds and coarse grains (nutri-cereals), hiking their MSP by 6%, 9% and nearly 14%, respectively, for the 2025-26 kharif marketing season.The move is in sync with government's growing focus on cultivation of crops other than water-guzzling paddy. It wants to promote crop diversification and encourage cultivation of climate-resilient and water-efficient crops like nutri-cereals. The highest absolute increase in MSP over the previous year has, accordingly, been recommended for niger seed (Rs 820 per quintal), followed by ragi (Rs 596 per quintal), cotton (Rs 589 per quintal) and sesamum (Rs 579 per quintal)."We have taken care that on all the crops farmers receive at least 50% margin on their base cost," said […]

[ad_1] NEW DELHI: Supreme Court on Wednesday took full control of the SIT probe against MP minister Vijay Shah's 'crass comments' aimed at Col Sofiya Qureshi, who briefed media on first two days of 'Operation Sindoor', and asked Jabalpur HC to close its suo motu proceedings resulting in lodging of FIR against him.On appeal against HC's decision to direct registration of FIR, a bench headed by Justice Surya Kant had on May 19 had ordered the setting up of a SIT comprising three IPS officers to investigate his comments while slamming him for putting up a facade of an apology following uproar against his remarks.On Wednesday solicitor general Tushar Mehta, appearing for MP government, informed the court that the SIT has been duly constituted and the investigations are underway. The SIT in its status report informed SC that it had […]

[ad_1] The S-400 was credited with the shooting down of Pakistani drones and missiles during the conflict that followed Operation Sindoor NEW DELHI: The S-400 system and the jointly-manufactured BrahMos missiles were used by India in the conflict with Pakistan and their performance was exemplary, said Russian ambassador Denis Alipov. The ambassador also said that discussions between India and Russia on the procurement of more S-400 air defence system units are "ongoing" as both countries continue to solidify the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership."From what we know, India has clearly stated the goals and undertook actions after having identified the targets and the terrorists it promised to do. As far as we know, during the operation, the S-400 system was used and the BrahMos missiles were engaged. Judging by the reports available, the performance of these weapons was exemplary," Alipov […]

[ad_1] MUMBAI: A 40-year-old man from Worli has been sentenced to four months of rigorous imprisonment after his pet husky bit his neighbour inside an apartment lift. The man, Rishab Patel, was convicted on charges of voluntarily causing hurt and negligent conduct with an animal. Judicial magistrate Suhas Bhosale, while delivering the verdict, said he would not show Patel "too much leniency". Referring to CCTV footage, the judge noted, "The way in which the accused dragged his pet inside lift shows he is not compassionate towards his own pet. He did not care about the informant, his son and dragged his own pet inside the lift... the act... resulted in injury."The victim, Ramik Shah, a resident of Alfa Apartment in Worli, was heading down from the fourth floor with his one-and-a-half-year-old son and domestic help. When the lift stopped at […]