Author: News Desk

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has found worrying levels of heavy metals such as copper, zinc, chromium, and molybdenum in the air across ten major Indian cities, including Delhi. These metals accounted for between 0.1% and 2.1% of the total PM10 concentration, according to the data shared with the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The other affected cities are Jaipur, Bhopal, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Nagpur, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Visakhapatnam, and Chennai. In Delhi, air samples were taken from Pitampura, Siri Fort, Janakpuri, and Shahdara during June and July this year. The findings came after the NGT took note of a Times of India report…

India’s defence engagement with Australia reached a new level during Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s recent visit to Canberra and Sydney for the first Australia-India Defence Ministers’ Dialogue. The visit, marking the first by an Indian Defence Minister to Australia in over a decade, resulted in several agreements that advance the relationship from strategic alignment to practical operational cooperation. Key outcomes include a Joint Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap to enhance naval cooperation, renewal of the Joint Declaration on Defence and Security Cooperation, and agreements on annual Defence Ministers’ Dialogues. Additional arrangements cover mutual submarine rescue support, progress on the air-to-air refuelling…

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ) and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) have joined forces to set up India’s first ship-to-ship Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) bunkering facility at Vizhinjam Port in Kerala — the country’s first transshipment hub. The partnership, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed during India Maritime Week 2025 in Mumbai, marks a major step forward in India’s clean energy and maritime transition. The MoU was exchanged between Ashwani Gupta, CEO and Whole-time Director of APSEZ, and Rahul Tandon, Business Head, Gas at BPCL, in the presence of senior officials from both companies. The…

Tourists in Sri Lanka can now explore the island freely with Mahindra Treo electric three-wheelers, available for self-drive rentals through a partnership between Mahindra’s channel partner Evolution Auto and TukTuk Rental. The move offers travelers a clean, affordable, and flexible way to discover Sri Lanka’s cities and scenic routes without depending on taxis or public transport. Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra shared that this initiative introduces “a new way to experience the island,” highlighting the company’s commitment to sustainable mobility and accessible green transport solutions. Simple, Clean, and Independent TravelThe Treo, a fully electric three-wheeler, provides tourists the convenience of…

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is reviewing stricter regulations on carrying and using power banks on flights following a fire incident on an IndiGo aircraft this week, media reports said. The incident occurred on October 19 when a passenger’s power bank reportedly caught fire while the Delhi-Dimapur IndiGo flight was taxiing for departure at Indira Gandhi International Airport. Fortunately, no one was injured, as the cabin crew quickly extinguished the fire. Rising Safety Concerns Concerns over lithium battery-powered devices have grown after the incident. The DGCA has launched a comprehensive review of how power banks are handled on…

Pakistan will station roughly 25,000 soldiers in Saudi Arabia as part of a new Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement, a senior source told CNN-News18. The troops will assist with Saudi security, conduct joint operations, and train local forces, in exchange for Saudi investments of $10 billion. The agreement was signed on September 17 in Riyadh by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. According to a joint statement, “any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both.” While the full text of the pact has not been released, sources say the core arrangement…

India has landed two export deals for its BrahMos supersonic cruise missile system, valued at roughly 40 billion rupees ($450 million), Defense Minister Rajnath Singh recently announced. He did not reveal the customer nations. These contracts, signed over the past month, are the first new BrahMos exports since the Philippines purchased three coastal defense batteries in 2022 for 18.9 billion Philippine pesos ($322 million). While countries like Vietnam and Indonesia have shown interest in acquiring the system, no agreements have been finalized with them so far. A Boost for India’s Missile Technology The new orders highlight India’s growing success in…

India’s electronics exports are climbing rapidly, emerging as the country’s third-largest export category and the fastest-growing one in the first half of FY26, according to commerce ministry data. With the US discouraging Indian refiners from importing Russian crude, experts believe electronics could soon replace petroleum products as India’s second-biggest export after engineering goods—possibly within the next two years. Just three years ago, electronics ranked seventh among India’s top exports. By FY25, it had moved ahead of gems and jewellery as well as chemicals to claim the third spot. Its rise has been steady and sharp, driven by increasing global demand…

The State Bank of India (SBI) has been recognized as the World’s Best Consumer Bank 2025 and Best Bank in India 2025 by New York-based Global Finance. The honours were presented at the Global Finance Awards Ceremony, held alongside the IMF–World Bank Annual Meetings in Washington, D.C., marking a major milestone in India’s growing global banking influence. SBI said the twin awards reaffirm its leadership in digital transformation, financial inclusion, and customer-centric banking. Chairman Challa Srinivasulu Setty described the recognition as a reflection of “our daily commitment to excellence,” noting that serving over 520 million customers and adding 65,000 new ones each day demands constant…

Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama has announced that the country’s first artificial intelligence–powered government minister, Diella, is “pregnant”, a symbolic way of saying she will soon generate 83 AI assistants, one for each Socialist Party member of parliament. Speaking at the Berlin Global Dialogue in Germany, Rama said the project marks a bold step in merging technology and governance. “For the first time, Diella is pregnant and with 83 children,” he said, adding that these AI “children” will act as digital aides, documenting parliamentary proceedings, tracking discussions, and keeping MPs informed about sessions they miss. The initiative is expected to…