India

India has significantly reduced its malaria incidence and mortality and exited the High Burden High Impact (HBHI) group of endemic countries officially in 2024, according to the World Health Organisation's (WHO) World Malaria Report released on Wednesday. The malaria caseload in India was slashed by 69 per cent from 6.4 million (64 lakh) in 2017 to two million (20 lakh) in 2023. Similarly, the estimated malaria deaths decreased from 11,100 to 3,500 (a 68-per cent decrease) in the same period. The WHO South-East Asia Region had eight malaria endemic countries in 2023, accounting for 40 lakh cases and contributing 1.5 per cent to the burden of malaria cases globally. In 2023, India accounted for a half of all estimated malaria cases in the region, followed by Indonesia, which accounted for just under one third. The estimated malaria deaths in the region fell by 82.9 per cent, from 35,000 in 2000 to 6,000 in 2023. India and Indonesia together accounted for about 88 per cent of malari

India, the US and China, were together responsible for 60 per cent of increase in tourism emissions between 2009 and 2019, a study has found, attributing it largely to population and a strong growth in travel demand. China's domestic tourism expenditure expanded by 17 per cent per year over the past decade and pushed global emissions up by 0.4 gigatonnes, followed by domestic tourism in the US (0.2 gigatonnes) and India (0.1 gigatonnes), the study, published in the journal Nature Communications, found. Rising income levels, especially among the "emerging economic powerhouses of China and India", too could be a driving factor, researchers led by those at the University of Queensland, Australia, said in the study. They tracked international and domestic travel for 175 countries during 2009-2019 and found that greenhouse gas emissions from tourism have been growing more than two times faster, compared to those from the rest of the global economy. Carbon footprint from tourism was foun

Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole on Wednesday sought to compare India's democracy with that of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and claimed that it was in danger and being discussed at the global level. Speaking with the media in Nagpur, Patole questioned the Maharashtra assembly poll results and said a mass movement is shaping up at Solapur district's Markadwadi village, where residents had raised doubts about EVMs and wanted to conduct a repoll using ballot papers. He said people in many cities and villages have also cast aspersions on the victory of the Mahayuti alliance of BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP, and its subsequent government formation. Patole accused the government of suppressing the voice of the people of Markadwadi, referring to a police case against several villagers over their plan to conduct a re-election using ballot papers. Gram sabha are passing resolutions demanding elections on ballot papers, claimed the Congress leader, who retained his Sakoli seat by a marg

A day after rebel forces overthrew President Bashar Assad's authoritarian government in Syria, India on Monday joined leading nations to call for stability and preserve the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Arab nation. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said it is monitoring the unfolding developments in Syria and advocated a peaceful and inclusive Syrian-led political process going forward in that country. The Syrian government collapsed on Sunday as the rebels seized control of the capital Damascus after capturing several other prominent cities and towns. Assad fled the country after the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) took control of Damascus, marking the end of his family's 50-year rule. "We are monitoring the situation in Syria in the light of ongoing developments. We underline the need for all parties to work towards preserving the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria," the MEA said in a statement. "We advocate a peaceful and ..

India's copper demand grew by 13 per cent annually to hit 1,700 kilo tonnes in FY24, driven by the rapid pace of infrastructure development and building constructions, the International Copper Association India said on Monday. Traditionally, building construction and infrastructure account for 43 per cent of copper demand while contributing 11 per cent to GDP, International Copper Association India said in a statement. As per the study undertaken by the International Copper Association India, the copper demand in the country witnessed a 13 per cent year-on-year growth in FY24, reaching 1,700 kilo tonnes (kt). This surge is attributed to overall economic expansion. After the Covid pandemic, the average annual copper demand increased by 21 per cent between FY21 and FY24, the industry body said. It further said that the demand for the commodity will continue to rise in the next financial year as well, fuelled by rapidly growing infrastructure and building construction sectors in the .

Notwithstanding the US' dismissal of BJP's allegations that it is backing attempts to destabilise India, party MP Nishikant Dubey on Sunday said he will ask Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi 10 questions in the Lok Sabha on the issue. In a post on X, Dubey alleged that media portal Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and Hungarian-American businessman George Soros have colluded with the opposition to ruin India's economy and defame the Modi government. The US on Saturday rejected BJP's allegations that organisations funded by its State Department and elements in the American "deep state" were behind attempts to destabilise India through targeted attacks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and business tycoon Gautam Adani. A spokesperson at the US embassy described the allegations as "disappointing" and asserted that the US government has been a champion of media freedom around the world. Reacting to the US embassy's statement, Dubey said, "Yesterday I read the ...

Seizures of the narcotic drug Methamphetamine have increased in the northeastern states of Assam and Mizoram in the current year, with the DRI confiscating 123 kg of the contraband during April-September. Methamphetamine, also known as 'ice' or 'crystal meth', has become a significant challenge for law enforcement agencies in India, particularly through the porous northeastern borders. According to a report by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), the smuggling trend indicates that Methamphetamine is being illegally brought into India through sea routes in the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal. For smuggling, the drug is brought to coastal hamlets like Rameswaram, Tuticorin and Nagapattinam, concealed within specially designed compartments in buses, trains, or cars. From these locations, it is smuggled across the maritime border to Sri Lanka through mid-sea transfers involving Indian fishing boats. In the first half of FY 2024-25, DRI seized 123 kg of methamphetamine in 11 cas

The momentum is being driven by India's push to build out local clean energy capacity to limit reliance on China, and the prospects of becoming an exporter of the technologies

The currency has largely remained under pressure over the last two months on the back of heightened foreign portfolio outflows and a wave of dollar strength sparked by the Donald Trump's victory

Biden Administration's point person for South and Central Asia will visit India, Sri Lanka and Nepal this week, the first after the November 5 presidential elections. The trip by the Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu will be on a visit to the three countries from December 3 to December 10, the State Department said. The visit aims at strengthening cooperation with key partners in South Asia to promote regional prosperity and security, it said. In New Delhi, Lu will support US-India collaboration in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. He will join Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink to lead US participation in the US-India East Asia Consultations. The Consultations, along with separate meetings with senior Indian officials, will provide an opportunity to exchange perspectives on global and regional issues, an official release said. On December 5, Lu will travel to Colombo t

President-elect Donald Trump's warning that BRICS countries will face 100 per cent tariffs if they choose to move away from the US dollar is unclear to what extent he will carry out his threat, as it remains to be seen if the US law permits such an action, former RBI Governor Duvvuri Subbarao said on Monday. He also said even for BRICS, there are internal differences about bringing out an alternative to the US Dollar. The nine-member group that includes India, Russia, China, and Brazil, moving out of the US currency and having a common one remains a non-starter because of both politics and economics. "Donald Trump has threatened to slap 100 per cent tariffs on imports from countries that try to move out of the dollar. His ire was particularly directed at the BRICS bloc which has been actively talking about developing an alternative to the dollar. Trump is known to bark more than he bites," Subbarao told PTI. BRICS, formed in 2009, is the only major international group of which the

BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh on Friday dismissed PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti's claim that the nation's secular foundation is being shaken as "baseless", saying it reflected her "ideological bankruptcy". Chugh also highlighted BJP's stature as the world's largest democratic party with over 11.5 crore members nationwide and 2.57 lakh members in Jammu and Kashmir alone. "The remarks by Mehbooba Mufti are baseless and a clear reflection of her ideological bankruptcy. Even the people of J-K have rejected her," Chugh told reporters on the sidelines of an event in Jammu. During her visit to the PDP headquarters in Jammu on Friday, Mufti alleged that the nation's secular foundation was being undermined, claiming that Hindus were being pitted against Muslims. Responding to Mufti's remarks, Chugh said "her comments are detached from reality". "No government scheme discriminates against any religion, group, or caste. The nation is witnessing inclusive development that is uplifting

India should be prepared to tackle any situation in a fast changing geopolitical environment, including national security challenges like cyber warfare and terrorism, President Droupadi Murmu said here on Thursday. Also, she stressed the need to develop a deep understanding of national and global scenarios as the geopolitical dynamics have changed the security landscape. "The issue of climate change is acquiring a new dimension which needs to be understood and managed. Latest cutting edge technology needs to be applied. I am confident that our armed personnel officers will rise to the future challenges," the President said in her address at the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, in Nilgiris district. "In a fast changing geopolitical environment, we need to be prepared to tackle any situation," Murmu said. "Geopolitical dynamics have changed the security landscape and there's a need to develop a deep understanding of national and global situations. We not only have to secur

Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs chairman Sanjay Kumar Agarwal on Thursday said India is actively pursuing negotiation for signing of mutual recognition agreements (MRAs) with customs authorities of about 30 countries. Mutual recognition agreements help ease overseas trade by avoiding dual certifications. It thus reduces compliance cost, simplifying compliance requirements by adhering to only one regulation and enhancing trade opportunities. India is proactively engaging with its trading partners to broaden and deepen the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) program. India has successfully signed MRAs with several key trading partners including the US, South Korea, UAE, Taiwan, Australia and Malaysia, he said. "Negotiations are ongoing with over 30 countries with promising progress and discussions with Japan and South Africa," he said while addressing the Global Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) Conference here. The AEO programme enables the Customs administration to ...

Stock trading scams emerged as the biggest culprit, with 228,094 complaints filed, incurring losses of Rs 4,636 crore

Nath also pointed out that as a result of these atrocities, saints and monks have been protesting in various cities in the country, including Dhaka, Chattogram, and Rampur. These demonstrations

India on Tuesday noted with "deep concern" the arrest and denial of bail to Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das in Bangladesh, and urged authorities there to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and all minorities. Bangladesh police on Monday arrested Das, the leader of the Hindu group, Sammilita Sanatani Jote, from the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport area in Dhaka. In a statement, the MEA said it has noted with "deep concern the arrest and denial of bail" to Das who is also the spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote. "This incident follows the multiple attacks on Hindus and other minorities by extremist elements in Bangladesh," it said. There are "several documented cases" of arson and looting of minorities' homes and business establishments, as well as theft and vandalism and desecration of deities and temples, the MEA flagged. "It is unfortunate that while the perpetrators of these incidents remain at large, charges should be pressed against a relig