The Sen Times

NEW DELHI, June 9 (Reuters) Indias fertiliser ministry has sought to double its budgeted subsidy fund for the current fiscal year amid a global price rally, a government official said, as the South Asian nation increasingly counts the mounting cost of the Iran war. India, where farming is a mainstay, imports fertilisers such as urea and DAP, as well as liquefied natural gas, a key feedstock for urea production. The worlds third-largest oil importer and consumer also ships in about 90% of its oi

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., June 9, 2026 (AP) Humanoid robots struggling with tasks like grasping a cup have a new teacher a person wearing an ultrasound wristband that captures the movement of muscles, tendons and ligaments beneath the skin. Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology developed the tool to collect data of human hand motion that could eventually help robots achieve the dexterity that has been difficult for machines to master. Imagine people doing housework, said Xuanhe Zhao

New Delhi, Jun 9 (PTI) Gold prices rebounded by Rs 1,500 to reclaim the Rs 1.60 lakh per 10-gram mark in the national capital on Tuesday due to a weak US dollar and improving sentiment in the bullion market. According to local marketmen, the yellow metal of 99.9 per cent purity climbed Rs 1,500 to Rs 1,60,300 per 10 grams (inclusive of all taxes) from Mondays closing level of Rs 1,58,800 per 10 grams. The recovery came even as global gold prices traded lower, with analysts attributing the rise i

Mumbai, Jun 9 (PTI) The rupee appreciated 25 paise to close at 95.36 (provisional) against the US dollar on Tuesday, as Brent crude oil prices and the US dollar index retreated from their elevated levels after a pause in US-Iran hostilities. Forex traders said besides the de-escalation of tensions in the West Asia war, likely intervention by the Reserve Bank of India, positive domestic markets and easing US treasury yields supported the rupee. At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee

Mumbai, Jun 9 (PTI) Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty ended higher on Tuesday, a day after facing sharp losses, in tandem with a recovery in global markets and easing of hostilities between Israel and Iran. A rally in bank stocks and cooling oil prices also added to the markets optimism. The 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 394.50 points, or 0.54 per cent, to settle at 73,918.76. During the day, it jumped 511.15 points, or 0.69 per cent, to 74,035.41. The 50-share NSE Nifty ended 119.10 point

From personal health portals to AI assistants that draft emails, the digital age has simplified endless everyday tasks. But for many older New Zealanders, the rapid march of technology has helped build a wall rather than open doors. Navigating online forms, changing apps, disappearing face-to-face services and the constant threat of scams can be daunting. There is a term for this unease: technostress. Once used to describe the anxiety and frustration felt by workers, it has more recently been ap

HONG KONG, June 9, 2026 (AP) Chinas exports picked up pace in May, rising 19.4% from a year earlier, its customs agency said Tuesday, as shipments remained robust despite impacts from the Iran war. The stronger than expected performance was an improvement from Aprils 14.1% year-on-year increase. Exports have remained robust despite the war, supported by shipments of autos and technology and artificial intelligence-related products such as semiconductors. Imports in May jumped 27.4%, also at a f

Mumbai, Jun 9 (PTI) The rupee rose 20 paise to 95.41 against the US dollar in early trade on Tuesday as Brent crude oil prices and the US dollar index retreated from their elevated levels after a pause in US-Iran hostilities. Forex traders said the rupee opened on a positive note after Israel and Iran agreed to deescalate and ease strikes. At the interbank foreign exchange market the rupee opened at 95.47, then touched 95.41, registering a gain of 20 paise from its previous close. On Monday, the

Mumbai, Jun 9 (PTI) Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty rebounded in early trade on Tuesday in-tandem with a recovery in global equity markets and easing of hostilities between Israel and Iran. After falling sharply in the previous trade, the 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 350.57 points to 73,874.83 during early deals. The 50-share NSE Nifty went up by 114.50 points to 23,237.50. From the 30-Sensex firms, Trent, ICICI Bank, InterGlobe Aviation, Axis Bank, Mahindra & Mahindra and Bajaj Finserv were a

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, June 8, 2026 (AP) Israel and Iran traded fire Monday in their first attacks since the U.S. struck a ceasefire with Tehran two months ago. The Iranian military said hours later that it was halting offensive operations as the renewed hostilities threatened to drag the Middle East back into a full-scale war. The U.S. told Iran there would be no more attacks by Israel if Iran halted its missile strikes, and that Israel has agreed to halt attacks for now, according to a

New Delhi, Jun 8 (PTI) Gold prices fell Rs 1,100 to Rs 1.58 lakh per 10 grams in the national capital on Monday, as investors dumped precious metals amid rising crude oil rates following fresh escalating tensions in West Asia. According to local marketmen, the price of gold of 99.9 per cent purity declined by Rs 1,100 to Rs 1,58,800 per 10 grams (inclusive of all taxes) from Fridays closing level of Rs 1,59,900 per 10 grams. Silver also remained under intense selling pressure, plunging Rs 5,000

BENGALURU, June 8 (Reuters) Indias inflation likely rose to the Reserve Bank of Indias medium-term target of 4% in May, driven by a pickup in vegetable prices and higher fuel costs following the U.S. and Israel war against Iran, a Reuters poll of economists showed. Inflation has remained below the RBIs 4% target for 15 consecutive months. But that benign trend is unlikely to continue, with state-owned fuel retailers raising fuel prices four times in May alone, pushing up transport costs, while

Mumbai, Jun 8 (PTI) The rupee depreciated 56 paise to settle at 95.74 (provisional) against the American currency on Monday, pressured by elevated crude oil prices and the strength of the US dollar in the overseas market due to higher risk aversion amid escalating geopolitical tensions. Forex traders said the USD/INR pair erased the previous trading sessions gains on risk aversion in global markets. Further, a sharp jump in crude oil prices and a rise in the US dollar index dented investor senti

Ranchi, Jun 7 (PTI) The ruling INDIA bloc in Jharkhand on Sunday announced that its two Rajya Sabha nominees one each from the JMM and the Congress will file their nomination papers on Monday, asserting that the alliance is united and confident of winning both seats. The decision was taken at a meeting of INDIA bloc legislators chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren at his official residence here. JMM has fielded former minister Baidyanath Ram, while the Congress has nominated senior party fun

JERUSALEM, June 8, 2026 (AP) The Middle East is suddenly bracing for war again. Iran fired missiles at Israel late Sunday in the first such bombardment in the two months since a ceasefire. Israel launched airstrikes early Monday targeting central and western Iran in response. What happened? The truce in the Iran war that was reached in April has not spread to Lebanon, where Israel has been battling Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants. Israel says it is defending its northern communities that fac

Sydney, Jun 8 (The Conversation) Shark fins on a plane, seahorses in your bag and sea cucumbers in the post these are just a few examples of illegal marine wildlife trafficking. This crime can be hard to detect. But in a new study, published in the journal Frontiers in Ocean Sustainability, we show how artificial intelligence (AI) can be harnessed as a complimentary detection tool to help stop marine wildlife trafficking at international airports and mail facilities. A global crime The cross-bo

Mumbai, Jun 8 (PTI) Stock market benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty tumbled in early trade on Monday, tracking a sharp decline in global equities and a fresh spike in crude oil prices, amid simmering tensions in West Asia. The 30-share BSE Sensex tumbled 724.95 points to 73,518.39 in early deals. The 50-share NSE Nifty dropped 222.45 points to 23,138.60. From the 30-Sensex firms, Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Consultancy Services, InterGlobe Aviation, Trent, Bajaj Finance and Eternal were among the

MREIJEH, Lebanon, June 7, 2026 (AP) Israel struck Beiruts southern suburbs without warning on Sunday, days after a ceasefire agreement in Washington went into effect and despite a U.S. request not to attack Lebanon s capital. Lebanons state-run national news agency said two people were killed and 11 wounded in a preliminary count. Iran had warned that an attack on Beirut would renew full-scale war across the Mideast, even as Pakistan tries to restart talks between Tehran and Washington. Iran wa

New Delhi, Jun 7 (PTI) As many as 23 political parties of the opposition INDIA bloc will meet on Monday to redraw their strategy to take on the BJP and iron out differences amid changed power dynamics after the defeat of regional anchors TMC and DMK in the recent assembly polls. Top leaders of opposition parties including Congress Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, TMCs Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav of RJD and Uddhav Thackeray of Sh

Cities around the world are planting more trees to cope with rising urban heat. But our research shows trees alone are often not enough. In some cases, the wrong kind of greening can even make streets feel less comfortable on a hot day. We compared field measurements from Melbourne, Munich and Hong Kong to test how different kinds of urban planting changed the heat people experience outdoors. The results showed layered vegetation where trees are combined with shrubs and ground cover often cool

Bengaluru, Jun 6 (PTI) AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge has declared total assets worth Rs 38.76 crore in his Rajya Sabha nomination affidavit filed here. In his affidavit, Kharge has declared movable assets worth Rs 11.37 crore, comprising Rs 6.60 crore in his own name, Rs 4.41 crore in his wife Radha Bais name, and Rs 36.09 lakh held under a Hindu Undivided Family (HUF). The affidavit shows that Kharge has immovable assets worth Rs 8.31 crore, his wife has immovable assets worth Rs 9.86 crore, an

NEW DELHI, June 6, 2026 (AP) Hundreds of supporters of the Cockroach Janata Party, an online joke that drew millions across India, gathered for the first time in the national capital on Saturday, taking the social media movement off screens and into its biggest real-world test yet. The protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, marks the movements first foray into street politics after weeks of dominating social media feeds and news headlines, attracting millions of online followers and widespread

DUBAI, June 5 (Reuters) Iran has reaffirmed support for its Lebanese ally Hezbollah and demanded Israel withdraw from southern Lebanon, underscoring complications facing an interim deal to end the broader conflict between the U.S. and Iran. Iran has made a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah a condition for any peace deal with Washington to resolve the regional war, now in its fourth month, and restart shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The latest round of fighting between Hezbollah and

GALPATHA, Sri Lanka, June 5, 2026 (AP) The site of the deadly fire at an unregistered nursing home for people with mental illnesses in Western Sri Lanka lay abandoned Friday as the death toll rose from 12 to 13 after one of the injured succumbed to injuries at the hospital, an official said. Glasses cases, medicines and reclining chairs lay strewn around the burned-out shell of the home in Anguruwatota, a small town about 55 kilometers (34 miles) southeast of the capital, Colombo. The surviving

New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) Gold prices declined by Rs 400 to Rs 1.59 lakh per 10 grams in the national capital on Friday amid weak trends in the international markets. According to local marketmen, the yellow metal of 99.9 per cent purity depreciated by Rs 400 to Rs 1,59,900 per 10 grams (inclusive of all taxes) from Thursdays closing level of Rs 1,60,300 per 10 grams. Extending its losses for the third straight session, silver slumped by Rs 5,000 to Rs 2,60,700 per kilogram (inclusive of all taxes)

Solna (Sweden), Jun 5 (The Conversation) Exercise is important for your heart and cardiovascular health. But for years, research has suggested that very fit people particularly young men have a higher risk of developing atrial fibrillation (an irregular heartbeat) later in life than less athletic people do. But our new large-scale study of more than one million young Swedish men challenges this long-held concern about fitness and heart health. The study shows that atrial fibrillation risk in v

NEW DELHI, June 5 (Reuters) India said on Friday it would exempt foreign institutional investors and the Bank for International Settlements from capital gains tax on receipts arising from interest or sale of government securities. The decision, announced through an executive order as Parliament is not in session, is aimed at attracting more stable foreign capital as the rupee has weakened over 5% this year amid elevated oil prices and equity outflows. Bond markets and the rupee were little chan

June 5 (Reuters) Indian companies are willing to deepen their presence in Venezuela, Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri told Venezuelas interim President Delcy Rodriguez when they met in New Delhi on Thursday. Rodriguez has invited an Indian energy delegation to visit and explore opportunities in the South American countrys energy sector, Indias oil ministry said in a statement on Friday.

BEIRUT, June 5, 2026 (AP) Israel and Lebanon have agreed to renew their shaky ceasefire, with an aim to continue talks later this month for a comprehensive peace deal. The U.S.-brokered agreement, announced in a joint statement by the U.S., Israel and Lebanon Wednesday, comes after Israeli forces made their deepest incursion into Lebanon in more than a quarter century. But it includes several contentious points, including the creation of pilot security zones inside Lebanon from which the Iran-b

MUMBAI, June 5 (Reuters) The RBI (Reserve Bank of India) on Friday kept its policy repo rate unchanged at 5.25%, opting to look past rupee weakness and assess the fallout from rising global energy costs on inflation and growth. Nearly 80% of 56 economists polled by Reuters expected the RBIs monetary policy committee to hold the repo rate. All six members of the rate panel, which includes three RBI officials and three external appointees, voted to hold rates. The MPC decided to continue with its

New Delhi, Jun 4 (PTI) Gold prices climbed Rs 700 to Rs 1.60 lakh per 10 grams in the national capital on Thursday amid firm trend in the global markets. According to the All India Sarafa Association, the yellow metal of 99.9 per cent purity appreciated Rs 700 to Rs 1,60,300 per 10 grams (inclusive of all taxes) from Wednesdays closing level of Rs 1,59,600 per 10 grams. However, silver prices fell sharply by Rs 3,800 to Rs 2,65,700 per kilogram (inclusive of all taxes). The white metal had close

Dehradun, Jun 4 (PTI) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of working to further external interests, claiming that the central government was systematically dismantling critical socio-economic protections. Addressing a public rally in Uttarakhands Almora via phone, Rahul accused the central government of being involved in the looting of the states natural resources. The team of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah has destroyed the economic foundation established

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip, June 4, 2026 (AP) Israeli strikes in Gaza killed at least nine Palestinians overnight, according to local hospitals, even as much of the worlds attention was focused on the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. The nine people were killed in at least four separate strikes in Gaza City, according to Shifa Hospital, which received the bodies. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the strikes. Last week, Israel killed the top Hamas military lead

Mumbai, Jun 4 (PTI) Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty ended almost flat in a choppy trade on Thursday, as investors preferred to stay on the sidelines amid continuing uncertainty in West Asia and relentless foreign fund outflows. Caution also prevailed in the market ahead of the RBIs monetary policy decision on Friday, an expert said. The 30-share BSE Sensex went up marginally by 13.84 points, or 0.02 per cent, to settle at 74,360.01. During the day, it hit a high of 74,544.24 and a low of 73,8

Mumbai, Jun 4 (PTI) The rupee depreciated 7 paise to close at 95.83 (provisional) against the US dollar on Thursday, as heightened geopolitical tensions between the US and Iran drove energy volatility and aggressive safe-haven buying. Forex traders said the prolonged West Asia crisis poses a major risk for India, which relies heavily on energy imports. Market participants are now turning their attention to the Reserve Bank of Indias MPC rate decision on June 5, as inflation, growth and the rupee

New Delhi, Jun 4 (PTI) The Congress on Thursday accused the Modi government of pursuing a political agenda in implementing the three-language formula in the CBSE curriculum and said Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has shown himself to be a political hack with zero integrity who must resign. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said that aside from the CBSEs incompetent, hasty implementation of its OSM system and the corruption in its tender process, the CBSE has also been in the news f

June 4 (Reuters) Indian shares are likely to open lower on Thursday, mirroring broader Asian markets, as renewed U.S.-Iran fighting rattled investors globally, even as conflicting signs of de-escalation kept them cautious. GIFT Nifty futures were at 23,320, as of 7:23 a.m. IST, indicating the benchmark Nifty 50 would open below its previous close of 23,405.6. Israel and Lebanon agreed to implement a ceasefire to end hostilities, the Trump administration said on Wednesday, boosting hopes for a b

WASHINGTON, June 4, 2026 (AP) US House for the first time Wednesday approved a war powers resolution that would halt the U.S. military action against Iran, defying President Donald Trump as a handful of Republicans joined with Democrats to end the three-month-long conflict that has reordered politics at home and abroad. House Speaker Mike Johnson had tried to prevent an outcome that would show the mounting opposition to the war, abruptly shutting down floor action two weeks ago when the resolut

BEIRUT, June 3, 2026 (AP) President Donald Trump in an interview released Wednesday confirmed an earlier report that he criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as crazy in a Monday phone call, saying he was a little bit perturbed that Israels fighting of Hezbollah in Lebanon was holding back peace talks with Iran. But even as the U.S. president acknowledged the tensions, he insisted that his relationship with Netanyahu was solid and they connected, in part, because theyre both wart

NEW DELHI, June 3 (Reuters) At least 21 people, including 18 foreign nationals, were killed in a fire at a hotel in Delhi on Wednesday, police and broadcaster CNN-News18 said, in one of the worst such incidents in the national capital since 2022. The dead included people from Bangladesh, Nigeria, Mozambique and Liberia, the broadcaster said. Reuters could not immediately confirm the nationalities of the victims. Several people had jumped out of the burning building in South Delhis Malviya Nagar

Bengaluru, June 3 (PTI) From a student activist in Kanakapura in Bengaluru South district to becoming Karnatakas 25th Chief Minister, D K Shivakumars four-decade-long journey is marked by turbulence, triumphs and unflinching loyalty to the Congress party. From the dusty lanes of Dodda Alahalli village, the 64-year-old leader survived electoral setbacks, imprisonment and endured a protracted struggle to reach the top post, he had long coveted. The diehard Congressman had spent years building his

NEW DELHI, June 3 (Reuters) The United States has proposed an additional tariff of 12.5% on imports from India, saying it is among 60 economies that failed to curb imports made with forced labour, a step that threatens to complicate two-way trade talks underway in New Delhi. The proposal by the U.S. Trade Representatives office came on the second of three days of talks between Indian trade officials and a U.S. delegation led by Assistant USTR Brendan Lynch. India has failed to impose and effect

Patna, Jun 3 (PTI) A coaching institute of educator Faisal Khan, popularly known as Khan Sir, was allegedly vandalised and pelted with stones in Patna, police said on Wednesday. He also claimed that firing took place at the institution, but police could not confirm it. The incident took place at Khan Global Coaching Institute in Kadamkuan police station area on Tuesday night, they said. We received information around 10.10 pm on Tuesday about stone-pelting and damage to property at Khan Global C

Mumbai, Jun 3 (PTI) The rupee depreciated 28 paise to 95.64 against the US dollar in early trade on Wednesday, after the US Trade Representative proposed 12.5 per cent additional duties on India and 53 other countries over forced labour import violations. Forex traders said the US Trade Representatives action, amid fresh hostilities and stalled talks between the US and Iran, weighed on investor sentiment. At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 95.43 against the US dollar,

Bengaluru, Jun 3 (PTI) State Congress President D K Shivakumar will be sworn in as the chief minister of Karnataka on Wednesday, along with some ministers, in a ceremony planned at Lok Bhavan here. The 64-year-old Vokkaliga strongman, who was elected as leader of the Congress Legislature Party in Karnataka on May 30, will be administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot at 4.05 pm at Lok Bhavans Glass House. Though it is not officially known how many ministers will

WASHINGTON, June 3, 2026 (AP) Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that he is optimistic about the potential for a resumption in nuclear talks with Iran despite a shaky ceasefire in the war that is looking increasingly in doubt. Rubio defended the Trump administrations approach to Iran and other global hotspots in back-to-back hearings before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a House Appropriations subcommittee. He was briefly disrupted by protesters at each session. In his firs

UNITED NATIONS, June 3, 2026 (AP) Bangladeshs Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman won a hotly contested race Tuesday to be the next president of the 193-member United Nations General Assembly. In a secret-ballot vote, Rahman defeated Cyprus Ambassador Andreas Kakouris 99-91, with three countries not voting. He will succeed Germanys former Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, whose one-year term ends in September. The presidency of the world body rotates by region and this year it was the Asia-Pacif

New Delhi, Jun 2 (PTI) Karnataka chief minister-designate D K Shivakumar and his predecessor Siddaramaiah held deliberations with the top brass of the Congress on Tuesday on giving final shape to the new cabinet in the state. Sources said Shivakumar will take oath along with a small new cabinet initially and expand it later. He will be sworn in on June 3 in Bengaluru, where former party chief Rahul Gandhi will be present. Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah also met Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and

Mumbai, Jun 2 (PTI) Youth Congress workers on Tuesday organised a protest march in Mumbai amid the alleged NEET paper leak and concerns regarding the OSM system in CBSEs board examinations, prompting the police to detain several activists. Protesters raised slogans against the Centre and demanded transparency in the examination system and action against those involved in paper leaks. The march, led by Indian Youth Congress president Uday Bhanu Chib, commenced at Chaityabhoomi in Dadar towards th

New Delhi, Jun 2 (PTI) The Centre has formed a one-member committee to inquire into matters relating to the procurement of services for the on-screen marking system by the CBSE. The committee will be chaired by S Radha Chauhan, Chairperson, Capacity Building Commission, a memorandum issued by the Cabinet Secretariat said on Tuesday. Chauhan has been empowered to obtain the assistance of officials from other departments, as required, while the Capacity Building Commission will provide secretarial