The Sen Times

Sydney, Jun 17 (Conversation) Our supermarket shelves are lined with meat and dairy products, ranging from cheese to milk and minced beef. The average Australian consumes more than 22 kilograms of meat and 90 kilograms of dairy each year. But over the past five years, Australians have increasingly turned to alternative proteins. Six in ten people report trying, or being interested in trying, plant-based products. Thats based on evidence suggesting that eating a plant-based diet meaning foods th

New Delhi, Jun 16 (PTI) Gold prices slipped marginally by Rs 200 in the national capital on Tuesday, while silver prices remained unchanged amid subdued local demand. According to marketmen, gold of 99.9 per cent purity fell Rs 200 to Rs 1,59,200 per 10 grams (inclusive of all taxes) from Mondays closing level of Rs 1,59,400 per 10 grams. However, silver prices remained unchanged at Rs 2,60,700 per kg. Analysts said easing geopolitical tensions boosted sentiment in domestic equity markets and su

BEIJING, June 16 (Reuters) Nepals new government must tap Chinas technological know-how and convince investors that the Himalayan country is open for business and will deliver on the campaign promises that swept it to power, Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal told Reuters on Tuesday. The three-year-old Rastriya Swatantra Party won 182 of 275 parliamentary seats in March, campaigning to restore political stability, boost the economy and crack down on corruption, in an election triggered by Gen Z-le

New Delhi, Jun 16 (PTI) The plan of 20 rebel Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MPs to merge with a lesser-known unrecognised party has striking similarities with a split in the Congress Arunachal Pradesh unit led by Pema Khandu in 2016, former Election Commission officials have said. In 2016, Arunachal saw one of the biggest political realignments in the Northeast. In September that year, Khandu and 42 Congress MLAs joined the Peoples Party of Arunachal (PPA), while former chief minister Nabam Tuki s

Mumbai, Jun 16 (PTI) Benchmark stock indices Sensex and Nifty rose for the third consecutive day on Tuesday, propelled by a positive trend in global markets and softening crude oil prices following a peace deal between the US and Iran. The 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 544.15 points, or 0.71 per cent, to settle at 76,808.48. Intraday, it surged 582.41 points, or 0.76 per cent, to 76,846.74. The 50-share NSE Nifty climbed 135.25 points, or 0.57 per cent, to end at 23,989.15. During the day, it jumpe

Mumbai, Jun 16 (PTI) The rupee appreciated for the third straight session on Tuesday to close 5 paise higher at 94.53 (provisional) against the US dollar, supported by easing West Asia tensions and extended fall in crude oil prices. Forex traders said that with the reported de-escalation of the US-Iran conflict and diplomatic agreements regarding the Strait of Hormuz, the immediate threat to global energy supplies has significantly reduced. Moreover, softening of the US dollar and a decline in U

PALU, Indonesia, June 16, 2026 (AP) A 6.7 magnitude earthquake shook part of central Indonesias Sulawesi island Tuesday, injuring at least eight people, causing scattered damage and rattling residents of a city devastated by a quake and tsunami eight years ago. The strong shaking sent people fleeing into open areas in and around Palu, a city of about 400,000 people and the capital of Central Sulawesi province. Several hospitals evacuated patients, some with IV drips, outdoors as a safety measur

New Delhi, Jun 16 (PTI) Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will hear the defected TMC MPs and the faction led by Mamata Banerjee both before deciding on giving recognition to the breakaway faction, sources have said. The speakers office has also sent an email to the Banerjee-led faction which is now reduced to a rump seeking its view, they said. Earlier, sources from Parliament said Birla is likely to seek legal opinion on the defected leaders demand to be recognised as a separate group after a propos

New Delhi, Jun 16 (PTI) Researchers have developed a blood-based indicator of age of an organ that can be used to assess its current age and predict the risk of a disease that might affect it 10 years later. Ones biological age measures how well the body functions, compared to the chronological age. However, the organs inside the body are all said to be ageing at different speeds. The researchers, including those from the US Stanford University, looked at 11 separate organ systems brain, muscle

BEIJING, June 16 (Reuters) Nepalese Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal met Chinas top diplomat Wang Yi on Monday, his first trip to the neighbouring superpower since his party swept to election victory in March, and days after visiting Beijings regional rival India. The ousting of a Communist Party-led coalition government in Beijings backyard presents a conundrum to Chinese diplomats, who have been working to shore up ties with neighbouring nations while reasserting claims in the East and South Ch

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France, June 16, 2026 (AP) Leaders at the Group of Seven summit of major industrialized nations face a packed agenda on their first full day Tuesday, including challenging discussions on ending Russias war in Ukraine and addressing the Middle East crisis. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be in attendance at the invitation of host France. The Ukraine talks come on the heels of U.S. President Donald Trumps announcement of an agreement to end the 3 1/2-month-old U.S. w

DHAKA, June 16 (Reuters) Bangladesh has summoned a senior Indian diplomat posted in Dhaka to protest against the treatment of an adviser to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman who was reportedly detained and questioned for several hours at New Delhi airport, in the latest diplomatic row between the neighbours. Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman described the incident as unexpected and unfortunate, while Dhaka formally conveyed its concerns to Indian Deputy High Commissioner Pawan Badhe late on Monday.

Mumbai, Jun 16 (PTI) Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty rallied in early trade on Tuesday, driven by a positive trend in global markets and cooling crude oil prices following a peace deal between the US and Iran. Fresh foreign fund inflows also added to the positive trend in the domestic market. The 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 272.87 points to 76,537.20 in early deals. The 50-share NSE Nifty went up by 69.15 points to 23,921.55. From the 30-Sensex firms, HCL Tech, Bajaj Finance, Bajaj Finserv, H

Mumbai, Jun 16 (PTI) The rupee appreciated 5 paise to 94.53 against the US dollar in early trade on Tuesday, as a sharp decline in oil prices and easing Middle East tensions have shifted the near-term bias in favour of the domestic unit. Forex traders said the immediate threat to global energy supplies has significantly reduced, following easing of tensions in the Middle East. Brent crude fell more than 6 per cent, moving closer to the USD 82 per barrel mark. For India, which imports nearly 90 p

Hyderabad, Jun 16 (PTI) Cautioning against taking SIR lightly, Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday suggested to the ruling Congress leaders to monitor the exercise at the booth-level. Reddy, who attended a video conference organised by the state Congress, said the voters lists for the 2028 Assembly elections would be finalised in October, 2026. Observing that nothing much can be done if voters names are removed during the exercise, he said key leaders should be in touch with Booth

ISLAMABAD, June 16, 2026 (AP) Iran and the United States are trumpeting their tentative agreement aimed at ending their war as a victory. But so far there is no word on whats actually in it. The memorandum of understanding, brokered mainly by Pakistan, starts with the simultaneous lifting of Irans closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the U.S. blockade of Irans ports, according to Pakistani officials. The two sides will then begin 60 days of negotiations over Irans nuclear program and the potenti

Ranchi, Jun 15 (PTI) Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday launched a statewide anti-drug awareness campaign and called upon people to join the governments efforts to make the state free from narcotics abuse. The campaign was launched from the state secretariat premises with the flagging off of 11 publicity vehicles that will travel across the state to spread awareness about the harmful effects of drug addiction. Addressing the programme, Soren said addiction affects not only individua

Kolkata, Jun 15 (PTI) Leader of the Trinamool Congresss rebel faction in Lok Sabha, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, has written to Speaker Om Birla seeking expulsion of Mamata Banerjee loyalist, Kalyan Banerjee, on grounds of repeated verbal abuse, misogynistic comments and misconduct within the precincts of the Lower House. Ghosh Dastidars letter demanding Kalyan Banerjees expulsion was written as a follow-up to a complaint against the Sreerampur MP on May 28 and amid the acrimonious rift within the par

You probably know fruit and vegetables are good for you, and most of us dont eat enough of them. But amid a cost-of-living crisis, buying more fresh food may not seem like a budget-friendly option. Enter: canned or frozen fruit and veg. These are usually cheaper and longer-lasting than fresh produce. But are they as healthy? Lets unpack the research. First, how much should we be aiming for? Fruit and vegetables contain important vitamins, minerals and fibre. These support overall wellbeing and r

New Delhi, Jun 15 (PTI) Gold prices climbed by Rs 2,500 to Rs 1.59 lakh per 10 grams in the national capital on Monday, while silver advanced to Rs 2.60 lakh per kg, tracking strong global trends after the US and Iran struck a peace deal framework. According to marketmen, the yellow metal of 99.9 per cent purity jumped Rs 2,500 to Rs 1,59,400 per 10 grams (inclusive of all taxes) from Fridays closing level of Rs 1,56,900 per 10 grams. Silver also advanced for the second straight session, surging

New Delhi, Jun 15 (PTI) With 20 rebel Trinamool Congress MPs announcing their merger with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India, the Congress on Monday claimed that Home Minister Amit Shah masterminded the illegal breakaway of the legislators, and the bizarre move was part of his strategy to engineer a two-thirds majority for the NDA in the Lok Sabha. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh alleged that decency, decorum, and devotion to constitutional values and principles remain vulnerable and threaten

New Delhi, June 15 (PTI) Rebel Trinamool Congress MP Arup Chakraborty on Monday said the breakaway faction is trying to rectify the party, and would fight for the control of its election symbol, even as the Mamata Banerjee-led outfit termed the move illegal under the anti-defection law. On Sunday, 20 rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and announced that they were merging with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), a Tripura-based registered unrecognised po

Mumbai, Jun 15 (PTI) The rupee rose 47 paise to settle at 94.71 (provisional) against the US dollar on Monday as global crude oil prices dropped sharply after US President Donald Trump announced that the US and Iran finalised a deal to end the war. A surge in the domestic equity markets and a weaker US dollar further drove the local unit, forex traders said. At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 94.70 against the US dollar and traded in the range of 94.45-94.77. Eventually, it s

Mumbai, Jun 15 (PTI) Stock markets rose for the second straight session with benchmark Sensex closing higher by 736 points on Monday, propelled by a rally in global equities and a sharp decline in crude oil prices after the US and Iran finalised a deal to end their 107-day war. The 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 736.38 points, or 0.97 per cent, to settle at 76,264.33. During the day, it zoomed 1,293.12 points, or 1.71 per cent, to 76,821.07. Rising for the second day, the 50-share NSE Nifty surged 2

Mumbai, Jun 15 (PTI) NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil on Monday alleged that attempts were being made to split political parties so that the BJP-led Union government had enough support for the proposed delimitation exercise. The government wants to get this (delimitation bill) passed at any cost. That is why every party is being broken and manipulated, and efforts are being made to gather as many MPs as possible, Patil told reporters when asked about the merger of rebel MPs of the Trinamool Congress

LONDON, June 15, 2026 (AP) Britain will ban children under 16 from using a range of social media apps including Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube to protect young people from harmful content and excessive screen time, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Monday, Starmer told a news conference that he will fight back if technology companies resist the move, and acknowledged some teens would try to find their way around a ban. But he said he is not prepared to compromise on the safety and happiness of our

As India grapples with one of the worlds largest diabetes burdens, doctors are reporting a less-recognised consequence of the disease a rise in orthopaedic conditions ranging from frozen shoulder and trigger finger to nerve compression disorders and accelerated wear-and-tear of joints. Experts said persistently high blood sugar can damage collagen, tendons, ligaments and nerves, increasing the risk of pain, stiffness and mobility problems that can significantly affect quality of life. We are in

GENEVA, June 15 (Reuters) The United Nations human rights chief on Monday welcomed the announcement of a peace deal between the United States and Iran, and urged for maximum restraint by all sides in the region. I welcome the announcement that the United States and Iran have agreed on a peace deal that provides for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and a framework for further negotiations, said human rights chief Volker Turk. At this fragile moment it

Lucknow/Ayodhya, Jun 15 (UP) (PTI)There will not be any laxity in the probe by the special investigation team into the allegation of theft of donation money, Ram Temple Construction Committee chairperson Nripendra Mishra asserted on Monday. Mishra said there are two aspects to the investigation, criminal and future improvement. When both of these aspects are addressed, only then will we be able to win the trust of the devotees, he told reporters. Mishra said he had spoken to the district adminis

New Delhi, June 15 (PTI) Wholesale price inflation shot up to 9.68 per cent in May, from 8.26 per cent in April, led by a sharp spike in prices of fuel and power, manufactured and food items. The Commerce and Industry Ministry on Monday released the Wholesale price index (WPI)-based inflation data revising the base year to 2022-23, from 2011-12 earlier. Wholesale price index (WPI)-based inflation in fuel and power jumped to 30.33 per cent in May as against 24.89 per cent in April. In crude petro

Kolkata, Jun 15 (PTI) The war of words between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP intensified after dissident TMC MPs announced their merger with the little-known NCPI and pledged support to the NDA, with Mamata Banerjees camp dismissing the move as ridiculous and the saffron party describing it as evidence of TMCs deepening crisis. Senior TMC MP Sougata Roy ridiculed the rebels decision to merge with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India, a Tripura-based registered unrecognised party, questio

ISLAMABAD, June 15, 2026 (AP) The United States and Iran reached an initial agreement early Monday to open the Strait of Hormuz and further extend a shaky ceasefire in the Iran war, potentially allowing desperately needed oil and natural gas to reach the global market. Details of the deal were not immediately released and Iran signaled implementation would not start until the signing, which key mediator Pakistan said would occur Friday in Switzerland. It could provide a way to end a war that ki

New Delhi, Jun 12 (PTI) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the deaths of three Indian seafarers in a US military strike on a commercial vessel, saying a compromised PM could not protect the sons of Mother India as he lacked both the courage and the strength to anger those who took away their lives. In a post in Hindi on X, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha questioned Prime Minister Modis silence on the issue. Three Indians have been kill

New Delhi, Jun 12 (PTI) Gold prices rebounded by Rs 3,000 to Rs 1.56 lakh per 10 grams in the national capital on Friday, and silver advanced by Rs 10,000 to Rs 2.55 lakh per kilogram as signs of a diplomatic breakthrough in the US-Iran standoff rekindled interest in the precious metals. According to local marketmen, the yellow metal of 99.9 per cent purity climbed by Rs 3,000 to Rs 1,56,900 per 10 grams (inclusive of all taxes) from Thursdays closing level of Rs 1,53,900 per 10 grams. Silver al

DUBAI/WASHINGTON/PARIS, June 12 (Reuters) A memorandum between the United States and Iran to halt the war in the Gulf could be signed as soon as Sunday, a Western source told Reuters on Friday, with Geneva emerging as the likeliest venue. The source said language in the memorandum was still being finalised and Iran was sticking to its position that the deal must also end fighting in Lebanon, where Israel has been battling against the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia. The aim was to finalise the wo

NEW DELHI, June 12 (Reuters) Indias retail inflation rose to 3.93% in May, driven by higher food and fuel costs, government data showed on Friday, as the outlook continued to remain clouded by price pressures stemming from the Middle East conflict. Mays reading came in marginally below Reuters projection of 4.0%, and close to the central banks medium term inflation target. The May print is the highest in the new series launched in January this year with a revised basket of goods and a new base.

Kolkata, Jun 12 (PTI) The scale of the TMCs parliamentary revolt came into sharper focus on Friday after purported signatures of 19 party MPs surfaced on a letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker seeking recognition of a separate bloc under Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and extending support to the BJP-led NDA. The emergence of the signature sheets, however, appears to offer the clearest picture yet of the lawmakers who have aligned with the dissident camp that has challenged the authority of TMC chief Mamata B

Mumbai, Jun 12 (PTI) Benchmark indices ended sharply higher on Friday, with the Sensex climbing 1,695.40 points and the Nifty surging nearly 2 per cent, in tandem with a rally in global markets and a decline in crude oil prices after US President Donald Trump declared that his country has ended the war with Iran. The 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 1,695.40 points, or 2.30 per cent, to settle at 75,527.95. During the day, it surged 1,775.47 points, or 2.40 per cent, to 75,608.02. The 50-share NSE Nif

Kolkata, Jun 12 (PTI) Free ride for women on West Bengal government-run buses has been a welcome move for many. However, private bus operators say they have been suffering losses due to the outflux of women passengers to state-run buses and higher fuel costs. To offset losses, operators are seeking support from the state government through a kilometre scheme, under which the transport department integrates privately owned buses into its fleet, while owners provide drivers and maintain the vehicl

WASHINGTON, June 12, 2026 (AP) President Donald Trump has long been looking for this weekend to be a big one for his presidency. The World Cup returns to the U.S. on Friday for the first time in 32 years after Trump threw himself into winning the bid to co-host the soccer tourney during his first term. Hell be feted Sunday, his 80th birthday, during a UFC fight night thats expected to draw thousands to the White House grounds. Hours after the final bout, hes scheduled to jet off to the G7 summi

June 12 (Reuters) India is preparing for a wider-than-expected budget deficit this year, Bloomberg News reported on Friday, citing an official familiar with the matter, as the war in Iran raises fuel subsidy costs and pressures government finances. Reuters could not immediately verify the report and has sought comment from Indias finance ministry. The country, the worlds third-largest oil importer and consumer, is willing to let the budget gap widen by as much as 50 basis points to 4.8% of GDP

Mumbai, Jun 12 (PTI) Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty rebounded in early trade on Friday and were trading sharply higher, following a rally in global markets and a drop in crude oil prices after US President Donald Trump declared that his country has ended the war with Iran. The 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 921.30 points to 74,753.85 during initial deals. The 50-share NSE Nifty surged 254.20 points to 23,417.25. US President Donald Trump said that a deal to end the war with Iran is nearly comple

NEW DELHI, June 12 (Reuters) India has barred commercial consumers from buying gasoline and and diesel from retail fuel stations and imposed limits on daily diesel purchases to prevent local shortages, amid disruptions to global supply chains due to the war in the Middle East. Retail fuel station dealers have been directed to sell up to 200 litres of diesel per customer or vehicle a day, according to a government order issued late on Thursday, adding the customers cannot resell the diesel. Comm

MEXICO CITY, June 12, 2026 (AP) The opening match of the World Cup delivered a rarity in international soccer: three players sent off with red cards. No World Cup match has had that many players ejected since a 2006 game between Portugal and the Netherlands, when four players received red cards a World Cup record. The last World Cup in Qatar in 2022 had only four red cards in the entire tournament. On Thursday at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane were sent o

New Delhi, Jun 11 (PTI) A study has estimated that about 19 million people, averaging 1.35 million per year, have migrated from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates since 2010. The data compares to 13.6 million movements from Mexico to the US over the entire period since 1990, researchers from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis in Austria and the University of Ho

Extreme floods that once swamped coastal communities only rarely are becoming far more common as climate change caused by humans pushes sea levels higher, according to new research published Wednesday. Experts say the findings are crucial for making plans about floods and coastal infrastructure as the planet warms. These big coastal floods happen when high tides and storm surges the amount above normal tide level combine with seas that are already rising. Those pile on top of natural climate p

NEW YORK, June 11, 2026 (AP) Many workers fear machines will supplant them as adoption of AI (artificial intelligence) accelerates. But what if people have qualities both unmistakably human and essential to career success that AI could not easily replace them? Some workplace experts argue that with more businesses adopting AI tools, soft skills such as empathy, critical thinking and ethical decision-making are worth cultivating to help employees become indispensible. Across industries and occup

New Delhi, Jun 11 (PTI) Gold prices slid for the second straight day, declining by Rs 2,100 to Rs 1.53 lakh per 10 grams in the national capital on Thursday amid rising tensions in West Asia, which kept investors sentiment subdued in the bullion market. According to marketmen, the yellow metal of 99.9 per cent purity depreciated by Rs 2,100 to Rs 1,53,900 per 10 grams (inclusive of all taxes) from Wednesdays closing level of Rs 1,56,000 per 10 grams. Analysts said the prolonged tensions in West

Bhopal, Jun 11 (PTI) A former Madhya Pradesh assembly official on Thursday claimed that although Congress nominee Meenakshi Natarajans Rajya Sabha poll nomination was rejected on charges of hiding information, she was not required to make any such disclosure as no FIR or chargesheet had been filed against her. Talking to PTI Videos, former principal secretary of the Madhya Pradesh assembly, Bhagwandev Israni, said Natarajan did not conceal any information that could lead to the cancellation of h

Mumbai, Jun 11 (PTI) Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty ended lower on Thursday, as investors remained cautious amid rising tensions between the US and Iran. Unabated foreign fund outflows and a spike in US inflation also led to the muted trading in the markets, according to analysts. In a volatile trade, the 30-share BSE Sensex declined 150.63 points, or 0.20 per cent, to settle at 73,832.55. During the day, the benchmark hit a high of 74,394.34 and a low of 73,518.75, gyrating 875.59 po