Forecasts indicate El Niño to grow stronger during monsoon: IMD

“El Niño conditions are present over equatorial Pacific Ocean and are expected to strengthen during monsoon season,” IMD said, while announcing the advent of the condition — warming of ocean waters in central and eastern equatorial Pacific — that’s invariably linked with weak monsoon in India. The latest forecast could be used by policymakers to immediately activate contingency measures in all 197 districts across the country that have been identified by the

India's drug regulator is now demanding hair colour manufacturers prove their products meet safety standards and carry clear warnings. Companies must adhere to Cosmetics Rules and BIS norms regarding ingredients, restrictions, and labelling, including mandatory patch-test instructions. This move highlights growing scrutiny on cosmetic safety, urging firms to re-evaluate formulations and consumer information for this booming market.

Writing the judgment, Justice N Kotiswar Singh said, “While it is important to make an assessment as to how a child will respond to either of the parents, it is equally important to ascertain mental and psychological conditions of the parents themselves to deal with the needs of the growing child.” SC said the assessment of the parents’ psychological conditions must be conducted prior to a similar assessment of the child to understand compatibility with each of the parents.

Sources within NDA suggest one of the parties that may see desertion from its ranks is Sena UBT, a possibility being talked about since the alliance swept the assembly polls in Maharashtra but has gained traction now. The Uddhav Thackeray-led party has nine MPs in Lok Sabha and six of them will have to merge with another party — Shiv Sena led by deputy CM Eknath Shinde seen as the most probable option — to avoid losing membership under the anti-defection law.

While none from the rebel camp contested the screenshots, almost everyone voiced grievance against Abhishek Banerjee. Lashing out, Abhishek said, “BJP has been trying many tactics — from creating rift in our party to intimidating party workers, taking over party offices, and destroying our organisation. But no matter what they do, they cannot deny the fact that 2.6 crore people voted for us and we got a 41% votes. We will continue to fight against this oppression.”

Alleging BJP steals elections, Rahul said he had warned “friends in TMC”, who were confident that they were sweeping Bengal polls, that they were in “dreamland” — stating he had seen it in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana and Maharashtra. He said BJP can’t win the next polls, “which is already won”, because people are angry, but the hurdle is that elections will not be free and fair.

After an hour-long proceeding, during which senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi for the BJP candidate whose election was facilitated by Natarajan’s disqualification and solicitor general Tushar Mehta for MP govt cited a judgment where SC had refused to entertain a similar plea against rejection of nomination papers, the bench said the SC or HC cannot entertain writ petitions in exercise of their jurisdictions under Articles 32 or 226 of the Constitution. Once the election process commences with

Jaishankar's remarks came in the aftermath of a US military strike on the commercial tanker MT Settebello in the Gulf of Oman, which claimed the lives of three Indian crew members. The vessel was targeted on Wednesday after US forces alleged that it had breached the naval blockade imposed on Iranian ports. Of the 24 Indian nationals aboard the tanker, 21 were rescued, while three were later confirmed dead.

As per a UN Motorcycle Helmet Study, motorcyclists are 26 times more likely to die in road crashes than drivers of cars and wearing an appropriate helmet “improves their chances of survival by 42% and helps avoid 69% of injuries to riders.” Similarly, as per World Health Organisation, seat-belts are approximately 50% effective in preventing fatalities in crashes in which motorists would otherwise die.

Cities must prioritize people and their needs, according to Housing Minister Manohar Lal, as BRICS nations adopted a declaration for inclusive urban development. The 'Cities for People' forum stressed equitable access to housing and services, with India facing significant future urbanization. Strengthening local governments and embracing digital solutions were also key takeaways for creating sustainable, liveable urban centers.

Indian stock markets soared as US-Iran peace hopes ignited global optimism, with Sensex and Nifty surging significantly. Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee faces an FIR for an alleged provocative speech. Talks for a US-Iran deal are intensifying, with Geneva reportedly a potential signing venue. The nation also marked the anniversary of the Air India AI-171 crash, and cricket legend Kane Williamson retired.

One year after the Air India Flight AI-171 crash, the AAIB issued an interim statement, expressing condolences and assuring a comprehensive investigation focused on safety enhancements, not blame. The probe has made significant progress in analyzing technical, operational, and human factors. The Civil Aviation Minister reiterated commitment to a thorough and objective determination of the accident's causes.