Author: Rahul M

BhubaneswarAugust 30, 2025 12:14 PM IST First published on: Aug 30, 2025 at 12:10 PM IST Amid reports of urea shortage, former chief minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) chief Naveen Patnaik Saturday urged the central government’s intervention. In a letter to Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers JP Nadda, Odisha’s Leader of Opposition Patnaik that the shortage could disrupt agricultural production in the peak Kharif season. “Short supply of urea along with its black marketing and adulteration is a major concern for our farmers, now in the start of the Kharif season. In many districts, particularly in tribal districts,…

From full-wrap advertisements to revised duty hours, BMTC adopts commercial strategies and safety measures to offset revenue gaps and reduce driver fatigue.The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), grappling with slowing ridership and stiff competition from metro and ride-hailing apps, is turning to innovative revenue and safety measures to stay on track.Also Read:Bengaluru: BMTC conductor accused of assaulting passenger over ₹5 ticketIn 2024–25 alone, BMTC earned ₹25.15 crore from full-wrap advertisements on 3,000 regular buses and 400 Volvos, creating a visible moving canvas for brands across Bengaluru’s bustling streets. Each regular bus ad fetches ₹12,616 per month, while premium Volvo buses…

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Saturday announced a financial aid of Rs 25 lakh each to the families of 11 victims who lost their lives in a stampede outside M Chinnaswamy Stadium during the team’s IPL 2025 title win celebrations on June 4. “Our hearts broke on June 4, 2025. We lost eleven members of the RCB family. They were part of us. Part of what makes our city, our community & our team unique. Their absence will echo in the memories of each one of us. No amount of support can ever fill the space they’ve left behind,” RCB…

Reciprocal tariffs struck down by US appeals court; Trump says will approach Supreme Court Washington, Aug 30 (IANS) In a setback to U.S. President Donald Trump, a federal appeals court struck down most of the administration’s global reciprocal tariffs. In its ruling, the court ruled that President Trump did not have the “power to impose tariffs.” Hours after the ruling President Trump stated that he would approach the Supreme Court on the ruling. “The statute bestows significant authority on the President to undertake a number of actions in response to a declared national emergency, but none of these actions explicitly…

A CSTEP study reveals Karnataka tops the country in PM2.5 emissions from heavy commercial vehicles, with ageing trucks and poor BS-VI adoption fuelling toxic air.Karnataka has emerged as the country’s top contributor to PM2.5 emissions from heavy commercial vehicles, according to a new analysis by the Centre for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP). The state releases 13.6 Gg (13,600 tonnes) of PM2.5 annually from this category, signalling a deepening urban pollution crisis.Also Read:KSRTC rolls out 90 special buses from Bengaluru to Kerala for Thiru Onam festivalDespite the rollout of Bharat Stage-VI (BS-VI) norms in 2020, Karnataka continues to…

The Karnataka government has doubled the property registration fee from 1% to 2%, pushing the total transaction cost to 7.6%. The move aims to bridge revenue shortfalls, but real estate players express concern.Property registrations in Karnataka are set to become costlier from this weekend, with the State government doubling the registration fee from 1% to 2%, effective August 31. This change raises the overall cost of property transactions to 7.6% of the guidance value, up from 6.6%.Also Read:Greater Bengaluru to function under 5 corporations, 10 zonesCurrently, buyers pay 5% stamp duty, 0.5% cess, 0.1% surcharge, and a 2% registration fee.…

India prevents global crisis by purchasing Russian oil, keeps markets stable New Delhi, Aug 30 (IANS) As allegations fly thick and fast over India extending a financial lifeline to Russia and becoming a laundering hub, the reality is that by purchasing Russian energy, New Delhi has prevented a global crisis by keeping global markets stable and inflation under control for itself and for the world. Russia supplies nearly 10 per cent of world oil. If India stopped buying, crude could hit $200 a barrel. By keeping oil flowing, India stabilised markets and helped global citizens. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen…

An advocate in Karnataka has questioned a summons issued to him by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in connection with a case against Congress MLA K C Veerendra Puppy, 48, who was arrested by the central agency on August 24 for allegedly laundering money through his betting and casino businesses in India and Dubai.The advocate, Anil Gowda H, whose properties were also searched by the ED on August 22 and 23 in the crackdown on the MLA’s casino and gaming businesses, has claimed that the summons issued to him on August 24 is a violation of Supreme Court directives against…

UN chief calls for ceasefire in Sudans El Fasher United Nations, Aug 30 (IANS) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for an immediate ceasefire in and around the El Fasher area in Sudan’s North Darfur, his spokesman said. The UN chief is appalled by the relentless attacks by the Rapid Support Forces on North Darfur’s capital, spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement on Friday. “El Fasher has been under a tightening siege for more than 500 days with hundreds of thousands of civilians trapped in the area,” he said. The secretary-general is alarmed at the grave risks of serious…

WHO warns of worsening global cholera outbreaks, urging swift response Geneva, Aug 30 (IANS) The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that cholera outbreaks, driven by conflict and poverty, are worsening across multiple countries and pose a significant global public health challenge. The latest Disease Outbreak News said that 409,000 cholera cases and 4,738 deaths were reported across 31 countries between January 1 and August 17 2025, with six countries reporting case fatality rate exceeding 1 per cent. According to the data, the Eastern Mediterranean Region registered the highest number of cases, while the African Region reported the most deaths.…