Author: Rahul M

Bengaluru: More than a decade after the State Board for Wildlife (SBWL) cleared several proposals to expand Karnataka’s network of protected areas, the govt is yet to officially notify them.A right to information (RTI) reply from the forest department shows at least six proposals, some pending since 2012, are still awaiting final clearance despite being approved by the SBWL, which is headed by the chief minister. However, forest minister Eshwar Khandre insisted that all proposals that were brought to his notice were cleared.The RTI response comes days after the govt made a U-turn on its decision to seek ‘tiger reserve’…

Bengaluru: After nearly eight years of slow progress, the city’s much-delayed Ejipura flyover project is finally moving at a brisk pace. With 60% of the construction now complete, BBMP has set an ambitious goal of completing the 2.5km flyover by the end of this year.The flyover, stretching from Ejipura Main Road (Inner Ring Road Junction) to Kendriya Sadan Junction, is intended to decongest the heavily burdened 100-Feet Road in Koramangala. The contract was originally given to Simplex Infrastructure in 2017, but the project was marked by repeated delays, missed deadlines, and multiple contractor issues.Raghavendra Prasad, chief engineer, quality control division,…

Bengaluru: In a move to quell protests, industries minister MB Patil Sunday said the govt will announce a higher compensation package for the 1,777 acres of land that was notified for a defence and aerospace park in Channarayapatna hobli, Devanahalli taluk.The land acquisition process has sparked vociferous opposition, with prominent voices such as actor Prakash Raj publicly backing protesting farmers in Devanahalli. Patil told reporters that a key meeting scheduled for Tuesday with chief minister Siddaramaiah will determine the govt’s final decision on the matter.”In a democracy, farmers have the right to protest land acquisition,” Patil said. “But the govt…

LONDON (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump will make an unprecedented second state visit to the U.K. between Sept. 17 and 19 when he will be hosted by King Charles II and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace said Monday.Trump, who is a big supporter of the royal family, particularly of the monarch, will be accompanied by his wife, Melania Trump during the three-day visit, the palace confirmed.No U.S. president has been invited for a second state visit. Trump previously enjoyed the pomp and pageantry of the state visit in 2019 during his first term when he was hosted…

Bengaluru: TCS is navigating a challenging environment marked by delays in client decision-making and cautious discretionary spending, especially on projects with longer return cycles. In an interview with TOI, TCS CEO K Krithivasan expressed confidence that international revenue will exceed FY25 levels in FY26, contingent on improved clarity expected by late July or early Aug as trade discussions near completion. Excerpts:How has delay in decision-making and discretionary spends evolved since March quarter? TCS expects discretionary demand to recover based on tariff-related clarity.We find that programmes with immediate or shorter-term ROI (return on investment) are continuing. However, programmes perceived as more…

Bengaluru: From brawls triggered by splashing rainwater to fatal confrontations on the road, Bengaluru has seen a steady rise in cases of road rage over the past 3.5 years. Between 2022 and May 2025, police registered 88 such cases across the city, leading to the arrest of 123 people, including two women.Seventeen of those arrested have been listed as ‘C-rowdy sheeters’, a category meant for first-time offenders whose behaviour during the incident is seen as particularly aggressive or threatening. Some of these individuals, including professionals with no prior criminal record, followed their victims to their homes or offices after the…

CHIBOUGAMAU, Quebec — At the crossroads of Golf Street and Armed Forces Street, a large banana-shaped metal memorial on a pedestal gazes at the open sky in northern Canada. All but forgotten, its lower half blackened with time, it now stands forever still — or in repose, one might say. In its glory days during the Cold War, the artifact — a radar — spun and bobbed with balletic grace, spat out bursts of waves and listened for echoes, as it continuously scanned the skies for Soviet bombers sneaking over the Arctic.“It’s really crazy when you think about it, that…

Bengaluru: In a significant move to increase tax collections, the govt has begun using Unified Payments Interface (UPI) data to identify traders, especially those accepting payments via QR codes, who have evaded goods and services tax (GST) registration.After analysing UPI transactions, the commercial taxes department recently issued notices to some 14,000 traders. Officials say these individuals have crossed the mandatory GST registration thresholds but failed to register. Under GST rules, traders selling goods with an annual turnover above Rs 40 lakh or offering services above Rs 20 lakh are required to register. Those with turnover below Rs 1.5 crore can…

BRUSSELS — Trade chaos is forcing America’s allies closer together, and further from the United States. And as that happens, the European Union is trying to position itself at the center of a new global trade map.The bloc learned this weekend that Washington would subject it to 30% tariffs starting Aug. 1. Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the EU executive branch, responded with a pledge to keep negotiating. She also made it clear that, while the European Union would delay any retaliation until early August, it would continue to draw up plans to hit back with force. But…

Bengaluru: The Central Silk Board junction, notorious for traffic snarls, is now battling another crisis — alarming air pollution levels. Despite the completion of a double-decker flyover meant to ease congestion, pollution in the area remains dangerously high.Statistics from Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) show a sharp decline in air quality over the past few years. While the June and July 2025 data are awaited, the May numbers have already raised concerns.On May 22, an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 192 was recorded at Silk Board — close to the “poor” category. India classifies AQI from 101-200 as moderate,…