SC voices 'reservations' on its own bail decision

The Supreme Court on Monday voiced “serious reservations" about "various aspects" of its January judgment refusing bail to former JNU student leader Umar Khalid and co-accused Sharjeel Imam in the Delhi riots 'larger conspiracy' case, including the foreclosing of their right to seek bail for a year.

Modi meets Norwegian PM as they seek to raise ties to Green Strategic Partnership

India and Norway have differences, but they must unite against countries that "weaponise" diplomacy, trade and technology, said Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre here on Monday after talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as the two countries upgraded ties to a "Green Strategic Partnership".

Iran submits fresh plan, says U.S. open to 'waive' sanctions

Iran has submitted a new 14-point proposal to the U.S. through Pakistan, aimed at ending the war amid a diplomatic impasse and fears of renewed hostilities, even as President Masoud Pezeshkian said the country "will not bow to any power".

Disabled inmates face 'double disadvantage' in Indian prisons: report

India's prison system continues to treat disability as an "afterthought" and denies prisoners with disabilities statutory rights, entitlements and adequate healthcare, according to a report by iProbono India, a women-led social justice organisation.

The report, titled 'Inaccessible by Design: A Dis-ability-Centred Review of State Prison Manuals in India', released in March, found that prison manuals continue to use derogatory and outdated terms such as "lunatic", "filthy", "noisy" and "insane" in official documentation, which reflect an entrenched "ableist framework that dehumanises prisoners with psychosocial disabilities".

9 Indian space start-ups sign strategic partnerships in Italy

Nine Indian space-tech companies, which were part of the delegation led by Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACE), have signed multiple partnerships and collaborations at the recently held Space Meetings Veneto 2026 at Venice, Italy.

Unlearnt lessons

Last week, the Centre hiked retail petroleum product prices after a gap of four years. This was expected, since the government had been warning about high crude prices, and how public sector oil marketing companies (OMCs) had been bleeding heavily due to under-recoveries. It was also expected that this would happen after the results of the five Assembly elections.

Gender, caregiving, the law in Indian research funding

India's scientific ambitions are increasingly visible in space missions, pharmaceutical research, and peer-reviewed scholarship. Yet, its institutional culture that sustains this continues to marginalise many researchers. Women in academia, especially in mid-career stages, face a convergence of professional and domestic responsibilities that their male peers rarely experience to the same extent. Age relaxation provisions in research grants were introduced to address this gap, but as these policies evolve, they require closer scrutiny to improve their effectiveness rather than weaken them.

Strategic spark in India-South Korea defence ties

The visit of the Indian Defence Minister to Seoul (May 19-21), following the South Korean President's visit to India (April 19-21, 2026), underscores the growing momentum and strategic significance of the India-South Korea partnership in recent years.

Minimum temperatures are rising faster than maximum

The IMD's Monthly Climate Summary for April 2026 found that across the country, maximum temperatures were near normal just 0.11 degrees Celsius above the long-period average while mini-mum temperatures averaged 0.5 degrees Celsius above normal. In other words, maximums barely deviated from what April typically experiences, while minimums were warmer than expected.

The warning signs in India's import bill

India's record merchandise trade deficit and rising import dependence have increased concerns over foreign currency outgo and pressure on the rupee. Increases in imports of gold, edible oils, fertilizers and electronic components have exposed the country's continued dependence on international markets.

Why has the WHO declared a PHEIC over Ebola outbreak?

WHO declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), its highest level of global health alert. The outbreak, driven by the Bundibugyo ebolavirus strain, has prompted rapid isolation, contact tracing, safe burials, vaccination, and monoclonal-antibody treatment.

Strengthening domestic energy security through decentralised bioenergy systems

India's energy security concerns are increasing focus on converting agricultural residue, food waste, sewage sludge, and organic municipal waste into reliable and commercially viable energy solutions; technologies such as gasification and anaerobic digestion are emerging as critical pathways

CAA applicants must declare passport status, surrender foreign passports: Ministry

Applicants seeking citizen-ship under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019 will have to submit an affidavit declaring whether they hold a valid or an expired passport from Pakis-tan, Afghanistan or Bangladesh, according to an amendment to the Citizen-ship Rules notified by the Union Home Ministry on Monday.

India now free from Naxalism, says Home Minister at Bastar

Hailing the sacrifices of security forces in the decades-long battle against Naxal-ism, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday pro-claimed that the country was "free" from Naxalism.

"I am declaring with pride, India is now Naxal-free," the Home Minister said in Bastar, where he was on his first visit after March 31, a date the Centre had earlier decided as a deadline to eliminate Left-wing extremism from the country.

EU chief wants to seal pact on investment with India

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen once again called for an investment pact between India and the European Union (EU), terming it a "missing piece of the puzzle" in bilateral cooperation plans.

Iran forms Hormuz Strait authority, demands coordination from vessels

Iran's top security body announced Monday the formation on of a new body to manage the Strait of Hormuz, which Tehran has effectively closed and wants to charge ships to traverse.

India still short on expertise, tools to manage fungal health burden

Over 5 crore Indians suffer from fungal diseases; now researchers are working to identify priority fungal pathogens circulating within its borders; they are also working to map antifungal resistance in pathogens in the environment and develop newer therapeutics such as antimicrobial peptides.

Scientists use DNA maps to find pangolin trafficking hubs

Pangolins are one of the world's most trafficked mammals even as their existence is threatened by shrinking habitats. So to protect them, conservationists are keen to know where they are being poached. The problem is that it is notoriously difficult to trace a bag of scales seized from a smuggler in an airport back to a specific location. The DNA in these materials is also often degraded and thus amenable for further analysis.