Spread the love Imagine trying to filter sand from pebbles using a fishing net: it won’t work because the holes are too big and uneven. In chemistry, separating molecules that are almost the same size is just as difficult. However, a new study from IIT-Gandhinagar has offered a solution: a synthetic membrane capable of distinguishing between molecules with sub-nanometer precision. At...
‘Gorillas are what we want to be’: conservation leader Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka
Spread the love Uganda’s history with mountain gorillas is inseparable from its political turmoil. Mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) are restricted to Central Africa and number around a thousand individuals. They inhabit dense volcanic, bamboo, and montane forests at elevations of 2,200-4,300 m. Yet from Uganda’s independence in 1962 through Milton Obote’s centralisation, Idi Amin’s brutal dictatorship, and Yoweri Museveni’s lengthy...
New excise duty on tobacco products: Cigarette prices to increase up to Rs 55 per pack
Spread the love After the new excise duty regime kicked in, cigarette prices have gone up, with a pack of 10 sticks now costing at least Rs 22–25 more than before.This follows the government’s decision to raise taxes on cigarettes for the first time in nearly seven years, bringing India’s tobacco taxation closer to global public health norms. The new...
‘Miyas will face trouble as long as I am CM’: Himanta Sarma unmoved by backlash
Spread the love Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma (File photo) NEW DELHI: Despite the backlash over his remarks on Assam’s “Miyas,” chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday warned that they would face “trouble” as long as he remains in power.He reiterated that the “Miyas” should continue to face difficulties in order to leave the poll-bound state.The BJP leader told...
Russia-Ukraine war: Fresh round of peace talks rescheduled; Zelenskyy announces new dates
Spread the love File photo: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Picture credit: AP) A second round of trilateral talks involving Ukraine, Russia and the United States on a US-drafted plan to end the nearly four-year war in Ukraine will now take place on February 4 and 5 in Abu Dhabi, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, announcing a delay from the earlier...
Budget 2026: STT, share buyback taxation changes & more — What it means for stock market investors?
Spread the love Representative AI image The Budget for FY 2026-27 is a mix of cautious and reform- oriented measures for stock market investors. The government proposed tougher norms for trading in futures and options, along with new opportunities for foreign Indian investors.During her speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced an increase in the Securities Transaction Tax (STT) on Futures...
Union Budget 2026-27: space budget recovers but misses crucial private sector reforms
Spread the love The Indian space program has moved out of its post-pandemic slump and is entering a phase of sustained, if also cautious, consolidation. Since 2012-2013, the national space budget has grown by 182%. This sounds massive but most of the growth actually happened in the last decade, especially between 2014 and 2019. Allocations have increased more slowly in the...
Union Budget 2026: No big-ticket announcements, but poll-bound states part of new initiatives
Spread the love NEW DELHI: Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman may not have opened the purse strings for poll-bound states in Union Budget 2026 but she made them a part of many ambitious development initiatives like the rare earth corridor, dedicated freight passage and the proposed high-speed rail networks.Assembly elections are scheduled in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry...
Over 9% rise in Home Ministry budget; Intelligence Bureau sees enhanced allocation
Spread the love The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has seen an increase of 9.44% in the total allocation in the Union Budget 2026-27, which was announced on February 1. The overall budget has increased from ₹2,33,210 crore to ₹2,55,233.53 crore. The Intelligence Bureau (IB) has seen an increase of ₹2,623 crore in budget — from the ₹4,159 crore budget estimate...
Carlos Alcaraz finally does it, wins his maiden Australian Open title after outfoxing Djokovic
Spread the love Carlos Alcaraz (AP Photo) NEW DELHI: Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz claimed his first Australian Open title with a commanding four-set victory over Novak Djokovic, defeating the Serbian 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 on Rod Laver Arena on Sunday. The win not only denied Djokovic a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam but also made Alcaraz the youngest man in the Open...
