It, however, conceded that 20 per cent blending of ethanol with petrol leads to 3-5 per cent lower mileage in vehicles than conventional petrol, but said the blend offers a significantly higher octane rating, superior anti-knock properties, faster combustion, better pickup, smoother acceleration, and cleaner engine operation.
The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) and activist Sonam Wangchuk's protest at Jantar Mantar has entered its eleventh day, with Wangchuk's health deteriorating due to a hunger strike. Protesters allege heavy police deployment and restrictions, demanding accountability for examination irregularities and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk's health has deteriorated significantly on the 15th day of his indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar, where the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) is protesting alleged examination irregularities. Wangchuk's blood pressure has dropped and he has lost 7.8 kg, while the protest is drawing support from political leaders and public intellectuals.
Five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand was awarded the Sports Journalists' Federation of India (SJFI) medal, joining a distinguished list of Indian sports legends. Anand expressed pride in being a catalyst for chess growth in India, receiving the honour from former India cricket captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth.
The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) is conducting an ISSF 'B' judges course for rifle and pistol disciplines in Surajkund, bringing together 31 technical officials. The programme, led by international and Indian experts, aims to enhance officiating knowledge and skills according to the latest ISSF rules, contributing significantly to the development of shooting sport in India.
Sunil Gavaskar praised India's team-first approach and clinical chase against Afghanistan in the opening ODI, highlighting KL Rahul's selfless batting and the contributions of Nitish Kumar Reddy and debutant Gurnoor Brar. Former England spinner Graeme Swann warned of a tougher challenge in the second ODI in Lucknow due to Afghanistan's strong spin attack.
The Indian Pickleball Association and the Sports Authority of India will conduct trials in Ahmedabad to select the Indian team for the upcoming Pickleball World Cup in Vietnam.
Former Indian captains Sourav Ganguly and Anjum Chopra, along with ex-England skipper Kevin Pietersen, have been inducted into the International Cricket Council's prestigious Hall of Fame during a ceremony in Edinburgh, recognising their significant contributions to the sport.
Real estate startup Landeed plans to invest Rs 30 crore this fiscal year to expand its business, focusing on enhancing its AI-powered property title search engine, Terra. This investment will boost GPU infrastructure, develop specialised language models, and improve Indic OCR for Indian property records, aiming to streamline property due diligence across 26 states and 4 union territories.
'Periods of heightened volatility, driven by global events such as tariffs and geopolitical tensions over the past year-and-a-half, can make some investors pause or discontinue their investments.'
Nasa astronaut Anil Menon, along with Russian cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina, has embarked on an eight-month mission to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard a Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft, lifting off from Kazakhstan.
Vikramaditya Chaufla and Sidharth Nandal emerged as top performers at the All India Racketlon Open in Mumbai, securing multiple medals. Chaufla won two golds and a silver, while Nandal bagged two golds, showcasing their prowess in the multi-racket sport.
A division bench of justices AY Kogje and Samir Dave, in its July 7 judgment cited the "humongous" conspiracy, the intention to spread widespread terror and the large number of casualties as key reasons for affirming the punishment.
Activist Sonam Wangchuk's health is rapidly deteriorating on his 17th day of hunger strike, prompting widespread appeals from prominent political figures and Bollywood celebrities for him to end his fast and for the government to address the urgent demands for NEET examination reforms.
Govind Dev Giri Maharaj, treasurer of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, acknowledged supervisory lapses at the Ayodhya Ram temple following alleged donation theft, but stated he would not resign as he does not consider himself personally at fault. He estimated the theft could be around Rs 3 crore and criticised SBI for not verifying employee credentials.
Educator and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk's indefinite hunger strike has entered its 20th day, with doctors warning of his critical health condition. Despite this, Wangchuk is resolute in his call for a peaceful march to Parliament on July 20, coinciding with the Monsoon Session's opening, to protest alleged examination irregularities and demand the Union education minister's resignation.
Indian-origin NASA astronaut Anil Menon, along with two Russian cosmonauts, has embarked on an eight-month mission to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard a Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft. This marks Menon's first spaceflight, where he will conduct scientific research and technology demonstrations focused on human space exploration, microgravity effects, and in-space production of advanced materials.
Chief Economic Adviser V Anantha Nageswaran has urged the industry to invest in skilling, capability development, and innovation to counter the challenges posed by artificial intelligence, particularly for Global Capability Centres (GCCs). He noted that while the government has supported GCCs through Budget measures like simplifying transfer pricing and promoting expansion into tier-II/III cities, industry must move beyond low-cost execution to thrive in an an AI-driven landscape. Nageswaran emphasised that AI displaces routine tasks, necessitating a focus on higher-value work and continuous skill enhancement to maintain India's competitive edge.
Anil Menon, a NASA astronaut of Indian descent, is embarking on an eight-month mission to the International Space Station. A former US Space Force colonel and emergency medicine physician, Menon will conduct vital experiments on the physiological effects of long-duration spaceflight, develop in-space medical technologies, and research semiconductor crystal production, contributing significantly to future deep-space missions and advanced technology.
'The Ayodhya incident has certainly hurt the faith of all of us, of Ram devotees like us.'
India's Tanvi Khanna, ranked 74th in the world, secured the women's title at the HCL Squash PSA Challenger Tour-Mumbai. She achieved a remarkable comeback from two games down to defeat Egyptian second seed Farida Walid in a thrilling five-game final. This marks Khanna's fifth PSA title. Malaysia's Mohammad Syafiq Kamal won the men's title.
The Indian Pickleball Association has sanctioned the fourth edition of the Indian Open, to be held in Hyderabad, as a PWR 1000 event, marking a significant step for the sport in India.
International mutual fund schemes have seen a significant resurgence in investor interest, attracting approximately Rs 7,600 crore in net inflows over the past year, a stark reversal from previous outflows, driven by their strong outperformance against domestic markets and limited AI-linked investment opportunities in India.
The Gujarat High Court has upheld the death sentences for 38 Indian Mujahideen operatives and life imprisonment for 11 others involved in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts, which killed 56 people. The court also directed the state government to pay significant compensation to victims' families and those grievously injured.
'Those under pressure from the BJP and the police, or due to court cases, the ED, CBI, CID, local police officers, or the STF, I request that you make your decision before July 21.'
Two-time Olympic medallist P V Sindhu and reigning men's doubles champion Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will headline the Indian badminton squad at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
Assam emerged as the fastest-growing large state with a remarkable 17.3 per cent nominal GDP CAGR over five years.
'I was very close to Kader Khan. Whenever he wrote dialogues and scenes, he would often write my name next to certain roles. He would personally recommend me to directors. Such was his stature that directors would immediately pay attention to his suggestions.'
As activist Sonam Wangchuk's hunger strike at Jantar Mantar entered the sixth day on Friday, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) said he appeared "far weaker and more exhausted" and urged supporters across the country to observe a one-day fast in solidarity with the protest.
Amidst an ongoing SIT probe into alleged embezzlement of Ram temple donations, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust treasurer Govind Dev Giri held a series of meetings in Ayodhya. These discussions followed the acceptance of resignations from former general secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra, and the Trust's decision to overhaul its administrative structure, including appointing a professional CEO. Rai, who has adopted a vow of silence, questioned the State Bank of India's role in the donation counting process, while Giri defended Rai but acknowledged his trust in the wrong people. The SIT probe is expanding to examine the Trust's financial transactions and administrative processes.
Activist Sonam Wangchuk's health is deteriorating on the 18th day of his hunger strike, with his weight dropping significantly and vital signs requiring continuous monitoring. The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has accused the government of 'cruelty' for its refusal to engage in dialogue regarding alleged NEET irregularities, intensifying calls for accountability from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
'Only the Dalai Lama could have kept the Tibet issue alive the way he did.'
Actor-turned-politician and Trinamool Congress MP Rukmini Mallick, popularly known as Koel Mallick, on Thursday resigned from the Rajya Sabha, the fourth TMC MP to do so ever since the Mamata Banerjee-led party was ousted from power in West Bengal.
These new provisions are expected to help heirs access securities faster.
India's total automobile retail sales recorded a significant 9.55 per cent year-on-year growth in May, reaching an all-time high of 25,31,067 units, driven by strong performances in three-wheelers, passenger vehicles, and tractors, despite prevailing heatwave conditions and fuel price pressures.
India's top fencer, Bhavani Devi, has issued an unconditional apology and appealed the two-month suspension she received after being shown a Black Card at the Asian Fencing Championships. The Fencing Association of India is supporting her appeal to the FIE, citing her clean disciplinary record and the upcoming World Championships.
A recent study by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, has identified self-fertilisation, or uniparental reproduction, as a critical trait enabling plants to become invasive. Researchers examined 28 species from the daisy family, finding that all 11 invasive species studied could reproduce uniparentally, unlike most native and non-invasive alien species. This ability allows a single plant to establish new populations, displacing local flora and altering ecosystems, highlighting the importance of reproductive strategy in weed-risk assessment.
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear appeals challenging the Madhya Pradesh High Court's decision to designate the Bhojshala complex as a Goddess Saraswati temple, a ruling that also quashed Muslim prayer rights at the historic site.
The Gujarat High Court has disqualified former Indian cricketer Kiran More and three others from contesting the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) elections, citing a Supreme Court judgment on tenure limits and cooling-off periods.
