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nuclear-armed nations including the US, Russia, France, China, India and Pakistan, continued to modernise their nuclear arsenals and several of them deployed new nuclear-capable weapon systems in 2023, a Swedish think-tank said on Monday. In its analysis, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said China's nuclear arsenal increased from 410 warheads in January 2023 to 500 in January 2024, and it is expected to keep growing. The report said some 2,100 of the deployed warheads were kept in a state of high operational alert on ballistic missiles, and nearly all of them belonged to Russia or the US. However, for the first time China is believed to have some warheads on high operational alert, it said.

Polestar intends to launch in seven markets next year, the Swedish electric-vehicle maker said on Monday, as it looks to attract new customers. The company will enter France, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Thailand and Brazil in 2025.

EVMs, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday asked the Election Commission to ensure complete transparency of the machines and processes or abolish them. The demand came a day after the Congress leader had alleged that the electronic voting machine is a «black box» and nobody is allowed to scrutinise them while further alleging that serious concerns are being raised about transparency in our electoral process. «When democratic institutions are captured, the only safeguard lies in electoral processes that are transparent to the public,» Gandhi said in a post on X. «EVM is currently a black box. EC must either ensure complete transparency of the machines and processes or abolish them,» the former Congress president also said.

Gujarat Congress on Monday alleged corruption in the process of allocation of land to industries in two GIDC estates in Bharuch, though the state government refuted the claims as baseless. In June 2023, the GIDC management had declared Saykha and Dahej estates as «saturated» zones, which required allocation of plots to be done only through public auction, but reversed the decision in February this year, Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil told reporters. The Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation management declared the two estates as «unsaturated», which meant plots could be allotted at a fixed 'jantri' rate without the need for public auction, he pointed out. This was done to allot land at a throwaway price and thereby commit a scam of Rs 2,000 crore, Gohil alleged and sought an explanation from the BJP government in the state on the reversal of the June 2023 decision. He also sought an investigation into the issue by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court or the High Court as it had allegedly caused a massive loss to the state exchequer. «When a GIDC is declared as saturated, it requires sale of the remaining plots through auctions, which brings more revenue for the state,» the senior Congress leader said.

Investigators say a Southwest Airlines plane suffered damage to parts of the structure after it went into a “Dutch roll” during a flight last month

With Pride Month in full gear, U.S. shoppers can find the usual merchandise many stores stock for the June celebration of LGBTQ+ culture and rights

Kartik Aaryan will resume shooting for ‘Bhool Bhulaiyya 3’ at the end of June. According to a Hindustan Times report, the ‘BB3’ team will continue shooting for the third installment of the horror comedy at the end of this month. For the uninformed, Anees Bazmee had already shot some portions of the horror comedy in Mumbai and Kolkata earlier this year. The team paused their work while Kartik was occupied with promoting 'Chandu Champion' and the film's leading lady, Triptii Dimri, took a brief vacation in Italy. With the release date approaching, they are set to resume filming. The makers of BB3 are aiming for a Diwali release this year.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang has arrived in Australia on a relations-mending mission

China has kept a key lending rate unchanged despite signs of continued weakness in the second-largest economy's manufacturing and the property sectors

Chinese Premier Li Qiang says he has agreed with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to properly manage their nations’ differences as they emerge from a hostile era in which minister-to-minister contacts were banned and trade barriers cost Austr...

A rivalry is flaring up as Kansas lawmakers try to snatch the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs away from Missouri

The deadly implosion of an experimental submersible en route to the deep-sea grave of the Titanic last June has not dulled the desire for ocean exploration

Shares have opened mixed in Europe as markets recovered from shocks of recent elections across the region

Toyota's chairman Akio Toyoda will be facing some disgruntled shareholders this week, as two major proxy groups demand a vote against keeping the grandson of the founder on its board

foreign direct investment (FDI), enhancing Research & Development (R&D), and boosting manufacturing capabilities could help India reach its USD 5 billion defence export goal by 2024-25. As reported by PTI, the study, conducted by Nexgen Exhibitions, organizers of the International Police Expo, highlights the importance of these factors in propelling India towards its ambitious target. «Increase in procurement categories and emphasis on quality and innovation have positioned India as a reliable defence equipment supplier on the global stage. The government's supportive policies, coupled with strategic partnerships and collaborations, are driving the growth of India's defence exports, bringing the country closer to its USD 5 billion target by 2024-25,» said Aadhar Bansal, Director, Nexgen Exhibitions, as reported by PTI.

ResiClub co-founder and editor-in-chief Lance Lambert discusses the U.S. housing affordability crisis on 'Making Money.'

India's monsoon has delivered 20 per cent less rain than normal this season, according to the weather department. This shortfall raises concerns for the country's critical agricultural sector, which relies heavily on monsoon rains. News agency Reuters reported that as per the Indian Meteorological Department, India has received 20 per cent less rainfall than normal since June 1. Almost all regions except for a few southern states have seen shortfalls and some northwestern states experiencing heat waves, the report said. «The monsoon's progress is stalled. It has weakened. But when it revives and becomes active, it can erase the rain deficit in a short burst,» an IMD official told Reuters.

Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch, where even the bustling marketplace is not immune to the specter of terrorism. Hidden within the green forest cover of the Pir Panjal region are highly trained Pakistani terrorists, presenting a significant challenge to security forces. Despite intensified patrolling following a recent surge in terrorist attacks, searching these dense forests remains a daunting task. Resurgence of Terrorism After an 18-year hiatus, terrorism has resurfaced in Poonch and Rajouri, with the first major attack on the army occurring in the forests of Surankote in October 2021. This resurgence has disrupted security calculations for Jammu and Kashmir, exacerbated by the abrogation of Article 370, which granted the region special status under the Constitution.

terrorist was killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district on Monday, officials said. The gunfight broke out after security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the Aragam area of the district on Sunday night following information about the presence of terrorists there, they said. The army's Srinagar-based Chinar Corps said one terrorist has been killed. The operation was in progress till last reports, it said. «Based on specific intelligence input regarding presence of terrorists, a joint operation was launched by the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police on the intervening night of June 16-17 in the general area of Gurihajin, Aragam Bandipora; one terrorist eliminated, operation in progress,» the Chinar Corps posted on X.

NEW DELHI:Packaged foods company Nestle India has said it has benefitted "immensely" from its parent company's intellectual property rights, or IPRs, over the years, leading to greater speed of innovation as well as cost-savings to the business. The statement comes in the wake of a majority of shareholders rejecting a proposal to increase the royalty payout to its Swiss parent, Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., from 4.5% to 5.25% per annum.

NEW DELHI : Mumbai: Flipkart's much-anticipated plunge into quick commerce can be expected in India's top metro cities within “weeks", a top official said, as the Walmart-backed e-commerce company beefs up its supply chains to take on the likes of Swiggy Instamart, Zepto, and Zomato's Blinkit in a market growing at breakneck speed. “It'll be a few weeks from now; we'll start in a few large cities and progress as we move forward," Hemant Badri, senior vice president, head of supply chain, customer experience and recommerce business, Flipkart Group, said in an interview.