BHUBANESWAR: As many as 11 Maoists, carrying a bounty of Rs 63.3 lakh, surrendered before the Odisha Police in Kalahandi district on Sunday, handing over a large cache of arms and ammunition, reports Debabrata Mohapatra. The Maoists were active in Kalahandi, Rayagada and Kandhamal. While one of them hails from Maharashtra, the other 10 are from Chhattisgarh. They will receive a total compensation of Rs 1.2 crore, comprising the Rs 63.3 lakh bounty and an additional Rs 60 lakh in cash incentives. They surrendered 11 weapons, including an AK-47, an INSAS rifle and four SLRs. With this, the number of armed Maoists in Odisha has dropped to about 15, according to police.

NEW DELHI: India’s continued engagement with the Gulf saw external affairs minister S Jaishankar speaking to his Saudi Arabia and UAE counterparts on the regional situation and latest developments in the conflict in the West Asia region. The minister has spoken to his counterparts from all GCC countries since the military conflict started on Feb 28, calling for resolving all issues through dialogue and emphasising the well-being of the Indian diaspora. Jaishankar is currently on a visit to Brussels from March 15-16 at the invitation of EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas to interact with foreign ministers of the 27 EU member states at the Foreign Affairs Council Meeting. During the visit, Jaishankar will also hold meetings with the leadership of the EU, and his counterparts from Belgium and other EU member states. This is the first high-level bilateral visit from either side since the two sides finalised a free trade agreement in Jan this year. The visit is taking place in the middle of the raging war in the West Asia region. Jaishankar and Kallas had spoken earlier to discuss issues related to the conflict. The Indian minister is likely to stress on the need for an early end to the conflict in his engagements with his European counterparts. “The visit of the foreign minister coming soon after the historic 16th India-EU Summit is expected to further deepen India’s strategic partnership with the EU,” said the MEA said in a statement.

Mumbai: Tilak Nagar police arrested two Govandi men for allegedly raping a 17-year-old girl who had sought help with procuring a ration card. The suspects, who are in their 50s, claimed to be social workers. One of them lured the unsuspecting girl to a secluded spot in Tilak Nagar in Chembur under the pretext of offering help with getting her a ration card and called the other man to the site, said police. They allegedly sexually assaulted her and threatened her. The girl confided in her aunt, with whom she lives. The aunt took her to police, who lodged an FIR. Various provisions of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, besides Protection of Children from Sexual offences Act, have been invoked against the two men. They were produced in court and sent to police custody. TNN

NEW DELHI: Govt has asked Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to do away with and amend some key provisions of the National Building Code (NBC) by April end. These include changes to sections dealing with fire safety, which experts said will “water down” conditions key to public safety.TOI has learnt that the changes are being made following directives from the deregulation cell under Cabinet Secretariat, which had flagged that regulations governing land and buildings are state subjects and state govts and urban local bodies deal with these issues. People aware of the development said the cell is also of the view that fire safety and its regulation fall within state authority and the provisions of NBC, along with requirements of consultants, push up costs.Recently, the Cabinet Secretariat intervened to withdraw the revised 2025 BIS seismic zoning map after housing and urban affairs ministry flagged the increase in cost of Metro rail projects, technical complexity and lack of stakeholder consultation. Sources said that there was a directive to BIS from Cabinet Secretariat to “immediately” withdraw the draft standards.“In the case of NBC, most changes sought by the deregulation cell have been proposed in the updated NBC. However, submissions are also being made over why there is a need to continue with the provisions dealing with fire safety since it is directly linked to life and public safety. There is no scientific data to prove that any dilution is required in this area. There is scope for improvement rather than dropping the entire chapter, which is an easy reference point for all authorities and stakeholders,” said a member of the technical committee dealing with the subject.He added that the revised NBC, which was ready for printing around June last year, was prepared with the involvement of over 1,300 professionals. “How many urban local bodies and municipalities have the capacity to come up with a detailed code? Withdrawing it suddenly will force them to go to the drawing board,” said another member.Several members of the committee said the revised NBC was prepared after more than two years’ work and just when it was about to be published, the Cabinet Secretariat wrote to all chief secretaries stating that it is not mandatory to follow the NBC. This was followed by directives to BIS to delete some parts of the NBC 2016, including the ones that deal with “integrated approach”, “administration” and “fire safety”.

Taskin Ahmed stars with 4/49 as Bangladesh beat Pakistan

Bangladesh edged past Pakistan by 11 runs in a nail-biting third ODI at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Sunday, clinching the three-match series 2-1.Electing to bat first, Bangladesh posted a challenging 290/5 in their 50 overs, largely thanks to a masterful century from Tanzid Hasan Tamim. His elegant strokeplay anchored the innings and set the platform for a competitive total.

Support came from Litton Das, who contributed a steady 41, while Towhid Hridoy added a crucial 48, helping maintain momentum during the middle overs. Timely acceleration in the final stages ensured Bangladesh set a target that would test Pakistan’s chase.Pakistan fought hard in response, with Salman Agha delivering a valiant century to keep his side in contention. Key contributions also came from Saad Masood (38) and Shaheen Afridi (37), but the chase ultimately fell short as Bangladesh bowlers struck at pivotal moments.Taskin Ahmed led the attack with precision, claiming four wickets, while Mustafizur Rahman supported with three scalps, restricting Pakistan to 279 and securing a thrilling 11-run victory. The win handed Bangladesh the series and capped off an intense contest after two one-sided games earlier.Reflecting on the win, Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz said, “It was definitely an excellent match. I was also a bit nervous, especially in the last over when 14 runs were required. Everyone feels that pressure. The wicket played well, and although 300 would have been ideal, 290 was still competitive. Amim, Shankal, and Tawhid played really well, and the boys executed brilliantly under pressure.”

Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Sunday warned it would “pursue and kill” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he were “still alive.”In a statement published on its website Sepah News, the IRGC described Netanyahu as a “child-killing criminal.”“If this child-killing criminal is alive, we will continue to pursue and kill him with full force,” the statement read, according to AFP.

The remarks came after the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office issued a clarification amid speculation about Netanyahu’s health, saying the premier is “fine.”“These are fake news; the Prime Minister is fine,” the office told Anadolu Agency when asked about social media posts claiming Netanyahu had been killed in retaliation for the recent Israeli and US strikes on Iran.

Speculation intensified after a video of Netanyahu circulated online, with some users claiming he appeared to have “six fingers.” The unusual detail led many to suggest the clip might be AI-generated and fuelled rumours about his whereabouts, with some falsely claiming he had died.On February 28, the United States and Israel carried out joint strikes across Iran, targeting key military and leadership sites. The attacks killed the Islamic Republic’s then-Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, and triggered the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.Also read: ‘Hearing he’s not alive’- Trump’s big claim on Mojtaba Khamenei amid US-Israel strikes on Iran
Khamenei’s daughter, son-in-law, and 14-month-old granddaughter were also killed in the strikes that targeted him.The IRGC likely branded Netanyahu a “child-killer” because of Khameini granddaughter’s killing.

SRINAGAR: Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) issued a set of guidelines for protesters on Sunday, on the eve of a protest urging the Centre to resume dialogue on the demand for statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion under Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.The organisations have asked participants of the protest on Monday to stick only to approved slogans and not to mask their faces. LAB said it has not called for a market shutdown. However, shopkeepers who wish to voluntarily close their shops and join the march are free to do so.On Friday, the UT administration appealed to LAB to reconsider the proposed March 16 procession, saying it remained committed to dialogue. The govt said the tourist season is about to begin and such a protest could create a negative impression about the situation in the region.The last dialogue between Ladakhi representatives and Union home ministry’s high-powered committee was held on Feb 4.The UT administration is wary of such protests as last year on Sept 24, police opened fire on protesters, killing four and injuring over 80 in Leh.After the Centre ordered an inquiry into the Sept 24 police firing, MHA panel and Ladakhi representatives held the first round of talks in New Delhi on Oct 22 last year.

Mumbai: The panic booking of LPG cylinders amid shortage of commercial supply has led to roadside snack vendors in some areas hiking prices by Rs 5-10, sources said. Vadapav was selling for Rs 25 per piece. Traders dealing in Gudi Padwa-related items said business has been hit and some temples said preparation of prasad has also been affected.Govt has been ensuring that domestic LPG supplies is “secured” and “uninterrupted”. As part of measures to prevent hoarding, the Centre has barred homes with piped natural gas (PNG) connections from applying for, retaining or refilling an additional domestic LPG cylinder as an alternative fuel. Around 28 lakh households across MMR have PNG connections. Sources in Mahanagar Gas Ltd (MGL) said it is not known how many domestic PNG consumers have an additional LPG cylinder but estimated it to be a significant number. Panic buying continued in some areas on Sunday as many residents rushed to dealer outlets, reportedly fearing a supply squeeze, leading to serpentine queues in parts of Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane. In Sanpada, Navi Mumbai, a queue for LPG cylinders stretched for nearly 1km, while consumers were also seen waiting for hours at outlets in Kandivli and parts of Thane despite receiving OTP confirmations for delivery or refill. Many arrived carrying empty cylinders, hoping to secure refills. Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Nirupam made a surprise visit to an LPG outlet in Goregaon for a “reality check”. He said he was told 300-400 cylinders were being supplied daily to consumers. After the inspection, he said there was no supply crisis and that panic among citizens had worsened the rush. Nirupam said the 25-day refill gap may have created the impression of a shortage, but the problem was worsened by rumours. He urged residents not to panic or fall prey to misinformation. Dealers were happy about the passage of two ships from Strait of Hormuz, but said 28-30 ships still lay in wait.