In a big boost for the capabilities of the armed forces, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has accorded the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the procurement of equipment worth Rs 2.38 lakh crore. DAC has cleared the procurement of major defence equipment such as Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) for the Indian Air Force (IAF) and five additional squadrons of the battle tested S-400 Surface to Air Missile (SAM) systems, the Dhanush artillery gun and an Air Defence Tracked System. The MTA will replace the aging workhorse of the IAF’s transport fleet the An-32. The new aircraft is expected to carry a payload between 18-30 tonnes. The aircraft is expected to bridge the capability gap between the Il-76 and the An-32s. The frontrunners to replace this aircraft are the Brazilian Embraer C-390, which comes with a 26 tonnes payload capacity and the European Airbus A400M, with a 37 ton payload capacity. Lockheed Martin’s C-130J, an aircraft the IAF already operates is also in the fray.Embraer has already partnered with Mahindra Aerospace. Airbus is yet to announce a domestic partner. These aircraft will replace the aging workhorse of the IAF’s transport fleet the An-32. The new aircraft is expected to carry a payload between 18-30 tonnes. The aircraft is expected to bridge the capability gap between the Il-76 and the An-32s.Of these aircraft, 12 would be acquired in fly-away condition while the remaining aircraft will be manufactured in India. The frontrunners to replace this aircraft are the Brazilian Embraer C-390, which comes with a 26 tonnes payload capacity and the European Airbus A400M, with a 37 ton payload capacity. Lockheed Martin’s C-130J, an aircraft the IAF already operates is also in the fray. Embraer has already partnered with Mahindra Aerospace. Airbus is yet to announce a domestic partner.The IAF has also cleared five additional squadrons of the S-400 SAM system. The S-400 can take out targets as far as 400 kilometers away. The missile was used during the active phase of Operation Sindoor and has shot down a Pakistani aircraft at a distance of 300 kilometers, a world record. IAF currently has three squadrons of the S-400 system, while two other squadrons are expected to be delivered this year.The top defence ministry procurement body has also cleared the procurement of 300 additional units of the indigenously manufactured Dhanush artillery gun system. This is a follow-on order of the guns, previously the army had 114 of these guns. Procurement of armoured piercing ammunition for tanks has already been cleared.The defence minister has also cleared the deck for the procurement of various types of drones, over haul of Al-31 jet engines for the Su-30 MKI fleet and heavy duty hovercrafts for the coast guard.Most of the new equipment such as the will go through a set procedure set under the Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020. These steps are Request for Proposal (RFP), this will be followed by a series of technical, field and stall trials and evaluations. Post the trials there will be price negotiations and clearance from the Prime Minister chaired Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) before the signing on the dotted line, a process that may stretch for years.In the current financial year, that will end on March 31st, AoN for 55 proposals amounting to Rs 6.73 lakh cr has been accorded. In the same time frame, capital procurement contracts have been signed for over 500 proposals amounting to Rs 2.28 lakh crore.

Bill Gates’ ex-wife and philanthropist Melinda French Gates recently shared the rule she follows when she is upset. Speaking at Bloomberg Business‘s Leaders with Francine Lacqua podcast this week (via Fortune), Gates said “If I’m unhappy with work you have done, you will hear from me within 48 hours”, adding, “I’m not going to tell you right away, because I need time to think it through.” Melinda Gates continued saying “If I’m angry about something [I do this] to calm down.” “That’s on me,” she added. Explaining further, Gates said that this practice is less about withholding criticism and more about delivering it with honesty, integrity, and grace. On the contrary, if the employee does not hear from Gates during this feedback window, it means they are in the clear.“If they pass the 48-hour mark, they can be confident that the job they did was a good job,” she said. “You’re not going to get to your performance review and have a surprise.”Melinda French Gates described her 48-hour feedback mantra as “gracious, thoughtful, before you go into it.” Gates has followed this practice over years when she co-chaired the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation from 2000 to 2024.

Melinda French Gates on leadership

During the podcast, Bloomberg’s Lacqua described French Gates’ way of handling feedback as her “leadership superpower,” saying it takes emotional control and honesty. “Being clear is kind,” French Gates replied, “because I’m giving them feedback so they can actually grow and become better.”

Dumbfounding’ advice for Melinda French Gates

Earlier this year, Gates revealed that her path to a $17.4 billion fortune began with an unusual piece of advice from a hiring manager at IBM. A hiring manager at the US-based multinational technology company told her to turn down the job, and instead join Microsoft, which was relatively new at that time. Gates then said : “My hiring manager at IBM, a female, said to me, ‘Okay, are you ready to accept the job offer?’ And I said, ‘Well, I have one more company to go interview—this little company, Microsoft. It was tiny,” French Gates said during an interview.“And she said, ‘If they give you an offer, you should take it.’ And it dumbfounded me,” she added.

The accused, identified as Abdul Rehman Sharif

BENGALURU: What began as a bizarre classroom episode has now escalated into a serious criminal case, with police arresting a medical college professor for allegedly proposing to a student during a lecture—an act that sparked outrage, protests, and violence on campus. The accused, identified as Abdul Rehman Sharif, attached to the Department of Microbiology, was arrested late Thursday night. A senior police officer confirmed the arrest, adding that further investigation is underway. The principal of the college, Divakar SV, filed a complaint with the Nelamangala Rural Police Station on Thursday afternoon. The controversy erupted at Sri Siddhartha Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre in T Begur near Nelamangala, in Bengaluru Rural district, after videos of the incident—recorded by students—went viral on Thursday. The college is governed by a trust chaired by state home minister G. Parameshwara, according to its website. The complaint states that, following earlier allegations of inappropriate behaviour, the professor had been issued a notice directing him to appear for questioning and was specifically instructed not to enter the college premises. However, in violation of these directions, he allegedly entered the campus on March 23. During his presence on campus, the professor is accused of forcibly holding the hand of a student and behaving in an indecent manner in both the afternoon and evening. The incident reportedly caused panic and confusion among students, disrupted the academic environment, and raised serious concerns about safety on campus. The principal further alleged that the professor’s actions not only amounted to harassment but also trespass, as he ignored explicit instructions to stay away from the institution. Copies of complaints submitted by students have also been attached to the police complaint as supporting evidence. TOI had earlier reported that three videos recorded on students’ mobile phones were widely circulated. In the footage, the professor is seen addressing a classroom from the podium around 12 pm on March 25, as indicated by the timestamp, claiming he “couldn’t resist the immense love” from the batch and announcing that he wished to propose to “one of the most important girls” in the class. He then said “I love you” to the student and arranged for chocolates to be distributed among classmates. The student immediately objected, asking him to take the matter to the principal. What followed was a heated exchange, with the professor insisting that she had earlier confessed her feelings and even claiming there was CCTV footage to prove it. The student demanded that he produce the footage. The professor then walked out, saying he would speak to her the next day. However, tensions escalated rapidly. Within minutes, the confrontation spilled onto the campus, where an agitated group of students allegedly chased and assaulted him. The girl reportedly struck him with her slipper, while others joined in, verbally abusing and physically attacking him. The professor eventually fled the scene. Based on the complaint filed by the principal, a case has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Sections 74 (assault or use of criminal force against a woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 75(1) (sexual harassment), and 329 (criminal trespass and house-trespass).

Earth’s internal structure continues to reveal details that reshape established scientific explanations about the planet’s formation. One such development concerns the origin and distribution of water. For decades, the dominant explanation suggested that water was delivered to Earth by icy comets during its early history. Geological and seismic research, however, presents a more intricate picture. Current evidence suggests that a considerable amount of water may be located deep within the Earth’s mantle, far below the Earth’s crust. Situated about 700 kilometres below the Earth’s crust, this body of water is not in a liquid state but is instead locked in within minerals, according to Brookhaven National Laboratory. Its potential volume is considerable, even surpassing that of all the oceans on the Earth’s crust, thus reinvigorating research on the Earth’s water cycle.

Why Earth’s ‘hidden ocean’ isn’t liquid: Water trapped in ringwoodite explained

The term ocean is often used informally to describe this reservoir, although it differs entirely from surface bodies of water. According to the BNL reports, the water exists within a high-pressure mineral known as ringwoodite, which forms under extreme conditions in the mantle. In this state, water is chemically bound within the mineral’s crystal structure rather than existing as a free-flowing liquid.Laboratory experiments simulating mantle conditions have confirmed that ringwoodite can incorporate significant amounts of water. When extrapolated across, the total volume becomes considerable. This form of storage represents a stable and long-term component of Earth’s internal system.

Revisiting the origin of Earth’s water

The presence of water in the deep mantle supports the theory that Earth has kept its water since it was formed. The theory implies that instead of getting water from external sources such as comets, it has been part of the planet since it was formed. The internal water could have moved towards the surface over time through volcanic activities. The theory is consistent with observations that the volume of water in the oceans has remained constant over time.

Seismic evidence revealing water in Earth’s mantle

Direct exploration of depths approaching 700 kilometres remains beyond current technological capabilities. As a result, scientists rely on indirect methods, particularly seismic analysis. Earthquake-generated waves travel through the planet and change speed depending on the materials they encounter. In certain areas, seismic waves have been observed to slow down, a characteristic often associated with the presence of water within minerals. These observations, gathered through extensive seismometer networks, provided initial evidence for water in the mantle.According to Schmandt and Jacobsen’s findings, which build on a discovery reported in the journal Nature, further support comes from laboratory experiments and the analysis of ringwoodite samples found within diamonds brought to the surface by volcanic eruptions. These samples contained measurable amounts of water, confirming theoretical predictions.

Despite the sharp rise in global oil prices, retail fuel rates have remained unchanged. (AI image)

Petrol and diesel prices have been in focus since the start of the US-Iran war which has led to a huge rise in global crude oil prices. Several neighbouring countries have either raised petrol prices or rationed its use. In India, the government has cut the excise duty on both petrol and diesel, with an aim to absorb the global crude oil shock.The government has announced a reduction in excise duty on petrol and diesel. While excise duty on petrol has been cut, the levy on diesel has been removed altogether with an aim to cushion consumers from the surge in global crude oil prices triggered by the ongoing Middle East conflict.

Global Price Hike That Led To Excise Duty Cut

International crude prices have climbed nearly 50% since the United States and Israel carried out strikes on Iran on February 28, prompting strong retaliation from Tehran. Global oil prices had briefly surged to $119 per barrel earlier this month amid escalating tensions involving Iran, before easing to around $100 per barrel.India depends on imports for about 88% of its crude oil requirements and roughly half of its natural gas needs, much of which passes through the Strait of Hormuz. Following the attacks on Iranian government, military and nuclear facilities, Tehran warned vessels to avoid the route, while insurers withdrew coverage, effectively disrupting tanker movement.What the rising global crude oil prices have led to is a pressure on oil marketing companies which have not raised prices and have so far been absorbing the rise in crude prices.In a notification issued late on March 26, the Finance Ministry lowered the excise duty on petrol from Rs 13 per litre to Rs 3, while cutting the duty on diesel from Rs 10 per litre to zero. The revised rates came into effect immediately.

Will Petrol, Diesel Prices Come Down After Excise Duty Cuts?

Excise duty is a tax imposed by the central government on fuel, and it forms a significant part of the retail price of petrol and diesel. When this duty is high, it directly pushes up the price consumers pay at the pump. A reduction in excise duty lowers this tax component, which can either bring down retail prices or help oil companies offset rising crude costs without increasing prices, thereby easing the burden on consumers.Despite the sharp rise in global oil prices, retail fuel rates have remained unchanged, putting pressure on the finances of oil marketing companies. The duty reduction is intended to ease this strain and provide some relief to these firms.Earlier, rating agency ICRA had indicated that if crude prices average between $100 and $105 per barrel, fuel retailers could face losses of around Rs 11 per litre on petrol and Rs 14 per litre on diesel. It had also suggested that a reduction in excise duties could help maintain stable retail prices while giving companies more room to offset refining losses.The government’s intention of cutting excise duty and taking a tax revenue hit is to prevent a pass-on of higher crude prices to consumers in the form of a petrol and diesel price hike. Hence, the current excise duty cut is unlikely to result in petrol, diesel prices coming down for you. In effect, the aim is to maintain the petrol, diesel prices at current levels, so that consumers don’t bear the brunt of rising global oil prices.Hence, retail prices of petrol and diesel by state-run oil companies such as Indian Oil Corp, Bharat Petroleum Corp, and Hindustan Petroleum Corp are expected to remain the same: No cut, no hike!State-run fuel retailers account for around 90% of the market. In Delhi, petrol continues to be sold at Rs 94.77 per litre, while diesel is priced at Rs 87.67 per litre.Meanwhile, private fuel retailer Nayara Energy, which operates 6,967 outlets out of India’s 102,075 petrol pumps, has partially passed on higher input costs by increasing petrol prices by Rs 5 per litre and diesel by Rs 3 per litre. Petrol at its outlets is now priced at Rs 100.71 per litre, while diesel costs Rs 91.31 per litre.Jio-bp, the fuel retailing joint venture between Reliance Industries and BP Plc with 2,185 outlets, has not raised prices so far despite facing significant losses on fuel sales.Last week, state-owned oil marketing companies raised prices of premium petrol variants by over Rs 2 per litre. The hike applies only to high-performance fuels such as BPCL’s Speed, HPCL’s Power and IOCL’s XP95, with increases ranging from Rs 2.09 to Rs 2.35 per litre.

What government said on excise duty cut

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in a post on X that the excise duty reduction “will provide protection to consumers from rise in prices,” adding that the government remains committed to shielding citizens from fluctuations in supply and costs of essential commodities. She also noted that export duties of Rs 21.5 per litre on diesel and Rs 29.5 per litre on aviation turbine fuel have been imposed to ensure sufficient availability within the domestic market.Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said global crude prices have surged sharply over the past month, rising from around $70 per barrel to nearly $122. He pointed out that fuel prices have increased significantly worldwide, with rises of about 30 to 50 per cent in Southeast Asia, around 30 per cent in North America, 20 per cent in Europe and roughly 50 per cent in Africa. He added that the government faced a choice between sharply raising domestic fuel prices or absorbing the financial burden.Reiterating the approach followed since the Russia-Ukraine conflict began, he said the government has once again chosen to absorb the impact to protect consumers. “The government has taken a huge hit on its taxation revenues to ensure very high losses of oil companies (approximately Rs 24 per litre for petrol and Rs 30 a litre for diesel) at this time of sky high international prices are reduced,” he said.

As the Middle East conflict continues to disrupt global oil supplies, the Centre has stepped in to ensure better fuel availability for citizens. In a bid to cushion local consumers from the ripples, the government has imposed fresh duties on fuel exports while easing the domestic excise duties. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that export duties have been set at Rs 21.5 per litre on diesel and Rs 29.5 per litre on aviation turbine fuel (ATF), alongside a reduction in excise duty on petrol and diesel meant for domestic consumption.