IAS officer Tina Dabi meets 'pride of Jaisalmer'. See photo

IAS officer Tina Dabi's latest Instagram post and stories are a celebration of Jaisalmer where she is posted as the district collector and magistrate. The famous IAS officer met Rajasthani singer Mame Khan and uploading a photo with him in her Instagram stories, Tina Dabi wrote, "With the pride of Jaisalmer". The singer also shared the story on his Instagram feed. Tina Dabi first hit the headlines after she topped the UPSC exam in 2015.

Kolkata man is world's first human to be infected by killer plant fungus

A man from Kolkata suffered from a potentially fatal fungal infection caused by plants, according to a report in the journal Medical Mycology Case Reports. The 61-year-old, a plant mycologist, had no history of chronic disease or immunosuppressive drug use, but had been working with decaying material, mushrooms and various plant fungi for a long time. The man was diagnosed with Chondrostereum purpureum, a plant fungus that causes silver leaf disease in plants, but this is the first known case of the fungus causing disease in a human. The patient recovered after a course of antifungal medication.

Morning brief: Commercial LPG cylinder prices cut by nearly ₹92, and all the latest news

The Indian government has cut the price of commercial LPG cylinders by INR92 ($1.24) on the first day of fiscal year 2024. However, the price of domestic LPG gas cylinders remains unchanged. Meanwhile, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has criticised the ruling BJP?s ?Hindu Rashtra? ideology, which he claims has led to the rise of the Khalistan movement and separatists like Amritpal Singh in Punjab.

Himanta Sarma's 'sue' warning to Arvind Kejriwal: ‘A single word against me...’

Ahead of Arvind Kejriwal's first political rally in Assam on April 2, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday dared his Delhi counterpart to speak against him that "Himanta Biswa Sarma is corrupt". Sarma clarified that there is no case against him in any part of the country. The Assam chief minister's warning comes on a day when the Gujarat high court fined Kejriwal ₹25,000 for asking Gujarat University to reveal details of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's education degree.

'Hindu Rashtra' led to rise of Amritpal Singh and Khalistan? Ashok Gehlot says…

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has criticised the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s “Hindu Rashtra” ideology, which he claims has led to the rise of the Khalistan movement and separatists like Amritpal Singh in Punjab. Gehlot blamed the BJP and RSS for the popularity of the radical preacher, who has been on the run since 18 March. Singh has released two video messages and one audio message from hiding.

PM Modi to flag off Bhopal-Delhi Vande Bharat Express today. Check details

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the Bhopal-Delhi Vande Bharat Express on 1 April, according to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Modi is also set to attend the Combined Commanders' Conference on the same day. The train will be the 11th Vande Bharat Express and will cover the 708 km distance between the two cities in around seven hours and 45 minutes. It will run from Bhopal's Rani Kamlapati station to Hazrat Nizamuddin station, with stops at Veerangana Laxmibai Jhansi and Gwalior stations, according to Livemint.

Howrah tense; Smriti Irani slams Mamata for ‘clean chit’, TMC cries conspiracy. 10 updates

Communal violence broke out in Howrah, West Bengal, during Ram Navami celebrations, with the Trinamool Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) exchanging blame. The West Bengal government has handed over the probe to Criminal Investigation Department (CID), while prohibitory orders have been imposed in several areas of Howrah. Internet services were also suspended in some areas of Howrah, with telecom, internet and cable service providers issued notices to restrict provocative messages and videos. Union minister Smriti Irani accused chief minister Mamata Banerjee of protecting those who pelted it with stones.

CM Stalin promises probe as Kalakshetra stir brews

The chief minister of Tamil Nadu has promised legal action against those found guilty of sexual harassment at the Rukmini Devi College of Fine Arts, run by Kalakshetra Foundation. The students had been protesting for two days against alleged harassment by four faculty members, and the Tamil Nadu Women's Commission chairperson said it had received nearly 100 complaints of harassment and mental abuse. Kalakshetra had previously announced the closure of the college until 6 April and directed students to vacate hostels within two days.

Kerala opposes move to raise women marriageable age to 21

The state government of Kerala in India has opposed a proposal to raise the minimum age of marriage for women from 18 to 21 years. The state's women and child development department sent a letter to the National Commission for Women opposing the bill, which had been proposed in parliament in 2021. The Kerala government argued that women are eligible to vote at 18 so they should also be allowed to marry. The proposed bill seeks to bring uniformity in the marriageable age of men and women, with the age for men currently set at 21.

Andhra tribals protest move to include Boyas and Valmikis in ST list

The Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy government in Andhra Pradesh has caused unrest among the Adivasis in the state by proposing to include Boya, Valmiki, and Bentu Oriya communities in the list of Scheduled Tribes. The tribal groups under the auspices of the Adivasi Joint Action Committee blocked vehicles and ambulances in these areas. They held up traffic for several hours, paralysing the public transport into the interior areas of these districts.

Must expedite conclusion of trials under special laws: Supreme Court

India's Supreme Court has ruled that trials involving special laws with stringent bail provisions must be concluded speedily, and courts must be sensitive to the deleterious effects of incarceration on undertrials. The court made the ruling in an appeal for bail filed by an accused under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act who was behind bars for the past seven years while the trial proceeded at a slow pace. The accused was granted bail, with the court stating that if trials are not concluded in time, the injustice inflicted on the individual is immeasurable.

Death count in Indore temple tragedy hits 36

At least 36 people have died and 18 others injured after a stepwell collapsed at Beleshwar Mahadev Jhulelal temple in Madhya Pradesh, India during Ram Navami celebrations. The dead included 20 women, 12 men and four children. Questions were raised over the efficiency of rescue operations after a video emerged of a woman being pulled out by a man through a makeshift ladder but falling off it. The chairman and secretary of the temple trust have been charged with culpable homicide.

A ‘corpse’, jailed kin, a false case and a murdered woman’s second coming

Police in Madhya Pradesh, India, have been accused of fabricating evidence to boost numbers in a scheme to reunite missing children with their families. Kanchan Uike, a 14-year-old who went missing in 2014, was one of 2,444 girls "recovered" under Operation Muskaan, launched by the state government and police in January 2021. Kanchan was said to have been murdered by her father and brother, but reappeared this week, unaware of the charges against them. Lawyers said the family was tortured into making a false confession.

India’s new trade policy aims at $2tn exports by 2030

India has announced a new Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) with a target of $2tn in exports by 2030, equally split between goods and services. The policy will be effective from 1 April and encourages trade settlements in rupees. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said the target could be reached if the country explored every possible opportunity, while the new FTP also includes a "massive, focused, concentrated" global outreach effort over the next few months. The policy aims to expand India's share in the global supply chain and exports.

From HT Archives: Ray gets the Oscar for ‘mastery in arts of motion pictures’

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awarded Satyajit Ray an Oscar for lifetime achievement on March 16, 1992, in his hospital bed in Calcutta. During the Academy Awards ceremony, a video of Ray receiving the award was shown, with Ray expressing his gratitude for the "magnificent award, certainly the best achievement of my movie-making career." Ray also noted that he learned everything about cinema from American films and had tried to capture something unique in Indian experience that was universal. Ray, who had hoped to attend the ceremony, was hospitalised several weeks before it took place.

What binds Chennai and Rajasthan in the IPL?

The return of home games to the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2023 will give teams the chance to capitalise on a cricketing advantage they have historically built, according to How India Lives. The IPL will return to a city-based league, offering revenue streams from ticket sales and the opportunity to build a greater connection with home fans. Chennai Super Kings have the highest winning percentage at home on an overall basis with 71%, followed by Rajasthan Royals with 68%. Meanwhile, Bengaluru and Delhi have a home record that trails their overall record in the IPL.